EP0473037B1

EP0473037B1 - Display trolley

Info

Publication number: EP0473037B1
Application number: EP91113844A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ugo Orlandelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-08-30
Filing date: 1991-08-19
Publication date: 1995-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2011-08-19
Also published as: CA2049617A1; HUT58638A; IT9084988A0; DE69109402D1; DE69109402T2; HU912813D0; EP0473037A1; ATE121915T1; IT1245329B; IT9084988A1

Abstract

Display trolley (1) particularly for carrying and displaying products and goods for sale, such as flowers, plants, fruit and vegetable products, footwear and others. The display trolley (1) has a wheeled base frame (2) from which two sides (7a,7b) extend upwardly. An upper folding frame (3) having the shape of a parallelogram is articulated to the sides of the base frame (2). A plurality of mutually spaced shelves (4,15,16) articulated to the upper frame (3), and a supporting structure (5) which is fixed upwardly to one of the shelves and is provided, below, with two telescopic legs (5c,5d). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a display trolley, and in particular to a multiple shelf display trolley for carrying and displaying products and goods on sale.
In the distribution and retail of a large number of products, such as flowers and plants, citrus fruits, vegetables, footwear and many others, there are serious problems of waste of time and labor in the operations for preparing, shipping and displaying for sale. It is in fact imperative to ensure that the products arrive intact at their destination on the market and can be rapidly unloaded and displayed to the public for sale with a minimum number of handlings and other operations.
A display trolley with the features set forth in the precharacterizing part of claim 1, is disclosed by the prior art document GB-A-1 097 210.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a multiple shelf display trolley which can act both as containment and transport means and as means for displaying products in sales points, such as open-air markets, supermarkets, shops and the like, and is capable of solving the above described problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a display trolley which has a modular configuration and dimensions for custom-size loading on closed trucks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a display trolley which can be provided with accessory extension and/or covering elements to increase its support-display capacity and to protect the products on display from bad weather.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple shelf display trolley which is easy to manoeuvre, can be stacked and can be manufactured at competitive costs.
This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved, according to the invention, by a multiple-shelf display trolley having the features comprised in the characterizing part of claim 1.
Advantageously, each of said sides can be constituted by two spaced uprights which rise from the base frame.
The supporting structure can furthermore advantageously have two or more telescopic supporting legs.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a display trolley in an inclined position in which it can act as a display;
figure 2 is a lateral elevation view of the display trolley of figure 1 in upright position;
figure 3 is a partial enlarged-scale sectional view of a leg for resting the supporting structure on the ground;
figure 4 is a view of an accessory, i.e. of a ledge which is removably associable with the sides of the shelves;
figure 5 is a partial enlarged-scale perspective view of a shelf and of a respective coupling pin;
figure 6 is a perspective sectional view of a lateral rod to which the shelf of figure 5 can be articulated;
figure 7 is a side view of a shelf which can be extracted or extended in a drawer-like manner;
figure 8 is a partially sectional enlarged-scale front view of the shelf of figure 7;
figure 9 is a view of two display trolleys according to a variated embodiment, stacked on top of one another;
figure 10 is a partial perspective view of a display trolley in inclined position, with its own wheeled supporting structure;
figure 11 is an enlarged-scale partial side view of the display trolley of figure 10 in upright position;
figure 12 is a side view of the upper part of a display trolley according to a constructive variation, provided with an awning;
figure 13 is a partial front elevation view of a display trolley provided with two lateral inclined and removable ledges;
figure 14 is a partial perspective view of a side of a shelf according to a variated embodiment;
figure 15 is a partial side view of the shelf of figure 14 mounted so as to be inclined forward on a display trolley; and
figure 16 is a view of a display trolley with an additional set of shelves at the top and with underlying shelves which can be inclined forward.

In the various figures, identical or similar parts or components have been indicated by the same reference numerals.
Initially with reference to figures 1 to 6, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a first embodiment of a display trolley according to the invention, which is composed of a base frame 2, an upper frame 3 with shelves 4 and a supporting structure 5.
The base frame 2 can be formed by two side members 2a and by two cross-members 2b which are butt-welded to the side members. Both the side members and the cross-members can be constituted by portions of an angular L-shaped profiled element.
Two flat strips 2c are provided between the two cross-members 2b, and the coupling flanges of a pair of orientatable wheels or castors 6 are fixed from below to each of said strips. If required, it is possible to apply to one of the strips 2c a single castor arranged on the centerline of said strip, in which case the trolley rests on the ground on three wheels 6 instead of four. At least one, but preferably two, of the wheels 6 is provided with a brake which can be operated by means of a pedal (not illustrated) to lock the trolley in position.
Two sides rise from the cross-members 2b and are advantageously constituted by two uprights 7a, 7b and 8a, 8b which are for example welded to the respective cross-member or bolted thereto for facilitating assembly.
The uprights 7b and 8b are each arranged proximate to one end of the cross-members 2b but at a short distance from a same side member 2a so as to delimit a seat 9 between the upright and the side member for a purpose which will be explained hereinafter.
The upper frame 3 is constituted by two pairs of rods 10a, 10b and 11a, 11b which are pivoted at 13 and 14 between the two sides along two common horizontal axes respectively at the end of the supporting uprights 7a, 8a and 7b, 8b. The two pairs of rods support a plurality of supporting shelves or cross-members 4 for shelves which are spaced at different levels and are constituted for example by a rectangular border frame which is formed for example by portions of an L-shaped angular profiled element which are welded so as to act as support for a panel 4a, made of wood or another lightweight material, or for a tray 15 made of plastic material. The border frame 4 can support one or more intermediate cross-members 16 which are possibly arranged according to a grid-like structure so as to delimit compartments for accommodating a plurality of trays or pots or other similar containers.
Each border frame 4 advantageously has, along its short sides, two tabs 17, each of which has a recess or a hole 18 through which it is possible to insert, with the possible interposition of a washer 20, from the inside of the frame, a pivot, constituted by an Allen screw 21, a bolt with a wing nut or the like, which can be accommodated in a corresponding hole defined in a rod 10 and 11. Said rod can be constituted, see figure 6, by a box-like tubular profiled element which is open due to the presence of a longitudinal slot 22 in which a parallelepipedal block 23 for each shelf to be supported is inserted. Each block 23 has a transverse threaded hole 24 which is kept coaxial to a hole 25 defined in the tubular element, so that the Allen screw 21 can enter the holes 18, 24 and 25 and protrude from the rod.
If required, the protruding end of the Allen screw can have a transverse hole 26 through which a retention means can pass to prevent free extraction and thus the unauthorized removal of the shelf.
The Allen screw 21 can naturally also be inserted from the side of the rod 10 or 11, i.e. from outside the shelf 4.
The supporting structure 5 is formed by two lateral uprights 5a and 5b which are fixed, for example welded, at the top to a side of the upper shelf and have, below, a respective telescopic leg 5c and 5d. The uprights 5a and 5b are connected by one or more stiffening cross-members 5e.
When the trolley 1 is in extended position (figure 1), the structure 5 is spaced from the base frame 2 and the telescopic legs are extended and locked by acting on the knobs 5d, whereas in the upright position they are inserted in the seat 9.
If required, the legs 5c can be loaded elastically by a spring 5e (figure 3) which is inserted for example within each leg 5c and abuts against a transverse stop element 5f defined in the overlying upright 5a.
Engagement means can be provided between the upper frame 3 and the supporting structure 5; said means are for example constituted by a hook 27 which is pivoted to the rods 10b and 11b and by a pin 28 which is rigidly associated with, and protrudes from, the uprights 5a, so that in upright position the supporting structure can be firmly anchored to the upper frame 3.
As clearly appears from figures 1 and 2, the points 13 and 14, in which the upper frame 3 is pivoted to the side members 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b are situated in a substantially horizontal plane located under the middle region of the upper frame, towards its lower end.
Accordingly a tilting moment appears, tending to tilt the upper frame 3 in an inclined position. Therefore, upon unlocking the supporting structure 5, from the seat 9 and engagement means 27, 28, the upper frame 3 is freed from its vertical position and can tilt by itself in the inclined position, i.e. the extended position of the trolley.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a shelf 4 which is configured like a pull-out drawer and comprises two supporting planes: a fixed one 30 and a movable one 31. Constructively, the two supporting planes can be supported by two L-shaped profiled elements 32 to which supporting tabs 17 are externally fixed.
Each profiled element 32 has two parallel fins 33 and 34 which are directed inward.
The fin 33 acts as support for the plane 30 and delimits, together with the fin 34, a sliding track for rollers 35 which support an angular element 36, adapted for supporting the plane 31, so that said plane 31 can slide and be pulled out with respect to the plane 30.
Figure 9 illustrates two trolleys like the one of figures 1 and 2 which are stacked on top of one another and are constructed according to another embodiment. The lateral tubular rods 10a, 10b and 11a, 11b in fact extend upward beyond the level of the upper shelf and end with a slight expansion or flaring, schematically indicated by 40, whereas two tapered portions 41 extend below from the base frame 2; said tapered portions are for example welded to the frame 2 and are shorter than the height of the wheels 6 for removable insertion in a corresponding expansion 40 of an underlying trolley.
The display trolley of figures 10 and 11 has telescopic legs which rest on a castor 5f which can possibly be locked in position by means of a pedal brake 5h. In figure 11, the leg 5c is shown located in the seat 9.
Figure 12 illustrates a variated embodiment with a roof-like covering structure 50. The upper shelf 4 has, on each short side, a pair of tabs or insertion seats 51 in which four uprights 52 can be inserted; if required, each of said uprights 52 can be constituted by a portion of tubular rod 10 or 11.
Said uprights 52 support lateral stringers 53 by means of box-like joints 54 in which an end of two further stringers 55, 56 is pivoted; said further stringers can in turn support, at their other end, a joint to which a further stringer 57 can be pivoted. An awning (not illustrated in the drawings), made of an appropriate material, is stretched between the pairs of stringers 53, 55, 56 and 57 and can be folded over the central stringers 53.
If the uprights 52 extend beyond the joints 54, guy wires 58, which ensure greater stability to the supporting structure of the awning, can be provided.
Figure 13 is a view of a trolley 1 in extended position, and provided, on its sides, with removable ledges 60, such as the one illustrated in figure 3, which are inclined with respect to the horizontal. Each ledge 60 is provided with a pair of coupling hooks 61 for engaging the edge of an L-shaped angular border element of a shelf 4.
Figure 14 is a view of a short side of a shelf 4, which has three tabs 70, 71 and 72 which are directed downward.
The tab 70 has a notch defining a horizontal portion 73 and a rounded vertical portion 74 which constitutes the accommodation seat for an articulation pivot or Allen screw 21 inserted into, and protruding from, a rod 10b, 11b.
The tabs 71 and 72 delimit an intermediate straight portion 75 which is intended to rest and slide on a pivot or Allen screw 21 which protrudes from a rod 10a, 11a. If the pivot or Allen screw 21 on which the portion 75 slidingly rests is at a lower level than the corresponding pivot or Allen screw 21 on the rods 10b, 11b engaged by the recess 74, the shelf 4 is arranged inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, as illustrated in figure 15.
Figure 16 is a view of a further embodiment, according to which a set of shelves is rigidly supported above the upper shelf 4 and has four lateral uprights 80, for example with pins for supporting, at various levels, supporting planes (not illustrated), and a top shelf 81, for example identical to a shelf 4. Advantageously, the uprights 80 can be inserted in the tabs 51 which can alternatively be used to support an awning. Said awning, if required, can be supported by the shelf 81 if it is provided with tabs 51.
As can be seen, the trolley according to the variated embodiment of figures 14-16 can assume an upright position, in which all the shelves 4 are superimposed and the supporting structure 5 is adjacent to the upper frame 3, all within the maximum base area of the base frame 2, as well as an extended position, as in figure 1, but with the shelves tilted forward for a better display of the products.
Advantageously, the dimensions of the base frame and the total height of the above described display trolley is equal to a submultiple of the width, length and height dimensions of a closed truck, so that a preset number of display trolleys can be loaded without wasting space on said truck. If required, stacked trolleys such as in figure 9, in turn pre-loaded with products to be displayed for sale, can be loaded on the truck. Once carried to a sales point, the display trolleys described above can be easily and rapidly extended, spacing the supporting structure 5 from the upper frame 3, so that they then act as a display, possibly with tilting shelves.
The materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be various according to the requirements.
The surface finish of the components of the display trolleys can be various, for example galvanization, enameling or simple coloring or spraying of the metallic parts.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

Multiple shelf display trolley comprising a base frame (2) mounted on at least three wheels (6) and provided with at least two side members (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) which extend upwardly therefrom, a shelf frame (3) including at least two pairs of upwardly extending lateral rods (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b), each articulated to a respective side member (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b), a plurality of shelf means (4) being arranged at different levels of said lateral rods (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b), and a telescopic supporting structure (5) fixed at a side of the uppermost shelf of said plurality of shelf means (4), whereby said shelf frame (3) can be tilted between a vertical position above and within an area defined by said base frame (2) and in which said supporting structure (5) is locked in a deposited position along said vertical shelf frame (3) and an inclined position with the shelf means (4) in a substantially stepwise arrangement, wherein said shelf frame (3) is supported in said inclined position by means of said supporting structure (5), said display trolley being characterized in that it comprises a single telescopic supporting structure (5) and said shelf frame (3) is articulated at said side members (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) at a substantially horizontal plane situated under the middle region of said shelf frame towards its lower end, whereby the tilting of said shelf frame (3) with respect to said side members (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) occurs automatically upon unlocking said supporting structure (5) and under the effect of a tilting moment being induced by the portion of said shelf frame (3) situated above said horizontal plane, said supporting structure comprising at least one upright (5a, 5b) which is fixed at a side of said uppermost shelf of said plurality of shelf means for withstanding said tilting moment acting on said upper frame in said inclined position.
Display trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said side members preferably comprises a pair of uprights (7a, 7b; 8a, 8b) spaced from the base frame (2), one of each pair of said uprights being fixed to said base frame proximate a same side member (2a) thereof, but at a short distance of said same side member (2a) so that respective seats (9) for receiving lower ends of said supporting structure (5) therein are delimited between said side member (2a) and said uprights (7b, 8b).
Display trolley according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each rod (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b) is constituted by a substantially tubular profiled element and has, inserted therein, an abutment block (23) for each shelf means (4) to be supported, each block being provided with an accommodation hole (25) for an articulation pivot (21) of a shelf means (4).
Display trolley according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each rod (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b) is constituted by a profiled element to which a plurality of pivots or pins (21) for supporting and engaging said shelf means (4) is fixed.
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said shelf means (4) comprises a quadrangular rigid border frame, with two short sides which can be inserted between the two pairs of lateral rods (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b), two holes or recesses (18) on each side arranged at a distance equal to the distance between the pairs of rods, and four articulation pivots or bolts (21), each of which can be inserted in a respective hole of the shelf means and in a corresponding engagement and retention seat (25) in one of the rods.
Display trolley according to claim 5, characterized in that said holes or recesses (18) on each side are defined in respective tabs (17) on the sides of the shelves.
Display trolley according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, characterized in that said shelf means (4) comprise at least one shelf having a quadrangular rigid border frame with two short sides which can be inserted between the two pairs of lateral rods (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b), and a shaped recess (70, 73, 74) and a sliding portion (75) which is delimited by two stop elements (71, 72) and is spaced from the recess defined at each side, so that said at least one shelf can be articulated to a supporting pin or pivot of two rods (10b, 11b) of the upper frame (5) and can slide on a pivot of the other two rods (10a, 11a), whereby said at least one shelf is arrangeable inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said shelf means (4) comprise at least one shelf provided with at least one supporting tray (15).
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said shelf means (4) comprise at least one shelf (30, 31) which can be pulled out and extended in a drawer-like manner.
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one leg (5c) of said supporting structure (5) is telescopically extendable and provided with clamp means (5d) for fixing it in position at a required length.
Display trolley according to claim 10, characterized in that said at least one telescopically extendable leg (5c) is spring-loaded.
Display trolley according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that said at least one telescopically extendable leg (5c) rests on a self-orientating castor (6).
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises coupling and support means (51) provided on a top shelf carried by the shelf frame (3), four uprights (52, 80) which are insertable in said coupling and supporting means and a superstructure (50, 81) carried by said uprights.
Display trolley according to claim 13, characterized in that said superstructure (50) comprises a plurality of mutually sequentially articulated stringers (53, 55, 56, 57), at least two of which (55, 56) are supported by the uprights (52), and a plurality of pieces of fabric stretched between pairs of stringers so as to form an awning with folding wings.
Display trolley according to claim 13, characterized in that said superstructure comprises at least one shelf (81) supported by said four uprights (80).
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises engagement and stop means (27, 28) for keeping the shelf frame (3) anchored to the supporting structure (5) in upright position.
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it further comprises removable ledges (60) with coupling hooks (61) removably coupleable at borders of said shelf means (4).
Display trolley according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises flaring expansions (40) provided at upper ends of said rods, and tapered portions (41) provided at lower ends of said side rods, said tapered portions being insertable in said flaring expansions for stacking one display trolley on another display trolley.
Display trolley according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said trolley has a modular configuration, the total height thereof and the overall dimensions of the base frame (2) being selected so as to be equal to a submultiple of the width, length and height of a closed truck, whereby a preset number of display trolleys can be loaded in a highly compact manner into said truck.