Grid member and wall formed therefrom

Claim 2

A perforate grid wall comprising; a pair of elongated spacedapart parallel first and second end channel members having open channel portions facing one another, a pair of elongated parallel intermediate channel members extending parallel to said end channel members'' each of said intermediate channel members being substantially F-shaped in cross section and including a main leg and a pair of parallel spaced-apart flanges extending outwardly therefrom to define an open channel portion, said main leg including a first portion defining a bottom wall of said channel portion and a second portion extending laterally beyond said channel portion, said intermediate channel members being positioned in opposed relationship with said main legs facing one another and said open channel portions thereof opening outwardly in opposite directions, said open channel portion on one of said intermediate channel members facing said open channel portion of said first end channel and cooperating therewith to define a first guideway, said open channel portion on the other of said intermediate channel members facing said open channel portion of said second end channel and cooperating therewith to define a second guideway, fastening means securing said second portions of said main legs of said intermediate channel members together, and a plurality of rectangular perforate grid members having spacedapart opposite side edges received in said channel portions of said guideways.

Claim 3

The perforate grid wall of claim 1 wherein said wall defines a first perforate grid wall and further including a second grid wall substantially identical to said first grid wall positioned in substantially parallel spaced-apart relationship thereto, said second grid wall including intermediate channel members, and strut means interconnecting said intermediate channel members of said first grid wall with said intermediate channel members of said second grid wall.

Claim 4

A molded rectangular one-piece grid member having a first pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges and a second pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges perpendicular to said first pair of side flanges, said flanges encompassing a grid defining area, a first plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said first pair of flanges, a second plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said second pair of flanges, said first and second ribs intersecting one another at a plurality of spaced-apart intersection points throughout said grid defining area an encompassing a plurality of rectangular grid openings, said grid member having first and second opposite faces, said flanges and ribs having first edges lying in a common plane at said first face, said flanges having second flange edges spaced a first distance from said common plane and lying in a first plane at said second face, at least a majority of said first ribs having second edges spaced a second distance less than said first distance from said common plane and lying in a second plane at said second face, at least a majority of said second ribs having second edges spaced a third distance less than said second distance from said common plane and lying in a third plane at said second face, each of said majority of said first ribs having a width dimension substantially less than the distance from said common plane to said second plane, a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending outwardly from at least said third and fourth side flanges, said projections including laterally extending portions having edge portions sloping inward from said first face toward said second face.

Claim 5

A molded rectangular one-piece grid member having a first pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges and a second pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges perpendicular to said first pair of side flanges, said flanges encompassing a grid defining area, a first plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said first pair of flanges, a second plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said second pair of flanges, said first and second ribs intersecting one another at a plurality of spaced-apart intersection points throughout said grid defining area an encompassing a plurality of rectangular grid openings, said grid member having first and second opposite faces, said flanges and ribs having first edges lying in a common plane at said first face, said flanges having second flange edges spaced a first distance from said common plane and lying in a first plane at said second face, at least a majority of said first ribs having second edges spaced a second distance less than said first distance from said common plane and lying in a second plane at said second face, at least a majority of said second ribs having second edges spaced a third distance less than said second distance from said common plane and lying in a third plane at said second face, each of said majority of said first ribs having a width dimension substantially less than the distance from said common plane to said second plane, a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending outwardly from at least said third and fourth side flanges, said projections including laterally extending portions having edge portions sloping inward from said first face toward said second face.

Claim 6

A molded rectangular one-piece grid member having a first pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges and a second pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges perpendicular to said first pair of side flanges, said flanges encompassing a grid-defining area, a first plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said first pair of flanges, a second plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said second pair of flanges, said first and second ribs intersecting one another at a plurality of spaced-apart intersection points throughout said grid defining area and encompassing a plurality of rectangular grid openings, said grid member having first and second opposite faces, said flanges and ribs having first edges lying in a common plane at said first face, said flanges having second flange edges spaced a first distance from said common plane and lying in a first plane at said second face, at least a majority of said first ribs having second edges spaced a second distance less than said first distance from said common plane and lying in a second plane at said second face, at least a majority of said second ribs having second edges spaced a third distance less than said second distance frOm said common plane and lying in a third plane at said second face, each of said majority of said first ribs having a width dimension substantially less than the distance from said common plane to said second plane, a plurality of spaced-apart support projections extending outwardly from at least said third and fourth side flanges, said projections having outer edges spaced outwardly from said third and fourth side flanges, and recesses formed in said projections intermediate said outer edges and said third and fourth side flanges, said recesses opening outwardly toward at least one of said first and second opposite faces of said grid member.

Claim 7

A molded rectangular one-piece grid member having a first pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges and a second pair of parallel spaced-apart side flanges perpendicular to said first pair of side flanges, said flanges encompassing a grid-defining area, a first plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said first pair of flanges, a second plurality of parallel spaced-apart ribs extending across said second pair of flanges, said first and second ribs intersecting one another at a plurality of spaced-apart intersection points throughout said grid defining area and encompassing a plurality of rectangular grid openings, said grid member having first and second opposite faces, said flanges and ribs having first edges lying in a common plane at said first face, said flanges having second flange edges spaced a first distance from said common plane and lying in a first plane at said second face, at least a majority of said first ribs having second edges spaced a second distance less than said first distance from said common plane and lying in a second plane at said second face, at least a majority of said second ribs having second edges spaced a third distance less than said second distance frOm said common plane and lying in a third plane at said second face, each of said majority of said first ribs having a width dimension substantially less than the distance from said common plane to said second plane, a plurality of spaced-apart support projections extending outwardly from at least said third and fourth side flanges, said projections having outer edges spaced outwardly from said third and fourth side flanges, and recesses formed in said projections intermediate said outer edges and said third and fourth side flanges, said recesses opening outwardly toward at least one of said first and second opposite faces of said grid member.

Claim 8

The grid member of claim 4 wherein said recesses open outwardly toward both of said first and second opposite faces.

Claim 9

The grid member of claim 4 and further including lateral extensions projecting laterally from said outer edges of said projections in substantially parallel relationship to said third and fourth side flanges.