MOUNTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SHELVES EQUIPPED WITH A LED STRIP

Abstract

A mounting device (30) is described for a first (12) and second (10) linear hollow frame segment that make up the frame of a shelf, wherein the frame is provided with a lighting LED strip (20). The device comprises a third portion (72) comprising a flat face (72) of dimensions corresponding to the width of the surface groove (22) so that it can be inserted into the surface groove and fill the portion of the surface groove closest to the angled surface of the first segment.

Claims

1. Mounting device for a first and second linear hollow frame segment that make up the frame of a shelf, wherein the frame is provided with a lighting LED strip, and wherein said two linear segments are elongated along a respective longitudinal axis, equipped with an internal coaxial cavity, and joinable at their two complementary ends along a respective surface angled by a first angle with respect to one of said longitudinal axes, so that the first and second linear segments can be connected forming a 90 degrees angle, and at least the first segment comprises a surface groove, in which the lighting LED strip can be installed in plain sight, extending from said angled surface towards the center of the segment, wherein the device comprises a flat face of dimensions corresponding to the width of the surface groove so that it can be inserted into the surface groove and fill the portion of the surface groove closest to the angled surface of the first segment.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a rigid body composed of a first portion shaped and elongated along an axis so as to be able to be inserted coaxially into the inner cavity of the first linear segment at the respective angled surface, a second portion shaped and elongated along an axis so as to be able to be inserted coaxially into the inner cavity of the second linear segment at the respective angled surface, a third portion comprising the flat face.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the third portion comprises an abutment surface which is angled with respect to the axis of the second portion by an angle equal to said first angle, and adapted to abut against the angled surface at the end of the second linear segment.

4. Device according to claim 2, wherein the third portion is integrally obtained on/in the first portion.

5. Device according to claim 2, wherein the second and/or third portion is formed as a part protruding cantilevered from the first portion.

6. Device according to claim 3, wherein said flat face and the abutment surface lie on two planes which form an angle greater than or equal to 90 degrees, in particular 120 degrees or 135 degrees.

7. Device according to claims 3, wherein the abutment surface lies on a plane which is orthogonal to a plane comprising said respective axes of the first and second portion, and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to each of said respective axes of the first and second portion.

8. Device according to claim 3, wherein the flat face is constituted by a triangular-shaped area, wherein a first side of such triangle defines an edge between said flat face and the abutment surface.

9. Device according to claim 3, wherein the first and third portion form a shell which projects from the rest of the device.

10. Assembly method for a first and second hollow linear segment as defined in claim 1, wherein an element is inserted into the first and second segment, the element comprising a portion comprising a flat, e.g. triangular, face of dimensions corresponding to the width of the surface groove so that it can be inserted into the surface groove and fill the portion of the surface groove closest to the angled surface of the first segment.

Description

[0053] The advantages of the invention will be even clearer from the following description of a preferred example of a system, referring to the attached drawing in which

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a front edge of a shelf for furniture or shelving unit;

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a partial plan view of the edge of FIG. 1;

[0056] FIGS. 3-4 show vertical cross-section views according to plane III-III and IV-IV of FIG. 2, respectively, as well as an isolated component;

[0057] FIGS. 5-14 show three-dimensional views with different spatial orientations of a component of the shelf.

[0058] In the figures equal numbers indicate equal or conceptually similar parts, and the elements are described as in use. In order not to crowd the figures some numerical references are omitted.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows the edge of a shelf 10 comprising a frame formed by a front segment 12, a bottom segment (not shown) and two side segments 14. The segments 12, 14 are hollow tubular pieces, elongated along a respective axis X, Y, and with ends cut at 45 degrees relative to their axis to form angled surfaces S able to fit together (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0060] The segments 12, 14 can be assembled to form an overall rectangular or square frame. The object-supporting plane 16 of the shelf 10 lies—in use—on a horizontal plane.

[0061] The front segment 12 is provided with a seat or surface groove 22 inside which a LED strip 20 can be superficially installed. The power supply circuit of the LED strip 20 is indicated with 20X and the power cables with 100.

[0062] The LED strip 20 has the ends (FIGS. 1 and 2) ending with walls orthogonal to the longitudinal axis L of the LED strip 20.

[0063] The ends of the LED strip 20 are each joined to the end of the side segment 14 (the surface S) through a portion of a component 30 mounted partly inside the front segment 12 and partly inside the side segment 14 straddling the 45 degree junction between the segments 12, 14 (FIG. 2). That is, a portion of the component 30 stoops up the portion of the surface groove 22 which is closest to the surface S, connecting to the latter the end of the LED strip 20.

[0064] The component 30 is mounted in the shelf 10 in two specular specimens, one for each end of the strip 20 and for each angled conjunction between the segment 12 and the two side segments 14. For the sake of brevity we will describe the left component, here indicated in isolation with 30 and clearly visible in FIGS. 5 to 12.

[0065] The component 30 comprises two portions joined at an edge 90: a portion 40 that can be inserted coaxially inside the front segment 12 and a portion 46 coaxially insertable into the side segment 14.

[0066] The portion 40 extends along a Y2 axis and the portion 46 extends along a X2 axis. The Y2 axis and the X2 axis are parallel to the longitudinal X, Y axes of the segments 12, 14, respectively. Therefore the two portions 40, 46 extend along two directions orthogonal to each other (the Y2 axis and the X2 axis are orthogonal).

[0067] The portions 40, 46 are each a single piece, and are comprised in the component 30 as one piece. However, it is not necessary, although advantageous, that the component 30 or the portions 40, 46 are made of one piece.

[0068] The portion 40 is formed centrally by a flat surface 58 which extends longitudinally along the Y2 axis, from which a wall 52 extends orthogonally ending with an optional protruding tooth 54, parallel to the flat surface 58. From the latter there extends, on the opposite side with respect to the wall 52, a second wall 56, which ends up lying on a plane parallel to—and offset from—the wall 52. Preferably the wall 52 and the flat surface 58 are connected by a section 57 with curved cross-section.

[0069] The flat surface 58, along the Y2 axis and towards the corner 90, is wider than the base of the wall 52, so that the wall 52 ends before the flat surface 58 has reached the corner 90. It follows that at the corner 90 there is a free portion 80 of the flat surface 58 to which the portion 46 can be connected.

[0070] The portion 46 is defined in cross-section by two walls 60, 70 arranged like a V, wherein the vertex of the V forms an angle of 90 degrees. The walls 70, 60 lie on a plane orthogonal to the plane on which the walls 56 and 52 lie.

[0071] The wall 70 belongs to a flat face 72 of dimensions corresponding to the width of the surface groove 20 (see also FIG. 1) so as to fill the section of the groove 22 closest to the angled surface S of the segment 12.

[0072] The wall 60 belongs to a surface 62. The surface 62 and the flat face 72 lie substantially on planes orthogonal to each other.

[0073] The portion 46 comprises an optional abutment surface 74 which is angled with respect to the Y2 axis by an angle equal to the angle between the surface S and the X axis. Therefore the abutment surface 74 is adapted to abut against the angled surface S at the end of the segment 14.

[0074] The flat face 72 consists of an area in the shape of a right triangle, wherein a first side of the triangle defines an edge between the flat face 72 and the abutment surface 74. A second side of the triangle is parallel to the X2 and X axis.

[0075] In a preferred variant, the flat face comprises an indentation 76 along a side of the triangle.

[0076] The surface 62, the flat face 72 and the abutment surface 74 form a sort of a shell that is both insertable into the segment 12 and can rest against the angled end S of the segment 14.

[0077] In FIGS. 7 and 8 an electric cable 100 is shown, to indicate how it is laid inside the component 30 to cross the segment 14 and supply the LED strip 20.

[0078] Note (e.g. see fig. 7) how the cable 100 is curved by 90 degrees without encountering cutting surfaces or too small curvature radii. In particular, the edge of the wall 52 and/or of section 57 is rounded and with a curved profile, to maximize the radius of curvature for the cable 100.