FR2817133A1 - EXPOSURE FURNITURE AND APPLICATION TO THE PARTITIONING OF A SPACE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a showcase comprising vertical posts (11. 12), horizontal brackets (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F), and shelves (5A to 5F) whereof the end edges (51, 52) are distant from each other along a longitudinal direction (L) relative to the showcase. The invention is characterised in that the brackets (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F) support the shelves (5A to 5F) by their end edges (51, 52) spaced apart (E) from the posts (11, 12), and said showcase comprises lintels (31, 32) adapted to support the sheer curtains (81, 82) concealing the vertical posts (11, 12) and, at least over part of their length, the horizontal brackets (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F). Said showcase can be used for partitioning a space forming a wall element.

Description

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 The present invention relates, in general, to a piece of furniture intended for displaying and highlighting products offered for consumption, such as for example perfumes or beauty products, as well as a particular application of this piece of furniture.

More specifically, the invention relates, according to a first of its aspects, an exhibition unit comprising at least one support structure and a first series of superimposed shelves, the support structure comprising at least a first pair of uprights formed by a first and second vertical uprights, first and second series of horizontal battens forming pairs of battens each of which supports a shelf, the battens of the first and second series being respectively fixed to the first and second uprights, each batten being associated with a shelf, which it maintains, and each shelf extending, in a direction transverse to the piece of furniture, between a rear edge and a front edge, and having first and second extreme edges spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the furniture
Furniture of this type is known today, including for the sale of cosmetic products, which constitutes the preferred application of the present invention.

 A permanent problem encountered in the design of such furniture lies in the difficulty of producing economically, and in particular with a limited number of elements, furniture which is sufficiently original to create, by their mere presence, an atmosphere capable of arousing surprise. and curiosity.

 The object of the invention is precisely to propose a piece of furniture having these qualities, to a high degree.

 To this end, the furniture of the invention, moreover conforms to the generic definition given by the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that each cleat holds the shelf, to which it

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 is associated, by a corresponding extreme edge of this shelf and in a position for which the rear edge of this shelf is separated from the associated upright by a space, in that the supporting structure comprises a first lintel fixed horizontally to respective upper parts of the first and second vertical uprights and selectively supporting a first curtain, and in that the first lintel overhangs said space, the first curtain thus concealing, at least partially, the first and second uprights and, over at least part of their length, the horizontal battens.

 Preferably, each shelf comprises, on each of its upper and lower faces, a layer of a rigid material, such as a metal sheet, and, in thickness, a low density material resistant to compression, such as a filling with honeycomb structure.

 Each shelf may further include a nose which has a decreasing thickness in the direction of the front edge of this shelf, and which itself constitutes this front edge, a lighting device possibly being housed in a groove dug in the shelf nose .

 Each shelf, on at least the second of its extreme edges, can also advantageously have a counterbore hollowed out in its lower face and thanks to which the cleat supporting the second extreme edge of this shelf fits, in thickness, in the thickness of this shelf.

 The second end edge of the shelf having a counterbore, and the cleat supporting this second end edge, then preferably have respective male and female fixing members, such as a stud, a screw or a pin, and a bore, cooperating mutually to ensure that the shelf is held on the cleat at least in the plane of this shelf.

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To reinforce at the same time the functional and aesthetic characteristics of the piece of furniture of the invention, it is possible to provide that this piece of furniture still comprises at least one presentation support, and that each presentation support itself comprises a rail arranged under the face bottom of a load-bearing shelf, closer to the front edge than to the rear edge of this shelf, a tab of which a front end carries a hook engaged on the rail by a substantially horizontal movement and of which a rear end, offset towards the rear edge of the carrying shelf, is supported on the underside of this shelf, a support arm having a rear end rigidly connected to the latch and an anterior end protruding from the front edge of the carrying shelf, and a shelf fixed on the front end of the arm, the hook preferably being slidably mounted on the rail.

 The supporting structure includes, for example, a metal base to which the first and second uprights are attached and comprising at least two horizontal legs.

 The furniture of the invention can also include a first storage chest, fixed to a lower part of the supporting structure, above and at a distance from the base.

 In practice, it is useful to provide that this piece of furniture further comprises at least a third horizontal leg, a third upright fixed to the third leg, a third series of cleats each of which is fixed to the third upright, a second lintel fixed horizontally to parts. respective upper of the second and third vertical uprights, a second curtain selectively supported by the second lintel, and a second series of shelves, each shelf of the second series having first and second ends, the second of which is supported by a cleat of the third series, and that each batten of the second series supports

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 a shelf from the first series and a shelf from the second series.

 Each lintel preferably comprises at least a first lighting device which is separated from the shelves by the curtain that this lintel carries, each curtain being advantageously translucent.

 The base may in turn comprise a second lighting device, arranged on the same side of the curtain as the shelves.

 The piece of furniture thus designed can comprise a plurality of series of shelves arranged in an arc of a circle and can be applied to the partitioning of a space for which this piece of furniture constitutes a wall element.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, for information and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of 'a piece of furniture in accordance with the invention, on which the curtains are only shown in an evocative manner; Figure 2 is another partial perspective view of a piece of furniture according to the invention, but in which the curtains are clearly shown; - Figure 3 a side view of the cabinet illustrated in Figure 1; - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a shelf; Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a cleat and two shelves during assembly; - Figure 6 is an exploded partial cross-sectional view of a front edge of a shelf provided with a presentation support;

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la figure 9 est une vue de dessus à échelle réduite d'un plan représentant une disposition possible de plusieurs meubles conformes à l'invention, appliqués au cloisonnement d'un espace de vente. - Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but on which the presentation support is shown in full; Figure 8 is a partial bottom view of a shelf equipped with a presentation support; and

Figure 9 is a top view on a reduced scale of a plan showing a possible arrangement of several pieces of furniture according to the invention, applied to the partitioning of a sales space.

 As previously announced, the furniture of the invention comprises, in a manner known per se, a support structure made up of elements referenced 1 to 4, which will be detailed later, and one or more series, such as 5 and 6, of shelves superimposed which are in this case referenced 5A to 5F and 6A to 6F.

 The supporting structure comprises a set 1 of vertical uprights, forming adjacent pairs of uprights and comprising for example the uprights 11, 12, and 13.

 The supporting structure also comprises a set 2 of horizontal battens organized in vertical series, such as 21,22, and 23, the battens of each series being fixed to a corresponding vertical post.

 For example, the upright 11 supports the battens 21A to 21F which constitute the series 21, the upright 12 supports the battens 22A to 22F which constitute the series 22, and the upright 13 supports the battens 23A to 23F which constitute the series 23.

 These cleats form pairs of cleats, such as 21A, 22A to 21F, 22F, each of which supports a shelf such as 5A to 5F, each cleat being associated with a shelf 5A to 5F, which it maintains.

 Each of the shelves 5A to 5F extends, in a direction T, transverse with respect to the piece of furniture, between a rear edge 57 and a front edge 50, and, according to

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 a direction L, longitudinal with respect to the piece of furniture, between a first extreme edge 51 and a second extreme edge 52.

1 que le bord postérieur 57 de cette étagère est séparé par un espace E des montants 11, 12, ou 13 auxquels sont fixés les tasseaux qui supportent ces étagères. According to a first aspect of the invention, the shelves are held on the cleats by their extreme edges, such as 51 and 52, and in a position such

1 that the rear edge 57 of this shelf is separated by a space E of the uprights 11, 12, or 13 to which the cleats which support these shelves are fixed.

 According to a second aspect of the invention, the supporting structure comprises one or more lintels such as 31 and 32, which are designed to support respective curtains such as 81 and 82, said lintels being fixed horizontally to respective upper parts such as 110,120 , and 130 from two neighboring vertical uprights, such as 11, 12 and 12.13.

 And according to a third aspect of the invention, each of the lintels 31 and 32 overhangs the space E formed between the vertical uprights 11, 12, and 13 and the rear edge 57 of the shelves, so that the curtains 81 and 82 conceal, at least in part, the vertical uprights and, over at least part of their length, the horizontal battens such as 21A to 21F, 22A to 22F, and 23A to 23F (Figure 2).

 As shown in particular in FIGS. 5 and 6, each shelf such as 5A to 5F or 6A to 6F, comprises, on each of its upper 53 and lower 54 faces, a layer of rigid material, such as a thin plate d aluminum, identified by the references 530 and 640 for the shelves 5A to 5F and by the references 630 and 540 for the shelves 6A to 6F.

 In its thickness, each shelf is loaded with a low density material resistant to compression, such as a filling with honeycomb structure, referenced 55 or 65.

 Furthermore (Figure 6), each shelf has a nose, such as 56, which has a decreasing thickness

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 towards the front edge 50 of this shelf, and which itself constitutes this front edge.

 The nose 56 is for example formed of a solid material of low density and hollowed out of a groove 560 in which can be housed a lighting device 71, comprising for example a neon tube 711 and a support 712.

 A groove 566 made in the nose can also receive a plate 565 forming both an information medium and a retaining member for the objects placed on the shelf.

 Each shelf 5A to 5F or 6A to 6F (FIG. 5), on one of its extreme edges 51.61, or 52.62 if it is located at the edge of the piece of furniture, or on its two extreme edges otherwise, has a counterbore such as 520 or 610, which is hollowed out in its lower face 54 or 64, and by means of which the cleat supporting the end edge thus formed of this shelf fits, in thickness, into the thickness of this shelf, l effect thus obtained being clearly visible in FIG. 4.

 In this case (FIG. 5), the extreme edge of the shelf which receives the counterbore 520 or 620, and the cleat such as 22A which supports this second extreme edge, have respective male and female fixing members, such as a screw 525 and a bore 225 through which this screw passes, cooperating mutually to ensure the maintenance of this shelf on this cleat, at least vis-à-vis any displacement forces applied in the plane of this shelf.

 Of course, the screw can receive a nut, or alternatively take the form of a stud, an ankle or a pin.

 The furniture of the invention can also be equipped with one or more presentation supports 9, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

 Each presentation support 9 essentially comprises a rail 59, a tab 91, a support arm

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 92, and a shelf 93 fixed to the front end 920 of the arm 92.

 The rail 59, for example formed by the sharp edge of a plate 590 (Figure 6) screwed under the underside 54 of a carrier shelf such as 5A to 5F, is disposed closer to the front edge 50 of this shelf than of its posterior edge 57.

 The front end of the tab 91 carries a hook 910 which can be engaged on the rail 59 by a substantially horizontal movement and is preferably slidably mounted on this rail.

 The rear end 917 of the tab 91, which is offset towards the rear edge 57 of the carrier shelf, is supported on the lower face 54 of this shelf.

 Finally, the rear end 927 of the support arm 92 is rigidly linked to the hooking tab 91, the shelf 93 being fixed to the front end 920 of the arm 92, which protrudes from the front edge 50 of the carrying shelf.

 The supporting structure of the piece of furniture includes a metal base 4, formed by several horizontal legs such as 41, 42, and 43, to which the vertical uprights II, 12 and 13 are respectively hung.

 Storage boxes, such as 49, can be fixed to the lower part of the supporting structure, above the base 4 and at a distance from the latter.

 As shown in FIG. 3, the furniture of the invention can be used to laterally partition a space defined between a raised floor S and a suspended and lowered ceiling P, so that the base 4 is arranged lower than the floor S, and lintels such as 31 higher than the ceiling P.

 For an observer placed in this space, and who sees neither the base 4 hidden under the ground S, nor the uprights such as 11 hidden by the sheers such as 81, nor the lintels such as 31 supporting the sheers and hidden by the ceiling P, chest 49 and shelves

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 seem to float above the ground S, and the battens of each series such as 5 seem to be held by simple curtains.

 The lighting is preferably adapted to reinforce this impression of lightness, lighting tubes such as 72 and 73 being for example arranged on the lintels such as 31 and on the base 4, the curtains can also be translucent.

 Preferably, the tubes such as 72, supported by the lintels such as 31 are located behind the curtains such as 81 relative to the shelves, while the tubes, such as 73, supported by the base 4 are on the contrary of a same side of each curtain, or at least of the plane it defines, as the shelves.

 As shown in Figure 3, the furniture can include a plurality of series of shelves arranged in an arc, and for example four series of shelves.

 Finally, as shown in FIG. 9, which identifies the position of the legs 4 of several pieces of furniture as described, these pieces of furniture can be used as partitions of a modular space whose general plan can be easily modified by moving the pieces of furniture which contribute to delimit this space.

Claims (18)

 CLAIMS 1. Exhibition furniture, comprising at least one support structure (1 to 4) and a first series (5) of superimposed shelves (5A to 5F), the support structure (1 to 4) comprising at least a first pair (11,12) uprights formed by first and second vertical uprights (11,12), first and second series (21, 22) of horizontal battens (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F) forming pairs (21A, 22A to 21F, 22F) of cleats each of which supports a shelf (5A to 5F), the cleats of the first and second series (21,22) being respectively fixed to the first and second uprights (11,12), each cleat (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F) being associated with a shelf (5A to 5F), which it maintains, and each shelf (5A to 5F) extending, in a direction (T) transverse to the furniture, between a rear edge (57) and a front edge (50), and having first and second end edges (51,52) spaced from each other in a direction longitudinal section (L) of the cabinet, characterized in that each cleat (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F) maintains the shelf (5A to 5F), with which it is associated, by a corresponding extreme edge (51,52) of this shelf (5A to 5F) and in a position for which the rear edge (57) of this shelf is separated from the associated upright (11, 12) by a space (E), in that the carrying structure (1 to 4) comprises a first lintel (31) fixed horizontally to respective upper parts (110,120) of the first and second vertical uprights (11,12) and selectively supporting a first curtain (81), and in that the first lintel (31) overhangs said space (E), the first curtain (81) thus concealing, at least partially, the first and second uprights (11,12) and, over at least part of their length, the horizontal battens (21A to 21F; 22A to 22F). <Desc / Clms Page number 11> 2. Exhibition furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that each shelf (5A to 5F) comprises, on each of its upper and lower faces (53, 54), a layer (530,540) of a rigid material, such than a metal sheet, and, in thickness, a low density material (55) resistant to compression, such as a filling with a honeycomb structure.  3. Exhibition furniture according to claim 2, characterized in that each shelf (5A to 5F) further comprises a nose (56) which has a decreasing thickness in the direction of the front edge (50) of this shelf (5A to 5F ), and which itself constitutes this anterior edge.  4. Exhibition furniture according to claim 3, characterized in that a lighting device (71) is housed in a groove (560) hollowed out in the nose (56) of the shelf.  5. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each shelf (5A to 5F), on at least the second (52) of its end edges (51,52), has a counterbore (520 ) which is hollowed out in its lower face (54) and by which the cleat (22A to 22F) supporting the second extreme edge (52) of this shelf (5A to 5F) fits, in thickness, in the thickness of this shelf (5A to 5F).  6. Exhibition furniture according to claim 5, characterized in that the second end edge (52) of the shelf (5A to 5F) having a counterbore (520) and the cleat (22A to 22F) supporting this second end edge (52) have respective male and female fixing members (525,225), such as a stud, a screw (525) or a pin, and a bore (225), cooperating mutually to maintain the shelf (5A) at 5F) on the cleat (22A to 22F) at least in the plane of this shelf.  7. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  further comprises at least one presentation support (9), in that each presentation support (9) itself comprises a rail (59) disposed under the underside (54) of a carrying shelf (5A to 5F) , closer to the front edge (50) than to the rear edge (57) of this shelf, a tab (91), one front end of which carries a hook (910) engaged on the rail (59) by a substantially horizontal movement and one of which rear end (917), offset towards the rear edge (57) of the carrier shelf (5A to 5F), is supported on the underside (54) of this shelf (5A to 5F), a support arm (92) having a rear end (927) rigidly connected to the lug (91) and a front end (920) projecting from the front edge (50) of the carrying shelf (5A to 5F), and a fixed shelf (93) on the anterior end (920) of the arm (92).  8. Exhibition furniture according to claim 7, characterized in that the hook (910) is slidably mounted on the rail (59).  9. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting structure (1 to 4) includes a metal base (4) to which the first and second uprights (11, 12) are hung and comprising at minus two horizontal feet (41,42).  10. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims combined with claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a first storage chest (49), fixed to a lower part of the supporting structure (1 to 4) , above and at a distance from the base (4).  11. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least a third horizontal leg (43), a third upright (13) fixed to the third leg (43), a third series (23) of cleats (23A to 23F) <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  each of which is fixed to the third upright (13), a second lintel (32) fixed horizontally to respective upper parts (120,130) of the second and third vertical uprights (12,13), a second curtain (82) selectively supported by the second lintel (32), and a second series (6) of shelves (6A to 6F), each shelf of the second series (6) having first and second extreme edges (61,62) of which the second (62) is supported by a cleat (23A to 23F) of the third series (23), and in that each cleat (22A to 22F) of the second series (22) supports a shelf of the first series (5) and a shelf of the second series (6).  12. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each lintel (31,32) comprises at least a first lighting device (72) which is separated from the shelves (5A to 5F; 6A to 6F) by the curtain (81,82) that this lintel (31, 32) carries.  13. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims combined with claim 9, characterized in that the base comprises at least one second lighting device (73), disposed on the same side of the curtain (81, 82) than the shelves.  14. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each curtain (81, 82) is translucent.  15. Exhibition furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of series of shelves (5,6) arranged in an arc.  16. Application of the exhibition furniture according to claim 15 to the partitioning of an exhibition space for which this furniture constitutes a wall element.  17. Application of an exhibition unit according to claims 9 and 15 to the partitioning of an exhibition space for which this unit constitutes an element <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  wall, and in which the exhibition space is limited by a floor (S) raised relative to the base (4) of the furniture.  18. Application according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the exhibition space is limited by a ceiling (P) lowered relative to each lintel (31, 32).