"A SYSTEM FOR THE SHIELDING OF FURNITURES, APPLIANCE, OR THE LIKE"

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a locking system for a tubular shielding frame for providing a security barrier onto walls against shocks to furnitures or the like, such heaters, windows, etc. Further, object of the present invention it is also an improvement to tubular shielding frames for furnitures or the like, of the "cage shaped" type and made in plastics. State of the Art

It is already known that there are provided Public Security Rules in public places such offices, schools, hospitals, and the like. Such rules provide the shielding of furnitures, appliances, wall corners, or the like in order to mitigate the effect in case of shock of a person against the former.

With this aim, it is known the use of shielding structures for wall corners or corners of furnitures, these shielding being typically made of plastic materials and providing a cage shaped structure to be fixedly mounted onto a surrounding wall at the member to be shielded. The cage structure so made it is constituted by a plurality of tubular shaped members mutually connected by means of interlocking their ends using a respective plurality of pre-shaped connecting members in the already known manner.

Further, it is provided that the so assembled structure be connected to the relevant wall of the member to be shielded by means of flanged end members to be screwed to the wall. The end flanged members are connected to the shielding structure by means of bonding or interference blocking of the latter onto the former.

This solution of using pre-formed connecting members shows some drawbacks. A first drawback consists of to provide the production of a series of different shapes of tubular members to be inserted in said connecting flanged members, the shape of said members varying according to the use and the arrangement thereof. As a matter of facts, according to the type of use where it is destined, each connecting member may provide a double, or triple, or four tubular members. The same applies to the orienting thereof, i.e. it is necessary to provide connecting members having parallel, orthogonal joints and/or a combinations thereof. Another drawback consists in that for the assembling of such cage shaped tubular members and for the mutual connecting thereof, it is always necessary first cutting to the established length a respective tubular member before connecting the

same, and the subsequent bonding/gluing the latter to a respective connecting member.

These further operations are time and cost consuming.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the abovementioned drawbacks by providing a locking system for a tubular shielding frame for furnitures or the like, comprising a mounting and locking device for the ends of each tubular member of said tubular cage, thereby allowing a mounting thereof free of further connecting members and terminals members, and allowing therefore a substantial lowering of the production and the installations costs related. Another object of the present invention is to provide a tubular shielding frame having said locking system which allows a extremely easy and very fast mounting or dismounting thereof, and at the same time that be reliable, tough, and entailing a lower cost with respect to the existing ones.

Another further object of the present invention is to solve the abovementioned drawback by providing a tubular frame for the shielding of furniture or the like having a controlled rigidity/strength, in order that it show a suitable hardness in the case of an eventual hit by a person and by guaranteeing an efficient shielding.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tubular frame for the shielding of furniture or the like that is full complementary to the tubular frames of the state of the art and at the same time that provide an improved efficiency.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tubular frame for the shielding of furniture or the like showing an easy application, high reliability and low cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a locking system for tubular shielding frames for furniture or the like, and the relevant tubular frame which incorporates such a locking system according to the annexed claims.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a tubular frame for the shielding of furniture or the like according to the annexed claims. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It will be now given a detailed description of a locking system for a tubular shielding frame for furniture or the like and a relevant tubular frame according to the present invention, by way of non limiting example and by referring to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective front view of a tubular shielding frame for furniture or the like connected to a wall by the locking system of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side perspective view of a part of the tubular shielding frame for furniture or the like of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective detailed view showing the locking system according the present invention in the assembled condition; Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first component of the locking system of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a second component of the locking system of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the second component of figure 5; Figure 7 is a side perspective view of the tubular shielding frame for furniture in a first condition according to the present invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a part of the tubular frame of figure 7; Figure 9 is a side perspective view of the tubular frame of figure 7 in a second operating condition; ' Figure 10 is a front perspective view of the tubular shielding frame for the shielding of furniture in an operating condition;

Figure 11 is a top perspective view of the tubular frame for the shielding of furniture in another operating condition; and

Figure 12 schematically shows a component of the tubular frame of the present invention.

With reference now to figure from 1 to 6, there is disclosed a locking system for a tubular frame according to the present invention.

According to figures 1 and 2, a tubular shielding frame 1 for furniture or the like, onto walls, windows, and the like, comprises a first plurality of tubular members 2 arranged in a vertical direction, a second plurality of tubular members 3 arranged in a horizontal direction, and a plurality of tubular end members 4 for the supporting onto the wall.

For the connection of the corners of the frame 1, there are provided means 5 for the orthogonal locking of an end of a first tubular member 2 onto a surface of a second tubular member 3, and removable locking and shielding means 6 of a free end of a relevant tubular member 3. As it may be seen from the figures, the arrangement being such that the mutual locking is obtained when said orthogonal locking means 5 and said removable locking and shielding means 6 co-operate.

With reference to figure 3 to 6, said orthogonal locking means comprises a cylindrical member 5 which is complementary to the end of a tubular member 2 and where the former is insertable in a locked manner, said cylindrical member 5 further comprises a cooperating surface 50 which is complementary to a surface of a tubular member 3 where the former is locked in an orthogonal direction with respect to the

latter, and locking means 51 ,52 for said cylindrical member 5 onto said surface of said tubular member 3.

Further, said locking means comprises a port 51 formed at said cooperating surface 50, and a removable pin 52 to be inserted through said port 51 and for cooperating with the surface of an underlying tubular member 3.

On the other hand, said removable locking and shielding means of a free end of a respective tubular member 3 comprises a cylindrical member 6 having a closed end 60 and a cooperating part 61 with said free end of said tubular member 3. Further said cooperating part 61 comprises locking means 62 for respective locking pins 52. As it may be seen from the figures, said locking means comprises a plurality of locking members 62 complementary to said pins 52:

With reference now to figures 7 and 8, there is shown a tubular shielding frame of the state of the art and applied to a wall heating element.

Typically, there is provided a tubular structure 110 which is constituted by a first plurality of tubular members 200 vertically arranged at the vertical edges of the heating element to be shielded, and a second plurality of tubular members 300 horizontally arranged at the horizontal edges of the heating element. Further, between the tubular members 200 and 300 it is provided a respective plurality of tubular members 100 vertically arranged, the latter being fixedly mounted onto the former in order to constitute a shielding surface for the furniture to be shielded (i.e., a heating element in the figure).

The whole structure 110 so assembled lye onto the floor and onto the wall by means of its end parts 400.

With reference to figure 9, there is shown in detail the locking system of said tubular members 200 and 300 according to the present invention.

More precisely, it is provided that a free end of a tubular member (for example, the vertical member 200) be connected to a cylindrical end member 500, the latter having complementary sizes to the diameter of said tubular member 200. The cylindrical end member 500 has locking means for providing a removable and orthogonal locking onto said tubular horizontal member 300 (better illustrated hereinafter).

Further, according to the locking system of the present invention, it is provided a second end member 600, the latter being provided for connecting a free end of a respective horizontal tubular member 300 and for cooperating with the mutual locking of said cylindrical end members 500 (better shown hereinafter).

With reference now to figure 10, there is shown a longitudinal section of the cylindrical end member 500 of the present invention.

As it may be better understood from the figure, the cylindrical member 500 has a connecting surface 550 which is complementary to the outer surface of a respective tubular member 300 to be connected thereon in a longitudinal direction. Further, onto the connecting surface 550 it is obtained a port 551 for the housing of a respective pin 552.

The pin 552 when inserted into said port 551 , it may co-operate with the surface of said tubular member 300 underlying the former (the latter not shown in the figure).

With reference now to figures 11 and 12, there is respectively shown a longitudinal and cross section of the second shielding and locking component 600 of the present invention.

As it may be understood from the figures, the second component consists of a cylindrical shielding member 600 to be mounted in a removable fixed manner onto a end part of a tubular member 300. According to the present invention, the cylindrical member 600 has a closed end part 660 and a connecting part 661 for the connection to said free end of the tubular member 300.

The connecting part 661 comprises further complementary locking members such as nuts 662 or the like which constitute the locking means for respective locking bolts 552 housed on each end locking member 500 as previously shown.

It is necessary here to specify that for the mounting it is first necessary the making of bores onto said tubular member 300 at the position of connection of the cylindrical member 600, the bores being necessary for allowing the housing of said locking pins 552 inside of said bores, the mutual locking being provided by a respective complementary nut 662.