WO2006010847A1

WO2006010847A1 - Device and assembly for storing liquid containers

Info

Publication number: WO2006010847A1
Application number: PCT/FR2005/001630
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yves Francis Emile Martin
Original assignee: Eurocave Sa
Priority date: 2004-06-29
Filing date: 2005-06-28
Publication date: 2006-02-02
Also published as: FR2872007A1; FR2872007B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a modular assembly (1) comprising at least two individual storage devices (10; 10'; 10'') each including a frame wherein wine or spirit bottles can be stored (2). Each frame comprises, on one first side, posts (11A to 11D; 11A' to 11D') and, on a second side, crosspieces (12A to 12C; 12A' to 12C'), said posts and crosspieces extending perpendicularly to one another when the frame is assembled. At the first and second sides of the frame of each device, the posts or the crosspieces of one (10) of the devices are adapted to be nested between respectively the crosspieces or the posts of the other device (10'; 10'') when said two devices are mounted to each other.

Description

DEVICE AND ASSEMBLY FOR STORING LIQUID CONTAINERS

The present invention relates to a device and a set of storage containers of liquid, including bottles of wine or alcohol.

When an individual wishes to have at his home several bottles of wine or alcohol in order to constitute a personal cellar, it is necessary for him to store, preferably flat, several cylinders generally cylindrical body, often in a location of small size. For this purpose, it is known to use rigid cabinets or storage bins, provided with a plurality of housings each for receiving and immobilizing a bottle. The user can also resort to rigid structures of shelf type, which delimit elementary storage areas, permanently associated with each other, as proposed in FR-A-2,451,725, US-A-6,017,107 and US-A -2, 622, 741. Because of their rigid structure, these various storage devices are unwieldy and require a location of implantation of large size, which often discourages individuals from using them. In addition, the storage capacity of one of these devices is generally predetermined while the number of containers stored can vary in significant proportions over time, which forces the user either to have a storage device of which the size is, at least temporarily, oversized compared to its needs, resulting in a significant loss of space, or to be limited to a storage device having a reduced size, which poses storage problems when the amount of bottles to be stored temporarily exceed this low storage capacity. In addition, such storage devices must be arranged in front of walls or partitions which, in particular in a cellar, may have varying heights and widths. However, the dimensions of the known devices do not always allow them to be put in place or require to leave significant areas of non-"clad" walls of storage devices.

The object of the present invention is to provide liquid container storage means, which are particularly easy to use and whose storage capacity is adjustable according to the varying needs of the user and / or depending on the location. which he has.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an individual device for storing containers of liquid, in particular bottles of wine or alcohol, comprising a frame inside which the containers may be stored, which frame comprises, a first side, at least one upright and, on a second side, at least one cross member which extend substantially perpendicularly to one another in the assembled state of the frame, characterized in that at the level of the first and second sides of the frame, the uprights (s) and / or traverse (s) of the device are adapted to interlock respectively between the cross (s) and / or amount (s) of the frame of another individual storage device analogous when these two devices are reported to each other to form a modular storage assembly.

According to the invention, the user can change the storage capacity by adding or removing storage devices, individually identical to each other. By rotating a quarter of a turn between two juxtaposed or superimposed devices, the uprights or rails of one of the devices may respectively nesting between the cross members or the amount of another device disposed next to or above the first device. Each device thus added is integrated and connected to the existing structure of the device or devices already installed, adapting to the best available space at the user.

According to other features of this device, taken separately or in any technically possible combination:

the frame comprises, at the same time, at a third side opposite to the first side, one or more amounts that are substantially symmetrical with the amount (s) of the first side of the frame with respect to a substantially perpendicular plane at the cross member (s) on the second side, and at a fourth side opposite the second side, one or more cross members substantially symmetrical to the cross member (s) of the second side of the frame relative to at a plane substantially perpendicular to the (x) upright (s) of the first side; the length of the or each amount is substantially equal to the length of the or each cross;

- It is equipped with wedges for the stored containers, these wedges being selected from first shims reported directly on the one or those amounts or sleepers that extend generally horizontally when using the device and / or seconds shims attached to at least one shelf fixed transversely to the one or uprights or sleepers which extend generally vertically during use of the device; one end of each shim is flush with the front face of the frame of the device, intended to be turned towards the user during use of the device; - The or each shelf comprises at least one support bar of the second wedges, adapted to nest between the sleeper (s) and / or the amount (s) of the frame of the device; holes are dug in the inner faces of the uprights and crosspieces and are adapted to indifferently receive studs attached to the first wedges and lugs of support of the or shelves;

the or each upright where the or each cross-member on each side of the frame is hinged to the or each cross-member or the or each upright of the two adjacent sides of the frame so that the frame forms a deformable parallelogram between a folded configuration in which each side extends generally in the same plane as its two adjacent sides and an expanded configuration in which each side extends substantially perpendicular to its two adjacent sides;

the frame comprises a bracing bar adapted to lock the frame in an expanded and articulated configuration, at one of its ends, around an axis around which two sides of the frame are articulated with respect to each other;

- It further comprises at least one support foot of the frame on the ground or on a similar surface, this foot being both able to be reported indifferently to the longitudinal ends of the or the amounts and the or crosses and provided with at least two support elements on the ground whose position relative to the rest of the foot is adjustable in height.

The invention also relates to a modular assembly for storing liquid containers, especially wine or alcohol bottles, comprising at least two individual storage devices which each comprise a frame inside which can be stored the containers, which frame comprises, on one side, at least one upright and, on the other side, at least one crossmember which extend substantially perpendicular to each other in the assembled state of the frame, characterized in that, at the first and second sides of the frame of each device, the uprights (s) and / or cross (es) of one of the devices are adapted to interlock respectively between the crossbeams (s) and / or amount (s) of the frame of the other device when these two devices are reported to one another.

At least one of these devices preferably has all or some of the features of the device defined above.

According to advantageous characteristics of this set:

- The devices are substantially identical, two devices superimposed on one another or two devices juxtaposed next to each other corresponding to a quarter of a turn, seen from the front; the amount (s) and / or traverse (s) of one of the devices are provided with at least one first bore arranged in the extension of at least one second bore made in the crosspieces (s) and / or upright ( s) of the other device when these two devices are assembled to one another, these first and second holes being adapted to receive together a locking pin of the devices to one another; and / or the end faces of the two devices are flush with each other when these devices are reported to each other.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a storage assembly according to the invention during assembly,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the devices of the assembly of FIG. 1, assembled to one another, FIGS. 3A to 3C are perspective views of a storage device belonging to the whole of FIG. 1, illustrating the passage of this device between a folded configuration and an expanded configuration,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view along the arrow IV in FIG. 2 of part of one of the storage devices supporting a plurality of bottles;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a lower part of one of the storage devices of FIGS. 1 and 2 and of a stabilizing stand of this device, and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the stabilizing foot of FIG. 5.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a set 1 for storing wine bottles 2, only one of which is shown for clarity of the drawing. This assembly comprises three elementary storage devices 10, 10 'and 10' 'which are being assembled together in FIG. 1 and which are assembled in FIG. 2. The devices 10, 10' and 10 ' are identical, so that only the device 10 will be described below in detail, it being understood that each component of the device 10 'or 10 "is designated by the same reference numeral as that of the corresponding component of the device 10, followed by a bonus or a second.

The device 10, shown in the deployed configuration in FIG. 1, that is to say the assembled configuration in which cylinders 2 can be stored in this device, is generally in the form of a substantially square frame in front view, that is to say seen in the direction F shown in Figure 1 and relative to which the rest of the description is oriented. This framework includes:

on its right side, four identical uprights HA, HB, HC and HD, parallel to each other and spaced apart from their immediate neighbor (s) by a distance d substantially equal to their thickness e_, that is, to their dimension taken along the direction F; the upper ends of these uprights are connected by a transverse rod 101 while their lower end are connected by a transverse rod 102; on its lower side, three horizontal crosspieces 12A, 12B and 12C identical, parallel to each other and identical to the amounts HA to HD; these crosspieces 12A to 12C extend perpendicular to the uprights HA to HD, the right end portions of these cross members being respectively engaged in the free spaces separating the lower ends of the uprights HA and HB, HB and HC, and HC and HD; these straight end portions of the cross members 12A to 12C are connected by the rod 102 while their left end portion are connected by a transverse rod 103;

- On its left side, four uprights 13A to 13D respectively symmetrical uprights HA to HD with respect to a vertical plane passing through the middle of the lower cross members 12A to 12C; the lower end portions of these posts define between them spaces for receiving the left end portions of the cross members 12A to 12C and are connected by the rod 103 while their upper end portion are connected by a transverse rod ; and on its upper side, three horizontal crosspieces 14A to 14C respectively symmetrical of the lower cross members 12A to 12C relative to a horizontal plane passing through the middle of the uprights HA to HD, the left end portions of these upper crosspieces being connected by the rod 104 while their right end portion are connected by the rod 101; these left and right end portions are respectively engaged in the spaces between the amounts 13A to 13D, on the one hand, HA to HD, on the other hand.

The front face 15 of the device 10, which corresponds to the vertical plane passing through the front faces of the uprights HA and 13A, is freely open on the front of the device to allow the free passage of the bottles 2 between the outside and the inside of the device. framework of the device.

The rear face of the device 10 is provided with a bracing bar 16 which extends, along a diagonal, between the lower end of the upright HD and the upper end of the upright 13D. The connection between this bar 16 and the amounts of the device, detailed below, is adapted to stabilize the square shape of the device frame in its deployed configuration of Figures 1, 2 and 3C.

The frame of the device 10 is designed as a deformable parallelogram. FIGS. 3A to 3C show three successive steps making it possible to pass from a substantially flat folded storage and transport configuration of the frame to the deployed configuration allowing storage of the bottles 2. For this purpose, the rods 101, 102, 103 and 104 connecting the uprights and cross members of the device 10 constitute axes of articulation between the uprights, on the one hand, and the sleepers, on the other hand, that these rods connect. For example, the rod 102 allows the articulation of the uprights HA at 11D relative to the cross members 12A to 12C. In addition, the bracing bar 16 is hinged to the rest of the frame, its lower end to Figure 1 being connected by the rod 102 to the HD amount hingeably, as indicated by the arrow 161 in Figure 3A.

In its folded configuration of Figure 3A, the uprights and cross members of the device 10 extend generally in the same plane, in particular horizontal when the device rests on the ground or on a similar surface. In this configuration, the amounts HA to HD and 13A to 13D are essentially nested between the cross members 12A to 12C and 14A to 14C. The rear bar 16 can also be folded substantially in the same plane as the uprights and sleepers. The device 10 is thus in a pre-assembled configuration, in which it occupies little space and can therefore be packaged and easily transported.

By moving the rods 101 and 103 away from each other as shown in FIG. 3B by the arrow F ₁ , the articulated frame of the device is easily and rapidly deformed until the studs extend substantially perpendicular to the cross members, as shown in FIG. 3C, the device 10 being then in its deployed configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2. The rear bar 16 of bracing is also pivotally displaced relative to the post HD so as to extend along a diagonal of the frame. To stabilize the frame in this configuration, the upper end of the bar 16 is provided with a transverse slot 162 provided to catch on a stop rod 17 which protrudes rearwardly from the face rear of the amount 13D, at its upper end. When the device 10 is in its assembled configuration, the bar 16 is tilted so that its slot 162 comes into engagement with the rod 17, which prevents the frame of the device from returning to its folded configuration, except voluntarily disengage beforehand the bar 16 of the rod 17. Advantageously, the rod 17 is constituted by the rear end of the rod 104.

The establishment of the bracing bar 16 is facilitated by providing its attachment to the rod 14 by gravity during deployment of the device from its folded configuration.

In addition, in order to avoid the inadvertent disengagement of the slot 162, a pin 23 for locking the bracing bar 16 can be engaged, as indicated by the arrow F ₂₃ in FIG. 3C, in a hole 13D ₁ of the amount 13D, a neighbor of the rod 17 so that a portion of this pin is sufficiently behind the upright to prevent the pivoting of the bar 16 once the frame is in its deployed configuration.

A through hole 18 is further provided in the running portion of the bar 16 to allow attachment of the deployed frame to a wall against which the device is optionally backed. In this way, although the device rests all its weight on the ground, a screw or the like, introduced from the front of the device both in this hole 18 and in this wall, prevents the tilting of the frame forward . This hole 18 also makes it possible to fix back-to-back two devices, for example the devices 10 and 10 ', by means of a common screw borrowing the two holes 18 of these devices.

As indicated above, the device 10 'is identical to the device 10 and comprises amounts HA' to HD ', cross members 12A' to 12C, amounts 13A 'to 13D', cross members 14A 'to 14D' and a cross bar 16 '. However, when this device 10 'is assembled to the device 10 in order to constitute the storage assembly 1, the position in the space of these uprights and crosspieces is different from that of the uprights and crosspieces of the device 10 to allow the superposition of this device 10 'with respect to the device 10. More precisely, considering that, as shown in solid lines at 1, the device 10 'is assembled to the device 10 at the upper side of this device 10, the lower side of the frame of the device 10' consists of four uprights HA 'to HD' which extend horizontally. Seen from the front, the device 10 'corresponds to the device 10 tilted a quarter of a turn in the opposite direction of clockwise. The left and right sides of the frame of the device 10 'respectively consist of the cross members 14A' to 14C and 12A 'to 12C. The lower ends of these crosspieces can then be engaged between the upper ends of the uprights 13A to 13D, respectively HA to HD, as indicated by the vertical arrows A, B and C in FIG. 1. The amounts HA to HD and the cross members 12A. at 12C then extend in the same vertical plane, as are the posts 13A to 13D and the cross bars 14A 'to IAC.

The engagement of the ends of the crosspieces 12A 'to 12C and 14A' to 14C between the uprights HA to HD and 13A to 13D is carried out without difficulty, the distance d separating these amounts being substantially equal to the thickness e_ 'of the sleepers while that the distance d / separating these sleepers is substantially equal to the thickness e_ uprights. The lower end portions of these sleepers are thus wedged forwards and backwards between the upper end portions of these uprights while the lower end surface of these sleepers 12A 'to 12C and 14A' to IAC bear against the upper surface of the cross members 14A to 14C and that the upper end surfaces of the uprights HA to HD and 13A to 13D form supports for the lower surface of the lower uprights 13A 'to 13D'.

In addition, the front faces 15 and 15 'of these devices are flush with each other when they are reported one on the other.

To firmly secure the devices 10 and 10 'reported on one another, the storage assembly 1 comprises two left rods 20 and right 21 removable locking. The rod 21 is for example introduced, from the front face 15 of the device 10, respectively inside an end hole 11Ai of the amount HA and an end hole 12Ai 'of the cross member 12A', the right end portion of the upright HA 'being shown snatched in Figure 1 for better visibility. These holes extend in the extension of one another when the devices 10 and 10 'are reported on one another.

As a variant, the length of the rods 20 and 21 may be chosen substantially equal to all or part of the depth of the devices 10 and 10 ', each of these rods then passing through holes HA 1 and equivalents formed in the upper part of each of the uprights HA to HD and 13A to 13D and holes 12Ai 'and equivalent formed in the lower part of each of the cross members 12A' to 12C and 14A 'to 14C. For the amount 13D, this drilling advantageously constitutes the drilling 13Dχ indicated in Figure 3C and provided to receive the locking pin 23 of the bracing bar 16; in this case, the pins 20 and 23 are dimensioned in length so as not to interfere with each other.

In Figures 1 and 2, the device 10 '', shown in phantom, is assembled on the left side of the device 10 to illustrate a possibility of lateral assembly between two adjacent devices. The device 10 '' occupies the same position in space as the arrangement 10 '. The straight ends of its uprights 13A '' to 13D '' and HA '' to HD '' respectively receive between them the left ends of the cross members 12A to 12C and 14A to 14C. The front faces 15 and 15 '' are flush with each other. As before, locking pins can be used.

It is understood that the devices 10 'and 10' 'can be simultaneously reported on the device 10. In fact, other similar devices can be reported on these devices so as to constitute a panel of height and width adapted to the dimensions of the partition of the cellar to dress and the number of bottles to store.

In what follows, only devices 10 and 10 'are considered.

In the deployed configuration, the devices 10 and 10 'can store the bottles 2 either loose or staggered. For this purpose, the storage assembly 1 comprises shims 30 and 31 in the form of straight strips that can be attached to the user's choice on the frames of the devices 10 and 10 ', preferably removably. .

More specifically, the wedges 30 are adapted to be attached directly to the inner faces of the lower sides of the devices 10 and 10 'so as to delimit between them, along the corresponding uprights or crosspieces, free spaces for the introduction and the transversal wedging of a bottle. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, shims 30 are attached to the lower cross members 12A to 12C and lower amounts 13A 'to 13D'. The bottles can then be stored in bulk by being stacked directly on top of each other so as to form a pyramid, the lower layer of bottles resting on the bottles. lower cross members 12A to 12C in the device 10 and lower uprights 13A 'to 13D' in the device 10 '.

To bring back the wedges 30, each upright and passes through devices 10 and 10 'is dug several blind holes 32, 32' opening on the inner face of the upright or cross and dimensioned to receive identical pins 33 and 34 which s' protrude from the underside of each shim 30. The holes 32, 32 'are located on the median longitudinal axis of each upright and passes through while, on the one hand, the stud 33 is distant from one of the longitudinal ends the wedge 30 a distance substantially equal to about 3e_ / 2 and, secondly, the pin 34 is spaced from the other longitudinal end of the wedge by a distance equal to about e _^ / 2. In this way, each shim 30 may be attached to the frame of the devices 10 and 10 'so that one of the longitudinal ends of each shim is flush with the front face 15 or 15' of the device. There are thus individual storage locations having the same contours, in particular in the rear zone of these locations where the setting of the bottles is most effective, and it avoids that shims protrude from the front face of the device. , which would imply a risk of accidental attachment of the device in the absence of bottles. In the example shown in Figure 1, the shims 30 of the device 10 are reported so that their pin 33 are facing forward, being introduced (arrow F ₃₃ ) into the holes 32 of the front cross member 12A , with their pin 34 introduced (arrow F ₃₄ ) into the holes 32 of the crossbar 12C, while the wedges 30 of the device 10 'are attached so that their pin 34 are turned towards the front of the device, being introduced (arrow F ₃₄ ') into the holes 32' of the lower lower leg 13A ', with their stud 33 introduced (arrow F ₃₃ ') in the holes 32' of the rear upright 13D '.

The shims 31, used to store the bottles 2 in a staggered manner, are, for their part, permanently attached to shelves 35 each in the form of two identical straight bars 35A and 35B parallel to each other and on which the wedges 31 extend perpendicularly. The length of each shelf is substantially equal to the distance separating the inner faces of two opposite sides of the frame of the devices 10 and 10 '.

Each shelf 35 is removably attached to the frames of the devices 10 and 10 ', the longitudinal ends of the bars 35A and 35B being provided to bear on lugs 36 recessed removably in the holes 32 and 32' of the sleepers and uprights which extend vertically.

The wedges 31 are distributed, according to the length of each shelf 35, so as to delimit between two wedges a free space of the same longitudinal dimension denoted by Δ in FIG. 4, advantageously adapted to lock a bottle 2 resting on the bars of the shelf. The longitudinal dimension Δ 'between each wedge 31 of the left or right end and the corresponding inner face of the frame 10 or 10' is also adapted to block the rolling of a bottle 2 resting on the bars 35A and 35B, with the corresponding inner face of the frame which extends tangentially to the cylindrical body of the bottle, which in practice implies that the value of Δ 'is slightly greater than that of Δ.

It will be noted that when one of the shelves 35 is attached to the frame of the device 10 or 10 ', the shims 31 extend beyond some of the holes 32 or 32 'that should be used to bring shims 30 if it is desired to have the same rolling lock effect illustrated in Figure 4 for the shelves. The other holes

32 or 32 'shown may be used to bring shims 30 or shelves 35 to store bottles of sizes different from that of bottles 2 shown, for example bottles of Champagne whose body has a generally larger diameter.

As for the shims 30, the wedges 31, supported by the shelves 35, are provided so that one of their ends is arranged flush with the front face 15 or 15 'of the devices 10 and 10'. For this purpose, the bars 35A and 35B have a width substantially equal to e_ and are spaced from each other by about 3e_. In addition, the wedges 31 are fixed so that one of their ends is flush with the outer face of the bar 35A while the other end is projecting from a distance of approximately e_ from the outer face of the bar. the bar 35B. In this way, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the shelf 35 of the device 10 is attached in such a way that its bar 35A bears on lugs 36 fixed to the front posts HA and 13A (arrow F _3SA ) while its bar 35B is supported by pins 36 fixed to the uprights HC and 13C (arrow F _35B ). The rack 35 of the device 10 'is in turn brought back so that its bar 35B is attached to the front cross members 12A' and 14A '(arrow F _35B ') while its bar 35A is attached to the cross members 12C and 14C (arrow F _35A ').

The structure of the shelves 35 further makes it possible to store them above or on the free sides of the frames of the devices 10 or 10 'when they are not used inside these devices. In FIG. 1, the bar 35B of the unused rack is for example engaged between the upper amounts HA 'and HB' while the bar 35A is engaged between the amounts HC and HD ', its shims 31 being directed upwards.

The amounts, sleepers, shims and shelves are preferably made of a resistant wood, for example oiled oak.

For example, each amount or crosses has a length of about 70 cm. The frame obtained can thus be internally provided with five shims 30 on the crosspieces 12A to 12C and five shelves 35, each provided with five shims 31 for the purpose of storing in all, inside the frame, 36 bottles of wine of 75 cl. Other dimensional choices are possible with a view, for example, to store, within the frame of the device according to the invention, twenty-five or sixteen bottles respectively arranged in matrices of 5x5 or 4x4 bottles.

Various arrangements and variants to the storage assembly 1 described above are furthermore possible. By way of example, different numbers of four for the uprights and three for the crosspieces of the devices 10 and 10 'are possible as long as the arrangement of these uprights and sleepers makes it possible to nest the uprights and / or the sleepers. a storage device respectively between the crosspieces and / or the uprights of another juxtaposed device. For example, the frame of each device may comprise only two opposite pairs of amounts connected at each of their ends by a pair of sleepers.

Furthermore, to enable the device to be placed on uneven and / or sloping ground, feet, of which an example referenced 40 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be attached to the lower longitudinal ends of the crosspieces and uprights of the devices. according to the invention. The foot 40 comprises a rigid body 41 in the form of a U-shaped cross-section metal section. The spacing between the flanges Al ₁ and 4I ₂ of this profile is dimensioned so that the lower longitudinal ends of the cross-members or the crosspieces the amounts of the device are received between these wings. The depth of the profile 41 is slightly less than the length of the lower end portions of the uprights and crosspieces projecting from the outer faces of the crosspieces and uprights to which they are respectively connected so that, as shown by way of example with the device 10 in Figure 5, when the lower ends of the uprights HA to HD are introduced between the wings Al ₁ and 4I ₂ of the foot 40, the lower faces of these ends bear against the bottom 4I ₃ of the profile and thus transmit to the foot 40 the weight of the device in the assumption that these amounts HA to HD are vertical as in Figures 1 and 2.

The foot 40 is retained in the direction F relative to the device 10 by means of two sockets 42 integral with the bottom 4I ₃ and which extend between the blanks 4I ₁ and 4I ₂ . These bushings 42 have an outer diameter smaller than the distance d between two adjacent posts or two adjacent cross members of the device. In addition, the sleeves 42 are positioned relative to each other so that they can be simultaneously inserted between two adjacent uprights or two adjacent sleepers respectively when the foot 40 is attached to the longitudinal ends of these uprights or sleepers. For this purpose, the distance separating the axes of the sockets 42 shown is approximately 4 times e_. In other words, the foot 40 can be attached both to the lower ends of the uprights HA to HD and 13A to 13D of the device 10 to the lower ends of the cross members 12A '' to 12C 'and 14A''to14C' of the the

10 '' device for the storage assembly 1 of Figures 1 and 2.

In a similar manner to the pins 33 and 34 for the shims 30, the sockets 42 are not located at an equal distance from the corresponding longitudinal end of the foot 40. On the contrary, the sockets are positioned so that only one longitudinal ends of the body 41 is flush with the front face 15, 15 '' of the device 10 or 10 '' when the foot is attached to the device, the other end of the body being recessed towards the front of the rear face of the device.

To rest on the ground, each foot 40 has two support elements 43 each screwed into one of the sleeves 42. Each support element 43 comprises a base 44 in the overall shape of a pyramid, on one side intended to bear on the floor and, on the opposite side, extended by a rod 45 threaded complementary to the threaded internal bore of the associated sleeve 42, this bore passing right through the bottom 4I ₃ of the profiled body 41.

Each support 43 is displaceable by screwing / unscrewing so as to adjust the spacing between the flat ground support surface of the base 44 and the bottom 41 ₃ of the body 41 as a function of the irregularities of the soil on which the device 10 is stored. Each support 43 is so adjusted independently in order to ensure the horizontality of the plane in which extends 4I bottom ₃ of the body 41 and, therefore, the plane in which extends the lower cross members 12A to 12C of the device 10 or the amounts 13A '' to 13D '' of the device 10 ''.

Claims

An individual device (10; 10 '; 10 ") for storing liquid containers (2), especially bottles of wine or alcohol, comprising a frame inside which the containers (2) can be stored, which frame comprises, on a first side, at least one amount (HA to HD; HA 'to HD'; HA "to HD") and, on a second side, at least one cross member (12A to 12C; 12A '; at 12C; 12A "to 12C") which extend substantially perpendicular to each other in the assembled condition of the frame, characterized in that, at the first and second sides of the frame, the amounts (s) and / or traverse (s) (HA to HD and / or 12A to 12C) of the device (10) are adapted for respectively nesting between the sleeper (s) and / or upright (s) (12A 'to 12C and / or or HA 'to HD'; 12A "to 12C" and / or HA "to HD") of the frame of another similar individual storage device (10 '; 10 ") when these two devices are reported to each other; other for forming a modular storage unit (1) .

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame comprises at the same time, at a third side opposite to the first side, one or more amount (s) (13A to 13D; 13A 'to 13D'; 13A "to 13D") substantially symmetrical to the (x) upright (s) (HA to HD; HA 'to HD'; HA '' to HD '') of the first side of the frame relative to a plane substantially perpendicular to the cross-member (s) on the second side, and, at a fourth side opposite the second side, one or more cross-members (14A to 14C; 14A 'to 14C; 14A''to14C') substantially symmetrical to the or the cross member (s) (12A to 12C; 12A 'to 12C; 12A "to 12C") of the second side of the frame relative to a plane substantially perpendicular to the (x) amount (s) of the first side.

3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the or each upright (HA to HD, 13A to 13D, HA 'to HD', 13A 'to 13D', HA "to HD", 13A "to 13D") is substantially equal to the length of the or each cross member (12A to 12C, 14A to 14C; 12A 'to 12C, 14A' to 14C; 12A '' to 12C '', 14A '' to 14C ') .

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is equipped with shims (30, 31) for the stored containers (2), these shims being selected from among first shims (30) reported directly on the or those uprights or crosspieces which extend generally horizontally when using the device (10; 10 '; 10 ") and / or second spacers (31) attached to at least one fixed shelf (35) transversely to those or uprights or sleepers that extend generally vertically when using the device.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that one end of each shim (30, 31) is flush with the end face (15; 15 '; 15 ") of the frame of the device (10; 10'; "), intended to be turned towards the user when using the device.

6. Device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the or each shelf (35) comprises at least one bar (35A, 35B) for supporting the second wedges (31), adapted to interlock between the cross-member (s) and / or the amount (s) of the frame of the device (10; 10 '; 10 ").

7. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that holes (32; 32 ') are formed in the inner faces of the uprights (HA to HD, - 13A to 13D, HA' to HD ', 13A 'to 13D'; HD '', 13A "to 13D '') and cross members (12A to 12C, 14A to 14C; 12A 'to 12C, 14A' to 14C; 12A '' to 12C '', 14A '' to 14C '') and are adapted to indifferently receive nipples (33, 34) attached to the first shims (30) and lugs (36) for supporting the or shelves (35).

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each amount (HA to HD, 13A to 13D, HA 'to HD', 13A 'to 13D', HA "to HD", 13A "to 13D ") or the or each crossmember (12A to 12C, 14A to 14C; 12A 'to 12C, 14A' to 14C; 12A '' to 12C", 14A '' to 14C ") on each side of the frame is respectively hinged to the or each crossmember or the or each upright of the two adjacent sides of the frame so that the frame forms a deformable parallelogram between a folded configuration (Figure 3A) in which each side extends generally in the same plane as its two adjacent sides and an expanded configuration (Fig. 3C) in which each side extends substantially perpendicular to its two adjacent sides.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the frame comprises a bracing bar (16; 16 '; 16 ") adapted to lock the frame in deployed and articulated configuration, at one of its ends, around an axis (102) around which two sides of the frame are hinged relative to each other.

10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least one support foot (40) of the frame on the ground or on a similar surface, this foot being both able to to be reported indifferently to the longitudinal ends of the upright (s) (HA to HD, 13A to 13D, HA 'to HD', 13A 'to 13D', HA 'to HD', 13A '' to 13D '') and the sleeper (s) ( 12A to 12C, 14A to 14C, 12A to 12C, 14A to 14C, 12A to 12C, 14A to 14C) and provided with at least two elements (43) of support on the ground whose position relative to the rest of the foot is adjustable in height.

11. A modular assembly (1) for storing liquid containers (2), especially bottles of wine or alcohol, comprising at least two individual storage devices (10; 10 '; 10' ') which each comprise a frame within which the containers (2) can be arranged, which frame comprises, on a first side, at least one upright (HA to HD; HA 'to HD'; HA "to HD") and, a second side, at least one cross member (12A to 12C; 12A 'to 12C; 12A "to 12C') extending substantially perpendicular to each other in the assembled state of the frame, characterized in that, at the first and second sides of the frame of each device (10; 10 '; 10 "), the amount (s) and / or cross-over (HA to HD and / or 12A to 12C) of a (10; ) devices are adapted for respectively nesting between the crosshead (s) and / or upright (s) (12A 'to 12C and / or HA' to HD '; 12A' 'to 12C' 'and / or HA' 'to HD' ' ") of the frame of the other device (10 '; 10") when these two devices are reported to each other.

12. An assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one of the devices (10; 10 '; 10 ") is according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. Assembly according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the devices (10; 10 '; 10 ") are substantially identical, two devices (10; 10') superimposed on one another or two devices (10; 10 ") juxtaposed next to each other corresponding to a quarter of a turn, seen from the front.

14. An assembly according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the amount (s) and / or crosses (s) of one of the devices (10; 10 '; 10 '') are provided with at least one first bore (HA ₁ ) arranged in the extension of at least one second bore (12Ai ') made in the crossbeams (s) and / or upright (s) of the other device when these two devices are assembled to one another, these first and second holes being adapted to receive together a pin (20, 21) locking devices to one another.

15. An assembly according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the end faces (15; 15 '; 15' ') of the two devices (10; 10'; 10 '') are flush with each other. on the other when these devices are reported to each other.