Field of the invention

[0001 ] The present invention generally finds application in the field of presentation and display of products and particularly relates to a multifunction display stand structure as defined in the preamble of claim 1 .

Background art

[0002] Product selling currently requires increasingly advanced and original display techniques. The increasingly widespread "projective technology" addresses this requirement, as it enhances the market value of the product, and conveys a greater amount of information and emotions to the public.

[0003] Display stands comprising devices for directly projecting lights or colors on a product on display have been known. The projected lights and colors define visual contents that can change the surface perception of the product, by simulating characteristics thereof that are different from the original characteristics.

[0004] One drawback of these display devices is that the projection devices have a very large size and are likely to block the vision of the product from different points of view.

[0005] Namely, with current projection techniques, projection devices block at least two or three of six directions, assuming as an example a vision cube with up, down, right, left, front and back directions of vision.

[0006] A further drawback of this prior art arrangement is that the particular structure of these display stands does not provide stable support to the items on display and restricts access thereto by an operator.

[0007] FR2536649 discloses a display stand comprising a box-like body for housing a light source and having a top wall for supporting the item on display.

[0008] The display stand further comprises a mirror, also housed in the boxlike body and adapted to deflect the light beam from the light source toward the item on display through an aperture formed in the top wall.

[0009] A first drawback of this prior art solution is that the projector in use only projects light or color beams, and is thus limited both in terms of the advertising message to be conveyed to the public regarding the item, and in terms of the change of the surface perception thereof.

[0010] A further drawback is that, should the projector device emit a light beam containing images, the display stand would not allow optimal focusing thereof on the item.

[0011 ] A blurred image projection on the item will not provide an adequate promotional effect, and will not change the surface perception thereof in an aesthetically appreciable and original manner.

[0012] Another drawback is that there is a single light beam source, which can only partially illuminate the item on display.

Disclosure of the invention

[0013] The object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction display stand structure that is highly efficient and relatively cost-effective.

[0014] A particular object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction display stand structure that allows projection of fixed or moving images on the item on display.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction display stand structure that can afford optimal focusing of the images projected on the item on display.

[0016] A further object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction display stand structure that can illuminate the item on display from multiple light sources.

[0017] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a display stand structure that has relatively small dimensions.

[0018] These objects, as well as other objects that will be more apparent hereafter, are fulfilled by a support structure as defined in the independent claim 1 , which comprises a containment body, a displaying portion comprising a support plan for one or more items on display, at least one projector device for emitting a light beam, accommodated within the containment body, and optical means for defining the optical path of the light beam that comes out of the projector device toward the items on display.

[0019] Particularly, the projector device is an electronically controlled video projector for projecting fixed or moving images, whereas the optical means comprise at least one lens mounted to the video projector and at least one mirror. Furthermore, first adjustment means for adjusting the mirror and second adjustment means for adjusting the lens are provided for adjusting the relative position thereof and focusing the images on the items on display, and control means connected to the video projector are provided for generating fixed or moving images.

Brief description of the drawings

[0020] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of two preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the multifunction display stand structure according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 to 3 are perspective lateral views of the multifunction display stand structure of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first detail of the display stand structure of Figs. 1 to 3;

FIGS. 5 to 7 are perspective views of the multifunction display stand structure of a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of two preferred embodiments

[0021 ] Particularly referring to the figures, there is shown an interactive display stand structure, generally designated by numeral 1 , for displaying and presenting items O.

[0022] The structure 1 will be adapted to accommodate items O of different shapes and sizes, without departure from the scope of the invention.

[0023] Also, the structure 1 will be easily disassembled and transported by a user, as needed.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the multifunction display stand structure 1 comprises a containment body 2 and a displaying portion3 comprising a support plan 4 for one or more items O on display.

[0025] The containment body 2 may have different three-dimensional shapes, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, and comprises a base 5 that is adapted to be placed on an external base surface.

[0026] Furthermore, the containment body 2 comprises a upper wall 6 having at least one optical opening 7, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and the display stand 1 comprises a cover 8 placed on top of the upper wall 6.

[0027] In a first embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cover 8 is made of an opaque material and is hinged to the containment body 2.

[0028] In this embodiment, the cover 8 has a central panel 8' and a continuous side wall 9 defining a support plan 4 for the item on display O when the cover 8 is lifted to the open position.

[0029] Possibly, the central panel 8' may be used as a support plan 4, with the items O to be displayed secured thereto by means of magnets, not shown, attracted by the central part of the panel 8', which is made of metal.

[0030] In a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the cover 8 is made of a transparent material and is rigidly secured to the containment body 2.

[0031 ] Furthermore, the support plan 4 is defined by the upper surface 10 of the upper wall 6 of the containment body 2 and the area between the support plan 4 and the cover 8 corresponds to the displaying portion3.

[0032] The display stand structure 1 comprises at least one projector 1 1 with an objective 1 2 for emitting a light beam F accommodated within the containment body 2 and optical means 1 3 for configuring the optical path of the light beam F that comes out of the projector 1 1 toward the items on display O.

[0033] Particularly, the optical opening 7 formed on the upper wall 6 of the containment body 2 may be aligned with the light beam F emitted from the objective 1 2 of the projector 1 1 for such beam to exit and be projected on the items on display O once it has been directed by the optical means 1 3.

[0034] In a peculiar embodiment of the invention, the projector 1 1 is an electronically controlled video projector for projecting fixed or moving images I, and the optical means 1 3 comprise at least one lens 14 mounted to the video projector 1 1 and at least one mirror 1 5. [0035] Also, first adjustment means 1 6 for adjusting the mirror 1 5 and second adjustment means for adjusting the lens 14 are provided for adjusting the relative position thereof and focusing the images I on the items on display O.

[0036] The display stand structure 1 comprises control means 1 7 connected to the video projector 1 1 for generating fixed or moving images I.

[0037] The first adjustment means 1 6 may comprise at least one support member 1 8, as best shown in FIG. 4, which is secured to the containment body 2 by hinge means 1 9 for adjusting the rough inclination of the mirror 1 5 relative to the support plan 4.

[0038] In the first embodiment of the display stand, the support member 18 may be secured to the base 5 of the containment body 2, as shown in FIG. 3, whereas in the second embodiment the support member 1 8 is secured to the upper wall 6 of the containment body 2, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0039] Advantageously, the first adjustment means 1 6 may comprise one or more adjustment screws 20 for connecting the mirror 1 5 to the support member 1 8, possibly with elastic members 21 interposed therebetween.

[0040] Conveniently, the screws 20 afford fine calibration of the inclination of the mirror 1 5 relative to the support plan of the item on display in a range from about 60 ° to about 90 °.

[0041 ] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, as schematically shown in FIG. 7, the first adjustment means 1 6 may comprise one or more electromechanical actuators 22 which are connected to the control means 17 for selective actuation.

[0042] The support member 1 8 may comprise a substantially planar frame 23 with a corresponding mirror 1 5, also substantially flat, secured thereto.

[0043] The frame 23 is secured to the containment body 2 by hinge means 1 9 and may comprise at least three metal plates 24, as shown in FIG. 4, which are assembled together by the adjustment screws 20 and the elastic members 21 , such that their distance and the inclination of the mirror 1 5 may be varied.

[0044] The second adjustment means, not shown, may comprise a known screw-operated mechanism, e.g. a threaded lens-supporting ring, which is screwed to the matingly threaded edge of the objective 1 2 of the video projector for rotating and changing the focal length of the lens 14.

[0045] In the second embodiment as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the display stand 1 comprises a plurality of video projectors 1 1 , with respective mirrors 15 and respective openings 7 associated therewith.

[0046] As discussed above, the mirrors 1 5 are secured to the upper wall 6 and the openings 7 are formed therein such that the item O will be hit by four distinct light beams F and an appearance other than the real appearance is imparted thereto, so that the user may present it in multiple different aesthetic solutions without replacing it.

[0047] In this embodiment, the optical means 1 3 comprise, for each video projector 1 1 , a fixed mirror 25 associated therewith and a moving mirror 1 5 that is moved by the first adjustment means 16.

[0048] The control means 1 7 of the display stand structure 1 comprise a microprocessor unit 26 with a database for storage of audiovisual sequences to be projected by the video projectors 1 1 on the items on display O as well as corresponding audio sequences.

[0049] The latter may be played through one or more loudspeakers located within the display portion, and generally referenced 27.

[0050] Conveniently, the microprocessor unit 26 may be connected to peripheral units by a Wi-Fi connection for remote control of the operation of the video projector 1 1 and possibly the actuators 22.

[0051 ] The peripheral units may include a keyboard and a mouse or a smart phone, not shown, and a computer product may be installed therein to define an application for connecting the smart phone with the microprocessor unit 26.

[0052] The above disclosure clearly shows that the multifunction display stand structure of the invention fulfills the intended objects and particularly meets the requirement of optimally focusing a plurality of fixed or moving images on the items on display.

[0053] The display stand structure of the invention is susceptible of a number of changes and variants, within the inventive concept as disclosed in the appended claims.

[0054] All the details thereof may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts, and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departure from the scope of the invention.

[0055] While the display stand structure has been described with particular reference to the accompanying figures, the numerals referred to in the disclosure and claims are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner.