US3912111A - Compoundable unit display window for the display of articles in general - Google Patents

Abstract

A compoundable unit display window for the display of articles in general comprising a supporting structure consisting essentially of a substantially parallelopiped framework, defining a base element and an upper cover element, joined together and stiffened by a plurality of uprights. The base element and the cover element consist of frames which support sections defining guides and counterguides for the sliding engagement of glass panels and the like. The stiffening uprights consist of sections defining guides co-operating with the guides of the sections of the base and cover elements to form seats for receiving panels of glass and the like.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Marengoni Oct. .14, 1975 [54] COMPOUNDABLE UNIT DISPLAY 3,182,846 5/1965 Kaff 220/84 WINDOW FOR THE E F 3322331 11/1323 33 iifi nsen..... ARTICLES IN GENE 3,477,182 11/1969 Fulton 312/140 [76] Inventor; Claudio Marengoni, via Italia 7, 3,509,673 5/1970 Witkosky et a1 52/242 Brescia, Italy, 25100 1 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price [22] Filed 1972 Assistant ExaminerAllan N. Shoap [21] Appl. No.: 306,110 Attorney, Agent, or FirmGuid0 Modiano; Albert Josif N F(l);e1lg9n;\p l)lul:at10n Priority Data 397/71 ABSTRACT t 0V a y A compoundable unit display wmdow for the dlsplay 52 us. c1 220/84; 52/288; 220/4 R; 98 in mmprising SPPPMfiHg 312 ll 312 /257 SK conslsting essentially of a substantially paralleloplped 51 Int. (:1. BD 7 42; F16B 12/00 framework fiV a base and PPer [58] Field of Search 220/84, 4 R, 4 F, 80, 4 N; Y l f mgethfr and Stlffened by a 30/140, 108 257 SK; 52/242, 288 656, rahty 0 u ng ts. e base e ement and the cover ele- 657 658 ment consist of frames which support sectlons defining guides and counterguides for the sliding engagement [561 Refermescied iin s i f o'ill fioil d ii11121113;i ifil lii ffi s e 0- ng W1 UNITED STATES PATENTS the guides of the sections of the base and cover ele- 959,939 5/ 1910 Hunter 312/ 140 ments to f Seats f receiving panels f glass and 2,765,886 10/1956 Tedaldi et a1.. 312/140 the like. 2,956,705 10/196O Clingman 220/ 3,108,393 10/1963 Baker 206/D1G. 18 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,912,111

COMPOUNDABLE UNIT DISPLAY WINDOW FOR THE DISPLAY OF ARTICLES IN GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a compoundable unit display window for the display of articles in general.

Shelving with sliding glass panels has been advantageously used for some time for the display of articles in general and particularly articles of small size, and constitutes an important element in the furnishing of shops or multiple stores, and such elements are also frequently used for dividing a room into a number of zones for the display and sale of different articles. These shelving elements, more correctly known as display windows, generally comprise a supporting structure formed from a plurality of metal sections configured and shaped so that they can be rigidly connected together and receive both the fixed and sliding glass panels. Although widely used and also advantageus from various points of view, these supporting structures are not free from disadvantages and these substantially limit the current use of said display windows. Among these disadvantages, the most important are the requirement of a large amount of effort in assembling the various elements constituting the structure and resulting in high labour costs, the relatively large number of component parts with their relative storage and transport problems and a not always satisfactory stability of the display window as obtained from said supporting structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a compoundable unit display window for displaying articles in general, which has structural and functional characteristics such as to advantageously overcome the stated disadvantages, i.e. a display Window whose supporting structure is otained from a limited number of component parts, which are rapidly and easily connected together with high stability even after prolonged periods of use, and without requiring the use of devices of delicate or difficult construction or the use of special structural arrangements which could in some way complicate the setting up of the display windows or require the assistance of specialised personnel Another object of this invention is to provide a display window of the aforementioned type, whose structural characteristics give it a considerable flexibility of application; i.e. they are such that it may be easily adapted to the room in which it will be used, with the rapid and satisfactory solution of contingent arrangement problems which would vary from case to case.

Another object of this invention is to provide a display window for displaying articles in general which, based on a limited number of component parts, enables a large range of dimension and form compositions to be obtained.

Another object of this invention is to provide a display window for displaying articles in general, whose structure is easily obtained starting from materials normally available commercially, and by machining operations of known type, so as to be advantageous also from a strictly economical point of view.

According to the invention there is provided a display window for articles in general, comprising a supporting structure consisting essentially of a substantially parallelopiped framework, defining a base element and an upper cover element, joined together and stiffened by a plurality of uprights, and in which said base element and said cover element consist of frames which support sections defining guides and counterguides for the sliding engagement of glass panels and the like, said uprights consisting of sections defining guides co-operating with said guides of said sections of the base and cover elements to form seats for receiving panels of glass and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages will be more evident from the detailed description of a display window according to the invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a display window according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 2a are a section along the line II-II and the line Ilalla of FIG. 1, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a section along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1 to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a section along the line [VIV of FIG. 1 to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a section along the line VV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section along the line VIVI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section to an enlarged scale of a section element of the display window according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to said figures, the display window for articles in general according to the present invention is exemplified in the version accessible from one side only. This displaywindow, which is indicated overall by the reference numeral 1, consists of a supporting structure defining a base element or bottom 2, and a cover element 3, which are joined together and strengthed by front uprights 4 and rear uprights 5. Said base element or bottom 2 consists (FIG. 2) of a tubular frame 6, of essentially rectangular configuration and having dimensions practically corresponding to the transverse and longitudinal dimensions of the display window which is to be obtained; the arcuate sections 7 and 8 are connected, for example by screw means 16, external to the longer sides of said frame 6.

The cross-section of the front section 7 comprises lowerly a curved part 7a shaped as a quarter of a circumference, from the summit or substantially horizontal end portion 7b of which there extends a vertical part or wall 9, which continues upperly as a normally horizontal part 10 extending over said tubular frame 6. This part 10, which is essentially box or channel like, comprises lowerly a bent flange 11, which co-operates with said vertical part 9 and the underlying curved part 7a to define a seat or recess for receiving the side of the tubular frame 6. Above the part 10 there are projections 12 and 13 which extend longitudinally over the entire length of the section under description, and which, as will be described hereinafter, constitute guides for the sliding panels 120 of the display window according to the invention. The cross-section of the rear section 8 comprises, like the preceding section, a lower curved part 8a in the form of a quarter of a circumference, whereas upperly it defines a part 110, extending from the vertical part 9 horizontally over the tubular frame 6. This part upperly defines a guide 111 in which a panel 112a is arrangeed, whereas lowerly it is provided with fins 113 which rest on the upper side of the tubular frame 6. At the upper and lower ends of the vertical part 9, the sections 7 and 8 comprise projections 14 and 15 which with the external face of said vertical parts 9 define sheath-like seats for receiving strips 15a of plastic laminate or wood which hide from view the heads of the screws 16 used for clamping the sections 7 and 8 on the longer sides of the tubular frame 6. Similar projections are provided at the substantially vertical and horizontal end portions of the curved parts 7a and 8a. These projections, indicated by the reference numerals l7 and 18, define with the visible surface of said curved parts 7a and 8a sheath-like seats for removably receiving strips of a plastic laminate or wood or the like. The part 10 of the front section 7 is also provided at the end facing inwards with a fin 19 which, in co-operation with the corresponding fin 119 provided on the rear section 8, supports a layer 20 of hardboard for example, which forms the bottom shelf of the display window, so concealing from view the presence of said stiffening frame 6. External to the shorter sides of said frame 6 there are connected lateral box sections 21 (FIG. 2a) which upperly define, in an eccentric position, a seat 22 for receiving and supporting panels of glass and the like.

The cover element 3 (FIG. 3) consists, as in the case of the base element or bottom 2 previously described, of a tubular frame 23 to he longer sides of which are externally connected metal sections 24 and 25. These sections are identical to the corresponding overturned sections 7 and 8 respectively as previously described for the base element or bottom 2 with the exception of the lower part 26 of the section 24, which define a pair of coupled channel guides 27 and 28 which extend over the entire length of said section 24. Said guides 27 and 28, designed to receive the sliding display window panels 12a of glass or the like of the display window according to the invention, are exactly aligned vertically with the projections 12 and 13 of the corresponding section 7 of the base element or bottom 2. External to the smaller sides of the tubular frame 23 are connected box sections, entirely similar to the box sections 21 described for the base element or bottom 2 but overturned upside-down (see FIG. 2a).

The front uprights 4 consist of metal box sections (FIG. 4) of rectangular cross-section, which on one side define a pair of coupled guide channels 29 and 30, extending over the entire height of the upright. These guides are designed to receive the glass side panels 29a of the display window according to the invention. Said section of rectangular crosssection is provided on its other sides with projections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 respectively, which with corresponding adjacent sides define sheaths for receiving strips 32a, 33a of plastic laminate or wood or the like. These upright sections 4 are connected to the corners of the base element or bottom 2 and the cover element 3, by clamping, for example by screws, to small threaded bosses 22a, provided on the inside of the box sections 21 of said base and cover elements. These uprights are positioned so that their guide channels 29 and coincide with the guide channels 27 and 28 of the cover element 24 and with the guide projections 12 and 13 of the base element or bottom. In one of said guides 29 or 30 of the uprights 4 are removably engaged pegs indicated diagrammatically by the reference numeral 37, arranged for supporting any shelves provided inside the display window according to the invention. The rear uprights 5, which are connected to the base element or bottom 2 and to the upper element 3 is an analogous manner to the previously described uprights 4, consist of metal box sections (FIG. 5) which on the side facing the uprights 4 define channel guides 38 and 39 over their entire height, of which one is used for receiving a display window panel 38a of glass or the like, and the other receives in removable engagement pegs 39a, which in cooperation with the pegs 37, are provided for supporting internal shelves in the display window according to the invention. These rear uprights also define on their remaining sides seats essentially in the form of a sheath in which can be easily arranged strips 5a of plastic laminate, wood or the like. The uprights 4 and 5, on the sides facing the longer sides associated with the sliding parts, are advantageously provided with strips of selfadhesive rubber, provided for dampening the impact against said uprights of said sliding glass panels.

When the display window according to the invention has to be of large height, because of which it is advantageous to use a number of sliding panels one above the other, intermediate horizontal sections 41 (FIG. 6) may be advantageously used, provided upperly with projections 42 and 43 analogouso to the projections 12 and 13 previously described relative to the sections of the base or bottom element 2, and defining lowerly guides 44 and 45 analogous to the guides 27 and 28 described with reference to the sections of the cover element 3. These sections 41 define on their remaining faces sheath- like seats 46 and 47 for receiving strips of plastic laminate, wood and the like. These sections 411, which are positioned parallel to the longer sides of the base element or bottom 2 and the cover element 3, are directly supported by the uprights 4 and 5 by the use of clamping means of known type, for example of the type previously described.

When the display window according to the invention is of the type accessible from both sides, the upper sections 8 and 25, previously described, are replaced by sections analogous to the front sections 7 and 24 respectively.

From what previously described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is evident that the display window according to the invention conists of a supporting structure which attains all the set objects, with particular reference to the small number of component elements, the rapidity and ease of setting up, the flexibility of application ofa display window so constituted and the economical advantages of its construction, especially in consideration of the fact that the described sections are preferably constructed of aluminium by extrusion.

In practice the materials used and the dimensions may be chosen at will according to requirements without leaving the scope of the present invention as heretofore described and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A display window with a longitudinal and a transverse dimension for articles in general, comprising a supporting structure consisting essentially of a parallelepiped framework, having a plurality of uprights, a base element and an upper cover element, joined together and stiffened by said plurality of uprights, and wherein said base element and said cover element comprise each a tubular frame having a rectangular configuration with a longer and a shorter side and with dimensions'corresponding to said transverse and said longitudinal dimensions of the display window, an arcuate section partially surrounding externally each longer side of said tubular frame, said arcuate section including a curved part shaped as a quarter of circumference, said curved part having a first end portion extending in a substantially vertical direction and inwardly offset with respect to said longer side, and a second end portion extending in a substantially horizontal direction close to said longer side of the tubular frame, said second end portion having a channel-like extension defining a recess therebetween for receiving therein said longer side of the tubular frame, said channel-like extension having an inwardly facing vertical wall with a fin projecting therefrom for supporting a plate member of the display window, said channel-like extension also defining horizontal guides and counter-guides for sliding engagement with window panels, said base element and said cover element each comprising further lateral box sections connected to and coextensive with said shorter sides of the tubular frame, said lateral box-sections having each a substantially horizontal wall defining horizontally extending seats offset thereto for receiving display window panels, said uprights consisting of vertically extending sections having vertical side walls defining a pair of inwardly facing vertically extending coupled guides, one of said coupled guides cooperating with said horizontally extending seats for receiving and holding a display window panel, and the other of said vertically extending coupled guides having means for receiving removable shelf supporting pegs, said channel like extension and said vertically extending sections having outside walls with external projections defining seats for removably receiving therein cover plate like elements.

2. A display window as claimed in claim 1, further comprising intermediate horizontal sections having means defining on two opposite faces thereof guides and counterguides for sliding engagement with display window panels, and having on at least one other face thereof means defining seats for removably receiving therein covering plate like elements, said intermediate horizontal sections being positioned parallel to the longer sides of said tubular frame.

Claims (2)

1. A display window with a longitudinal and a transverse dimension for articles in general, comprising a supporting structure consisting essentially of a parallelepiped framework, having a plurality of uprights, a base element and an upper cover element, joined together and stiffened by said plurality of uprights, and wherein said base element and said cover element comprise each a tubular frame having a rectangular configuration with a longer and a shorter side and with dimensions corresponding to said transverse and said longitudinal dimensions of the display window, an arcuate section partially surrounding externally each longer side of said tubular frame, said arcuate section including a curved part shaped as a quarter of circumference, said curved part having a first end portion extending in a substantially vertical direction and inwardly offset with respect to said longer side, and a second end portion extending in a substantially horizontal direction close to said longer side of the tubular frame, said second end portion having a channel-like extension defining a recess therebetween for receiving therein said longer side of the tubular frame, said channel-like extension having an inwardly facing vertical wall with a fin projecting therefRom for supporting a plate member of the display window, said channel-like extension also defining horizontal guides and counter-guides for sliding engagement with window panels, said base element and said cover element each comprising further lateral box sections connected to and coextensive with said shorter sides of the tubular frame, said lateral box-sections having each a substantially horizontal wall defining horizontally extending seats offset thereto for receiving display window panels, said uprights consisting of vertically extending sections having vertical side walls defining a pair of inwardly facing vertically extending coupled guides, one of said coupled guides cooperating with said horizontally extending seats for receiving and holding a display window panel, and the other of said vertically extending coupled guides having means for receiving removable shelf supporting pegs, said channel like extension and said vertically extending sections having outside walls with external projections defining seats for removably receiving therein cover plate like elements.

2. A display window as claimed in claim 1, further comprising intermediate horizontal sections having means defining on two opposite faces thereof guides and counterguides for sliding engagement with display window panels, and having on at least one other face thereof means defining seats for removably receiving therein covering plate like elements, said intermediate horizontal sections being positioned parallel to the longer sides of said tubular frame.

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