Channeled wall panel

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Channels according to the present invention include no back surface.
They instead feature a closed throat.
These new closed face channels give the panel the appearance of a wall with conventional U-shaped slotted channel, and allow use of hangers, display members and other de:,ices which are conventionally made for such conventional channel.
Yet the new closed-face channeling of the present invention allows far greater load-bearing capacity than channel simply attached to the wall by screws, because its embedded flanges add far greater structural support.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, the channel flanges feature rounded extremities which serve to increase the panel mass between the flanges and the exposed panel surface.
The top of the T is open, and the throat of the channel features a closed exposed face with linear slots.
The flanges are thus supported and connected to one another structurally via the closed face.
The use of a closed face with linear slots allows the channel to be installed either vertically or horizontally and to accommodate other hardware and fittings manufactured for conventional U-shaped channels which are bolted or screwed to walls.
A second embodiment of the present invention combines the closed face and open flanges of the first embodiment with protrusions extending from the flanges in order to yield a strong, versatile support structure with greater load bearing capacity.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a channeled panel with increased load-bearing capabilities, which can be manufactured with less material without loss in strength, and which allows efficient use of space in an attractive manner through versatility and maximum strength with minimum use of metal and expense.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the remainder of this document.