Wall panel system

Abstract

A wall panel system includes a mounting bracket with a longitudinally extending first channel and a longitudinally extending second channel, and a wall panel with a perpendicular flange around its periphery. The wall panel is attached to the mounting bracket by a clip attached to the wall panel adjacent the flange, the clip having an engaging element with a first portion and a second portion. The clip is secured to the mounting bracket by either the first portion of the engaging element mating with the second channel, or the second portion mating with the first channel. The first portion of the engaging element and the second channel each include a protrusion, the interaction of the protrusions causing the first portion to snap into the second channel.

1 . A wall panel system comprising:
 a mounting bracket having a longitudinally extending channel;   a wall panel having a planar surface and flanges extending from two opposing edges of said planar surface;   a clip attached to said wall panel adjacent said flange by an adhesive system, said clip having an engaging element;   wherein said clip is secured to said mounting bracket by said engaging element mating with said channel.   
     
     
         2 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said clip is attached to said wall panel without the use of mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         3 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting bracket includes at least one planar surface, and where a fastener passes through said planar surface into a building surface. 
     
     
         4 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said clip includes a right-angled portion that is mated with a corner on said wall panel created by a body portion of said wall panels and one of said flanges and said adhesive system is positioned between said right-angled portion and said corner. 
     
     
         5 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said clip includes a projection extending from said wall panel and supporting said engaging element. 
     
     
         6 . The wall panel system of  claim 5 , wherein said engaging element includes a first shoe portion and a said second shoe portion each extending from an end of said projection in opposite directions, and each being substantially parallel with said planar surface of said wall panel. 
     
     
         7 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive system includes an acrylic adhesive. 
     
     
         8 . The wall panel system of  claim 7 , wherein said adhesive system further includes an accelerator. 
     
     
         9 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said clip is secured to said mounting bracket by a fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The wall panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said clip further includes a slot, and where a spline is received in said slot. 
     
     
         11 . An attachment system for a wall panel system having wall panels, the attachment system comprising:
 a plurality of clips having an engaging element, said clips being operatively attached to opposing edges of the wall panels by an adhesive system; and   a plurality of mounting brackets having a first channel and a second channel;   wherein said clips are secured to said mounting bracket by said engaging element mating with one of said first channel and said second channel and wherein said adhesive system includes an acrylic adhesive.   
     
     
         12 . The attachment system of  claim 11 , wherein said clip is attached to said wall panel without the use of mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment system of  claim 11 , wherein said engaging element includes a first shoe portion and a second shoe portion, said first portion of said engaging element and said second channel each include a protrusion, the interaction of said protrusions causing said first portion to snap into said second channel. 
     
     
         14 . The attachment system of  claim 11 , wherein said clip includes a right-angled portion that is mated with a corner on a wall panel and said adhesive system is positioned between said right-angled portion and said corner. 
     
     
         15 . The attachment system of  claim 14  wherein said clip includes a projection extending from said wall panel and supporting said engaging element and where said first shoe portion and said second shoe portion of said engaging element extend from a distal end of said projection in opposite directions, each being substantially parallel with a body portion of said wall panel. 
     
     
         16 . The attachment system of  claim 11 , wherein said adhesive system further includes an accelerator. 
     
     
         17 . A wall panel system comprising a clip attached to a wall panel by an adhesive system that bonds the clip to the wall panel, the cured adhesive bond being characterized by a tensile strength at break of at least 25 MPa. 
     
     
         18 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , wherein said clip is attached to said wall panel without the use of mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         19 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by an elongation of at least 25%. 
     
     
         20 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a Young's Modulus of at least 800 MPa. 
     
     
         21 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a glass transition temperature of at least 68° C. 
     
     
         22 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a lap shear at room temperature of at least 15 MPa. 
     
     
         23 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a lap shear at 82° C. of at least 10 MPa. 
     
     
         24 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a lap shear after five hundred hours of salt spray exposure of at least 15 MPa. 
     
     
         25 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a lap shear after 14 days at 38° C. and 100% relative humidity of at least 16 MPa. 
     
     
         26 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a lap shear at −34° C. of at least 14 MPa. 
     
     
         27 . The wall panel system of  claim 17 , the cured adhesive bond being further characterized by a T-peel of at least 3.0 N/mm.