Panel mounting components, systems, and methods

A melt-bondable panel mounting bracket for mounting an object, such as a decorative architectural resin-based, to a support structure comprising:

• a body;
• one or more bonding protrusions extending generally away from the body;
• one or more ridges extending generally transversely from the one or more bonding protrusions;
• a connection member configured to connect the melt-bondable panel mounting bracket to an additional hardware component;
• wherein the one or more bonding protrusions are configured so that, upon application of heat and pressure, the bonding protrusions can be pressed into a resin-based panel and cause resin of the resin-based panel to melt and flow over the one or more ridges, thereby creating a mechanical bond between the panel and the melt-bondable panel mounting bracket.

A decorative panel system, comprising:

• at least one decorative resin-based architectural panel, the resin-based panel having a visible outside surface, an opposing mounting surface, and a thickness extending therebetween;
• a melt-bondable panel mounting bracket having at least one bonding protrusion including at least one ridge extending in a generally transverse direction from the at least one bonding protrusion;
• wherein the at least one bonding protrusion is secured into the mounting surface of the resin-based panel and extends a distance into the resin-based panel less than the thickness of the resin-based panel, such that melted resin at least partially surrounds the at least one bonding protrusion and extends into the at least one flow recess;
• and
• a hardware component coupling the melt-bondable panel mounting bracket to a support structure.

A method of mounting a panel to a support structure, comprising:

• securing one of a locking pin and a housing to a support structure;
• securing the other of the locking pin and the housing to a panel;
• inserting the locking pin into the housing, wherein:
• the locking pin automatically rotates relative to the housing into a locked position;
• and
• the housing prevents the locking pin from being removed from the housing.