FR2822926A1 - Assembly elements for construction of display shelf comprises long elements with series of holes along length and assembly sockets clipped into holes which receive locking screws - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly comprises long elements (1,2) and assembly parts (3-7). Some of the long elements comprise series of holes (12) in their length. The assembly parts comprise sockets (3) each having at one end a hollow socket (22) which is clipped in a hole and receives a locking screw (4). Each socket has a shape for the mounting of a connection piece (5) to another long element.

Description

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 The present invention relates to a set of elements allowing the construction of a structure.

 This structure can in particular be an exhibition stand structure, a structure of a piece of furniture, such as a display stand, or a store layout structure.

 There are sets of elements suitable for allowing the construction of such structures, and comprising for this purpose elongated elements, generally profiled, and assembly parts of these elongated elements.

 The existing assemblies have the disadvantage of having certain limits as to their use. An important limit results from the relative difficulty of implementing the assemblies, which is not without consequences for the assembly or disassembly of a structure. Other limits of use result from limited possibilities with regard to the structural forms which it is possible to construct with the existing profiles and assembly parts. In particular, it is impossible to provide an angular inclination of certain sections with respect to the adjacent sections, while such an angular inclination may be desired for all kinds of reasons, in particular for forming inclined walls or for forming, on a display, inclined housing for storing documents to be presented, or else to form a decorative structure with a minimum of grooves, therefore light.

 The present invention aims to remedy these various drawbacks.

 Its main objective is therefore to provide a set of elements in which the assemblies of the elongated elements are easy to perform while being perfectly solid.

 Another object of the invention is to provide a set of elements presenting wide possibilities of use with regard in particular to the positioning of elongated elements angularly inclined with respect to adjacent elongated elements.

 An additional objective of the invention is to provide a set of elements whose elements have a pleasant visual appearance.

 The set of elements concerned comprises, in a manner known per se, elongated elements and parts allowing the assembly of these elongated elements.

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According to the invention, - at least some of the elongated elements comprise series of holes arranged along their length; and the assembly parts comprise assembly sockets, each of which has, at one end, a hollow end-piece, shaped to be snapped into the aforementioned hole of an elongated element and to receive a locking screw therethrough, this nozzle and this locking screw being such that the engagement of the screw in the nozzle eliminates any possibility of deformation of the nozzle necessary for the extraction of this nozzle from said hole; each socket further has, outside said tip, a shape adapted to receive and allow the mounting of a connecting piece to another elongated element of said assembly.

 Said locking screw can receive a nut.

 The assembly of two elements of the assembly according to the invention is thus achieved (i) by installing, on an elongated element comprising said holes, the required number of assembly sockets, by snap-fastening of the end piece of each socket in the hole concerned, (ii) by placing said locking screw through each socket, then (iii) by placing said connection piece on the socket.

 Advantageously, - each elongated element having holes comprises two series of parallel holes, arranged at a distance from one another; and - each connecting piece is shaped to be able to be assembled with at least two sockets, one of which is placed at the level of a hole in one of these series of holes and the other of which is placed at the level of a hole on the other of these series of holes.

 The assembly of the connecting piece on at least two sockets distant from each other makes it possible to obtain a solid assembly, suitable for the construction of solid structures.

 Advantageously, - each connecting piece comprises assembly and wedging means; and - the set of elements comprises at least one indexing part intended to be mounted between said connecting part and said other elongated element, this indexing part having means

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 assembly and timing suitable for cooperating with those of the connecting piece.

 This indexing piece thus makes it possible to assemble an elongated element with another elongated element according to different possible angular positions of this other elongated element relative to the first elongated element. The structure constructed using the elements of the assembly thus formed can therefore include such elongated elements inclined angularly, or inclined panels connected to these elongated elements.

 Preferably, the set of elements according to the invention comprises two types of connecting pieces, namely: - at least one connecting piece of a first type, in the shape of an "X", comprising four branches and a part central, a part of this first type being intended to be placed on two pairs of sockets each placed in holes of a series of holes; and at least one connecting piece of a second type, of elongated shape, comprising two branches and a central part aligned, a piece of this second type being intended to be placed on two sockets each placed in a hole a series of holes.

 These two types of connecting parts make it possible to adapt the resistance of the assembly (on two or four sockets) as required.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, - at least some of said elongated elements have undercut grooves, opening into the lateral faces of these elements, and - the set of elements comprises assembly parts which can be slidably engaged in these undercut grooves, each of these assembly parts being provided with assembly means at the end of another elongated element.

 These assembly parts make it possible to easily connect elongated elements to each other.

 Advantageously, - at least some of said elongated elements have, at at least one of their ends, two lateral housings, and - the set of elements comprises support legs for these elongate elements, each of these legs comprising two rods and

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 at least one cross junction of these rods, these rods being intended to be engaged in said housings of an elongated element to form the base of this elongated element.

 For a good understanding, the invention is again described below with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting example, a preferred embodiment of different elements and parts of the set of elements that it relates to.

 Figure 1 is a sectional view of various elements it comprises, before assembly; Figure 2 is a view of these same elements after assembly; Figure 3 is a view of these same elements after assembly, at an angle different from 900 relative to the view according to Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view on an enlarged scale of a socket which it comprises; Figure 5 is a view of this sleeve in longitudinal section; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 of different elements that comprises said set of elements, some of these elements being identical to those shown in Figure 1 and others being different; Figure 7 and a view similar to Figure 3 of the elements according to Figure 6; Figure 8 is a view of other elements that this assembly includes, and Figure 9 is a partial sectional view of a base usable with elongated elements that includes this assembly.

 Figures 1 to 3 show an elongated element 1, an elongated element 2 and parts 3 to 7 for assembling the elements 1 and 2 to each other.

 The set includes several elements 1 and 2 and as many parts 3 to 7 necessary for the assembly of these elements, and in particular allows the construction of an exhibition stand structure or piece of furniture such as a display stand.

 The element 1 is profiled and has, in cross section, a thinned central part 10 and two bulged side parts 11.

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 Each swollen side portion 11 is pierced with a series of holes 12 arranged along the length of the element 1. These holes 12 are regularly spaced, and the holes 12 in a series are arranged at the same height, in the transverse direction. , as the holes 12 of the other series, as shown in FIG. 3.

 The bulged side portions 11 delimit housings 13 and have internal ribs giving square shapes to these housings 13. On the outer sides of element 1, these bulged lateral parts 11 are extended by ribs 15 defining grooves 16 against - undercut, these grooves 16 being intended to allow the mounting of panels or various other objects on the element 1.

 The element 1 also has grooves 17 in undercut, arranged at the junction zones between its part 10 and its parts 11. There are thus two grooves 17 on each of the main faces of the element 1.

 Element 2 is identical to element 1 except that it does not necessarily include the series of holes 12 above.

 Said assembly parts include four sockets 3, four locking screws 4, a connecting part 5, an indexing part 6, and a part 7 for mounting the element 2.

 A socket 3 is more particularly visible in FIGS. 4 and 5. It comprises a body 20, a transverse wall 21 and a nozzle 22, and is pierced axially by a bore 23 opening out at its ends.

 The body 20 has a cylindrical shape and includes a groove 25. The bore 23 is tapped at the level of this body 20.

 The wall 21 has, on the side of the endpiece 22, a curved shape adapted to a support socket of the socket 3 against the element 1 in the vicinity of a hole 12.

 The nozzle 22 has a base 26 of diameter slightly smaller than that of a hole 12, a swollen intermediate wall 27, having an outside diameter greater than that of a hole 12, and a thinned free end portion, of diameter less than the diameter of a hole 12.

This nozzle 22 also has four grooves 28 arranged axially, arranged at 90 degrees from each other. These grooves 28 thus delimit four independent teeth 29 and create spaces between

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 these teeth 29. These spaces are such that they allow mobility of the teeth 29 in the radial direction relative to the socket 3, by deformation of the material constituting this socket. This mobility takes place between a radially inner position, in which the teeth 29 are deformed, which allows the engagement of the end piece 22 in a hole 12, and a radially outer position, of non-deformation, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, allowing retention of the endpiece 22 in a hole 12.

 This end piece 22 thus allows the mounting of a socket 3 on the element 1, by snap-fastening of this end piece 22 in this hole 12.

 It also appears in FIG. 5 that the endpiece 22 has a conical internal wall 30 making a thinning of the diameter of the bore 23 at the level of said teeth 29.

 The locking screws 4 have threaded heads 35 allowing them to be screwed into the bores 23 of the sockets 3, and conical ends 36 coming to bear against the walls 30 of the end pieces 22 during assembly, as shown in FIG. 2. These ends tapered 36 thus allow the teeth 29 to be locked in their radially outer position, which ensures resistant mounting of the sockets 3 on the element 1.

 Part 5 has an "X" shape. It comprises, at the free ends of its branches 40, cylindrical lateral parts 41 in which are housed 42 and in which are drilled, perpendicular to these cylindrical lateral parts 41, tapped holes, not visible in the figures. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housings 42 are such that said cylindrical lateral parts 41 can be engaged on four sockets 3 mounted on the element 1. Assembly screws can then be put in place through said tapped holes to ensure the mounting of the part 5 on the sockets 3, these screws bearing on the sockets 3 at the level of the grooves 25 thereof.

 The holes 12, the sockets 3, the screws 4 and these assembly screws make it possible to quickly and simply carry out a resistant mounting of a part 5 on an element 1, in several replacement along the length of this element 1.

 The part 5 further comprises a tapped hole 45 arranged in the center of the area 46 for connecting the branches 40, and four holes 47

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 not tapped, arranged at the base of these branches 40. These four holes 47 are located on a circle centered on the axis of the hole 45.

 The indexing part 6 has a generally cylindrical shape and comprises eight studs 50, a central cut hole 51 and a diametrical groove 52.

 The eight studs 50 project from one of the axial faces of the part 6. They are regularly distributed over a circle centered on the axis of the hole 51, this circle having a diameter identical to that on which the holes 47 are located.

 The hole 51 can receive a connecting screw 55, which can also be engaged in the hole 45.

 The groove 52 is arranged from the axial face of the part 6 opposite to that on which the pads 50 are located; one of the walls which delimit this groove 52 comprises a tapped hole 56 for assembling this part 6 to the part 7.

 As shown in FIG. 3, the part 6 is intended to be assembled to the part 5 with the hole 51 coming opposite the hole 45.

Four of the studs 50 can then be engaged through holes 47, the other four studs being placed between the branches 40.

 Thanks to these four holes 47 and to these eight studs 50, it is possible to place the part 6, and therefore the element 2, according to eight different angular positions relative to the element 1, two of which are shown in FIG. 3. After adequate orientation of the part 6, the screw 55 is engaged through the holes 51 and 45.

 The part 7 has a wall 60, two studs 61 and a stud 62.

 The wall 60 has a contour corresponding substantially to the contour of the element 2 in cross section.

 The two studs 61 have dimensions slightly smaller than those of the housings and include grooves 63. They are intended to be engaged in the housings 13 and to be retained in them by means of clamping screws 64 engaged through the wall of element 2.

 The stud 62 has dimensions such that it is suitable for being engaged without play in the groove 52 and for being retained therein by the installation of a screw in the hole 56.

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 FIGS. 6 and 7 represent an element 1, sockets 3, screws 4 and a part 6 identical to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

Element 2 and parts 5 and 7 are slightly different from those shown in Figures 1 to 3, although based on the same principles.

 For all of these elements, the parts already described which are found identically or similarly are designated by the same reference numerals.

 In the case of the elements shown by these Figures 6 and 7, the part 5 only comprises two aligned branches 40 and therefore only comprises two holes 47. It nevertheless allows the same indexing of the part 6 as the part 5 already described.

 The mounting of this part 5 on only two sockets 3 makes it suitable for assembling an element 2 of smaller dimensions than the element 2 already described. The cross section of the element 2 used in the case of FIGS. 6 and 7 is visible in FIG. 7.

 The part 7 has for its part a wall 60 having a contour corresponding to the cross section of this element 2 and a single assembly stud 61, received in a corresponding housing delimited by the element 2, identical to the abovementioned housings 13.

 FIG. 8 shows that the set of elements also comprises a profiled assembly piece 70 having two curved ribs 71, of the same shape, but of slightly smaller dimensions, than the grooves 17 and of the same spacing as these grooves 17. These ribs 71 can thus be engaged in these grooves 17 by sliding, from one of the ends of an element 1 or of an element 2 according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

 This part 70 also includes a central housing 72 in undercut which can receive a clamp for assembly to an element 2, in particular the element 2 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in order to provide support for an element 1 at a location given the length of this element 1. The aforementioned assembly clamp may in particular be that described in French patent no. 93-11878.

 FIG. 9 shows a base 80 comprising three plates 81, three cylindrical spacers 82, two rods 83 with tapped blind bores 84 and two screws 85. These screws 85 can be engaged through

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 of holes that include the plates 81 and spacers 82, then be screwed through said bores 84.

 The two rods 83 are intended to be engaged in the housings 13 of an element 1 or 2, the latter coming to rest directly on the upper plate 81 of the base 80.

 Thanks to these housings 13 and these rods 83, a base 80 can be adapted in a simple, easy and rapid manner on the basis of an element 1 or 2.

 As appears from the above, the invention provides a set of elements having substantial advantages over the homologous sets of the prior art. In particular, the assemblies of the elongated elements are easy to produce while being perfectly solid, elongated elements 2 can be inclined angularly with respect to adjacent elongated elements 1, and the elements have a pleasant visual appearance.

 It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of example but that, on the contrary, it embraces all the variant embodiments falling within the scope of protection defined by the claims. appended.

Claims (7)

 CLAIMS 1-Set of elements allowing the construction of a structure, comprising elongated elements (1,2) and parts (3 to 7) allowing the assembly of these elongated elements (1, 2); set of elements characterized in that: - at least some of the elongated elements (1,2) comprise series of holes (12) arranged over their length; and - the assembly parts comprise assembly sockets (3), each of which has, at one end, a hollow end piece (22), shaped to be snapped into a hole (12) mentioned above of an elongated element (1 ) and to receive a locking screw (4) through it, this end piece (22) and this locking screw (4) being such that the engagement of the screw (4) in the end piece (22) eliminates any possibility deformation of the tip (22) necessary for the extraction of this tip (22) out of said hole (12); each socket (3) also has, apart from said end piece (22), a shape adapted to receive and allow the mounting of a connecting piece (5) to another elongated element (2) of said assembly.  2-set of elements according to claim 1, characterized in that said locking screw (4) receives a nut.  3-set of elements according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that: - each elongated element (1) having holes comprises two series of parallel holes (12), arranged at a distance from each other ; and - each connecting piece (5) is shaped so that it can be assembled with at least two sockets (3), one of which is placed at the level of a hole (12) in one of these series of holes and the another is placed at the level of a hole (12) of the other of these series of holes.  4-assembly of elements according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: - each connecting piece (5) comprises assembly and wedging means (45,47); and - the set of elements comprises at least one indexing part (6) intended to be mounted between said connecting part (5) and said other elongated element (2), this indexing part (6) having <Desc / Clms Page number 11>  assembly and wedging means (51, 50) adapted to cooperate with those of the connecting piece (5).  5-assembly of elements according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that it comprises two types of connecting pieces (5), namely: - at least one connecting piece (5) of a first type , in the shape of an "X", comprising four branches (40) and a central part (46), a part (5) of this first type being intended to be placed on two pairs of sockets (3) each placed in holes (12) of a series of holes; and - at least one connecting piece (5) of a second type, of elongated shape, comprising two branches (40) aligned, a piece (5) of this second type being intended to be placed on two sockets (3 ) each placed in a hole (12) in a series of holes.  6-set of elements according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: - at least some of said elongated elements (1,2) have grooves (17) undercut, opening into the side faces of these elements (1,2), and - the set of elements comprises assembly parts (70) which can be slidably engaged in these grooves (17) in undercut, each of these assembly parts (70) being provided with assembly means (72) at the end of another elongated element (2).  7-assembly of elements according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least some of said elongated elements (1,2) have, at at least one of their ends, two lateral housings ( 13), and - in that it comprises legs (80) for supporting these elongated elements (1,2), each of these legs comprising two rods (83) and at least one crosspiece (81) joining these rods (83), these rods (83) being intended to be engaged in said housings (13) of an elongated element (1,2) to form the base of this elongated element (1,2).