EP1567033B1

EP1567033B1 - Multi-purpose, mobile and foldable supporting structure

Info

Publication number: EP1567033B1
Application number: EP03758386A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ciro Corvino
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-23
Filing date: 2003-10-22
Publication date: 2006-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2023-10-22
Also published as: ITPN20020084A1; EP1567033A1; AU2003274405A1; ATE330516T1; WO2004037051A1; DE60306414D1

Abstract

The structure (40) is particularly useful for mobile businesses and comprises a central frame (41-110-121) including pairs of height-adjustable wheels (44, 45, 46). Horizontal frameworks (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) and vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) are hinged to said central frame (41-110-121) in such a way as to translate between a folded resting position and an opened operative position. The central frame (41-110-121) delimites, together with said horizontal (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) and vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) in their folded resting positions, a compact box-shaped structure which is suited to house all the means needed to assemble a display stand or a craft working bench or an advertising stand for tasting foods and beverages and which is slidably movable on said pairs of wheels (44, 45 e 46) between the vehicle (140) and the site where the display stand or the workbench is to be assembled and used.

Description

The present invention pertains to a mobile and foldable structure which allows for a quick, easy and rational support of articles and/or equipment for many different purposes.
In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile and foldable supporting structure that can be advantageously used for mobile businesses.
Preferably but not exclusively, the structure according to the invention is particularly adapted to be used as a display stand for advertising and /or selling articles at fairs and open-air markets or as a workbench for mobile handicraft businesses.
Generally, the seller or the craftman with a mobile business load the articles of merchandise, the utensils or other items needed for their businesses, on a truck, or a similar commercial vehicle, and move their loaded stands from one work site to another work site of a district.
One example of a mobile and foldable stand is described in DE 28503659.
Upon reaching the fair-site or the market-site, the seller or the craftman leaves its commercial vehicle near the final location in the parking lot or field and, at first, prepares the stand for displaying the articles to be sold or for supporting the handicraft equipment.
Generally, the stand comprises one or more wooden planks or horizontal box containers, of various sizes and shapes, which are simply supported on metallic sawhorses or similar temporary structures.
Usually, the horizontal stand has vertically extending rods for holding and supporting small shelves or racks which widen the displaying area for the merchandise or increase the supporting area for the utensils.
As it is obvious, said structures are unstable and may fall off, tip over or collapse due to accidental impacts or due a not uniform distribution of the wheight of the merchandise with respect to the supporting points on the sawhorses.
Moreover, the operation for preparing the structure which supports the planks or the box and for positioning the utensils and the merchandise to be displayed and/or sold are time consuming with respect the relatively short duration of the fair or of the open-air market.
In the case of merchandise composed of small and numerous articles that are to be displayed one by one, such as articles of jewelry or knick-knack, for example, the operation for preparing the display stand can require about two hours of working time.
Obviously, also the inverse operation for disassembling the display stand is time consuming and it becomes particularly difficult and uncomfortable when the stand is to be quickly disassembled in stormy weather conditions.
It is to be pointed out that the benches formed by more shelves or drawers of various sizes are disadvantageous in that the seller must arrange them inside the commercial vehicle in a casual and untidy way.
Therefore, the elements of the bench and also the merchandise displayed thereon, and particularly the small goods, can be lost and are often arranged in such a occasional position as not to ensure a correct preservation of their aesthetic, structural as well as dimensional features.
It is known that some vehicles and trailers have been made with their inner space permanently equipped with the display and sale equipment or the craft business equipment in order to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.
However, the equipping of such vehicles requires an heavy capital investment and does not allow for that flexibility of use which is the more important feature for those involved in mobile businesses.
At the end, there are to be pointed out the disadvantages arising from the use of such vehicles when the markets or the fairs are situated inside a closed space or in a location which is difficult to be reached by the vehicles of transport.
In these cases, the sellers or the craftmen provided with permanently equipped vehicles can not reach the display spaces whereas the sellers or the craftmen provided with the above described demountable benches must unload all the merchandise from the van to trolleys, carts or the like and to move it, through numerous trips, between the vehicle to the work location. As a consequence, this is both a time and energy consuming operation whether to form the display stand or to disassemble the display area.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to solve the above stated drawbacks by means of a mobile and foldable structure which allows for a quick, easy and rational support of merchandise, articles and/or equipment for many different purposes. Such a structure is described in claim 7.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a structure of the type described above which facilitates the operations for transporting, unloading, mounting and disassembling of a display stand for advertising and /or selling articles as well as of a workbench for mobile handicraft businesses.
It is a further object of the present invention to disclose a mobile and foldable structure which facilitates the operations for displaying the merchandise to be sold or the handicraft equipment to be used as well as the operations for re-arranging the merchandise or the handicraft equipment inside the transport vehicle.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a mobile and foldable supporting structure which enables the seller or the craftsman to move, in a single trip between the vehicle and the work location, all that is necessary to assemble the display stand or the workbench.
In the end, it is a further object of this invention to provide a mobile and foldable supporting structure which allows the merchandise and the equipment necessary to make the display stand or the workbench to be stored and maintained in a correct, tidy and safe position in any type of transport vehicle.
These and other objects are attained according to the invention by a multi-purpose, mobile and foldable supporting structure having the hereinafter claimed features.
The objects and the features of the structure according to the invention will appear clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing, wherein:

the Figure 1 is a perspective front view of a structure according to the present invention in the folded transport position;
the Figure 2 is a perspective rear view of a structure according to the present invention in the folded transport position;
the Figures 3 and 4 are respective lateral views of the structure according to the invention in the folded transport position;
the Figures 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 are perspective views of respective operative stages for moving the structure according to the invention to its opened working position;
the Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views of respective details of the structure according to the invention;
the Figure 15 is a perspective view of a detail of the vertical frameworks of the structure according to the invention;
the Figure 16 and 17 are a sectional and a top view, respectively, of the elements for displaying the merchandise to be sold;
the Figure 18 is a sectional view of the elements for displaying the merchandise in their stacked position;
the Figure 19 is a top perspective view of the opened position of a displaying and selling stand made by the structure 40 according to the invention;
the Figure 20 illustrates the structure 20 according to the invention in its closed position;
the Figures 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 illustrate alternative embodiments of the structure 40;
the Figures 26 through 30 are respective stages of the operations for loading the structure according to the invention into a vehicle of transport;
the Figure 31 is a sectional view of a spacer frame of the elements for displaying the merchandise to be sold;
the Figures 32 and 33 are perspective views illustrating an hook attachment in the coupling stage with the structure and in the working position respectively;
the Figures 34 and 35 are perspective views of a further embodiment of the structure 40 in the working position and in the intermediate closed position respectively:

The description and the figures refer to an exemplifying use of the structure according to the invention for making a stand for displaying and selling small articles as small ornaments, small pieces jewelry of not great value or the like.
With particular reference to the Figures 1 through 10, the structure 40 according to the invention comprises a central frame 41 (Figures 5 through 10) which is substantially constituted of a horizontal portion 42 and a vertical portion 43 (Figures 3 through 4) both quadrangular in shape and joined together according to a "L" shaped configuration.
In a per se known manner, the central frame 41 and its horizontal 42 and vertical 43 portions are made of metallic draw pieces which are preferably formed from aluminum extruded with a quadrangular cross-section.
Said draw pieces can be reciprocally connected to each other whether in a removable manner, by means of known screw connecting devices, or in a not removable manner by means of welding processes.
Obviously, the removable fastening is preferable to the permanent fixing because the structure 40 may be modified, dimensioned and adjusted to accommodate the specific requirements of its user.
Three pairs of height adjustable wheels 44, 45 and 46, of the caster-swivel type movable about a vertical axis, are associated with the central frame 41.
A first pair of wheels 44 is suspended in positions corresponding to those of the respective front corners of the horizontal portion 42.
Each wheel 44 is secured to a vertical stem 47 (Figure 13) slidably mounted in a corresponding vertical seat 48 protruding downward from the horizontal portion 42.
The stem 47 and the seat 48 include holes 49 formed therethrough for removably receiving a cylindrical locking pin 50. In doing so, the user will be able to lock the suspended wheels 44 at various distances from the horizontal portion 42 for reasons that will be explained later.
A second pair of wheels 45 is fixed in positions corresponding to those of the lower ends of two legs 51 which are extending downwardly from the frontal part of both sides of the horizontal portion 42.
The pivoting axle of each wheel 45. is slightly,inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective leg 51 for reasons that will be described hereinafter.
The two legs 51 are connected by means of a transverse stiffener 52 and are hinged to the central frame 41 in such a way as to pivot about a horizontal axis 53 (Figure 4) towards the interior of the strucuture 40.
A lock pin 54 prevents the pivotable legs 51 from rotating relative to the central frame 41 when the lock pin 54 is inserted in its locking position.
A further pair of wheels 46 is fixed to respective vertical uprights 55 which are slidably received in corresponding seats 56 fixed to the rear part of the horizontal portion 42.
The position of the upright 55 in the respective seat 56 is locked by a horizontal cotter pin 57 which is removably inserted into corresponding holes, not illustrated in the drawings, which are passing completely through the upright 55 and the seat 56.
The position of the uprights 55 with respect to the seat 56 is ensured by expanding devices, of known and not illustrated type, which are activated and released by means of respective hand-operated handles 69 visible in the Figures 2, 6, 7 and 11.
Each of the wheel 46 is provided with a braking device which is used to prevent the wheels from rotating about their horizontal axes as well as from pivoting about their vertical axes.
Frames 58 of quadrangular shape are respectively hinged to the horizontal sides of the central frame 41 and are pivotable, about a horizontal axis, between a vertical resting position , clearly visible in the Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and a horizontal working position shown in the Figures 5 e 6.
Latching devices are provided for maintaining the frames 58 in a correct vertical position.
With reference to the embodiment of the Figures 1 through 8, the latching devices comprise lock bars 91 which are pivotally hinged on the sides of the vertical portion 43. The free end of said bars 91 is provided with a notch which is suited to engage a horizontal pin, not visible in the Figures. The horizontal pin can be screwed into the body of the respective frame 58 by means of a locking knob 92.
A quadrangular frame 59 is hinged to each of the frames 58 and is pivotable, about a horizontal axis, between a resting position that is substantially coplanar with the adjacent frame 58, clearly visible in the Figures 1, 2, 3 , 4 , and 5, and a horizontal working position clearly shown in the Figure 8 .
Each of the frames 58 and 59 is provided with a pair of legs 60 which are suited to support the frames above the supporting floor. The upper ends of said legs 60 are pivotally hinged , about a horizontal axis, to longitudinal elements of said frames 58 and 59.
Each pair of legs 60 is connected by means of a transverse stiffener 61 and is hinged in such a way as to pivot between a resting position, wherein the legs are housed in a substantially coplanar position within their respective frame 58 and 59 and a vertical working position, wherein the legs 60 are correctly kept by jointed supporting levers 62 which are so sufficiently well known as not to require further details.
Transverse elements 63 (Figure 14) function as supporting elements, in the manner described later, and also as seating surfaces for the supporting legs 60 thus ensuring legs 60 to be housed in a correct coplanar position within their respective frame 58 or 59.
Also the frames 58, 59, the supporting legs 60 and the transverse stiffeners 61 are made of metallic draw pieces having a quadrangular cross-section which is similar to the cross section of the draw pieces forming the central frame 41.
The upper side of at least one longitudinal element of the quadrangular frames 58 and 59 is provided with retaining means formed as shaped protrusions 64 (Figure 14) having a function which will become apparent hereinafter.
Frames 70 of quadrangular shape are respectively hinged to the horizontal sides of the central frame 41 and are pivotable through 90 degrees, about a vertical axis, between a folded resting position , clearly visible, in the Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and an opened working position shown in the Figures 9 and 10.
A quadrangular frame 71 is hinged to each of the frames 70 and is pivotable, about a vertical axis, between a resting position that is substantially orthogonal with respect to the adjacent frame 70, clearly visible in the Figures 1, 2, 3 , 4 , and 5, and a working position that is substantially aligned and coplanar with the adjacent frame 70 as clearly shown in the Figure 10.
The frames 70 and 71 are correctly kept in their resting and working positions by means of externally threaded pins 65, which pins are operated by respective knobs 66 in order to engage or disengage , with the interposition of suited spacer plates 67, corresponding threaded seats formed in the upper edges of the central portion 42 of the central frame 41 and of the frames 58 and 59.
The quadrangular frames 70 and 71 can be provided with one or more longitudinal intermediate elements 68 (Figure 10) which are suited to delimitate one or more openings for anchoring various supporting means.
In the preferred embodiment of Figure 9 and of the next succeding Figures, the quadrangular frames 70 and 71 are housing foldable shelves 72 which are hinged in such a way as to be pivotable between a resting position, which is coplanar with the respective frame 70 or 71 and a working position which is substantially orthogonal with respect to the respective frame 70 or 71 as illustrated in the Figures 12 and 15.
Jointed supporting levers 73 ensure the maintainment of the correct horizontal working position of the shelves 72.
Wires 93 (Figures 32 and 33), formed from a material having a strength and a sufficient flexibility for being not cumbersome when the shelves occupy their resting position (for example steel wires), may also be used as an alternative to the jointed supporting levers 73.
When opening of the structure is complete , as illustrated in the Figure 10, the seller can place the containers, or the display elements 80 for displaying the merchandise to be sold, on the quadrangular frames 58 and 59 as illustrated in the Figures 12 and 19.
The correct position of the display elements 80 is ensured by the shaped protrusions 64 and by the transverse elements 63 as previously described.
In accordance with an advantageous aspect of the present invention, there are provided containers or display elements 80 which are made in such a manner as to facilitate their transportation to the display location.
In particular, the upper/outer edge of each container or display element 80 presents a recess 81, while its lower/inner edge is provided with a corresponding protrusion 82 as illustrated in the Figure 16.
Said recess 81 is adapted to engage said protrusion 82 so that display elements 80 may be stacked to form a single body which can be advantageously housed within the cubic space delimited by the central frame 41, by the horizontal frames 58, 59 in closed position and by the vertical closed frames 70 and 71 in closed position as shown in the Figure 20.
An intermediate shelf 83 (Figure 16) is inserted within each display element 80.
A gypsum board panel 84, which is preferably coated with a removable layer of fabric, is placed in justaposition on the intermediate shelf 83.
The underside of the shelf 83 houses a square panel 85 of spongy and elastic material that serves to elastically retain in position the merchandise M displayed on the underlying display element 80 and to protect the articles placed therein during transportation.
If the merchandise P placed in the display elements 80 (Figure 18) is too bulky to store between two stacked display elements 80, a spacer frame 86, which is substantially constituted of a perimetrical frame which has a shape essentially equal to the shape of the perimetrical frame of the containers or display elements 80, may be advantageously interposed between two stacked display elements 80.
As noted in the Figure 31, the upper/outer edge of said spacer 86 has a recess 81 and its lower/inner edge is provided with a corresponding protrusion 82 which are essentially equal to those provided in the upper and lower edges of the display elements 80.
The Figures 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 34 and 35 show further embodiments of the structure 40 according to the invention.
According to the embodiment of Figure 21, additional vertical frames 90 may be used to close the ends of the structure 40.
The fixing of the frames 90 is preferably effected by means of metallic U-shaped fasteners 99, which are fixed, by means of screw systems, to join in overlapped position the horizontal elements of the frames 90 and of the structure 40 together.
In working position, the frames 90 are connected with each other by a connecting and stiffening bar 91 which also serves as an additional element for supporting and displaying articles or merchandise to be sold and which may be advantageously folded during the disassembling and the transporting of the structure 40.
When assembling the structure 40, the ends and the central hinged portion of the bar 91 may be further stiffened by means of inserts (not shown in the Figures) which are suited to be slidably inserted in the draw piece constituting the bar 91 and fixed in position by means of screw systems.
The embodiment of the Figure 22 proposes the use of vertical frames 100 and 101, which are longer in height in order to house more shelves 102, and horizontal frames 103 and 104 which has a different length.
The Figures 32 and 33 illustrate an advantageous hook attachment 96 which enables a more efficient use of the space that, otherwise, remains useless when the structure 40 is opened in its working position.
In particular, the pivoting movement of the shelf 72 to support articles of jewelry or knick-knack B, as ear-rings, broochs or the like, frees a space of the vertical frame which can be advantageously used for display purposes.
The hook attachment 96 is essentially composed of a horizontal element 97 provided with hooks 98 which are suited to be removably fixed , by means of screw systems, to any horizontal element of the structure 40.
The Figures 32 and 33 illustrate the mounting of the hook attachment 96 on the upper longitudinal element of the opening for housing a shelf 72, but, it is obvious that such hook attachment can also be used in other sections of the structure 40.
Further dressing accessories (for example belts, scarves, socks and the like) and articles of jewelry or knick-knack B (for example strings, bracelets and the like) can be hooked to the horizontal element 97 of the hook attachment 96 in addition to the articles B placed on the displaying surface of the shelves 72.
The Figures 23, 24 and 25 illustrate the advantageous use of the structur 40 according to the invention as a workbench for mobile handicraft businesses.
In this case of use, the horizontal frame 120 of the central frame 121 supports one or more sliding guiding plates 122 which enable the tools of greater dimensions (for example: the drill press 124, the vise 125, the saw 126 or the like) to be moved to a desired position or arrested in the fixing position.
The horizontal frames 123 which are adjacent to the central frame 121 may be equipped with wooden worktops 127.
Advantageously, the vertical frames 128 may be equipped with panels 129 suitable for supporting various types of tools.
The embodiment of Figures 34 and 35 comprises a central frame 110 and a plurality of horizontal frames 111 hingedly connected with the horizontal sides of the central frame 110 as the embodiments described above.
It should be noted in this embodiment that the vertical frames 112 are not hinged to the vertical sides of the central frame 110 but they are respectively hinged to the adjacent horizontal frames 111 in such a way that the vertical frames 112 can be pivotally rotated, about a horizontal axis, between a vertical working position ( Figure 34) and a horizontal resting position (Figure 35) wherein each of the vertical frames 112 is coplanar and housed within the respective horizontal frame 111.
During the folding movement toward the closed position of the structure 40 represented in the Figure 35, the horizontal frames 111 and the vertical frames 112 are pivotally rotated, in coplanar position, from the horizontal position, shown in solid lines, to the vertical position shown in broken lines.
The manner of usage and operation of the structure 40 according to the present invention will be described hereinafter starting from the completely opened position illustrated in the Figures 10 and 11.
Firstly, the display elements 80 must be arranged one above the other as illustrated in the Figure 18.
The vertical frames 70 and 71 are folded in a direction opposite the direction indicated in the Figure 9 to reach the position illustrated in the Figures 7 and 8 where they are fixed by rotating the threaded pins 65, manually-operated by the knobs 66, through the spacer plates 67.
Next, the horizontal frames 59 and 58 with their respective pairs of supporting legs can be folded in the position illustrated in the Figures 1 through 4.
The latching devices formed by the pivoting lock bars 91 and by the locking pins 92 are activated to ensure the correct vertical position on the sides of the vertical portion 43.
The correct closed position of the frames 59 and 58 can be further ensured by a transverse bar 88 which is rigidly secured so as to rigidly connect the blocks 89 that are protruding from the lower side of the frames 59 (Figures 1 and 2).
At this point, the structure 40 (Figure 26) can be moved on the wheel assembly to the loading door of the truck 140 (Figure 27)
The pair of the suspended wheels 44 are located at a height that allows them to be placed on the loading floor 141 of the vehicle 140 as shown in the Figure 27.
The withdrawal of the lock pin 54 frees the legs 51 of the pair of wheels 45 to pivot about their respective hinged axes and thus to be folded towards the horizontal portion 42 of the central frame 41 until they are arrested by stop protrusions 95 (Figures 3 and 4, 26, 27) which are protruding downwards from the underside of the horizontal portion 42.
As previously described, the pivoting axle of each wheel 45 is slightly inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective leg 51 for allowing the wheels 45 to roll along the floor 141 of the vehicle 140 during loading and unloading operations of the structure 40 (Figures 28 and 29).
In this disposition, the weight of the structure 40 is mainly supported by the suspended wheels 44 and by the pivoting wheels 45 which are rotated to a position adjacento to the supporting legs 55 of the wheels 46.
After activating the handles 69 of the expanding devices and withdrawing the cotter pins 57, the pair of legs 55 can then easily and slidably moved with respect to their respective seats 56 and successively fixed in the retracted position of the Figure 29.
At this point, the structure 40 is safely supported by three pairs of wheels 44, 45 and 46 and it may completely stored in the transport vehicle 140 as illustrated in the Figure 30.
Anchoring devices, which are so sufficiently well known as not to require further details, ensure the correct stored position of the structure 40 within the transport vehicle 140.
From the above, it is evident that the structure 40 can be moved in its working position by inverting the order of the above described sequential operations.
It is to be pointed out that the time required to unload the structure 40 from the vehicle 140, to move the structure 40 to the work location and to form the display stand in its working configuration does not take more than ten minutes.
Therefore, the structure 40 according to the present invention reduces the time required for transporting, mounting and assembling by approximately 1 hour and a 1/2 to 2 hours with respect to the time required by the traditional display stands.
Obviously, such time reduction must be doubled considering also the time required by the dismounting and reloading the structure 40 in the transport vehicle 140.
From what stated it is clear that the electric switchboard 10 according to the present invention allows to overcome the above described drawbacks of the usual electric switchboards.
From what stated , it is clear that there has been provided in accordance with the primary object of present invention a mobile and foldable structure which allows for a quick, easy and rational support of merchandise, articles and/or equipment for many different purposes.
The structure 40 according to the invention facilitates the operations for transporting, unloading, mounting and disassembling of a display stand for advertising and /or selling articles as well as of a workbench for mobile handicraft businesses.
Further, the structure 40 according to the invention facilitates the operations for displaying the merchandise to be sold or the handicraft equipment to be used as well as the operations for re-arranging the merchandise or the handicraft equipment inside the transport vehicle.
The foldable supporting structure 40 according to the invention enables the seller or the craftsman to move, in a single trip between the vehicle and the work location, all that is necessary to assemble the display stand or the workbench.
In the end, the foldable supporting structure 40 according to the invention allows the merchandise and the equipment necessary to make the display stand or the workbench to be stored and maintained in a correct, tidy and safe position in any type of transport vehicle 140.
It is well understood that modifications and variations may be made to the structure 40 forming the object of the present invention without departing however from the scope defined by the following claims with reference to the accompanying drawings and thence from the protection extent of the present industrial invention.
For example, the structure 40 may be used for displaying, tasting and selling beverages (e.g. bottled wine) and, therefore, it may be equipped with components which are suited to display foods and drinks, components which are adapted to retain the bottles in a correct inclined position and components which are allowing the support of all the means needed for tasting foods and drinks.
Moreover, the structure 40 may be equipped with horizontal frames which permit to slightly tilt the display elements 80 towards the sight of people.
Finally, the structure 40 may be equipped with horizontal frames which are adapted to support the baskets that are normally used for containing dressing articles. For this and other objects, the vertical frames of the structure 40 can be made of various heights, of fixed or of foldable type and it can be provided with simple horizontal rods instead of the shelves 72 for displaying merchandise that is more adapted to be hooked than placed on a surface.

Claims

Mobile and foldable structure (40) for supporting articles and/or equipment for many different purposes and in particular for mobile businesses, characterized in that it comprises: a central frame (41-110-121), which is constituted of a horizontal portion (42) and a vertical portion (43) joined together according to a "L" shaped configuration, and which is provided with more pairs of height adjustable wheels (44, 45, 46), more horizontal frameworks (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) are hinged to at least a side of said central frame (41-1 10-121) in such a way as to translate between a vertical resting position, wherein they are held by retaining means (91, 92), and a horizontal working position wherein they are held by pivoting support means (60), more vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) are hinged to at least a vertical side of said central frame (41-110-121) in such a way as to translate between a folded resting position and an opened working position and they are provided with manually operated means (65, 66 and 67) which are suited to retain them in their correct working and resting positions; wherein the central frame (41-110-121) delimits, together with said horizontal (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) and vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) in their folded resting positions, a compact box-shaped structure which is suited to house all the means needed to assemble a display stand or a craft working bench or an advertising stand for tasting foods and beverages and which is slidably movable on said pairs of height adjustable wheels (44, 45 and 46) between the loading floor (141) of any vehicle (140) and the site where the display stand or the workbench is to be assembled and used.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the claim 1, characterized in that more reciprocally hinged horizontal frameworks (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) are hingedly connected to at least two opposite horizontal sides of said central frame (41-110-121), and that more reciprocally hinged vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) are hingedly connected to at least two opposite vertical sides of said central frame (41-110-121.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the claim 1, characterized in that each vertical framework (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) is hinged to the adjacent horizontal framework (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) in such a way as to pivot, about a horizontal axis, between a vertical working position and a horizontal resting position wherein each of the vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) is coplanar and housed within the respective horizontal framework (58, 59-103, 104-111-123).
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the claim 1, characterized in that said central frame (41-110-121) is preferably made of metallic draw pieces which are reciprocally connected to each other to form a horizontal portion (42) and a vertical portion (43) both quadrangular in shape and joined together according to a "L" shaped configuration.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a first pair of suspended wheels (44) provided with height adjustable legs (47), a second pair of wheels (45) provided with legs (51) which are pivoting about a horizontal axis, a third pair of wheels (46) provided with legs (55) which are slidably retractable in vertical direction with respect to the frame (41-110-121).
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said horizontal frameworks (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) are quadrangular in shape e and are pivotable, about horizontal axes, to translate between a vertical resting position, wherein they are correctly retained by latching devices (91, 92), and a horizontal working position wherein they are supported by supporting legs (60) which are pivotable, about a horizontal axis, between a resting position, wherein the legs (60) are housed in a substantially coplanar position within their respective frameworks (58, 59-103, 104-111-123), and a vertical working position, wherein the legs (60) are correctly kept by jointed supporting levers (62) of well known type, said horizontal frameworks (58, 59-103, 104-111-123) being adapted to support worktops (127) and/or equipment (122) and/or mechanical tools (124, 125, 126) and/or containers (80) for displaying the merchandise to be sold.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) are quadrangular in shape and are provided with manually operated means (65, 66 and 67) which are adapted to retain them in the correct working and resting positions; said vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) being adapted to house horizontal rods and/or wall panels (129) equipped for supporting articles and/or containers and/or tools and/or equipment and/or foldable shelves (72) which are hinged in such a way as to be pivotable between a resting position, which is coplanar with the respective framework (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) and a working position which is substantially orthogonal with respect to the respective framework (70, 71-100, 101-112-128).
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said displaying containers (80) can be stacked one above the other by means of the cooperative association between recesses (81) obtained in their upper edges and corresponding protrusions (82) made in their lower edges.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said horizontal frameworks (58, 59-103,104-111-123) and said vertical frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128) are foldable to enclose said central frame (41-110-121) and said stacked display containers (80) as a box-shaped structure which is slidably movable on at least said second (45) and third pair of wheels (46)
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that during the operations for loading the structure (40) into any transport vehicle (140) said first pair of suspended wheels (44) is adapted to engage the loading floor (141) of the vehicle (140), that said second pair of pivotable wheels (45) is adapted to pivot towards the central frame (41-110-121) and to engage the loading floor (141) of the transport vehicle (140) near the supporting legs (55) of said third pair of wheels (46), that said third pair of wheels (46) is slidably retractable towards the central frame (41-110-121) until said third pair of wheels (46) engages the loading floor (141) of the transport vehicle (140) for supporting the structure (40) within the transport vehicle (140) in cooperation with the pair of suspended wheels (44) and the pivoting wheels (45).
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said display elements (80) have a box-like shape and the upper/outer edge of each box-like container (80) presents a recess (81) while its lower/inner edge presents a corresponding protrusion (82), said recesses (81) being suited to engage said protrusions (82) thus enabling the box-like containers (80) to be stacked in a single pile which can be housed within the space delimited by the central frame (41 - 110 - 121) and by the vertical closed frameworks (70, 71-100, 101-112-128), each of the containers (80) being further provided with an intermediate shelf (83) on which is placed a gypsum board panel (84) preferably coated with a removable layer of fabric , the underside of the shelf (83) houses a square panel (85) of spongy and elastic material that serves to elastically retain in a correct position the merchandise (M) displayed on the underlying display container (80) during transportation.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that a spacer (86), which is substantially constituted of a perimetrical frame which has a shape essentially equal to the shape of the perimetrical frame of the display containers (80), may be interposed between two stacked display elements (80) when the merchandise (P) is more bulky than the interspace between two stacked display elements (80); the upper and lower eges of said spacer (86) are respectively provided with the same recesses (81) and the same protrusions (82) provided in the upper and lower edges of the display elements (80).
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said display elements (80) are constituted by parallelepipedal baskets that are suited to preferably contain dressing articles.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said central frame (121) comprises one or more sliding guiding plates (122) which are adpted to support mechanical working tools (124,125,126), that said horizontal frameworks (123) that are adjacent to the central frame (121) can be equipped with wooden worktops (127) and that said vertical frameworks (128) can be advantageously equipped with panels (129) suitable for supporting various types of tools usable in mobile handicraft businesses.
Mobile and foldable structure (40) according to the previous claims, characterized in that said structure (40) is usable for displaying and tasting foods and beverages and it may be equipped with components which are allowing the support of all the means needed for tasting foods and drinks.