EP3556262B1

EP3556262B1 - Modular metal shelving unit for displaying goods

Info

Publication number: EP3556262B1
Application number: EP19169953.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pierpaolo MEGA; Carlo MANESSI
Original assignee: Elea SpA
Current assignee: Elea SpA
Priority date: 2018-04-18
Filing date: 2019-04-17
Publication date: 2021-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 2039-04-17
Also published as: IT201800002400U1; EP3556262A1

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a shelving unit for displaying goods and specifically concerns shelving units of the metal type, which can be assembled from a series of main components.

State of the art

As is known, the sector of shelving units for displaying goods provides different solutions, among which those which can be assembled from a series of components are particularly appreciated on the market. Thanks to these solutions, it is possible to assemble shelving units provided with a number of shelves selected according to the necessity, said shelves being able to be spaced from each other in vertical direction, at a pitch selected according to the size of the goods to be displayed.
In particular, metal shelving units comprising at least two vertical uprights, to which the shelves are fixed, preferably with the help of supporting elements named brackets, are widely used.
These shelving units are usually further provided with at least one back panel or backboard arranged between two consecutive uprights, to at least close a back part of the shelving unit.
If the shelving unit only has back uprights, a respective supporting element, named base, extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the relative upright, in the same direction as the shelves, can be combined with the lower part of each upright to keep the shelving unit in position.
The backboards can be hooked to the upright both frontally and centrally. In the first case, hooking slots, which are also used to position the brackets, are obtained in the front part of the upright. In the second case, the hooking slots of the backboard are obtained on the sides and are specifically used for the backboards, which thus have specific side hooking elements.
The hooking elements made nowadays for the backboards of the centrally mounted type, also named central boards, emerge from the two sides opposite the backrest substantially in a coplanar way with the back itself and have a hook-like end portion to fix the backboard to the upright, once the hooking element is inserted in the slot. The shape and arrangement of these hooking elements, however, imply that they substantially emerge, and specifically by at least 10-15 mm, from the overall size of the real back.
This means that the backboard must suffer considerable bending for its insertion between two uprights; in this case, however, it is not possible to equip the backboard with reinforcing elements, which are instead used to maintain the correct planarity of the backboard when used.
To avoid this drawback, backboards, in which the effective width of the backboard itself (net of the hooks) is reduced with respect to the distance between two uprights, were suggested so that the sum of the width of the backboard and of the side extension of the hooking elements emerging from one side only is equal to or lower than the distance between the two uprights. This solution allows to insert and fix the backboard between two uprights, without having to apply any bending, thus allowing to have backboards provided with reinforcements, but advantageously entails a reduced backboard width (net of the hooks) with respect to the space between the uprights. Thus, openings, which are particularly unsightly, tend to form between the sides of the backboard and uprights.
Moreover, it would be desirable to mount an upper covering element placed above the highest backboard, to finish off the shelving unit; furthermore, since the uprights are in the form of hollow profiles, it would be important to be able to close the upper end to prevent foreign bodies or dirt from falling inside them.
Finally, in order to be able to make safe shelving units, also in the case of shelving units of significant heights, or prearranged to support heavy goods in complete safety, it would be very important to be able to have robust bases and optimized hooking means to hook to the upright in order to achieve a high resistance of the shelving unit itself.
Document JP S48 46596 U relates to a structure for attaching a back plate between columns and a side plate of a base to a column in a display shelf of goods or the like. Back plate claws are provided on both sides of the back plate to be mounted, and at least one protruding portion is provided at the base of one back plate claw on each of the right and left sides. An assembling structure is formed so as to be divided into an upper groove and a lower groove. One back plate claw is inserted from the upper groove and it is squeezed down so that the protruding portion is engaged with the lower groove.
The US patent US 9 596 948 B1 concerns a free-standing slatwall which comprises first and second posts supported in vertical positions, the first and second posts having respective inner walls facing each other; first and second vertical members attached to the respective inner walls; and slatwall panel having first and second vertical edge portions attached to the respective first and second vertical members.

Objects and Summary of the Invention

Object of the present invention is to provide a modular metal shelving unit for displaying goods with structural and functional characteristics such as to overcome one or more of the aforesaid drawbacks with reference to the known art, and in particular a metal shelving unit that is robust, safe and aesthetically pleasant.
A further object is to provide a shelving unit provided with at least one backboard with a side extension such as to cover the entire space between two consecutive uprights, being contemporaneously able to be inserted between the two uprights in a simple way and without being subjected to strong bending.
A further object is to provide a shelving unit in which the backboards can be provided with reinforcing elements.
Still a further object is to suggest a shelving unit in which it is also possible to fix two backboards coupled by using the same slots.
Still a further object is to provide a shelving unit provided with means for closing its upper portion in a simple way, but such as to prevent its involuntary raising.
A further object is to suggest a shelving unit which can have a particularly resistant and easy-to-install base.
According to the invention, the aforesaid object is achieved by a metal shelving unit for displaying goods according to claim 1.
In particular, the shelving unit comprises at least two uprights and at least one back panel, or backboard, to be fixed between said two uprights, wherein each back is provided with at least two wings, each at a respective side wall of the backrest itself, and wherein each upright has at least one slot intended to receive a respective wing. The shelving unit is characterized in that each backrest has a useful extension in a transverse direction, i.e. an extension, net of the wings, substantially equal to the inner distance between the couple of uprights, and in that each wing has a fold which reduces the side extension thereof.
Advantageously, each slot has an enlarged portion for the insertion of the wing and at least one narrowing sized to receive and retain the wing once inserted.
Further preferred characteristics of the invention are described in the following dependent claims.

Brief list of the figures

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better highlighted by the review of the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment illustrated by way of example and without limitations, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a shelving unit for displaying goods according to the present invention;
figure 2 shows a perspective view of part of the shelving unit of figure 1;
figures 2a and 2b show two enlarged views of the detail circled in figure 2;
figures 3a and 3b respectively show a side view and a front view of the upright only;
figure 3c shows an enlarged view of the detail circled in figure 3a;
figures 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d respectively show perspective, front, side and top views of the backboard only;
figure 4e shows an enlarged view of the detail circled in figure 4d;
figures 5a, 5b and 5c show the uprights and backboard from above in three different mounting steps;
figures 6a and 6b respectively show a side view and a perspective view of a plurality of panels in a first assembling configuration;
figures 6c and 6d respectively show a side view and a perspective view of a plurality of panels in a second assembling configuration;
figures 7a and 7b show a partially exploded view and an assembled view of the shelving unit of figure 2 combined with upper covering and closing elements;
figure 7c shows an enlarged view of the detail circled in figure 7a;
figure 8a and 8b show a perspective view and an exploded view of the base;
figures 9a and 9b show views of base and upright in different assembling steps;
figure 9c shows an enlarged view of the detail circled in figure 9a;
figure 10 shows a perspective view of a different embodiment of a backboard for a shelving unit for displaying goods according to the present invention; and
figure 11 shows a perspective view of a plurality of backboards according to figure 10, which are combined with two uprights.

Detailed description of the Invention

With reference to the aforesaid figures, 1 generally denotes a shelving unit of the modular type for displaying goods.
The shelving unit comprises at least two uprights 2, at least one back panel or backboard 3, 3a and at least one shelf 4 or hook adapted to support the goods to be displayed.
Each upright has hollow shape and can preferably comprise four sides which define a substantially rectangular or square section.
A shelving unit, only comprising two uprights in a back position with respect to the side towards which the goods are facing and from which the buyer can access them, is shown in the figures, but the invention refers to shelving units also provided with front uprights.
Preferably, the shelving unit comprises a plurality of backboards, at least installed between the two back uprights, to fully close the back part of the shelving unit itself. Although not shown, one or more backboards can be present to also partially or fully close a side part of the shelving unit, whenever it is provided with two couples of uprights.
Moreover and preferably, the shelving unit comprises a plurality of shelves spaced between each other according to necessity, depending on the goods to be displayed and on the height of the shelving unit. The shelves can thus be equidistant from each other, or spaced at a different pitch.
A couple of brackets 5, hooked to a front wall 6 of the upright by inserting hooking means in openings 7 arranged at the front wall of the upright itself, can also be provided to support each shelf.
Two or more shelving units can be arranged side by side to each other; in this case, two adjacent shelving units can share a central upright to which the backboards and brackets of both shelving units will be fixed.
According to the invention, one or more wing-shaped hooking elements 9 emerge from each of the two sides 8 of each backboard 3, 3a. Two or more wings are preferably provided for each side of the backboard.
Each wing has a linear portion 9' extending coplanar to the backboard itself and a folded portion 9" so that to form an angle α with the linear portion. The wing is thus folded in its intermediate position to form a sort of enlarged V. The folded wings 9 allow to reduce the extension I_a of the same wings in a transverse direction T and consequently to have a backboard with an overall outer extension I_e in the transverse direction slightly greater than the inner distance D_i between two consecutive uprights. The wording "transverse direction" means the direction extending between the two sides 8 of the backboard, as shown in figure 4b. The extension of each wing I_a results in: $I_{e} = D_{i} + 2 * I_{a}$
whereas the useful extension of the backboard E_f, where the term "useful extension" refers to the real extension of the backboard without considering the wings, i.e. net of the wings, is equal to about D_i.
In other words, E_f= D_i
Preferably, the overall extension of each wing is between 3 and 10 mm.
The folded portion of the wings can have a rounded end portion to facilitate the insertion of the wings in the slots of the upright.
Thanks to this new wing shape, it is possible to mount the backboard, first by inserting the wings of a first side of the backboard in specific slots 10 obtained in the respective upright, then by slightly bending the backboard and pulling it so that to insert it in the other upright until the wings of the second side are inserted in the relative slots.
Since the extension of each wing is rather reduced and given that the wings, as a result of their particular shape, are deformable, in the sense of narrowing during the insertion operation, the bending necessary to be able to insert the shelf is very limited, and this is thus also possible for backboards with stiffening folds.
In fact, the backboard according to the invention is preferably also provided with stiffening folds 11, 11', 11a, 11b. These stiffening folds can be obtained at the level of the lower and/or upper side of the backboard itself and/or of the lower and/or upper portion of the backboard.
In order to facilitate the mounting of the backboard and to prevent interferences between the wings and the edge of the slots, the wings are made with an upper 90° angle α, which reduces the width of each wing and allows to insert them in slots, also of limited width. This characteristic does not compromise the hold of the assembly since the hooking force occurs at the linear portion of the wings.
Advantageously, each slot has an enlarged portion 12' and at least one narrowing 12" which defines a seat, so that the wing can initially be inserted in the enlarged portion 12'of the slot and then made to slide until settling itself in said narrowing 12", following a vertical displacement of the backboard when all of the wings are inserted in the corresponding slots, thus completing the locking of the backboard. Preferably, the seat is obtained in a lower portion of the slot itself. The enlarged portion of the slot can also be used for possible fixings with through screw and nut.
Even more preferably, two narrowings 12" are provided to define a substantially M-shaped slot. This particular shape allows to mount the backboard in two different positions, or to mount two central backboards in the same shelving unit, in case of "dual" shelving units, i.e. provided with shelves extending from opposite sides with respect to the back uprights. This solution also allows to provide central backboards of different colors depending on the side from which one looks at the shelving unit.
In order to facilitate the mounting step of the backboard, in its lower part two openings 13 can be made, preferably towards the sides of the backboard itself, to allow the insertion of a hand so that to be able to impart the tensile stress necessary for bending it and thus when inserting it between two consecutive uprights. The slits further allow to apply the stress necessary for its disassembly.
Advantageously, and as described above, each backboard has an upper stiffening fold 11, 11a at its side and/or at its upper portion and a lower stiffening side 11', 11b at its side and/or at its lower portion.
Preferably, the stiffening folds 11, 11' are L-shaped, emerge from the back part of the backboard, and are sized so that the lower stiffening fold of a backrest couples with the upper stiffening fold of the backboard placed underneath, being inserted one in the other, thus increasing the hold of the couple of backboards, as shown in figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d.
Advantageously, the slits 13 are made at the level of the lower stiffening folds. This way, once the backboards are coupled, the slits of a backboard are hidden by the backboard placed underneath, conferring a completely smooth appearance devoid of slots to the backboard, a unique characteristic with respect to the backboards currently available on the market.
Moreover, the shape of the stiffening folds of the backboards and the slots of the uprights, when provided with two narrowings 12", allows to mount the two successive backboards both in the same direction - as shown in figures 6a and 6b - and in an opposite direction, as shown in figures 6c and 6d. In the first case, a preferential smooth wall, typical of the so-named mural configuration, is obtained, in the second case a "checkerboard" configuration will be obtained with the front and back walls of the same appearance, typical of the so-named gondola configuration.
In the alternative solution shown in figures 10 and 11, the backboard 3a has at least one upper stiffening fold 11a obtained at an upper portion of the backboard and at least one lower stiffening fold 11b obtained at the level of a lower portion of the backboard.
Moreover, at the level of one or both sides of the backboard, slits 14 can be provided for the insertion of a specific anti-release stop 15 - as shown in figures 2, 2a and 2b. This stop ensures a locking of the entire series of backboards with only one slit per side on the backboard.
Generally, a covering element 16 is provided to complete the shelving unit in order to close the upper part of the backboard. According to the invention, each upright has at least one pit 17 made in its upper edge, to allow the insertion of tabs 18 suitably obtained on each covering element.
Moreover and according to the invention, a cap 19 to be inserted in the upper end portion of each upright is provided to close the upright on top, thus preventing dirt from accumulating inside it.
Advantageously, the cap comprises at least one appendix 20 adapted to lock the tabs 18 and, consequently, the relative covering element also acts as a stop, against their involuntary raising.
The pits 17 and the appendixes 20 can be provided with opposite parts respectively of the upright and cap, so that to house and retain the tabs of two adjacent covering elements 16, whenever several shelving units are provided as mounted consecutively.
A relative base 21 can be combined with the lower part of each upright of the shelving unit to maintain it correctly in its vertical position.
The base comprises a hooking system 22 to fix it to the upright itself and a base portion 23 extending horizontally and intended to rest on the floor, with or without the interposition of the supporting feet 21'.
The hooking system 22 provides for a "pack" of three elements of which one central element 24 with an upper hook 25, and two side elements 26, each with a relative lower hook 27.
The base portion 23 comprises two half shells 23', each with an end portion 28 whose shape is similar to that of the lower hooks 27 of the side elements, so that to be able to be fixed thereto. This way, the openings on the upright are minimal and, consequently, the resistance of the upright is optimized, although ensuring an extreme robustness of the base plus upright system.
Each upright has two holes 29 at the level of its foot and a central slot 30 to respectively receive the lower hooks and the end portion, and the upper hook 25, so that to hook the base to the upright.
Finally, the base can have, at the level of its base portion, a through opening 31 sized so that to allow the insertion and passage of connection cables and plugs, for example of busbars and electrical systems which can be on board of the shelving unit.

Claims

Modular metal shelving unit (1) for displaying goods, comprising at least two uprights (2) extending in a substantially vertical direction, one or more shelves (4) and at least one backboard (3, 3a) to be fixed between said two uprights, said uprights being each provided with one or more slots (10) and said backboard being provided with at least one wing (9) emerging from each of its sides (8) facing the uprights and intended to be inserted in a respective slot of a relative upright, wherein the backboard has a useful extension (Ef), excluding the extension of the wings, in a transverse extension (T), substantially equal to the inner distance (Di) between the two uprights in-between which it is inserted, and wherein each of said wings comprises a linear portion (9') which extends in the transverse direction (T) and is substantially coplanar to a plane containing the backboard itself, characterized in that each of said wings comprises a folded portion (9") forming an angle (α) with said linear portion, wherein the wing is folded in correspondence of an intermediate position to form a sort of enlarged V.
Shelving unit (1) according to claim 1, wherein said slots have an enlarged portion (12') for the insertion of the respective wing and at least one narrowing (12") in which the linear portion of the wing is made to slide until settling itself, following a vertical displacement of the backboard when all of the wings are inserted in the corresponding slots.
Shelving unit (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the backboard comprises at least one upper stiffening fold and/or at least one lower stiffening fold (11, 11', 11a, 11b), each backboard (3) having an upper L-shaped stiffening fold (11) and a lower L-shaped stiffening fold (11') which emerge from the back part of the backboard and are sized so that the lower stiffening fold of a backrest connects with the upper stiffening fold of the backboard placed underneath, so that said lower and upper stiffening folds are inserted one in the other, thus increasing the hold of the couple of backboards, or each backboard (3a) being able to have at least one upper stiffening fold (11a) at the level of its upper portion and at least one lower stiffening fold (11b) at the level of at least one its lower portion.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of claims 1-3, wherein each slot comprises two narrowings (12") extending parallel one to the other, starting from the enlarged portion (12') to allow to mount the backboard in two different positions, or to mount two central backboards in the same shelving unit, said two backboards being able to be of a different color depending on the side from which one looks at the shelving unit.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of claims 1-4, wherein the extension of each wing (I_a) in the transverse direction is between 3 and 10 mm.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the end portion of each wing has a rounded profile to facilitate the insertion of the wing in the slot of the upright.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the angle (α) between the linear portion and the folded portion of each wing is greater than 90° in order to reduce the extension of the wing in the direction orthogonal to the transverse direction along which the backboard extends.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one opening, preferably two openings in proximity of the sides of the backboard itself, are obtained in the lower part of the backboard and sized to allow the insertion of a hand, to impart the tensile stress necessary to the backboard for its bending, for the insertion/disassembling of the backboard between/from two consecutive uprights.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one covering element (16) to close the upper part of the backboard, wherein at least one pit (17) is obtained in the upper edge of each upright and wherein each covering element has one or more tabs (18) intended to be inserted into one of the pits (17) of a relative upright.
Shelving unit (1) according to claim 9, comprising at least one cap (19) to be inserted in the upper end portion of each upright, to close the top of the upright itself and wherein, preferably, the cap comprises at least one appendix (20) adapted to lock one or more tabs (18) to prevent a possible raising of the covering element.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of claims 10, wherein the pits (17) and appendixes (20) are provided on opposite parts, respectively of the upright and cap, to be able to house and retain the tabs of two adjacent covering elements (16).
Shelving unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a base (21) combined with the lower part of each upright to keep said upright in its vertical position, said base comprising a hooking system (22) for fixing it to the upright itself and a base portion (23) extending horizontally and intended to rest on the floor, with or without the interposition of the supporting feet (21'), wherein the hooking system (22) comprises a central element (24) having an upper hook (25), and two side elements (26) each having a relative lower hook (27).
Shelving unit (1) according to claim 12, wherein the base comprises two half shells (23'), each provided with an end portion (28) having a shape similar to that of the lower hooks (27) of the side elements, said end portion being intended to be fixed to said lower hooks.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of claims 12 or 13, wherein a hole (29) intended to receive the lower hooks (27) and the end portion (28), and a central slot (30) intended to receive the upper hook (25), are obtained at the level of the lower part of each upright to hook the base to the upright.
Shelving unit (1) according to one of claims 13, wherein the base portion (23) of the base (21) comprises a through opening (31) obtained at the level of each of the two half shells (23') for the insertion and/or passage of connection cables and plugs.
Method of assembling a shelving unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of:
- bringing a backboard (3, 3a) at a couple of uprights (2) spaced of an inner distance (D_i) from each other;

- inserting the wings (9) of a first side of the backboard in the slots (10) of a first of said two uprights;

- slightly bending the backboard and pulling it so that to deform each wing of the second side of the backboard, in the sense of contemporaneously decreasing the angle (α) between the linear portion (9') and the folded portion (9") of each wing, until inserting each of said wings in the slots (10) of said second side;

- repeating the preceding steps, if necessary, for each backboard to be inserted in the shelving unit.