EP0360309B1

EP0360309B1 - Mounting system for partition walls

Info

Publication number: EP0360309B1
Application number: EP89202078A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Huberta Sophia Petronella Johanna Cornelia Wetzer
Original assignee: Velzer BV
Current assignee: VELZER B.V.
Priority date: 1988-08-19
Filing date: 1989-08-14
Publication date: 1992-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2009-08-14
Also published as: DE68903154D1; ATE81379T1; NL8802053A; DE68903154T2; EP0360309A1

Abstract

A mounting system (1) for panels has carriers (2). In a carrier (2) an element (3) is slidable. Carrier (2) and element (3) have legs (4, 5) and (8, 9) respectively with mutually different lengths to allow compact storage of the system (1). Connecting horizontal and vertical carriers (2) is achieved by coupling means in the form of hooks (10), which are provided on ends of the legs (8, 9) and in the form of corresponding longitudinal slots (7), located near corner points of the legs (4, 5). Horizontal and vertical carriers (2) may simply be produced indentically, which make the system (1) universal. The system (1) may simply be assembled and disassembled without the use of bolts, screws and the like.

Description

The invention relates to a mounting system as outlined in precharacterising portion of claim 1.
The invention furthermore relates to a carrier suitable for use in the mounting system.
Such mounting systems are known form FR-A-1.326.239. Such systems find wide application and are used for assembling gnerally prefabricated panels and partition walls for forming accommodations, such as ofices, but also for forming stands and shop windows.
The known system has carriers formed as uprights or as girders. The uprights are provided with the slots and the girders have specifically formed ends. The hooks of the elements can be positioned in the slots and the girder can be positioned over the element to be hung therein.
The known mounting system has the disadvantage that uprights and girders of the mounting system are made and shaped mutually differently. The consequence of this is that their production will have to take place by means of different dies, which is cost- increasing.
The object of the invention is to provide a mounting system, whereby storage in for example a warehouse is possible in an efficient manner and without loss of space, which can be assembled and disassembled in a simple manner, which is stable in various directions and which can be built up from a frame of universal carriers with uprights and girders made in the same manner.
In order to accomplish this objective the mounting system according to the invention is outlined as further specified in the characterising portion of claim 1.
It is noted here that it is known per se from DE-U-8632059 to have a mounting system with carriers formed as uprights and girders, whereby the carriers have legs with mutually different lenghts. The carriers are coupled by sticking a wire-like bow in transverse direction through holes in the uprights, whereby the girders can be hung to both sides on the protuding ends of the bow.
The advantage of the mounting system according to the invention is that it can be produced in a simple manner, for example by means of punching from plate material and then bending over the punched material. Furthermore the possible production of universal carriers, no matter whether said carriers are used as uprights or as girders strongly reduces the cost price. By using moving elements, which can be stored inside the carriers, so that they cannot simply be lost at the place to work, a simple assembly becomes possible, without using bolts, screws and the like, and without it being necessary to push uprights already provided apart in order to fix a girder between the uprights. Efficient use of the storage room becomes possible in that the legs of the carriers have different lenghts and thus different carriers can be inserted into one another in a direction towards one another. Furthermore it is possible to shorten a carrier by simply sawing it off, after which the carrier can be coupled to another carrier by moving the element. A further advantage of the mounting system according to the invention is that a carrier can be used with the open side of this U-shaped section up or down, according to which is desired, and that a large degree of transverse stability is achieved in the mounting system according to the invention. Furthermore by providing the hooks spaced from the legs of the movable element by such a distance that as a result the difference in length of the legs of the first carrier, is met, in case said first carrier is coupled to the second carrier, the corresponding legs of the two carriers lie in one plane, notwithstanding the different lengths of the legs of the elements.
The invention will be further explained with reference to the drawing, in which corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding elements.
Fig 1 is an illustration of the disassembled mounting system according to the invention.
Fig 2 shows an adjusting mechanism for use on an upright carrier of the mounting system shown in Fig 1.
Fig 3 shows two carriers, moved into each other, of the mounting system according to Fig 1.
Figure 1 shows a mounting system 1 with carriers 2 and an element 3. The element 3 can be movably provided in the carrier 2. The carrier 2 has a substantially U-shaped section and has two bent-over legs 4 and 5, which are mutually connected via a connecting part 6. The leg 4 is longer than the leg 5, so that two carriers 2 can be stored or packed in a very efficient manner, as is shown in Fig 3.
The carrier 2 is provided with first coupling means, which are made in the shape of longitudinal slots 7 in the embodiment shown in Fig 1. The longitudinal slots 7 are respectively provided near the corner points of the carrier 2.
The movable element 3 has legs 8 and 9, whose length is such that the element 3 is just movable inside the carrier 2. At their longitudinal ends the legs 8 and 9 are provided with second coupling means corresponding with the first coupling means, said second coupling means in this embodiment being made in the shape of hooks 10. The hooks 10 can be supported in the longitudinal slots 7 in a simple manner.
A carrier is made the same, irrespective of whether it is used as an upright or as a girder in the mounting system 1. Possibly, if desired, an adjusting mechanism 11 may be provided on an end of the carrier 2 resting on the ground, as is shown in Fig 2, or can be provided in a simple manner, for example by means of attachment means. The adjusting mechanism 11 has a U-profile 12 with holes in which there is cut screw thread and through which a bolt 13 is passed. The carrier 2 can be set up level in a simple manner by means of the adjusting mechanism 11.
In the connecting part 6 there will generally be provided holes 14 for the passage of inter alia electrical leads, community aerial leads or for example telephone leads or the like.
The movable element 3 has a part 15 connecting the legs 8 and 9, said part 15 being provided with an opening 16 and a bent-over part 17. By means of the bent-over part 17 it is possible to move the movable element inside the carrier 2. When the carrier 2 is slipped upside down over the movable element 3, i.e. with the legs 4 and 5 directed upwards, the movable element 3 can be moved via the opening 16.
Each of the hooks 10 is respectively provided at such a distance d from the legs 8 and 9 of the movable element 3, that as a result the difference in length of the legs 4, 5 of the carrier 2 is set off, and thus e.g. also horizontal carriers 2, separated from each other by means of a vertical carrier 2, lie in one level plane.
The carrier 2 will generally have at least one local projection 18 projecting inside the carrier 2, in order to prevent that the movable element 3 undesiredly moves out of the carrier. It is possible, however, to move the element 3 over the projection 18 in the carrier 2 with some force, possibly by bending the legs 4 and 5 apart.

Claims

Mounting systems (1) for assembling a frame built up from carriers (2) to be coupled and used as uprights and girders, to which frame panels are attachable for forming accomodations, whereby each carrier (2) has a substantially U-shaped section with two opposite legs (4,5) and has at least one U-shaped element (3) slidably provided within the carrier (2), whereby at least the first carrier (2) is provided with longitudinal slots (7) and whereby the element (3) has legs (8, 9) each at least at one side of the element (3) being provided with corresponding hooks (10) , which hooks (10) are locatable outside the element (3) by sliding the element (3) within the carrier (2) for mutually coupling with the slots (7) of the first carrier (2), whereby corresponding legs (4, 5) of the carriers (2) lie in one level plane, characterised in that each carrier (2) irrespective its use is manufactered in the same manner, whereby its legs (4, 5) have mutually different lengths and have inside bent ends, that the legs (8, 9) of the element (3) have mutually different lengths, that the slots (7) are provided in corresponding corner joints of the legs (4, 5) of each carrier (2), and that the hooks (10) are provided spaced from the legs (8, 9) of the movable element (3) by such a distance (d) that as result the difference in length of the legs (4, 5) of the first carrier (2), in case said first carrier (2) is coupled to the second carrier (2), is met.
Mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the element (3) has a part (15) connecting its legs (8, 9), which part (15) is provided with an opening (16) and with a bent-over part (17) projecting between the legs (8, 9) of the element (3).
Mounting system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein on the legs (4, 5) within the U-shape of the carrier (2) there is provided at least one projection (18) in order to prevent that the movable element (3) undesiredly moves out of the carrier (2).
Carrier for application in the mounting system according to one of the claims 1-3, whereby the carrier (2) is provided with an adjusting mechanism (11) for positioning the carrier (2) by means of the adjusting mechanism (11) when the carrier (2) is used as an upright.