EP1835085A1

EP1835085A1 - Apparatus or system to make a modular wall using a plurality of panels, panels used to make said wall and support means for said panels

Info

Publication number: EP1835085A1
Application number: EP07103978A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christian Tomadini
Original assignee: PATT SpA
Current assignee: PATT SpA
Priority date: 2006-03-14
Filing date: 2007-03-13
Publication date: 2007-09-19
Also published as: ITUD20060063A1

Abstract

Apparatus (10), or system, to make a modular wall (11) using a plurality of panels (13) or modules, and support elements (15) to support the panels (13). Each panel (13) comprises a perimeter edge (16) having at least two joining sides (17, 19) substantially parallel to each other, and each of the joining sides (17, 19) comprises a groove (20) coupled with the support elements (15). The groove (20) has a substantially identical profile on both the joining sides (17, 19).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an apparatus, or system, to make a modular wall using a plurality of panels or modules, associated with each other and supported and reciprocally connected by relative support means. To be more exact, the apparatus according to the present invention is able to make a modular wall usable for covering the inner surface of a wall and/or floor of rooms.
In the following description, merely to give an example, we shall refer specifically to the production of a modular wall for making a false ceiling, but it cannot be excluded that the apparatus according to the present invention can also be effectively applied for covering vertical walls, floors or other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Apparatuses or systems are known, for making a wall of the modular type used to cover the internal surfaces of the roof of a building, for example in order to define a technical compartment to house cables, ventilation systems or other, or more simply to create a desired aesthetic effect in the building.
Known apparatuses normally comprise a plurality of panels or modules, able to be associated with each other and made, for example, in wood-based composite material, such as plywood, MDF or other, and covered on the visible surface by enhancing covering films.
To be more exact, known apparatuses also comprise suitable support means, which allow to associate the panels with each other and also with the internal surface of the roof to be covered.
Each support means is generally provided with a tie-rod having a first end fixed to the surface of the roof to be covered, and a second end shaped like an upside-down T, and able to cooperate simultaneously with different joining sides of two adjacent panels, so as to keep the latter substantially coupled together at a desired distance and indirectly suspended with respect to the roof to be covered. In this known solution, the support means is substantially retracted with respect to the panels, so that the visible surface of the panels is substantially free of said support means or part thereof.
Each panel in fact comprises a first joining side provided with a surface conformed so as to rest on a corresponding first segment of the horizontal part of the T-shaped element, and a second joining side substantially parallel to the first and provided with a longitudinal housing seating for a corresponding second segment of the horizontal part of the T-shaped element.
In this way, in order to make each individual panel, at least a step must be provided to make the first side by means of a first tool, and a separate step to make the second side by means of a second tool.
This double working entails however an increase in the times and costs of producing the panels.
Moreover, with known apparatuses, during the assembly steps, the operators have to be particularly careful in arranging and orienting each individual panel with respect to the others, so that for each T-shaped element a first joining side of a first panel and a second joining side of an adjacent second panel are provided facing each other.
However, this careful disposition of the panels causes an extension in the time needed for installation, with possible mistakes in the disposition of the panels, and an increase in the costs of installation.
Another disadvantage of known apparatuses is that, due to the type of reciprocal connection of known panels, it is rather difficult to inspect the technical compartment defined between the ceiling and the false ceiling, and it is thus necessary to provide specific inspection windows, located in pre-determined zones.
This solution, however, has the disadvantage that it does not allow direct access to every one of the areas of the technical compartment, as it necessarily provides access by means of the pre-defined inspection windows.
Purpose of the present invention is to achieve an apparatus or system that allows to make a modular wall by means of a plurality of panels or modules, supported by support means, which is simple and economical to make, easy and quick to install, and which allows direct and functional access to any area whatsoever of the compartment defined behind the modular wall itself.
Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a panel or module for making a modular wall, which is simple and economical to make, easy and quick to install and which, in combination with analogous panels, also gives a pleasing aesthetic effect.
Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve support means for the panels that allows a simple and economical reciprocal association of the latter, and which allows direct and functional access to any area whatsoever of the compartment defined behind the modular wall itself.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purposes, an apparatus or system according to the present invention is able to achieve a modular wall using a plurality of panels or modules, and support means which supports the plurality of panels; each of the panels comprises a perimeter edge having at least two joining sides substantially parallel to each other.
According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, each of the two joining sides comprises a groove able to be coupled with the support means. According to another characteristic of the present invention, the groove has a substantially identical profile on both the joining sides.
In this way, since the two joining sides are substantially identical, they are made with the same tool and substantially in a common working step, thus reducing the costs and times of production.
Another advantage of the present invention is that, during the assembly steps, the operators do not have to pay particular attention to the reciprocal arrangement and orientation of the panels, inasmuch as the joining sides of each panel are substantially equivalent, and they can thus effect a quick and mechanical disposition of the panels, considerably reducing the times and costs of installation, and also the possibility of mistakes in assembly.
Preferably, the support means comprises at least an attachment element able to cooperate with the groove of a first of the two joining sides of a first panel, and an elastic element able to cooperate with the groove of a second of the two joining sides of a second adjacent panel, in order to exert a thrust against the attachment element and keep it normally in cooperation with the respective groove of the first panel.
Advantageously, the groove of the two joining sides, the attachment element and the elastic element are conformed and shaped so as to define desired joining channels between the panels, which are substantially uniform over the whole visible surface of the false ceiling made.
In this way, each panel is associated with an analogous adjacent panel simply and quickly, substantially in snap-in manner, and the spring element, by means of its elastic thrust on the attachment element, guarantees that the two panels are associated.
Moreover, with the solution according to the present invention, the support means is retracted with respect to the panels, that is, the visible surface of the panels are substantially free of parts and/or components necessary to support and/or position them.
Advantageously, when making a false ceiling, the attachment element is associated with a tie-rod fixed to the ceiling to which the modular false ceiling of the invention is applied. In this solution, the support means guarantees a stable and reciprocal connection of the panels, and also their suspended positioning from the ceiling.
Moreover, since the support means is provided with an elastic element, the possible forced pressure on the latter, such as to cause it to become detached from the attachment element, determines the release of the connection made, and thus allows easy access to the technical compartment defined between the ceiling and the false ceiling.
In this way, it is possible to access the technical compartment directly, substantially from any position, and thus effect in a direct and functional manner an inspection of any area whatsoever of the technical compartment, without providing any pre-determined inspection window.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 shows a section view of an apparatus or system to make a modular false ceiling according to the present invention;
fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of a detail of fig. 1;
fig. 3 is a section view of a variant of the apparatus in fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, an apparatus or system 10 according to the present invention is able to make, in this case, a false ceiling 11 of the modular type, which is able to cover a ceiling 12 of a room.
According to the form of embodiment shown, each apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of panels 13 and a support device 15, associated with the panels 13 and the ceiling 12, so as to keep the panels 13 reciprocally positioned with respect to each other, and with the ceiling 12.
To be more exact, each panel 13 is substantially rectangular in shape, is made of wood-based composite material, plywood or MDF, has an enhanced visible surface, and a perimeter edge 16 having at least two joining sides 17 and 19, substantially parallel to each other.
In this case we shall refer only to the two joining sides 17 and 19, but it cannot be excluded that the characteristics of said two sides described can also be applied to all the other sides of the panel 13.
According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, each joining side 17 and 19 comprises a respective groove 20, substantially the same for both sides 17 and 19, and defined between a front wall 21 and a retaining rear wall 22. The support device 15, as will be described in detail hereafter, is able to cooperate with the grooves 20 in order to keep two adjacent panels 13 reciprocally positioned.
The support device 15 comprises, from top to bottom in fig. 1, a steel cable or tie-rod 23, fixed with one end to the ceiling 12, an attachment section 25 shaped like an upside-down T and connected to the free end of the tie-rod 23 by means of its vertical portion, and an elastic blade, hereafter more simply spring 26, which keeps the whole support device 15 in cooperation with the relative joining sides 17, 19 of two adjacent panels 13.
To be more exact, as shown in the detail in fig. 2, the attachment section 25 has a first horizontal portion 25a inserted into the groove 20 of a first joining side 17 of a first panel 13, and a second horizontal portion 25b on which the spring 26 presses in order to indirectly keep the first horizontal portion 25a in the relative groove 20.
The spring 26 consists substantially of a metal blade, for example made of harmonic steel, bent and shaped so as to have: a gripping seating 26a which allows it to be assembled on the rear wall 22 of the second joining side 19 of the adjacent panel 13; a curved segment 26b, loaded elastically, which actuates the elastic thrust towards the attachment section 25; and a thrust seating 26c in which the second horizontal portion 25b of the attachment section 25 is disposed.
The depth of the groove 20, the length of the horizontal portions 25a and 25b of the attachment section 25, the shaping of the spring 26 and the length of the front walls 21 of the joining side 17, 19 are sized in such a manner so that between the two adjacent panels 13 a channel 27 is defined, of a desired amplitude and uniform for the whole visible surface of the modular false ceiling 11 thus formed, without any components of the support device 15 appearing even partly on said visible surface.
To release the attachment between two adjacent panels 13, it is sufficient to release the thrust seating 26c of the spring 26 from the relative second horizontal portion 25b, for example by acting with a screwdriver through the channel 27, in order to free the spring 26 from the attachment section 25.
In this way it is possible to inspect, in a simple and direct manner, any area whatsoever of the compartment defined between the ceiling 12 and the modular false ceiling 11.
According to the variant shown in fig. 3, the spring, here indicated in its entirety by the reference number 126, is shaped differently from the spring 26 described heretofore, but in any case so as to exert an elastic thrust on the second horizontal portion 25b of the attachment section 25, in order to keep the first horizontal portion 25a inside the relative groove 20.
It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the apparatus 10, the panel 13 and the support device 15 as described heretofore, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, it comes within the scope of the invention to provide that the panel 13 is of the soundproofing type, or made in rigid materials other than wood or wood substitutes.
It also comes within the scope of the present invention to provide that, instead of being defined by a bent elastic blade, the spring 26 or 126 can consist of a helical spring, a cup spring or others, of the substantially standardized type found on the market. According to another variant, at least one of the first or second horizontal portions 25a and 25b at least partly consists of an axial thrust elastic element, so that each of them acts on a relative groove 20 of the two adjacent panels 13.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of apparatus or system to make a modular wall using a plurality of panels, panels used to make said wall and support means for said panels, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the scope of protection defined thereby.

Claims

Apparatus, or system, to make a modular false ceiling (11) using a plurality of panels (13) or modules, and support means (15) able to support said plurality of panels (13), wherein each of said panels (13) comprises a perimeter edge (16) having at least two joining sides (17, 19) substantially parallel to each other, wherein each of said joining sides (17, 19) comprises a groove (20) able to be coupled with said support means (15), and wherein said groove (20) has a substantially identical profile on both said joining sides (17, 19), characterized in that said support means (15) comprises at least an attachment element (25) able to be partly inserted into said groove (20) of a first of said two joining sides (17) of a first panel (13), and an elastic element (26, 126) able to cooperate with said groove (20) of a second of said two joining sides (19) of a second adjacent panel (13), in order to exert a thrust against said attachment element (25) and keep it normally partly inserted in said respective groove (20) of said first panel (13), and in that said attachment element (25) is shaped substantially like an upside-down T and comprises a first horizontal portion (25a) inserted into said groove (20) of said first joining side (17) of the first panel (13), and a second horizontal portion (25b) on which said elastic element (26, 126) presses, in order to indirectly keep said first horizontal portion (25a) in said groove (20).
Apparatus or system as in claim 1, characterized in that said groove (20) is defined for each of said two joining sides (17, 19) between a visible front wall (21) and a retaining rear wall (22).
Apparatus or system as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said elastic element comprises an elastic blade (26), bent and shaped so as to include: a gripping seating (26a) which allows it to be assembled on said rear wall (22) of said second joining side (19) of the second panel (13); a curved segment (26b) loaded elastically and able to actuate the elastic thrust towards said attachment element (25); and a thrust seating (26c) in which said second horizontal portion (25b) of said attachment element (25) is disposed.
Apparatus or system as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said elastic element comprises an elastic blade (126) shaped so as to exert an elastic thrust on said attachment element (25).
Apparatus or system as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that the depth of said groove (20), the sizes of said attachment element (25), the shaping of said elastic element (26, 126) and the form of said joining sides (17, 19) are such that between said adjacent panels (13) a channel (27) is defined, of a desired amplitude and uniform over the whole visible surface of said modular false ceiling (11).
Support device to support a plurality of panels (13) in order to achieve a modular false ceiling (11), wherein each of said panels (13) comprises a perimeter edge (16) having at least two joining sides (17, 19) substantially parallel to each other, and wherein said support device comprises at least an attachment element (25) able to cooperate with a first of said two joining sides (17) of a first panel (13), and an elastic element (26, 126) able to cooperate with a second of said two joining sides (19) of a second adjacent panel (13), in order to exert a thrust against said attachment element (25) and keep it normally in cooperation with said first joining side (17) of said first panel (13), characterized in that said attachment element (25) is shaped substantially like an upside-down T and comprises a first horizontal portion (25a) inserted into said groove (20) of said first joining side (17) of the first panel (13), and a second horizontal portion (25b) on which said elastic element (26, 126) presses, in order to indirectly keep said first horizontal portion (25a) in said groove (20).
Support device as in claim 6, characterized in that said elastic element comprises an elastic blade (26), bent and shaped so as to include: a gripping seating (26a) which allows it to be assembled on said rear wall (22) of said second joining side (19) of the second panel (13); a curved segment (26b) loaded elastically and able to actuate the elastic thrust towards said attachment element (25); and a thrust seating (26c) in which said second horizontal portion (25b) of said attachment element (25) is disposed.
Support device as in claim 6, characterized in that said elastic element comprises an elastic blade (126) shaped so as to exert an elastic thrust on said attachment element (25).
Support device as in claim 6, characterized in that said attachment element (25) is connected to the free end of a tie-rod (23) fixed to the ceiling (12) on which said modular false ceiling (11) is applied.
Panel to make a modular false ceiling (11) comprising a perimeter edge (16) having at least two joining sides (17, 19) substantially parallel to each other, characterized in that each of said joining sides (17, 19) comprises a groove (20) able to be coupled with relative support means (15), and in that said groove (20) has a substantially identical profile on both said joining sides (17, 19).
Panel as in claim 10, characterized in that said groove (20) is defined for each of said two joining sides (17, 19) between a visible front wall (21) and a retaining rear wall (22).
Panel as in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that it has a substantially rectangular shape, is made of wood-based composite material, plywood or MDF, and has an enhanced visible surface.