Slatwall with hanger securement track

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a slatwall extrusion and assembly that supportably secures a hanger, shelf bracket or other hardware. The slatwall extrusion has a board with a downwardly facing lip that combines with a lower like-shaped board to form a uniform longitudinal slot that receives the upper end of a mounting bracket for the hardware. The lip of each board has a track with rim to form an upwardly facing groove. The track receives and supportably secures the lower end of the bracket. The lower end of lip and the track are spaced apart a predetermined uniform distance. The bracket snap fits over the rim and into the groove so that the bracket is securely held by and between the lip and the track. An embodiment of the invention takes the form of an extruded slatwall rail having an upper lip and a lower board with the track.

1 . A slatwall assembly comprising: 
 at least one piece of hardware, said hardware having upper and lower portions, said upper portion having a ledge and said lower portion having a lower end, said hardware having an effective hardware height substantially equal to a distance between its said ledge and lower end;    a plurality of slatwall extrusions, each slatwall extrusion having at least one longitudinal slat, each said slat having a uniform slat height, and each said slat having a front surface, a rear surface, a lower lip and a track, said lip having a lower end and an inside surface, said inside surface being positioned between its said front and rear surfaces, and said track extending from said front surface proximal said lower lip, said track having an upwardly extending rim that defines a uniform longitudinal groove;    said longitudinal slats forming a set of adjacent slats including upper and lower slats, said set of adjacent slats being aligned and spaced apart to form a uniform longitudinal slot, said slot having a narrow portion proximal said front surface and a wider portion between said lip and said rear surface, said adjacent slats defining a uniform lip/track height, said lip/track height being a distance between said lower end of said lip of said upper slat and said track of said lower slat, said effective hardware height being between said slat height and said lip/track height; and,    wherein said slot receives the upper portion of said hardware and said groove of said lower slat securely receives said lower end of said hardware when said hardware is in a secure position.    
   
   
       2 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein said hardware has a mounting bracket that forms said upper and lower portions of said hardware, said effective hardware height being an effective bracket height, and said ledge being formed by an offset of said bracket, and wherein said rim has a rim height, said effective bracket height being a predetermined amount less than said lip/track height, and said rim height is greater than said predetermined amount, said lower end of said bracket snap-fitting into said groove.  
   
   
       3 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein said effective hardware height is substantially equal to said lip/track height, and said lower end of said hardware rests on said track of said lower slat, said hardware supporting the weight of an object and said track supporting that weight.  
   
   
       4 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein said slats have a uniform slat height, said effective hardware height is substantially equal to said slat height, said ledge of said hardware rests on said upper end of said lower slat, said hardware supporting the weight of an object, and said upper end of said lower slat supporting that weight.  
   
   
       5 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein each of said extruded slats has a continuous rear wall.  
   
   
       6 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein each of said extruded slats is backless.  
   
   
       7 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein each of said slatwall extrusions has upper and lower tabs for joining adjacent extrusions, said upper and lower tabs having a predetermined height to align adjacent slatwall extrusions to form one of said uniform longitudinal slots.  
   
   
       8 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein said track extends from said lower end of said lip.  
   
   
       9 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 1 , and wherein said lip has a stiffening web spaced from said lower end of said lip.  
   
   
       10 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 9 , and wherein said track extends parallel to said stiffening web.  
   
   
       11 . A slatwall extrusion for supportably securing a piece of hardware, the hardware having upper and lower portions, the upper portion having a ledge and the lower portion having a lower end, the hardware having an effective hardware height substantially equal to a distance between its said ledge and lower end, said slatwall extrusion comprising: 
 a plurality of slats, each said slat having a uniform slat height, and each said slat having a front surface, a rear surface and a lower lip, each lip having a lower end and an inside surface, said inside surface being spaced between its said front and rear surfaces, and a track extending from said front surface proximal said lower lip, said track having an upwardly extending rim that defines a uniform, longitudinal groove;    said plurality of slats forming a set of adjacent slats including upper and lower slats, said set of adjacent slats being aligned and spaced apart to form a uniform longitudinal slot, said slot having a narrow portion proximal said front surface and a wider portion between said lip and said rear surface, said set of adjacent slats having a lip/track height, said lip/track height being substantially equal to a distance between said lower end of said lip of said upper slat and said track of said lower slat, the effective hardware height being between said slat height and said lip/track height; and,    wherein said slot is adapted to receive the upper portion of the hardware and said groove of said lower slat is adapted to receive the lower end of the hardware when said hardware is in a secure position.    
   
   
       12 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 11 , and wherein the hardware has a mounting bracket that forms said upper and lower portions of the hardware, the effective hardware height being an effective bracket height, and the ledge being formed by an offset of the bracket, and wherein said rim has a rim height, the effective bracket height being a predetermined amount less than said lip/track height, and said rim height is greater than said predetermined amount, said lower end of said bracket snap-fitting into said groove.  
   
   
       13 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 11 , and wherein the effective hardware height is substantially equal to said lip/track height, and said lower end of the hardware rests on said track of said lower slat, the hardware supporting the weight of an object and said track supporting that weight.  
   
   
       14 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 11 , and wherein said slats have a uniform slat height, the effective hardware height is substantially equal to said slat height, said ledge of the hardware rests on said upper end of said lower slat, the hardware supporting the weight of an object, and said upper end of said lower slat supporting that weight.  
   
   
       15 . The slatwall extrusion of  claim 11 , and wherein each of said extruded slats has a continuous rear wall.  
   
   
       16 . The slatwall extrusion of  claim 11 , and wherein each of said extruded slats is backless.  
   
   
       17 . The slatwall extrusion of  claim 11 , and wherein each of said slatwall extrusions has upper and lower tabs for joining adjacent slatwall extrusions, said upper and lower tabs having a predetermined length, said upper and lower tabs having a predetermined height to align adjacent slatwall extrusions to form one of said uniform longitudinal slots.  
   
   
       18 . The slatwall extrusion of  claim 11 , and wherein said track extends from said lower end of said lip.  
   
   
       19 . The slatwall extrusion of  claim 11 , and wherein said lip has a stiffening web spaced from said lower end of said lip.  
   
   
       20 . The slatwall extrusion of  claim 19 , and wherein said track extends parallel to said stiffening web.  
   
   
       21 . An extruded slatwall rail for supportably securing a piece of hardware, said hardware having upper and lower portions, said upper portion having a ledge and said lower portion having a lower end, said hardware having an effective hardware height substantially equal to a distance between its ledge and lower end, said extruded slatwall rail comprising: 
 a continuous rear wall having front and rear surfaces, and including a slot forming portion with a forward extending spacer wall;    an upper lip having a front surface, said lip being joined to and spaced from said rear wall via a slot forming portion, said lip having a lower end and an inside surface, said inside surface being positioned between said front surface of said lip and said front surface of said rear wall;    a lower slat having a front wall with a front surface, said front wall being joined to said rear wall via upper and lower wall portions of said slat;    a track extending from said front surface of said slat, and said track having an upwardly extending rim that defines a uniform, longitudinal groove, said rail having a lip/track height substantially equal to a distance from said track to said lower end of said lip, said hardware height being substantially equal to said lip/track height;    a slot formed between said upper lip and said lower slat, said slot having a narrow portion proximal said front surfaces of said lip and slat and a wider portion between said inside surface of said lip and said rear wall; and,    wherein said slot is adapted to receive the upper portion of the hardware and said groove is adapted to receive the lower end of the hardware.    
   
   
       22 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 21 , and wherein said hardware has a mounting bracket that forms said upper and lower portions of said hardware, said effective hardware height being an effective bracket height, and said ledge being formed by an offset of said bracket, and wherein said rim has a rim height, said effective bracket height being a predetermined amount less than said lip/track height, and said rim height is greater than said predetermined amount, said lower end of said bracket snap-fitting into said groove.  
   
   
       23 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 21 , and wherein said effective hardware height is substantially equal to said lip/track height, and said lower end of said hardware rests on said track of said lower slat, said hardware supporting the weight of an object and said track supporting that weight.  
   
   
       24 . The slatwall assembly of  claim 21 , and wherein said slats have a uniform slat height, said effective hardware height is substantially equal to said slat height, said ledge of said hardware rests on said upper end of said lower slat, said hardware supporting the weight of an object, and said upper end of said lower slat supporting that weight.  
   
   
       25 . The extruded slatwall rail of  claim 21 , and wherein said track extends from said lower wall of said slat.  
   
   
       26 . The extruded slatwall rail of  claim 21 , and wherein said slat has a stiffening web spaced from said lower wall of said slat.  
   
   
       27 . The extruded slatwall rail of  claim 21 , and wherein said track extends parallel to said stiffening web.  
   
   
       28 . The extruded slatwall rail of  claim 21 , and wherein said lip has front, rear and side walls that define a hollow interior, and wherein said walls of said slat define a hollow interior.