Display case having reinforced structure

Abstract

A display case has a first display case portion with walls configured so that each wall of a plurality of first fixed walls has a coupling edge arranged at the same coupling framework between the first portion and a second portion of the display case. The coupling edges of the first fixed walls are coplanar to one another and at least two of the first fixed walls are adjacent to each other and fastened together through gluing along a corner substantially perpendicular to the plane of the coupling edges. A groove is formed longitudinally on the coupling edge of each of the first fixed walls, the grooves of the first fixed walls jointly defining a channel along the coupling framework; a hoop cable is housed in the channel, closed on itself. The hoop cable contributes to keeping the walls coupled together at the coupling framework, ensuring that the walls stay in position even in the case in which the gluing with which the first fixed walls are fastened together partially or even totally gives way.

Claims

1. A display case, having a first display case portion with walls including a plurality of first fixed walls, configured so that each wall of the plurality of first fixed walls has a coupling edge arranged at a same coupling framework between the first and a second display case portion, wherein the coupling edges of the first fixed walls are coplanar to each other and wherein at least two of the first fixed walls are adjacent to each other and fastened together through gluing along a corner substantially perpendicular to the plane of the coupling edges, the display case comprising: a groove formed longitudinally on the coupling edge of each of the first fixed walls, the grooves of the first fixed walls jointly defining a channel along the coupling framework, a hoop cable housed in the channel, continuously extending around the coupling framework, wherein: the hoop cable is flexible, in a pretensioned condition and has a first end and a second end, the first end is connected to the second end, such that the cable takes the shape of a continuous hoop; and the second display case portion comprises a second fixed wall, glued onto the coupling edges of the first fixed walls at the coupling framework, wherein the first fixed walls are made from transparent material.

2. Display case according to according to claim 1, wherein the hoop cable is a wire, strand or band of a material selected from stainless steel, carbon fibres, aramid fibres.

3. Display case according to according to claim 1, wherein the grooves have a straight side, substantially perpendicular to the plane of the coupling edges, the straight side located towards the inside of the display case.

4. Display case according to claim 3, wherein the straight side of the grooves has a rough, knurled or fluted surface.

5. Display case according to according to claim 1, comprising adhesive material in the channel.

6. Display case according to claim 1, wherein the first fixed walls are substantially vertical and the second fixed wall is substantially horizontal.

7. Display case according to claim 1, wherein the display case has a substantially parallelepiped shape and the first fixed walls have a substantially rectangular or square shape.

8. A display case, having a first display case portion with walls configured so that each wall of a plurality of first fixed walls has a coupling edge arranged at a same coupling framework between the first and a second display case portion, wherein the coupling edges of the first fixed walls are coplanar to each other and wherein at least two of the first fixed walls are adjacent to each other and fastened together through gluing along a corner substantially perpendicular to the plane of the coupling edges, the display case comprising: a groove formed longitudinally on the coupling edge of each of the first fixed walls, the grooves of the first fixed walls jointly defining a channel along the coupling framework, a hoop cable housed in the channel, continuously extending around the coupling framework, wherein: the hoop cable is flexible, in a pretensioned condition and has a first end and a second end, the first end is connected to the second end, such that the cable takes the shape of a continuous hoop; and the second display case portion comprises a base block, glued onto the coupling edges of the first fixed walls at the coupling framework.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following description of a preferred embodiment of a display case according to the invention, made with reference to the attached drawings. In such drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a display case according to an embodiment of the invention, with a base block having a bell on top;

(3) FIG. 2 is a view from above of the bell of the display case of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side section view of the bell of the display case of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a section view of the detail A of the display case of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a section view of the detail B of the display case of FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 is a section view along the line CC of the details A and B of FIGS. 4 and 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bell of the display case of FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a display case according to another embodiment of the invention;

(10) FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a display case according to another embodiment of the invention;

(11) FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the detail D, the same as in the display cases of FIGS. 8 and 9.

DESCRIPTION

(12) In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 wholly indicates a display case according to the invention. The display case 10 comprises a base block 12, with a liftable bell 13 on top. The bell 13 is formed from fixed walls welded together, in particular four first fixed walls, vertical and lateral, all indicated with 20, with a second horizontal and upper fixed wall 60 on top, arranged above a rectangular frame 70. In the illustrated example, the display case 10 is substantially parallelepiped in shape and therefore the walls are all rectangular or square.

(13) The display case 10 is configured so that each of the first fixed walls 20 has a coupling edge 21 on top, arranged at a coupling framework 22 between portions of the display case 10. The coupling edges 21 are coplanar to each other, according to the plane X defined by the coupling framework 22. Moreover, the display case 10 is configured so that each of the first fixed walls 20 has a coupling edge 31 at the bottom, arranged at a coupling framework 32 between portions of the display case 10. The coupling edges 31 are coplanar to one another, according to the plane Y, parallel to the plane X and defined by the coupling framework 32.

(14) At least two of the first fixed walls 20 are adjacent to each other and fastened together through gluing (with interposition of an adhesive not highlighted in the figures) along a corner 19 substantially perpendicular to the plane X. In particular, in the display case 10 the four first fixed walls 20 are arranged in series with one another according to a succession closed on itself along the coupling framework 22, so that an initial first fixed wall 20 is glued to a subsequent first fixed wall 20 and so on up to a last first fixed wall 20 that is glued to the initial first fixed wall 20.

(15) A groove 25 is formed longitudinally on the coupling edge 21 of each of the first fixed walls 20. The grooves 25 of the first fixed walls 20 jointly define a channel 26 along the coupling framework 22.

(16) A groove 35 is formed longitudinally on the coupling edge 31 of each of the first fixed walls 20. The grooves 35 of the first fixed walls 20 jointly define a channel 36 along the coupling framework 22.

(17) The display case 10 also comprises a hoop cable 27, housed in the channel 26 and closed on itself, and a hoop cable 37, housed in the channel 36 and closed on itself. Preferably, the hoop cables 27 and 37 are closed on themselves in a pretensioned condition, obviously not highlighted in the figures; the extent of this pretensioning will depend on the specific conditions (materials and sizes of the first fixed walls 20 and of the hoop cables 27 and 37).

(18) The second fixed wall 60 is glued on the coupling edges 21 of the first fixed walls 20 at the coupling framework 22. The frame 70 is glued below the coupling edges 31 of the first fixed walls 20 at the coupling framework 32. In the display case 10, the first fixed walls 20 are substantially vertical and the second fixed wall 60 is substantially horizontal. With this configuration, the horizontal second fixed wall 60 rests on the first fixed walls 20, in particular on the coupling edges 21 thereof that are flat and horizontal in the plane X; moreover, the first fixed walls 20, in particular their coupling edges 31 that are flat and horizontal in the plane Y, rest on the horizontal frame 70.

(19) With reference to the coupling between the first fixed walls 20 and the second fixed wall 60, in the display case 10 it is possible to identify a first display case portion that comprises the first fixed walls 20 and a second display case portion that comprises the second fixed wall 60. With reference to the coupling between the first fixed walls 20 and the frame 70, in the display case 10 it is possible to identify a first display case portion that comprises the first fixed walls 20 and a second display case portion that comprises the frame 70. Both of these subdivisions are used only for clarity of presentation of the present invention.

(20) The hoop cable 27, 37 can be made with different materials and structures, provided that it has sufficient flexibility to adapt to the shape of the display case 10 and sufficient tensile strength to ensure the desired structural resistance. The figures do not show any particular structure for the hoop cable 27, 37 in detail; preferably, however, the hoop cable 27, 37 is a wire, strand or band of a material selected from stainless steel, carbon fibres, aramid fibres, or other suitable materials.

(21) Preferably, the grooves 25, 35 formed in the coupling edges 21, 31 of the first fixed walls 20 have a straight side 28, 38, substantially perpendicular to the plane X, Y of the coupling edges 21, 32, facing towards the inside of the coupling framework 22, 32. The grooves 25, 35 also have another side 48, 58, opposite the straight side 28, 38, and a bottom 49, 59, both not necessarily straight; in the display case 10 illustrated as an example, both the sides 28, 38 and 48, 58, and the bottom 49, 59, are straight, so that the cross section of the grooves 25, 35 is substantially rectangular.

(22) Preferably, the straight side 28, 38 of the grooves 25, 35 has a rough, knurled or fluted surface, to increase the friction with the hoop cable 27, 37 and therefore to obstruct any possible slipping of the hoop cable 27, 37 away frm the groove 25, 35.

(23) Preferably, adhesive material 29, 39 for example and preferably of the silicone type is applied in the channel 26, 36 formed by the grooves 25, 35; a silicone-type adhesive can, indeed, have a transparency such as to be substantially invisible, also when applied between sheets of transparent material, for example glass. The presence of the adhesive 29, 39 stabilizes the positioning of the hoop cable 27, 37 and contributes to the better transfer of stresses between the hoop cable 27, 37 and the first fixed walls 20.

(24) Adhesive material 29, 39 is also foreseen on the coupling edges 21, 31 adjacent to the grooves 25, 35 for gluing the second fixed wall 60 and the frame 70 to the first fixed walls 20.

(25) It should be noted that, in the although unlikely case of all of the gluing giving way, the display case 10 does not collapse. Indeed, the first fixed walls 20 are kept in their position on the frame 70 by the hoop cable 37 as well a bound together in vertical position by the hoop cable 27, while the second fixed wall 60 is still resting on top of them.

(26) Moreover, the holding action exerted by the hoop cable 27 allows the stresses that must be withstood by the gluing adhesive between the first fixed walls 20 to be reduced, just as the very weight (of the second fixed wall 60 and of the first fixed walls 20) promotes the maintaining of the gluing between this second fixed wall 60 and the first fixed walls 20 and between them and the frame 70.

(27) Therefore, thanks to the invention, not only is the display case 10 itself prevented from collapsing in the case of the gluing giving way, but conditions are also ensured that cause less stress on the gluing itself, reducing the already low risk of giving way.

(28) Display cases 110 and 210 according to other embodiments of the invention are shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. These display cases will not be described in detail, but only as far as the differences with the display case 10 are concerned; in them, the same reference numerals, increased by 100 for the display case 110 and by 200 for the display case 210, distinguish elements corresponding to those of the display case 10.

(29) In particular, in both of the display cases 110 and 210 at least two of the successive first fixed walls 120, 220 are not adjacent, due to the presence of openable structures: a sliding half-case 119 for the display case 110 and an openable wall 219 for the display case 210. In these cases, according to the invention a strut 130, 230 is foreseen between the two successive non-adjacent first fixed walls 120, 220. The strut 130, 230 comprises a coupling edge 131, 231, coplanar to the coupling edges 121, 221 of the first fixed walls 120, 220 and provided with a groove 125, 225 formed longitudinally on the coupling edge 131, 231 of the strut 130, 230; this groove 125, 225 is adjacent and consecutive to the grooves 125, 225 of the first fixed walls 120, 220 so as to form, with them, the channel 126, 226 in which the hoop cable 127, 227 is housed.

(30) The strut 130, 230 acts to transmit the stresses transmitted by the hoop cable 127, 227 between the two first fixed walls 120, 220 adjacent to said strut, so as to be able to use the advantages of the invention also in the presence of openable sides of the display case.

(31) All of the walls of the display cases 10, 110, 210 are preferably made from transparent material, preferably glass.