Ship lap styled ship-slat components and manufacturing system

Abstract

A ship lap styled wall covering system and apparatus is described. The apparatus includes panels which are disposed horizontally atop one another and are preferably joined via rabbet joints. The panels are configured to exhibit horizontal junction grooves when viewed from a front of the apparatus which facilitates the attachment of mounts such as brackets for the display of items and/or retail products on the wall covering. Similarly, vertical junction grooves may be present for the placement of similar mounts to vary the structure of the wall covering. Reinforced mounting notches disposed within the horizontal junction grooves are configured to conceal any and all screws used to affix the panels to the wall, and employ a rear portion substrate to ensure a structurally sound construct. Top and bottom molding panels may be installed to assist the aesthetic appeal of the system.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An ship-lap styled interlocking vertical panel system for the display of retail items on a wall comprising:
 panels, said panels having a front portion, a rear portion, and four edges;   wherein said four edges include two horizontal edges and two vertical edges;   wherein said rear portion functions as a substrate of said panels;   rabbet joints, said rabbet joints disposed on said two horizontal edges;   wherein said rabbet joints are configured to interlock said panels together in series such that panels are disposed bottom-to-top and side-to-side;   horizontal junction grooves, said horizontal junction grooves disposed horizontally between said panels;   vertical junction grooves, said vertical junction grooves disposed vertically between said panels;   wherein said horizontal junction grooves are configured to securely hold mounts; and   wherein said mounts facilitate the placement of the retail items on the wall.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 screws, said screws disposed in screw positions;   wherein said screw positions are disposed on said horizontal edges of each panel; and   wherein said screws are obscured by subsequently placed interlocking panels upon contact.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said mounts include metallic hardware selected from the following group: shelves, platforms, brackets, hooks, and eyelets. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: molding panels, said molding panels disposed at a top and a bottom of the wall to serve as trim for the wall. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is composed of at least one material selected from the following group: MDF, High pressure laminate thermofused laminate, cold fused laminate, plywood, melamine, vinyl, paint, wood, veneer, stain, color core material, composite, plastic, PVC, Acrylic, or metal. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reinforced mount notches, said reinforced mount notches disposed horizontally on said bottom portions of said panels; and   wherein said reinforced mount notches provide a leverage point for the positioning of said mounts.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said front portion of said panels is equipped with texturization, patterns, embossing, brick fascia, or similar aesthetic elements to coordinate the appearance of the panels with that of the space in which the panels are disposed. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said mounts include metallic hardware selected from the following group: shelves, platforms, brackets, hooks, eyelets. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising: molding panels, said molding panels disposed at a top and a bottom of the wall to serve as trim for the wall. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said substrate is composed of at least one material selected from the following group: MDF, High pressure laminate thermofused laminate, cold fused laminate, plywood, melamine, vinyl, paint, wood, veneer, stain, color core material, composite, plastic, PVC, Acrylic, or metal. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , reinforced mount notches, said reinforced mount notches disposed horizontally on said bottom portions of said panels; and
 wherein said reinforced mount notches provide a leverage point for the positioning of said mounts.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 screws, said screws disposed in screw positions;   wherein said screw positions are disposed on said horizontal edges of each panel; and   wherein said screws are obscured by subsequently placed interlocking panels upon contact.   
     
     
         13 . A wall mount system which provides a non-obvious means by which items may be displayed on a wall comprising:
 panels, said panels having a front portion, a rear portion, and four edges;   wherein said four edges include two horizontal edges and two vertical edges;   wherein said rear portion functions as a substrate of said panels;   rabbet joints, said rabbet joints disposed on said two horizontal edges;   wherein said rabbet joints are configured to interlock said panels together in series such that panels are disposed bottom-to-top and side-to-side;   horizontal junction grooves, said horizontal junction grooves disposed horizontally between said panels;   vertical junction grooves, said vertical junction grooves disposed vertically between said panels;   wherein said horizontal junction grooves are configured to securely hold mounts;   wherein said mounts facilitate the placement of the retail items on the wall;   screws, said screws disposed in screw positions;   wherein said screw positions are disposed on said horizontal edges of each panel;   wherein said screws are obscured by subsequently placed interlocking panels upon contact;   wherein said mounts include metallic hardware selected from the following group: shelves, platforms, brackets, hooks, and eyelets;   reinforced mount notches, said reinforced mount notches disposed horizontally on said bottom portions of said panels; and   wherein said reinforced mount notches provide a leverage point for the positioning of said mounts.   
     
     
         14 . A method for installing a shiplap-styled ship-slat wall system for the display of items on a wall comprising:
 screwing a starter strip onto a base of the wall;   placing a panel on top of the starter strip so that a bottom of the panel firmly seats within a rabbet joint of a top of the starter strip;   placing screws every 16″ along a top edge of the panel, securing the panel into structural wall material of the wall;   placing subsequent panels, bottom-to-top, together along the entirety of the top of the starter strip, completing one row once the subsequent panels approach ends of the starter strip;   selecting a desired panel height for a next row from a selection of available panels;   cutting the panels so that vertical seams disposed between placed panels are offset from those of the previous row below to achieve a shiplap appearance;   interlocking subsequent panels to complete subsequent rows from the bottom to the top of the wall until the wall is completely covered with panels;   screwing the panels into place via screws positioned in screw positions, the screw positions obscured by subsequently placed panels atop the screws;   attaching a base trim to a bottom of the wall;   attaching a top trim to a top of the wall; and   attaching end caps to sides of the panels to complete the installation.