The invention relates to a display stand apparatus, in particular for displaying objects supported by frames, such as, for example, ceramic tiles or more in particular ceramic slabs or laminas.

Display stands for ceramic tiles are known having a structure that supports a plurality of panels bearing the ceramic tiles, each panel being arranged resting on one side and sliding in guides provided in the structure. The panels are driven to slide parallel to the resting side manually or by a motor so as to be positioned in a display zone visible by an observer. The display stands of panels of known automatic type thus need a motor for each panel, this entailing a certain structural complexity.

Furthermore display stands are known of panels bearing ceramic slabs, which have relatively great plan dimensions, for example a width of 1000 mm and a length of at least 1500 mm, whereas the thickness is not greater than 3 mm. The display stands that are known for these ceramic slabs are structured to expose one single panel at a time, this not permitting a visual comparison between different exposed panels. Further, such known display stands do not enable more than the entirety of one panel to be shown, i.e. in other words, they do not enable the entire surface of more than one ceramic slab to be displayed. One object of the invention is to improve known display stand apparatuses.

Another object is to produce a display stand apparatus that permits automatic movement of frames supporting objects to be exposed.

A further object is to obtain a display stand apparatus that is compact even when the objects to be exposed are relatively large, for example ceramic slabs.

Still another object is to obtain a display stand apparatus that enables the entirety of a ceramic slab to be exposed.

Yet another object is to produce a display stand apparatus that enables the exposed objects to be displayed from a plurality of observation points.

According to the invention, a display stand apparatus is provided according to what is indicated in the claims.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate an embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal section of a display stand apparatus;

Figure 2 is a schematic frontal view of a display zone of the display stand apparatus of

Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic top view of the display stand apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the detail "A" of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the detail "B" of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged side view of removing means provided in the display stand apparatus of Figure 1 in a lowered configuration;

Figure 6 A is a front view of the removing means of Figure 6;

Figure 7 is a view like that of Figure 6 illustrating the removing means in a work configuration.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the detail "C" of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a schematic side view of the detail "C" of Figure 1;

Figure 10 and Figure 10A are respectively views like that of Figure 6 and 6A illustrating the removing means in an exchange configuration;

Figure 11 and Figure 11A are respectively views like that of Figure 6 and 6A illustrating the removing means in a raised configuration.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, a display stand apparatus 1 comprises a framework or structure 30 suitable for containing a plurality of frames 3, each frame 3 being arranged for supporting objects to be exposed. The frame 3 comprises for example a plurality of profiled bars fixed to one another. The objects to be exposed can be ceramic slabs 2, supported on the frame 3 in a known manner, for example by gluing. In particular as shown in Figure 8, each frame 3 can support a pair of ceramic slabs 2a, 2b, opposite one another with respect to the frame 3, arranged on the frame 3 so as to form a panel having two opposite surfaces to be exposed. The ceramic slabs 2 can have relatively high plan view dimensions, for example 1000 mm wide and at least 1500 mm long with a depth of a few millimetres, for example 2-3 mm. In this case, the frame 3 is for example shaped like the frame of a picture.

In one version that is not shown, the frame 3 can have a different shape from that of a frame for a panel; for example, the frame 3 can be box-shaped, arranged for containing the objects to be exposed, which can be supported by shelves provided in the frame 3.

Subsequently, the parts of the display stand apparatus 1 that are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane of the display stand apparatus 1, i.e. a plane parallel to the view plane of Figure 1, will be indicated by the same reference number.

Each frame 3 is provided with protruding elements 4 arranged for enabling the frame 3 to be supported and conveyed, as will be explained better below. Each protruding element 4 protrudes from a respective side surface 31 of the frame 3 towards the outside of the frame 3. In particular, frame 3 having two side walls 31 that are opposite one another, each side surface 31 is provided with a protruding element 4.

As shown in greater detail in Figure 9, each protruding element 4 is shaped as a peg or a pin and is substantially orthogonal to the side surface 31 to which it is fixed. Each protruding element 4 is arranged in an upper portion of the respective side surface 31. The protruding element 4 comprises a resting portion 40 that is further from the side surface 31, that enables the frame 3 to rest on a support 5 provided in the structure 30, the function of which will be detailed below. A first groove 41 is interposed between the resting portion 40 and an intermediate portion 42 and a second groove 43 is interposed between the intermediate portion 42 and a connecting portion 44, the latter being in contact with the side surface 31. The first groove 41 and the second groove 43 extend circumferally on the surface of the protruding element 4. Further, the first groove 41 and the second groove 43 can have the same depth as the external surface of the resting portion 40. Further, the first groove 41 and the second groove 43 can have the same width.

Still with reference to Figure 1, the display apparatus 1 comprises a housing zone 6 in which each frame 3 can be housed inside the structure 30. The housing zone 6 comprises a rack 8 provided with a base 9 and with two longitudinal members 33 that are parallel to one another, supported by uprights 34. Each longitudinal member 33 is provided with a plurality of hollows 7, each hollow 7 being shaped for housing a protruding element 4 of the frame 3. A hollow 7 of a longitudinal member 33 is aligned with a corresponding hollow on the other longitudinal member parallel to the first. A lower side 32 of the frame 3, when positioned in the rack 8, rests on the base 9 and the protruding elements 4 are inserted into the respective hollows 7 at the second groove 43, as shown in Figure 5. Each hollow 7 is thus shaped for cooperating in a shapingly coupled manner with the second groove 43 so as to maintain the frame 3 in a substantially vertical position when the protruding elements 4 are housed in the hollows 7. Each hollow 7 can be substantially complementary to the shape of a lower region of the protruding element 4 at the second groove 43. Further, as shown in the Figure 5, when the protruding element 4 is housed in the hollow 7, the longitudinal member 33 is interposed between the intermediate portion 42 and the connecting portion 44 of the protruding element 4 and acts as an abutment for such portions. The intermediate portion 42 and the connecting portion 44 thus enable lateral movements of the frame 3 to be limited, i.e. movements along the longitudinal extent direction of the protruding element 4. With reference to Figures 1 to 3, the display stand apparatus 1 further comprises a display zone 17, in which the frame 3 can be positioned facing an observer 17' arranged outside the display apparatus 1. In particular, the display apparatus 1 comprises a further display zone 18, in which a further frame 3 of the plurality of frames can be positioned facing a further observer 18' . The display zone 17 and the further display zone 18 are arranged on opposite sides of the structure 30, in particular respectively to a front part and to a rear part of the structure 30. Each display zone 17, 18 includes lighting devices 16 that are suitable for lighting the face of the frame 3 that is placed opposite the observer 17', 18' .

In each display zone 17, 18 the aforementioned support 5 is provided that is suitable for interacting with the protruding element 4 of the frame 3 for supporting the frame 3. For each protruding element 4 of the frame 3 two supports 5 are thus provided that are arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal plane of the structure 30. The supports 5 are fixed to the structure 30 at such a height that, when the protruding elements 4 of a frame 3 are rested on the supports 5, the frame 3 hangs on the supports 5 in an exposure position 3E that is higher than the housing zone 6.

An observer 17', 18' facing the display zone 17, 18 can thus view an upper ceramic slab 2E fixed to a frame 3E arranged in the display zone 17, 18 and a lower ceramic slab 2D fixed to a frame 3D arranged in a more external hollow 7 of the housing zone 6. The frame 3D is more internal in the structure 30 than the frame 3E, so the lower ceramic slab 2D is retracted in relation to the upper ceramic slab 2E from the point of view of the observer 17', 18'.

Owing to the conformation of the display stand apparatus 1, an observer 17', 18' facing the display zone 17, 18 can view the entirety of more than one ceramic slab 2.

With reference to Figures 8 and 9, each support 5 comprises a sliding surface 50 and an arresting surface 51. The sliding surface 50 is tilted in relation to a base plane 57 (Figure 1) of said structure 30 going from the inside to the outside of the structure 30. The arresting surface 51 is arranged at a lower end of the sliding surface 50. The arresting surface 51 is further substantially orthogonal to the sliding surface 50. The tilt of the sliding surface 50 is chosen in such a way that when the frame 3 is rested on the support 5 by the protruding element 4, the latter slides on the sliding surface 50 downwards by gravity until it abuts on the arresting surface 51, against which the protruding element 4 stops in a stable position. In other words, the sliding surface 50 acts as a slide or tilted cam profile for the protruding element 4. The arresting surface 51 cooperates with the sliding surface 50 to retain said protruding element 4 resting on the support 5. The frame 3 thus hangs on the supports 5 via the protruding elements 4.

The sliding surface 50 is substantially flat and has a length LI that is such as to enable at least two consecutive frames 3 to be rested on the support 5, as shown in Figure 8. In this case, a frame 3E positioned against the arresting surface 51 acts as an abutment for a further frame 3F that is consecutive to the frame 3E and is supported by the support 5. Of course, the length LI can be such as to enable a number of frames 3 other than two, thus greater or lesser than two, to rest. The sliding surface 50 and the arresting surface 51 can be obtained from a single piece of folded sheet metal.

Figure 2 and Figure 4 show that the display apparatus 1 further comprises moving means 45 for moving each frame 3 between the display zone 17, 18 and housing zone 6. The moving means 45 comprises lifting means suitable for lifting a frame 3 from the housing zone 6, for example for taking the frame 3 from the housing zone 6 to the display zone 17, 18, and for lowering the frame 3 to the housing zone, for example to take the frame 3 to the housing zone 6 when it comes from the display zone.

The moving means 45 comprises a two-axis movement system including a vertical-axis unit 11 and a horizontal-axis unit 12, the latter defining the lifting means.

With reference to Figure 4, the vertical-axis unit 11 comprises a first movable part 27 that is drivable along a vertical direction Fl, F2 by means of a first drive 28 connected to a first motor 13, possibly provided with a first reduction gear 22. The vertical-axis unit 11 further comprises a first guide 29 within which a guiding shaft 19 can slide. The first guide 29 is fixed to a second movable part 37 of the horizontal-axis unit 12.

The second movable part 37 is drivable along a horizontal direction S I, S2 (Figure 3) by a second drive 38 connected to a second motor 14, possibly provided with a second reduction gear 25. The horizontal-axis unit 12 further comprises a second fixed part 39 fixed to the structure 30. In the horizontal-axis unit 12 a second guide 23 is then provided that is slidable along a guiding profile 36 connected to the second fixed part 39.

The first drive 28 is of the rack and pinion type and comprises a vertical rack 21 mounted on the first movable part 27 and a first pinion 20 mounted on the second movable part 37, to which the first motor 13 is further fixed. A rotation of the first pinion 20 on the vertical rack 21 entails a vertical movement of the vertical rack 21 and of the first movable part 27 therewith.

The second drive 38 is of the rack and pinion type and comprises a horizontal rack 26 mounted on the second fixed part 39 and a second pinion 24 connected to the second movable part 37, to which the second motor 14 is also fixed. A rotation of the second pinion 24 on the horizontal rack 26 entails a horizontal movement of the second movable part 37 and with it of the first guide 29 and consequently of the vertical-axis unit 11.

The first drive 28 and the second drive 38 can be different from the rack and pinion type, for example they can be of the belt-pulley type or any other type of drive that transforms the rotational motion of the motor into a translational motion.

With reference to Figures 5 to 11, the lifting means comprises removing means suitable for removing/delivering a frame 3 from the/to the rack 8 or from/to the support 5. The removing means comprises a fork 10 fixed to the vertical-axis unit 11, in particular to the first movable part 27. The fork 10 comprises a body 15 on which a depression 35 is obtained (Figure 6A) shaped in such a manner as to restingly receive the protruding element 4 at the first groove 41. The shape of the depression 35 is thus configured for cooperating in a shapingly coupled manner with the first groove 41 and can be substantially complementary to the shape of a lower region of the protruding element 4 at the first groove 41. The depression 35 is obtained in an end portion 46 of the body 15. The thickness of the end portion 46 is thus less than or the same as the width of the first groove 41. The end portion 46 protrudes orthogonally from an intermediate part 47, arranged substantially orthogonally to a vertical wall of the first movable part 27. The body 15 further includes a further end portion 48, substantially orthogonal to the intermediate part 47, with which the body 15 is fixed to the vertical-axis unit 11 in a known manner, for example by screws or bolts. The further end portion 48 is substantially plate-shaped. The body 15 can be for example obtained from a metal sheet by cutting and folding.

The fork 10 is driven vertically along the vertical direction Fl, F2 by the vertical-axis unit 11 and horizontally along the horizontal direction SI, S2 by the horizontal-axis unit 12. Figures 5 to 7 show different positions of the removing means with respect to the rack 8 adopted during removal of a frame 3 from the housing zone 6.

In Figure 6, the fork 10 is in a lowered configuration Q and does not carry out any removal. In this configuration, the fork 10 is arranged below the protruding elements 4 of the frames 3 arranged on the rack 8 of the housing zone 6. In the lowered configuration Q the fork 10 can be moved horizontally along the horizontal direction S I or S2. During the horizontal movement, the fork 10 runs parallel to the longitudinal member 33 of the rack 8, remaining below the protruding elements 4 of the racks 3 positioned on the rack 8.

To extract a frame 3 from the rack 8, the fork 10 is driven horizontally until it arrives below the protruding element 4 of the frame 3 that it is desired to remove, where it is stopped. At this point, the vertical-axis unit 11 moves the fork 10 upwards along the vertical direction Fl. Passing through a first exchange configuration P, shown in Figure 5, in which the fork 10 interacts with the protruding element 4 when it is still housed in the hollow 7 of the rack 8, the removing means extracts the frame 3 from the rack 8 and the lifting means raises and separates the frame 3 from the rack 8, as shown in Figure 7, in which the fork 10 is in a conveying T configuration.

To position the frame 3 that is thus removed as far as the display zone 17, 18, the fork 10, and the frame 3 therewith, is raised until it reaches a raised configuration H, in which the frame 3 is above the housing zone 6, so as not to interfere with the frames 3 arranged in the rack 8, as shown schematically with a dash-and-two-dots line in Figure 1. The frame 3 is then moved in a horizontal direction S I, S2 to the display zone 17, 18, until it reaches the support 5 in an inlet position VI, illustrated schematically with a dash-and-two-dots line in Figures 8 and 11 A, in which the protruding element 4 is located above the sliding surface 50.

Figures 8 to 11 show different positions of the removing means with respect to the support 5, for example adopted during removal of a frame 3 from the display zone 17, 18.

With reference to Figure 8, in the raised configuration H of the fork 10, at the inlet position VI, a lower region 49 of the resting portion 40 of the supporting element 4 is at a greater height than an upper end 52 of the sliding surface 50 of the support 5. Thus when the inlet position VI on the support 5 has been reached, the fork 10 is lowered so as to enable the protruding element 4 to rest on the support 5 and thus deliver the frame 3 to the support 5. Owing to the gravitational action that is due to the weight of the frame 3, the resting portion 40 slides along the sliding surface 50, in the sliding direction indicated by the arrow U, until it reaches the arresting surface 51. If a frame 3E is already present on the support 5, the resting portion 40 would slide along the sliding surface 50 until it reaches the position of the frame 3F of Figure 8, adjacent to the frame 3E.

If it is desired to take a ceramic slab other than the exposed one to the display zone 17, 18, the support 5 has to be freed from the most external frame, i.e. the frame 3E, the protruding element 4 of which abuts on the arresting surface 51.

With reference to Figures 10 to 11, the fork 10 is driven until it arrives below the protruding element 4 of the frame 3E. From this position, the fork 10 is taken in the raised configuration H to an outlet position V2, illustrated in Figures 11 and 11 A, passing through a second exchange configuration G shown in Figures 10 and 10A, in which the fork 10 interacts with the protruding element 4 when it rests on the support 5. In the outlet position V2, the lower region 49 of the resting portion 40 of the supporting element 4 is at a height that is higher than an upper terminal part 53 of the arresting surface 51 of the support 5, this permitting horizontal movement of the fork 10 without the protruding element 4 knocking against the support 5.

At this point, the frame 3E can be repositioned in the housing zone 6 at hollows 7 that are not occupied by other frames 3, travelling the path disclosed above in the opposite direction. In particular, from the raised configuration H, the fork 10 can be taken to the lowered configuration Q, passing through the first exchange configuration P (Figure 5), in which, this time, and the fork 10 moves downwards and delivers the frame 3E to the rack 8.

If the frame 3F were also present on the support 5, the latter would slide along the sliding surface 50 until it reached the arresting surface 51 and the exposed frame would face the observer 17', 18' after removal of the frame 3E from the support 5.

The lifting means enables a frame 3 to be positioned at a desired height with respect to the base plane 57, being configured to maintain the frame 3 suspended inside the structure 30 at the desired height with respect to the base plane 5 of the display apparatus 1.

As shown in Figure 1, the lifting means enables a frame 3Z to be positioned interposed between the housing zone 6 and the display zone 17, 18 at an intermediate height between the height of the support 5 and the height of the longitudinal member 33 with respect to the base 9. In the example in Figure 1, the frame 3Z is thus lower and more retracted than the exposed frame 3E, but higher and more advanced than the most exterior frame 3D located in the housing zone 6. An observer 17', 18' can thus see at least three ceramic slabs simultaneously and compare the slabs visually.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, each frame 3 is provided with guide elements 54 that are suitable for inserting each frame 3 into the rack 8. Each guide element 54 is mounted on an upper surface 55 of the frame 3 in a zone of the upper surface 55 nearer the side surface 31 and further from the centre of the upper surface 55. The guide element 54 is shaped as a cone, which protrudes from the upper surface 55, with the vertex of the cone further from the upper surface 55, i.e. with the base of the cone in contact with the upper surface 55. The shape of the guide element 54 defines a slide on which the lower side 32 of a frame 3 can slide when this frame is lowered from the raised configuration H and introduced from above into the rack 8. When the forks 10, on which the frame 3 is hung, are in the raised configuration H and are moved along one of the horizontal directions S I, S2, the frame 3 is free to oscillate around the protruding elements 4, housed in the depressions 35 of the forks 10, as indicated by the arrows R in Figure 1. Once a horizontal position above a vacant position on the rack 8, i.e. above a hollow 7 that is not occupied by any frame is reached, the forks 10 are lowered. During lowering of the forks 10 to the lowered configuration Q, if the frame 3 oscillates slightly, the lower side 32 of the suspended frame 3 comes into contact with the guide elements 54 of a frame below located in the rack 8 in a hollow next to the vacant position. Owing to the shape thereof, the guide elements 54 of the frame below guide the suspended frame 3 to the vacant position on the rack 8 during descent of the suspended frame 3.

With reference to Figure 3, the display stand apparatus 1 comprises a console 56, through which an operator can control the moving means 45. Through the console 56 it is further possible to set a desired exposure sequence of the frames 3 or to choose an exposure sequence set previously and stored in the console 56.

The display stand apparatus 1 can be provided with sound emitters, which are not shown, to transmit music or a presentation of information as the same time as the movement of the frames 3.

The console 56 enables the enables the movement of the frame 3 to be controlled and synchronised with the emission of sounds from the sound emitters and lights from the lighting devices 16.

The display stand apparatus 1 can be further provided with a multimedia device, for example a tablet, communicating with the console 56 by wireless communication means to manage also from a remote station a presentation of different information, for example video, sound, luminous information synchronised with the movement of the frames 3. Owing to the lifting means, it is possible to position a frame 3 automatically in the display zone 17, 18 without it being necessary to provide a motor for each frame, as occurs in prior art display stands.

Further, although the display stand apparatus 1 enables at least the entirety of at least two ceramic slabs to be exposed frontally to an observer, the display apparatus 1 is extremely compact.