DECORATIVE COMPOSITE ELEMENT

Abstract

Disclosed is a decorative element (1) comprising two substantially parallel panels (2, 3) which are arranged at a distance from each other and at least one of which (2, 3) is at least partially permeable to visible light, and a plurality of precious stones (6) that are disposed between the panels (2, 3). A device (4) for fixing the precious stones (6) in a specific position is located between the panels (2, 3). Said position-fixing device (4) includes compartments (5), inside each of which exactly one precious stone (6) is disposed. At least one of the panels (2, 3) directly adjoins the compartments (5).

Claims

1. A decorative element comprising: two mutually spaced substantially parallel panels, wherein at least one of the panels is at least partially translucent for visible light, a plurality of precious stones arranged between the panels, and a position-fixing device between the panels for fixing the position of the precious stones; the position-fixing device having compartments in which precisely one respective precious stone is arranged, wherein at least one of the panels directly adjoins the compartments, wherein each compartment in which a precious stone is arranged includes at least one wall, each precious stone being surrounded on all sides by the or each wall of the compartment and the two panels, and wherein the wall extends continuously from one of the panels to the other of the panels so as to be perpendicular to the panels and to meet each panel at a right angle.

2. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein both panels directly adjoin the compartments.

3. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the precious stones are held by the position-fixing device in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the panels.

4. (canceled)

5. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the precious stones are held by the position-fixing device in positively locking relationship.

6.-8. (cancelled)

9. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compartments of the position-fixing device for the precious stones are of a grid shape.

10. (canceled)

11. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compartments have cross-sections with circular edges.

12. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compartments are of polygonal cross-sections.

13. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compartments are of a honeycomb configuration.

14.-17. (canceled)

18. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the precious stones are glass stones or glass beads.

19. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the precious stones are ground faceted.

20.-21. (canceled)

22. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the panels is transparent to visible light.

23. (canceled)

24. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the position-fixing device for the precious stones is glued to at least one of the panels.

25. (canceled)

26. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the decorative element further includes at least one lighting device so that the precious stones between the panels can be lit.

27.-28. (canceled)

29. A decorative element as set forth in claim 26 wherein the lighting device includes a regulating or control device with which the color and/or brightness of the light emitted by the lighting device can be regulated or controlled.

30. A decorative element as set forth in claim 26 wherein the lighting device includes means with which a plurality of compartments of the position-fixing device can be individually lit.

31. A process for the production of a decorative element as set forth in claim 1 characterised by the following steps: fixing the position-fixing device for the precious stones to one of the panels, sifting the precious stones on to the position-fixing device for the precious stones, and fixing the second panel to the position-fixing device for the precious stones, that is provided with precious stones.

32. A process as set forth in claim 31 wherein the precious stones are pressed after the sifting operation into the position-fixing device and wherein the position-fixing device for the precious stones is glued to at least one of the panels.

33. A decorative element comprising: two mutually spaced substantially parallel panels, wherein at least one of the panels is at least partially translucent for visible light; a plurality of precious stones arranged between the panels; and a position-fixing device arranged between the panels having compartments for fixing the position of the precious stones, at least one compartment containing precisely one precious stone, the compartment including at least one wall which extends continuously from one of the panels to the other of the panels so as to be perpendicular to the panels along an entire distance between the panels so as to meet the panels at a right angle, wherein the wall comprises a panel-facing edge at a limit thereof, the edge defining a panel-facing edge surface, and wherein at least one panel is fixed to the panel-facing edge surface of the wall.

34. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1, wherein the position-fixing device and the panels are discrete structural components.

35. A decorative element as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wall comprises an panel-facing edge at a limit thereof, the edge defining a panel-facing edge surface, and wherein at least one panel is fixed to the panel-facing edge surface of the wall.

Description

[0039] Further details and advantages of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter by means of the specific description with reference to the drawings in which:

[0040] FIGS. 1a through 1c show plan views of respective different embodiments of the decorative element according to the invention, and

[0041] FIGS. 2a and 2b show cross-sectional side views of two decorative elements according to the invention with associated lighting devices.

[0042] FIG. 1a is a plan view showing a portion of a decorative element 1 according to the invention, wherein the device 4 for fixing the precious stones 6 in position has compartments 5 of a similar configuration, which are arranged in a grid consisting of rows and columns and the cross-sections of which have circular edges 7. In this case the compartments 5 are of such a size that precisely one precious stone 6 has space in each compartment 5. In this embodiment the precious stones 6 are of a similar configuration in the form of glass stones which are ground in a faceted configuration. Precious stones 6 are arranged in many of the compartments 5 so that the compartments 5 filled in that way form a pattern. The precious stones 6 are held in positively locking relationship by the compartments 5 and therefore cannot slip in the direction of the surface of the panels 2, 3. The directions of the panels 2, 3, that is to say the directions of the surfaces of the panels 2, 3, correspond in this view to the plane of the drawing. The precious stones 6 are held by the panels 2, 3 themselves, perpendicularly to the panel surfaces, so that slipping of the precious stones 6 overall is not possible and this arrangement provides for positional fixing of the precious stones 6.

[0043] A similar embodiment is shown in the plan view in FIG. 1b. Once again precious stones 6 are arranged in compartments 5 which are of a similar configuration as in FIG. 1a and are of a circular cross-section and are arranged in grid form. Not all compartments 5 are filled with precious stones 6 so that once again the arrangement of the precious stones 6 provides a pattern. The precious stones 6 are once again glass stones ground in a faceted configuration. Only the size of the compartments 5 and the precious stones 6 arranged therein represents a difference in relation to FIG. 1a. As here only a portion of a decorative element 1 according to the invention is shown, a very large number of compartments 5 can be filled with precious stones 6, depending on the respective size of the decorative element 1. Particularly when used as a facade element, the panel surfaces of the decorative element 1 can be several square meters in size and several thousand precious stones can be arranged between the panels 2, 3.

[0044] A portion of a further embodiment of a decorative element 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1c. In this embodiment the compartments 5, 5, 5 are of different sizes, the edges 7 of the compartments 5, 5, 5 being of circular cross-sections. As in the above-discussed embodiments the compartments 5, 5, 5 form the device 4 for fixing the precious stones 6, 6 in position and are made for example of plastic. The precious stones 6, 6 are in the form of glass stones which are ground in a faceted configuration and are of different sizes which however correspond to the sizes of the compartments 5, 5, 5. The compartments 5, 5, 5 are irregularly distributed and do not form a grid in this embodiment.

[0045] FIG. 2a shows a cross-sectional side view of a decorative element 1 according to the invention. The decorative element 1 comprises two mutually spaced parallel panels 2, 3. A further panel 2 is arranged in front of the panel 2 in the direction of the viewer. Both the panels 2, 2 and also the panel 3 are at least partially transparent to visible light so that on the one hand a viewer can observe the precious stones 6 between the panels 2, 3 and on the other hand a lighting device 9 in the form of a fiber optic can light up the precious stones 6 from the side of the decorative element 1, that is remote from the viewer. The lighting device 9 itself is held in spaced relationship behind the second panel 3 by a holding device 10. The spacing d between the holding device 10 and the second panel 3 in this embodiment is about 12 cm but can be of any other values. The precious stones 6 are held by a position-fixing device 4, wherein compartments 5 are of a size such that a respective precious stone 6 can be arranged in each compartment 5 and is held in positively locking relationship by the edge surfaces 7 of the compartments 5 in the direction of the panel surface and by the panels 2, 3 in a direction perpendicular thereto. Many of the compartments 5 are empty while others thereof are filled with precious stones 6, whereby they can form a pattern. In this case a holding element 8 serves to orient the decorative element 1. The precious stones 6 can be lit with the lighting device 9 so that in that case the precious stones 6 leave behind an optically attractive sparkling impression by virtue of multiple light refraction, in particular at the edges between the facets. Various regions of the decorative element 1 can in this case be lit with different colors and/or different levels of intensity. In this embodiment the height of the compartments 5, that is to say the spacing between the panels 2 and 3, is of a value of about 1 cm. Depending on the respective magnitude of that value, various sizes of precious stones 6 can be arranged between the panels 2, 3. The panel 3 towards the lighting device 9 is thinner than the panels 2 and 2 and can possibly be made from different material, for example plastic. This view particularly clearly shows how the precious stones 6 are fixed in position by the compartments 5, that is to say by the edge surfaces 7 of the compartments 5, that is to say overall by the device 4.

[0046] FIG. 2b shows a similar embodiment, in this case the panels 2 and 3 being similar, that is to say being of the same thickness. In this case there is no additional panel 2.