GB2346797A

GB2346797A - Wall-mounted horizontal profile rail for supporting hanger arms

Info

Publication number: GB2346797A
Application number: GB0003910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Herbert Walter
Original assignee: Vitrashop Patente AG
Current assignee: Vitrashop Patente AG
Priority date: 1999-02-19
Filing date: 2000-02-18
Publication date: 2000-08-23
Also published as: FR2789862A3; FR2789862B3; GB0003910D0; NL1014416C1; AT4054U1; DE29903019U1

Abstract

The rail 1 has an open channel E with undercuts (28,28') forming buffer portions (29,29'). The top edge of support plate 51 of a hanger arm 5 is inserted into the upper undercut and the plate then lowered until its lower edge engages in the lower undercut whereby the buffer portions retain the plate within the channel. The rail has upper and lower tongues 24,24', backplates 12,12' and ledges 26,26' which engage and support a wall element 3,3'. The rear of the rail has a channel (11) with upper and lower grooves (14,14') into which pins can be inserted to join abutting rails together.

Description

Wall construction having an inserted profile rail into which it is possible to fit supporting arms for the purpose of hanging articles directly or indirectly The invention relates to a free-standing wall construction, or one which is installed on a supporting structure, having an inserted profile rail into which it is possible to fit supporting arms for the purpose of hanging articles directly or indirectly. These articles may be, for example, goods which are displayed for offer in shops or at trade fairs. Such articles could also be information carriers, such as printed products or brochures concerning services on offer. A further example is constituted by articles for private or professional use which are intended to be stored in an ordered manner. At least one profile rail is arranged horizontally in the wall. Depending on the application purpose, however, it is also possible for a plurality of profile rails to be provided parallel to one another, at a distance apart, in the wall. The supporting arms have, at one end, a plug-in plate, of which the top edge and bottom edge, in the inserted state, come to rest behind buffer edges, which are formed by undercuts.

Either the articles are hung directly on the supporting arms or the supporting arms support a mount, for example a shelf, a basket or a box, which serves for receiving the articles.

US-A-4,944,416 discloses a display wall having profile rails which are inserted in line form and into the Tgrooves of which it is possible to fit the supporting arms. The plug-in extensions of the supporting arms inserted into a profile rail need to be bent around the bottom edge of the T-groove in order to be supported on the front of the wall. This means that relatively large-surface-area plug-in extensions are visible, and this does not fulfil all design requirements.

US-A-4,211,379 discloses a display wall having in each case two parallel horizontal slots, the plug-in plate of a fitted-in supporting arm projecting into the top slot, and engaging behind the same, by way of its top portion, which is angled a number of times, while the bottom portion of the plug-in plate projects horizontally into the bottom slot. It is necessary to provide, in the display wall, in each case two slots for each fit-in line, this resulting in a multiplicity of slots which are usually unoccupied and thus open. It is also the case that this does not satisfy every design concept.

A further grooved wall construction into which it is possible to fit supporting arms is proposed in DE-C38 03 829. The entire wall construction is made up of profile rails which are arranged one above the other, connected to one another and, in the forward direction, have a common covering which is slotted in line form.

Finally, DE-A-2 250 987 discloses a grooved wall for sales areas which is constructed from meandering profile rails which interengage and are screw-connected on a rear wall. This results in a wall with a multiplicity of slots and causes a considerable amount of material to be used as well as high-outlay installation.

The previously known wall constructions for the purpose of hanging articles, and so also for displaying goods, are usually of a design which is material-intensive and involves a lot of work. Furthermore, excessive proportions of the arresting mechanism in the form of plug-in plates positioned on the wall construction or a large number of open slots are visible from the outside, and this has an adverse effect on the overall appearance. With the high requirements in terms of originality and aesthetics which are to be met nowadays by interior decoration or in the construction of shops and trade fairs, the object of the invention is to propose an improved wall construction for the purpose mentioned under the previous heading, where as little of the fitting-in mechanism as possible is visible from the outside and numerous wide open slots are avoided.

Moreover, the structure has to have a solid load-bearing capacity and, even in the case of rushed manipulation or where a lot of activity is taking place round about, the fitted-in supporting arms have to be fixed securely. It is intended to be possible for the wall size, the height and the number of inserted profile rails to be adapted in a variable manner to the application purpose and the local conditions. It is desirable for the operation of fitting the wall with supporting arms to be as straightforward as possible and for the supporting arms to be repositioned. Finally, it is intended to be possible for the wall construction to be produced efficiently overall.

The wall construction has at least one inserted profile rail into which it is possible to fit supporting arms for the purpose of hanging articles directly or indirectly, the profile rail being provided for horizontal installation in one, or between more than one, wall element. The profile rail has an indent which is accessible from its outside and forms a plug-in receiving means into which it is possible to fit, as desired along the profile rail, one or more supporting arms. A supporting arm has a bar part and a plug-in plate which can be fitted into the plug-in receiving means such that it can be disengaged again. The fitting-in operation takes place by virtue of the free end of the bar part being raised, the top edge of the plug-in plate being pushed into a top undercut plug-in groove, the free end of the bar part being lowered and the bottom edge of the plug-in plate being pushed into a bottom undercut plugin groove. In the fitted-in position, the plug-in plate is located behind buffer edges, which are formed by the plug-in groove.

The following preferred features relate to specific refinements of the invention. The profile rail has on the inside, which, in the inserted state, comes to rest on the rear side of the wall element, the following contours. A central groove, hereinafter referred to as a first central groove or an outer central groove, which is bounded on both sides by in each case one planar upwardly or downwardly extending positioning web, said webs being positioned on the wall elements by way of their rear sides or by way of their front sides and being offset parallel to the outer central groove.

Furthermore, a base portion which is located between the positioning webs and on which the outer central groove is formed. Running centrally on the outer central groove is a marking line which, at the same time, constitutes the centre line of the profile rail and in which it is possible to drill the holes for the throughpassage of fastening screws. Provided at the transitions from the outer central groove to the positioning webs are channels into which it is possible to insert positioning pins when a second rail portion is attached, as a result of which the resulting transition between the joined-together rail portions is as smooth as possible. In each case one marking line runs on the positioning webs as orientation means for the introduction of bores for the through-passage of fastening screws.

Running above and beneath the base portion is in each case one horizontal leg, from which the positioning webs extend at right angles. Projecting upwards from the top horizontal leg and downwards from the bottom horizontal leg is in each case one tongue strip which has a plurality of grooves and is positioned approximately centrally on the horizontal legs. The horizontal legs, which enclose the base portion in a U-shaped manner, form a second central groove, hereinafter referred to as an inner central groove. In each case one ledge portion, which is oriented towards the outside, adjoins the front of the horizontal legs in a canopy-like manner. In each case one plug-in groove is provided in the horizontal legs, and these grooves together define a plane. The ledge portions-as seen from the outsideare undercut by the plug-in grooves, this resulting in buffer edges which act in the forward direction. The outwardly widening indent into which it is possible to fit the supporting arms remains between the two ledge portions. A boundary nose is located on the top buffer edge.

With a profile rail inserted into a wall element from the rearward direction, a shaped element is arranged on both sides of the cut surfaces of the profile rail, said shaped element terminating the central groove towards the sides and, at the same time, holding in position the profile rail, which has been inserted into a recess in the wall element. The shaped element has stepped portions which complement the tongue strips, the front edges of the horizontal legs and the front edges of the ledge portions.

The profile rail may be inserted between two wall elements, the wall elements having their longitudinally running bottom edge and top edge positioned on the horizontal legs and the ledge portions, with the result that, towards the outside, the wall elements terminate flush with the front edges of the ledge portions. At the rear, the wall elements rest against the positioning webs. Tongue grooves and a step are made in the bottom edge and the top edge in order to complement the tongue strips and the stepped portions from the horizontal legs to the ledge portions. In the inserted state, the tongue strips are seated in the tongue grooves and the steps follow the horizontal legs and the ledge portions, which adjoin said horizontal legs in a stepped manner.

A further design alternative consists in that two profile rails enclosed between in each case two wall elements are fastened on a support with their insides facing one another. This results in a double wall construction which may be fitted with supporting arms from two sides by way of the respective indent. A plurality of supports at the same time form the standing legs or mount for the resulting wall construction. The same can be realized for two profile rails inserted into in each case one wall element from the rearward direction.

The articles hung on the supporting arms directly or indirectly are goods on offer in shops or at trade fairs, or information carriers, such as printed products or brochures concerning services on offer. These articles may also be articles for private or professional use which are intended to be stored in an ordered manner.

For the purpose of hanging the articles indirectly, the supporting arms support a mount, e. g. in the form of a shelf, of a basket or of a box, which serves for receiving the articles. Such a mount may be supported by one or more supporting arms.

The wall construction according to the invention results in high-quality and efficient design possibilities for interior decoration, as an aid for keeping in order articles for private and professional use, and for the construction of shops and trade fairs.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a profile rail of a wall construction in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 1B shows the profile rail according to Figure 1A with lateral shaped elements; Figure 2A shows the profile rail according to Figure 1A inserted between two wall elements; Figure 2B shows, on an enlarged scale, the detail X from Figure 2A; Figure 2C shows, on an enlarged scale, the detail Y from Figure 2A; Figure 3 shows two wall constructions according to Figure 2A joined together on the rear side; Figure 4A shows the profile rail according to Figure 1A inserted into a wall element from the rearward direction; Figure 4B shows the wall element according to Figure 4A without a profile rail; and Figure 4C shows, on an enlarged scale, the detail Z from Figure 4A.

The detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the wall construction according to the invention in three different modifications follows hereinbelow.

Figure 1A The profile rail 1 is a specific profile which has a plurality of contours and is virtually symmetrical in relation to the centre line M. The contours thus all extend axially along the profile rail 1 and run parallel to one another. Running on the rearwardly oriented inside 10 is a relatively wide and flat outer central groove 11 which is bounded on both sides by in each case one planar positioning web 12,12'. The positioning webs 12,12'are offset upwards and downwards parallel to the outer central groove 11. The rear sides 13,13', which are directed towards the rear, and the front side 21,21', which is directed towards the outside 20, in the forward direction, are defined on the positioning webs 12,12'. If the profile rail 1 is positioned on a supporting structure-this may be a rear wall or a load-bearing element-then, in the installed state, rear sides 13,13'rest on said supporting structure.

The profile rail 1 fixed on the supporting structure is covered by a wall element, this resulting in the completed wall construction. Alternatively, it is possible for the profile rail 1 to be positioned, by way of its front sides 21,21', against a wall element from the rear, and these together form the wall construction 7 (see Figures 2A and 4A).

Running centrally on the outer central groove 11 is a marking line M which, at the same time, constitutes the centre line M of the profile rail 1 and in which it is possible to drill the holes for the through-passage of the fastening screws. Provided at the transitions from the outer central groove 11 to the positioning webs 12,12'are channels 14,14' into which it is possible to insert positioning pins when a second rail portion 1 is attached, as a result of which the resulting transition between the joined-together rail portions 1 is as smooth as possible. In each case one marking line 15,15'runs on the positioning webs 12,12'as an orientation means for the introduction of bores for the through-passage of fastening screws.

The base portion 22 of the profile rail 1 extends between the positioning webs 12,12', and forms the outer central groove 11. Running above and beneath the base portion 22 is in each case one horizontal leg 23,23', from which the positioning webs 12,12'extend at right angles. Projecting upwards from the top horizontal leg 23 and downwards from the bottom horizontal leg 23 is in each case one tongue strip 24,24'which has a plurality of grooves and is positioned approximately centrally on the horizontal legs 23,23'. The horizontal legs 23,23', which enclose the base portion 22 in a Ushaped manner, form an inner central groove 25. In each case one ledge portion 26,26', which is oriented towards the outside 20, adjoins the front of the horizontal legs 23,23 in a canopy-like manner. In each case one narrow decorative groove 27,27' is provided at the two transitions between the base portion 22 and the horizontal legs 23,23'. A panel-like covering may be pushed into the decorative grooves 27,27', and this covering is preferably in the colour of the wall element enclosing the profile rail 1. The permanent groove-like marking lines 15,15'are provided on the rear sides 13,13' and on the front sides 21, 21'.

In front of the decorative grooves 27,27', in each case one plug-in groove 28,28 is provided in the horizontal legs 23,23', and these plug-in grooves together define a plane. The ledge portions 26,26', as seen from the outside 20, are undercut by the plug-in grooves 28,28', this resulting in the plug-in grooves 28,28'having buffer edges 29,29'which act in the forward direction.

A boundary nose 290 is provided on the top buffer edge 29. An outwardly widening indent E into which it is possible to fit the supporting arms remains between the two ledge portions 26,26'.

Figure 1B With the profile rail 1 inserted into a wall element from the rearward direction (see Figure 4A), then the profile rail 1 is advantageously provided with a shaped element 6 on both sides of the cut surfaces, said shaped element terminating the central groove 25 towards the sides and, at the same time, holding in position the profile rail 1, which has been inserted into a recess in the wall element. The shaped element 6 has stepped portions 60,61,62 which complement the tongue strips 24,24', the front edges of the horizontal legs 23,23 and the front edges of the ledge portions 26,26'.

Figures 2A to 2C The profile rail 1 is inserted between two wall elements 3,3'. In this case, the wall elements 3,3'have their longitudinally running bottom edge 30 and top edge 30' resting on the horizontal legs 23,23' and the ledge portions 26,26', with the result that, towards the outside 20, the wall elements 3,3' terminate flush with the front edges of the ledge portions 26,26'. At the rear, the wall elements 3,3' rest against the positioning webs 12,12'. Tongue grooves 31,31' and a step 32,32'are made in the bottom edge 30 and the top edge 30'in order to complement the tongue strips 24,24 and the stepped portions from the horizontal legs 23,23 to the ledge portions 26,26'. In the inserted state, the tongue strips 24,24'are seated in the tongue grooves 31,31'and the steps 32,32'follow the horizontal legs 23,23' and the ledge portions 26,26', which adjoin said horizontal legs in a stepped manner.

In order to increase the strength of the interconnection between the wall elements 3,3' and the profile rail 1, which together result in a wall construction 7, the positioning webs 12,12' may be screw-connected against the wall elements 3,3'. In order to fit in supporting arms, the indent E is accessible towards the outside 20.

Figure 3 In this refinement, two profile rails 1 enclosed between in each case two wall elements 3,3'are fastened, e. g. screw-connected, on a tubular support 4 with their insides 10 facing one another. This tubular support 4 could, at the same time, be one of the standing legs for the resulting wall construction 7. At least two standing legs are preferably provided as the framework for the wall construction 7. This results in something of a double wall construction 7 which may be fitted with supporting arms from two sides by way of the indent E.

Figures 4A to 4C As a third alternative for constructing a wall construction 7 using the profile rail 1, the latter is inserted into a wall element 3 from the rear, said wall element having been provided with a complementary longitudinally running recess in order to receive the profile rail 1. Provided in said wall element 3 is a slot 33, of which the top and bottom borders enclose the ledge portions 26,26', which, towards the outside 20, terminate flush with the surface of the wall element 3.

Towards the sides, the slot 33 is enclosed by the two shaped elements 6, between which the profile rail 1 is located.

Supporting arms 5, with their plug-in plates 51 arranged at one end, may be fitted into the profile rail 1, covered-depending on the design variant-with one or two wall elements 3, at any desired position along the indent E. The fitting-in operation takes place by virtue of the free end of the bar part 50 of the supporting arm 5 being raised, the top edge of the plugin plate 51 being pushed into the top undercut plug-in groove 28, the free end of the bar part 50 being lowered and the bottom edge of the plug-in plate 51 being pushed into a bottom undercut plug-in groove 28'. In the fitted-in position, the plug-in plate 51 is located behind the buffer edges 29,29', which are formed by the plug-in grooves 28,28w.

Claims

Claims 1. Wall construction (7) having at least one inserted profile rail (1) into which it is possible to fit supporting arms (5) for the purpose of hanging articles directly or indirectly, the profile rail (1) being provided for horizontal installation in one, or between more than one, wall element (3), characterized in that the profile rail (1) has: a) an indent (E) which is accessible from the outside (20) of the profile rail (1) and forms a plug-in receiving means (28,28' ; 29,29') into which it is possible to fit, as desired along the profile rail (1), one or more carrying arms (5) for the purpose of hanging articles directly or indirectly; it being the case that b) a supporting arm (5) has a bar part (50) and a plug-in plate (51) which can be fitted into the plug-in receiving means (28,28' ; 29,29') such that it can be disengaged again;

c) the fitting-in operation takes place by virtue of the free end of the bar part (50) being raised, the top edge of the plug-in plate (51) being pushed into a top undercut plug-in groove (28), the free end of the bar part (50) being lowered and the bottom edge of the plug-in plate (51) being pushed into a bottom undercut plug-in groove (28') ; and d) in the fitted-in position, the plug-in plate (51) is located behind buffer edges (29,29'), which are formed by the plug-in grooves (28,28').
2. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the profile rail (1) has on the inside (10), which, in the inserted state, comes to rest on the rear side of the wall element (3; 3,3'): a) a first central groove (11) which is bounded on both sides by in each case one planar upwardly or downwardly extending positioning web (12,12'), said webs being positioned on the wall elements (3; 3,3') by way of their rear sides (13,13') or by way of their front sides (21,21') and being offset parallel to the first central groove (11); and b) a base portion (22) which is located between the positioning webs (12,12') and on which the first central groove (11) is formed.
3. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 2, characterized in that a) running centrally on the first central groove (11) is a marking line (M) which, at the same time, constitutes the centre line (M) of the profile rail (1) and in which it is possible to drill the holes for the through-passage of fastening screws; b) provided at the transitions from the first central groove (11) to the positioning webs (12,12') are channels (14,14') into which it is possible to insert positioning pins when a second rail portion (1) is attached, as a result of which the resulting transition between the joined-together rail portions (1) is as smooth as possible;

c) in each case one marking line (15,15') runs on the positioning webs (12,12') as an orientation means for the introduction of bores for the through-passage of fastening screws.
4. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 2, characterized in that a) running above and beneath the base portion (22) is in each case one horizontal leg (23,23'), from which the positioning webs (12,12') extend at right angles; b) projecting upwards from the top horizontal leg (23) and downwards from the bottom horizontal leg (23') is in each case one tongue strip (24,24') which has a plurality of grooves and is positioned approximately centrally on the horizontal legs (23,23|);

c) the horizontal legs (23,23'), which enclose the base portion (22) in a U-shaped manner, form a second central groove (25); d) in each case one ledge portion (26,26W), which is oriented towards the outside (20), adjoins the front of the horizontal legs (23,23') in a canopy-like manner; e) in each case one plug-in groove (28,28') is provided in the horizontal legs (23,23W), and these grooves together define a plane; f) the ledge portions (26,26'), as seen from the outside (20), are undercut by the plug-in grooves (28,28'), this resulting in buffer edges (29,29') which act in the forward direction; and g) the outwardly widening indent (E) into which it is possible to fit the supporting arms (5) remains between the two ledge portions (26,26').
5. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 4, characterized in that a boundary nose (290) is provided on the top buffer edge (29).
6. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 1, characterized in that, with a profile rail (1) inserted into a wall element (3) from the rearward direction, a) a shaped element (6) is arranged on both sides of the cut surfaces of the profile rail (1), said shaped element terminating a central groove (25) towards the sides and, at the same time, holding in position the profile rail (1), which has been inserted into a recess (33) in the wall element (3); and b) the shaped element (1) has stepped portions (60,61,62) which complement the tongue strips (24,24'), the front edges of the horizontal legs (23,23') and the front edges of the ledge portions (26,26t).
7. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 1, characterized in that a) the profile rail (1) is inserted between two wall elements (3,3'), the wall elements (3,3') having their longitudinally running bottom edge (30) and top edge (30') positioned on the horizontal legs (23,23W) and the ledge portions (26,26'), with the result that, towards the outside (20), the wall elements (3,3') terminate flush with the front edges of the ledge portions (26, 26') ; b) at the rear, the wall elements (3,3') rest against the positioning legs (12,12');

c) tongue grooves (31,31') and a step (32,32') are made in the bottom edge (30) and the top edge (30') in order to complement the tongue strips (24,24') and the stepped portions from the horizontal legs (23,23') to the ledge portions (26,26'); and d) in the inserted state, the tongue strips (24,24') are seated in the tongue grooves (31,31') and the steps (32,32') follow the horizontal legs (23,23') and the ledge portions (26,26'), which adjoin said horizontal legs in a stepped manner.
8. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 7, characterized in that a) two profile rails (1) enclosed between in each case two wall elements (3,3|) are fastened on a support (4) with their insides (10) facing one another, this resulting in a double wall construction (7) which may be fitted with supporting arms (5) from two sides by way of the respective indent (E); and b) a plurality of supports (4) at the same time form the standing legs or mount for the resulting wall construction (7).
9. Wall construction (7) according to Claim 6, characterized in that a) two profile rails (1) inserted into in each case one wall element (3) from the rearward direction are fastened on a support (4) with their insides (10) facing one another, this resulting in a double wall construction (7) which may be fitted with supporting arms (5) from two sides by way of the respective indent (E); and b) a plurality of supports (4) at the same time form the standing legs or mount for the resulting wall construction (7).
10. Wall construction (7) according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a) the supporting arms (5) are suitable for hanging, directly or indirectly, articles which are: aa) goods on offer in shops or at trade fairs, or ab) information carriers, such as printed products or brochures concerning services on offer, or ac) articles for private or professional use which are intended to be stored in an ordered manner; and b) for the purpose of hanging the articles indirectly, the supporting arms (5) are adapted to support a mount, e. g. a shelf, a basket or a box, which serves for receiving the articles; it being the case that

c) the mount is supported in use by one or more supporting arms (5).
11. Wall construction substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to any combination of the accompanying drawings.