Technical field

This invention relates to an electrified display unit.

The expression "electrified display units" means display units comprising a plurality of shelves, or supporting surfaces, and supports for the shelves which allow electrical devices to be powered, such as, for example, lighting systems, supported by the shelves themselves.

These display units are used increasingly frequently in commercial activities and, in particular, in shops for clothing accessories such as bags, shoes, etc.

Background art

There are prior art supports for making these display units which have electrified racks which are basically profiles extending vertically, fixed stably to the walls, which allow both the supporting of the shelves from the ground, in such a way that they can be positioned at a required height, and the conveying of electric current for each shelf installed, by means of dedicated electrical cables.

More specifically, the profiles have inner electric conducting elements through which is powered the lighting source positioned at each bracket. More specifically, at the attachment of each shelf to the respective profile there are connectors which allow the passage of the electrical current from the profile to the bracket.

The display units of the type just described, although they have the advantage of allowing many different vertical positions for the shelves, are not, however, free from drawbacks.

A first drawback is the poor versatility of the shelves with respect to the product to be displayed. The prior art shelves in effect basically consist of substantially flat surfaces from which lighting elements emerge from above or below.

This flat shape has not always been found to be adequate for effectively displaying the product.

On the other hand, the preparation of specific shelves for each product could prove to be excessively onerous for the operators of commercial activities.

The shelves of known type are also laborious to install, often comprise fixed mechanical joints which are also complex and which require vigorous actions for their locking or releasing.

Aim of the invention

The aim of this invention is provide an electrified display unit which is able to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and which, is at same time inexpensive to make, practical to use and simple to install.

Brief description of the drawings

The technical features of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are more apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment of the invention by way of an example, and in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation view, with some parts in cross- section, of a preferred embodiment of the electrified display unit according to this invention;

- Figures 1a to 1d are scaled up views of respective details of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 2 is a scaled up view of a portion of the display unit of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view from below, with some parts exploded, of a portion of a detail of the display unit of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 is a schematic perspective top view of a detail of the display unit of Figure 1 ; - Figure 5 is a schematic side elevation view, with some parts in cross section, of another embodiment of the electrified display unit illustrated in the drawings listed above;

- Figures 6 and 7 are schematic side elevation views, with some parts in cross section, of two different embodiments of the detail of Figure 4.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety an electrified display unit made according to this invention and designed for display of products, not illustrated.

The electrified display unit 1 is expressly designed to be supported by and rested on a respective vertical wall, not illustrated, or, according to an alternative also not illustrated, to be supported by a base which is able to support it even if it does not lie against a respective supporting wall.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 , the electrified display unit 1 comprises a bottom panel 2, advantageously load-bearing and, along its height, equally spaced from each other, a plurality of longitudinal elements 3, extending along a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

Between two adjacent longitudinal elements 3, thus extending horizontally, a decorative front panel 4 is interposed, also extending horizontally.

Advantageously, the front decorative panels 4 are made with customised finishing appearances on the basis of the requirements of the user, in accordance, that is, with the environment in which the electrified display unit 1 must be located.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the electrified display unit 1 comprises a shelf 5 designed to receive products to be displayed, not illustrated.

Normally, the products are displayed resting on an upper surface 5a of the shelf 5. On the shelf 5 are positioned two electrical lighting devices 6, designed to illuminate the products, not illustrated, rested on the shelf 5 itself and/or the surrounding environment.

The electrified display unit 1 also comprises, for supporting the shelf 5, two brackets 7 of which only one is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

One of these two brackets 7, precisely the one shown in Figures 1 and 2, integrates respective electric conducting elements 8, 9.

As shown in Figure 4, thanks to the exploded representation of a covering cap T, the two above-mentioned conducting elements 8, 9 are made in the form of metal plates, which are coupled to one another and separated by a layer S of insulating material, the latter barely visible in the accompanying drawings.

With reference to Figure 2, which shows only one of the plates defining the two conducting elements 8, 9, they extend for most of the extent of the bracket 7 and are surrounded by a coating of insulating material having basically an aesthetic purpose.

Preferably, but not necessarily the brackets 7 have an outer wooden coating 10.

The plates defining the two conducting elements 8, 9, since they are made of metal material also perform a structural purpose for supporting the shelf 5 and the load placed on it, consisting of the above-mentioned and not illustrated products.

As illustrated in detail in Figures 1a and 1d, each longitudinal horizontal element 3 comprises a respective profile 1 made of insulating material, the profile having a first upper housing 11a for a respective first conductor 12 and a second lower housing 1b for a respective second conductor 13.

As illustrated in Figure 1a, the profile 11 constituting the longitudinal horizontal element 3 has a rectangular inner cavity 11c, interposed between the two electric conductors 12, 13, a stiffening bar 14 being located inside the cavity 11c. The stiffening bar 14, also with a rectangular cross section, is advantageously metallic and hollow, so as to limit the overall weight of the longitudinal horizontal element 3.

The first and second conductors 12, 13 define respective longitudinal electric conductors integrated in a respective longitudinal horizontal element 3 .

The two electrical conducting elements 8, 9 integrated in the bracket 7 are designed to be put in electric connection with respective longitudinal electrical conductors electrical defined by the second and first electric conductors 13, 12.

More in detail, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1a and 4, at a relative upper portion protruding from the wooden covering 10, one of the conducting elements 8, 9 has a upper hooking element 15, designed to connect by gripping with a portion of the profile 1 defining the longitudinal horizontal element 3.

In detail, the upper hooking unit 15 engages with a projection 16 present on the profile 11 at the above-mentioned lower housing 11b, the projection 16 defining a gripping area for the upper hooking unit 15.

In the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the hooking unit 15 advantageously comprises a tooth D which protrudes at the top from an arm of the bracket 7.

The same conducting element 8 has, at its lower portion, a lower resting element 17, designed to stop in contact against the above-mentioned bottom panel 2 constituting a substantially vertical wall.

The above-mentioned upper hooking element 15 and lower supporting element 17 act in conjunction to guarantee a stable positioning of the bracket 7 relative to the bottom panel 2.

The above-mentioned upper hooking element 15 and lower supporting element 17 define, for the bracket 7, respective means 30 for engaging with the display unit 1. In detail, the upper hooking unit 15 engages with a projection 16 present on the profile 11 at the above-mentioned lower housing 11b, the projection 16 defining a gripping area for the upper hooking unit 15.

The shelf 5, supported by at least two brackets 7 stably positioned, is also stably positioned thanks to of the connection, described below, existing between the shelf 5 and the brackets 7.

However, with regard to the electrical connection, as shown in Figure 1a, the upper hooking element 15 described above defines an electric connection between the second conductor 13 integrated in the longitudinal horizontal element 3 and the electrical conducting element 8 integrated in the bracket 7.

As illustrated in Figure 1d, the bracket 7 also comprises, near the resting element 17 positioned at its lower portion, a lower contact element 18 designed to position in contact with the first conductor 12 integrated in the horizontal element 3 for forming an electrical connection between the first conductor 12 and the electrical conducting element 9, not visible in the drawing, integrated in the bracket 7.

As illustrated in Figure 4, a first and a second cylindrical element, labelled respectively 19 and 20, emerge from the bracket 7.

The first cylindrical element 19 emerges at a distal end of the bracket 7 and, with the bracket 7 assembled as shown in Figure 2, it extends with a relative central axis X substantially vertical, at right angles to the ground. With reference to the bracket 7 illustrated in Figure 2, inside the first cylindrical element 19 extends a respective end portion of each of the two electric conducting elements 8, 9 integrated in the bracket 7, even though of the two end portions only one, conducting element 8, is visible in the drawing.

Two electric connectors 21 emerge from an upper flat surface of the first cylindrical element 19.

The above-mentioned pins 21, identifiable also as electrical connectors, of which only one is shown in Figure 1c, are of the telescopic type and their compression movement towards the inside of the first cylindrical element 19 is obstructed by the presence of an opposing spring, not illustrated. The second cylindrical element 20 emerges at an upper proximal end of the bracket 7 and, with the bracket 7 assembled as shown in Figure 2, it extends with a relative central axis Y having an orientation close to the horizontal.

Advantageously, the second cylindrical element 20 has one end 20a with a tapered frustoconical shape.

As illustrated in Figures 1b and 3, a first and a second cylindrical sleeve, labelled respectively 22 and 23, emerge from the shelf 5.

The two first and second cylindrical sleeves 22, 23 are both hollow inside and shaped in such a way as to be fitted respectively on the above- mentioned first and second cylindrical elements 19, 20 of the bracket 7. With reference to Figure 3, which shows a portion of a shelf 5, in the thickness of the shelf 5, starting from its face lower 5b, there is a longitudinal hollow 24 which, with two relative branches extending from the first cylindrical sleeve 22, reaches the housings of the two lighting devices 6 positioned on the shelf 5 itself.

Inside the hollow 24 there is a two-pole electrical conductor plate 25 which, with two of its stretches, is designed to electrically connect the zone occupied by the first sleeve 22 to the two lighting devices 6.

The longitudinal hollow 24 and the sheet 25 placed in it are covered by a longitudinal cover profile 26, advantageously made of plastic material. With reference to the accompanying drawings, the two first and second cylindrical elements 19, 20 and the two first and second cylindrical sleeves 22, 23 define, respectively, two male elements and two female elements designed to give shape to as many male-female couplings.

With reference to Figures 1b, 1c and 2, the positioning of the shelf 5 is achieved using the improvement of the male-female couplings of the brackets 7 designed to support the shelf 5. In other words, assuming that the shelf 5 illustrated in the above- mentioned drawings is configured to be supported by two brackets 7, each female element present in it must be fitted on a corresponding male element present on the brackets 7 dedicated to it.

More in detail, again with reference to Figures 1 b, 1c and 2 in which a bracket 7 is shown equipped inside it with electric conducting elements 8, 9, when the shelf 5 is positioned in its stable position, the two first and second cylindrical sleeves 22, 23 are fitted, respectively, on the two first and second cylindrical elements 19, 20.

In use, the first cylindrical sleeve 22 is superposed only partly on the first cylindrical element 19 whilst the second cylindrical sleeve 23 covers the second cylindrical element 20 substantially over its entire longitudinal extension, stopping close to the covering 10 of the bracket 7.

Inside the second sleeve 23, and integral with it, there is a pad 27, advantageously made of rubber, designed to form a contact element for the shelf 5 against the truncated cone portion of the second cylindrical element 20.

The above-mentioned male-female couplings consisting of the first and second cylindrical elements 19, 20 and the first and second cylindrical sleeves 22, 23, form, in their entirety for the display unit 1 , removable connecting means 28 to stably associate the shelf 5 to the brackets 7 and to electrically connect the lighting devices 6 positioned on the shelf 5 to the electric conducting elements 8, 9 integrated in the bracket 7.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the shelf 5 may adopt many shapes, depending on the particular product to be displayed and/or the special lighting to be adopted.

Whatever the shape of the shelf 5, it is sufficient, in the various configurations with which the shelves are made, to maintain the reciprocal position of the first and second cylindrical sleeves 22, 23, in such a way as to guarantee the interchangeability of the shelves. In order to replace a shelf 5 (for example in the arrangement of Figure 2) with a shelf 5 having a different shape (for example as illustrated in Figure 5) it is in fact sufficient to disconnect the various male-female couplings between the shelf 5 and the underlying brackets 7, without having to modify the position of the brackets 7. Moreover, the replacement of the shelves 5 does not involve separate operations for electrical disconnection/connection since the electrical connection is activated/deactivated automatically as a function of the contact between the shelf 5 and the bracket below.

In use, once two brackets 7 are positioned at the same level relative to the bottom panel 2 and taking care to engage, for each bracket 7, the upper hooking element 15 holding a respective protrusion 16 of the profile 11 and the lower resting element 17 stopped in contact with the above- mentioned panel 2, the brackets 7 appear stably positioned.

In practice, the arranging of the bracket 7 in the display 1 comprises inserting the above-mentioned tooth D, defining the upper hooking element 15, in the lower housing 11 b of a longitudinal horizontal element 3, the subsequent rotation of the bracket 7 about an axis parallel to the elements 3 (and positioned inside the housing 1b) to move the lower resting element 17 in contact with the bottom panel 2 and, at the same time, a lower contact element 18 in contact with the first conductor 12 integrated in the lower longitudinal horizontal element 3.

Starting from this configuration, even just the weight of the bracket 7 is sufficient for the bracket to make a rotation, even if only minimal, in the opposite direction about a horizontal axis parallel to the longitudinal elements 3 and positioned at the lower resting element 17, the rotation being sufficient to move the above-mentioned tooth D to stop against the projection 16 made in the housing 1 b.

The hooking unit 15 with its tooth D thus defines, for the bracket 7, together with the projection 16, a shape impediment to the rotation of the bracket 7 relative to the horizontal axis located at the lower supporting element 17.

Considering a bracket 7 integrating two electrical conductors 8, 9, the above-mentioned upper hooking unit 15 and lower contact element 18, in their positioning to make contact, respectively, with the second and first conductor 13, 12 of two separate longitudinal horizontal elements 3, establish an electrical continuity between the first and second conductors 12, 13 and the conductors 9, 8 integrated in the bracket 7.

Assuming that the first and second conductors 12, 13 are powered by respective electrical lines with opposite polarities, the same polarities will be found on the two electric conducting elements 9, 8 of the bracket 7. Continuing with the electrical connection, the electricity supply, with the above mentioned opposite polarity, transmits, through the connectors 21 present on the first cylindrical element 19, to the two-pole electrical conductor sheet 25 which, in turn, reaches the two devices lighting 6, thus establishing the electricity supply.

The structural and functional features described above make the electrified display unit 1 made according to this invention particularly versatile and practical to use.

In light of what is described above, the operational arrangement of the brackets 7 on the display unit 1 is, advantageously, particularly practical, thanks to the fact that fixed joints or forced connections are not necessary but simply the positioning of the tooth D close to the projection 16 and a limited rotation of the bracket 7 to guarantee to the bracket, and to the shelf 5 combined with it, a configuration which is stable but at the same time easy to remove.

This circumstance appears currently particularly advantageous in those shops and display areas in which the shelves are frequently repositioned. Further, the horizontal extension of the longitudinal elements 3 offers the advantage of a greater freedom in the arrangement of the shelves 5 which, thanks to being able to move the brackets 7 horizontally, may be positioned where considered most appropriate.

Reference is basically made in this description to two brackets 7 and a respective shelf 5, but it must be understood that an embodiment having a greater number of brackets 7 supporting a same shelf 5, possibly long in length, is clearly equivalent and falls within the scope of this invention. The invention as described and illustrated thus achieves the set aims.