WO2011061560A1

WO2011061560A1 - Removable covering elements

Info

Publication number: WO2011061560A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/055165
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giancarlo Berti
Original assignee: Berti Pavimenti Legno Snc
Priority date: 2009-11-19
Filing date: 2009-11-19
Publication date: 2011-05-26

Abstract

The invention is a new removable covering for inner walls, comprising at least one upright (M) having at least one wall parallel to its length and provided with equidistant modular holes (M1) aligned parallel to the length of said upright (M), at least one covering panel (P) having on its larger non visible surface one or more elements (S) suitable for connection to said uprights (M), and wherein each one of said connection elements (S) comprises at least one plane portion (S2) suited to rest on and to be connected to the surface of the covering panel (P), and a coupling projection (S1) substantially inclined with respect to said resting surface (S2), at least one fixing element (C) having at least one larger rectilinear portion suited to be housed in any one of the holes (M1) of said uprights (M) and to constrain the coupling projection (S1) of each connection element (S).

Description

TITLE

REMOVABLE COVERING ELEMENTS DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns wall coverings and in particular it concerns covering elements for inner walls.

Various types of coverings for inner walls are known: wallpaper and film, plasterboard panels, wooden slats.

Wallpaper and film coverings have only aesthetical purposes, they don't have any functional utility and when they are removed the underlying wall must be restored. Plasterboard panels are generally used to cover sound and heat insulating panels applied to existing walls.

Coverings consisting of plasterboard panels require fixing elements and the related tools, typically screws and nails with hammer and screwdriver, their visible surface must be finished with putty and painted, and furthermore they cannot be removed or repositioned.

Coverings consisting of wooden slats require fixing elements and the related tools, typically hammer and nails, and are not easy to remove or reposition.

If it is necessary to carry out maintenance operations or to lay new pipes, electric cables or other elements between the wall and the visible covering, the latter must be removed, which in most cases means damaging it, with the consequent need to apply a new covering or in any case to repair or restore the original covering.

To remedy all the above drawbacks a new type of removable covering element for inner walls has been designed and carried out.

One object of the invention is to provide a covering that can be removed and repositioned with no need to use tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a covering that does not require any surface finishing once it has been installed. A further object of the invention is to provide a covering that allows one or more of its portions to be replaced with no need to use tools.

Another object of the invention is to develop a covering that allows one or more of its portions to be replaced without the use of tools following modifications to the underlying systems.

These and other direct and complementary objects are achieved by the new removable covering elements for inner walls comprising one or more vertical uprights provided with modular holes, at least one covering panel with connection elements, at least one fixing element.

Each upright is constituted by a preferably C- or L-shaped section, the two opposite sides of which are provided with holes suitably distributed along its length.

In particular, said holes are equally spaced from one another in a modular way.

The whole or part of the length of said C-shaped or L-shaped section can be provided with two or more series of holes arranged on two or more rows parallel to each other and to the longitudinal side of the section itself.

Two or more elastic and flexible elements are applied to one or more surfaces or edges of each upright facing towards the covering panels.

Each covering panel preferably consists of plywood covered by a thin wood layer or by a plastic sheet.

Said covering panel is substantially rectangular in shape, so that it can be applied to said uprights with the two larger surfaces in vertical position and the long side preferably arranged in horizontal position.

The upper and lower long edges of each covering panel are preferably shaped as a mortise and tenon joint: the lower edge is provided with a groove cut in the thickness of the panel, said groove being parallel to the edge itself, while the upper edge is provided with a projection that is complementary to said groove, so that when the two panels are superimposed each of them constrains the other and prevents it from moving in the direction orthogonal to the larger surface of the panels.

According to an equivalent solution, the lower edge can be provided with a projection and the upper edge with the corresponding groove.

In the same way, the vertical short edges of each panel can be shaped as a mortise and tenon joint: one vertical short edge is provided with a groove cut in the thickness of the panel, said groove being parallel to the edge itself, while the other short vertical edge is provided with a projection complementary to said groove.

One or more connection elements are fixed to the larger non-visible surface of each panel. Said connection elements can be fixed in proximity to or at the level of the angles of a long side of the covering panel, or to one or more points in proximity to the upper edge of said panel.

Each connection element comprises at least one plane portion suited to rest on and be fixed to the inner surface of the covering panel and a coupling projection that is substantially orthogonal to or in any case inclined with respect to said rest portion.

Said coupling projection should preferably consist of a wall provided with one or more holes.

Each fixing element comprises a metal pin in the shape of an L or in any case having a larger rectilinear portion and a stop portion inclined and/or in any case shaped with respect to said larger rectilinear portion.

Said fixing element, and in particular its larger rectilinear portion, has a section whose shape and size are such as to allow it to be inserted in each coupling projection of each connection element and in any hole of each upright.

The new removable covering is simple and quick to install.

Two or more uprights are arranged vertically before the wall to be covered, at a suitable, preferably modular distance.

Each covering panel is positioned with its short edges arranged vertically, so that the coupling projection of each one of its connection elements is to the side of an upright or, in the case of a C-shaped upright, is housed between the sides of said C-shaped cross section.

The lower covering panel rests directly on the floor or on a section serving as base/skirting fixed to said uprights and/or to the floor.

Each successive upper covering panel is placed on the previous lower panel, or on two previous lower panels, so that the lower edge with groove of the successive upper panel rests against and is coupled with the projection of the upper edge of one or preferably two lower covering panels.

Each covering panel is fixed to one or more uprights by simply inserting said fixing element that passes through the coupling projection of the connection element and a hole in the upright that is aligned with it.

In this way, the upper part of each panel is fixed to the uprights, while the lower edge of the same panel is constrained by the upper projection of the lower covering panel/panels or by the section serving as base/skirting.

Each covering panel, furthermore, is held by the mortise and tenon joint created by its short side edges with the short side edges of the adjacent panels.

The elastic and flexible elements applied to the uprights are pressed between the uprights and the covering panels fixed to said uprights. In this way, any oscillation of the covering panels with respect to said uprights are opposed and dampened by said elastic and flexible elements.

The entire wall is thus covered using several equidistant uprights to which several covering panels are applied, said panels being arranged in vertical strips positioned side by side or with the panels of each horizontal strip offset with respect to the panels of the upper and lower horizontal strips.

The space included between the existing wall and the panels of the new covering may house electric cables, telephone cables, data cables, television cables or any other type of cable, free or in apposite raceways. Presumably, to apply a telephone, TV or other type of outlet, a suitable hole is made in the panel where said outlet or outlets will be positioned, and an adaptor consisting of a protective shunt box is applied to said hole in the panel. A conventional cover completes the installation.

If it is necessary to replace a panel because it has been damaged or simply to eliminate or move an outlet, it is sufficient to withdraw the fixing elements of the panels above the panel to be removed and the panel itself, install the new replacement panel and put back the upper panels that have been removed, fixing them with the fixing elements previously withdrawn.

The space included between the existing wall and the panels of the new covering can be filled with heat and/or sound insulating material, in the form of panels, granular material or another type of material.

The characteristics of the new invention will be highlighted in greater detail in the following description with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided as non-restrictive examples.

Figure 1 shows a vertical cross section and Figure 2 shows a horizontal cross section of the new removable covering for inner walls.

The new removable covering for inner walls comprises vertical uprights (M) with modular holes (Ml), covering panels (P) with connection elements (S) and fixing elements (C).

Each upright (M) is constituted by a preferably C- or L-shaped section, the two opposite sides of which are provided with holes (Ml) distributed along its length.

Said holes (Ml) are equally spaced from each other in a modular way.

In this example of embodiment the upright (M) is provided with other holes (M2), equidistant from one another and distributed along the length of the upright (M), suited to allow electric cables, corrugated pipes for electric cables, and hydraulic pipes to pass from one side of each upright (M) to the other. Each covering panel (P) is substantially rectangular in shape, so that it can be applied to said uprights (M) with the two larger surfaces in vertical position and the long side preferably arranged in horizontal position.

The upper and lower long edges of each covering panel (P) are preferably shaped as a mortise and tenon joint: the lower edge is provided with a groove (P2) cut in the thickness of the panel (P), said groove (P2) being parallel to the edge itself, while the upper edge is provided with a projection (PI) that is complementary to said groove (P2), so that when the two panels (P) are superimposed each one of them constrains the other and prevents it from moving in the direction orthogonal to the larger surface of the panels (P).

The side short edges of each covering panel (P) are preferably shaped as a mortise and tenon joint: one vertical short edge is provided with a groove (P4) cut in the thickness of the panel (P), said groove being parallel to the edge itself, while the other short vertical edge is provided with a projection (P3) complementary to said groove (P4).

Two or more connection elements (S) are fixed to the larger, non visible surface of each panel (P), preferably in proximity to or at the level of the angles of a long side of the covering panel (P).

Each connection element (S) comprises at least one plane portion (S2) suited to rest on and to be connected to the surface of the covering panel (P) and a second plane coupling projection (SI) orthogonal to said plane resting surface (S2). Said coupling projection

(SI) is provided with one or more holes.

Each fixing element (C) consists of an L-shaped metal pin.

Said fixing element (C) is such that it can be inserted in each one of the holes of the coupling projection (SI) of each connection element (S) and in each hole (Ml) of each upright (M). Each covering panel (P) is positioned with its short edges oriented vertically and so that at least one of its connection elements (S) is positioned beside or at the level of an upright (M). This arrangement means that the projection (SI) of each connection element (S) is included between the sides of the C-shaped cross section of the upright (M).

Each covering panel (Ρ', P") is placed on the panel (P, P') below it, so that the edge with groove (P2) of the upper panel (Ρ', P") rests on and is coupled with the projection (PI) of the upper edge of the lower covering panel (P, P').

One or more elastic and flexible elements (G) is/are applied to one or more surfaces or edges of each upright (M) facing towards the covering panels (P). Said elastic and flexible elements (G) are pressed between the uprights (M) and the covering panels (P) fixed to said uprights (M), in such a way as to oppose and dampen any oscillation of the covering panels (P).

Figure 3 shows how the new removable covering can be used to make a simple partition, using two series of uprights (Ma, Mb) positioned side by side and opposing each other, to which two series of panels (Pa, Pb), making up the two opposing visible surfaces of the partition, are fixed.

These are the schematic characteristics that are sufficient to carry out the invention for a person skilled in the art, consequently upon construction changes may be made that do not affect the substance of the innovative concept disclosed herein.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawing, the following claims are expressed.

Claims

1. Removable covering for inner walls, characterized in that it comprises:

• at least one upright (M) having at least one wall extending over its length and provided with equidistant modular holes (Ml) aligned so that they are parallel to the length of said upright (M);

• at least one covering panel (P) having on its larger non visible surface one or more elements (S) suitable for connection to said uprights (M), and wherein each connection element (S) comprises at least one plane portion (S2) suited to rest on and to be connected to the surface of the covering panel (P), and a coupling projection (SI) substantially inclined with respect to said resting surface (S2);

• at least one fixing element (C) having at least one rectilinear larger portion suited to be housed in any one of the holes (Ml) of said uprights (M) and to constrain the coupling projection (SI) of each connection element (S).

2. Removable covering according to claim 1, characterized in that said uprights have a preferably C-shaped cross section, and wherein on the two opposite sides of said

C shape there are two or more series of holes (Ml, M2) arranged on two or more rows parallel to one another and to the length of the upright (M) itself.

3. Removable covering according to claim 1, characterized in that each connection element (S) of said panels (P) comprises at least one plane portion (S2) suited to rest on and to be connected to the surface of the covering panel (P) and a coupling projection (SI) substantially inclined with respect to said plane portion (S2), and wherein said coupling projection (SI) consists of a wall with a hole suited to allow the passage of said fixing element (C).

4. Removable covering according to claim 1, characterized in that each fixing element (C) consists of a metal pin in the shape of an L, or in any case having a larger rectilinear portion and a stop surface inclined and/or in any case shaped with respect to said larger rectilinear portion, and wherein said larger rectilinear portion is suited to be housed in any one of the holes (Ml) of said uprights (M) and to constrain the coupling projection (SI) of each connection element (S).

5. Removable covering according to claim 1 , characterized in that each covering panel (P) is provided with a groove (P2) on one long edge (P2) and with a projection (PI) on the other opposite long edge, said projection (PI) being complementary to said groove (P2), and wherein said groove (P2) and said projection (PI) are complementary and can be coupled to each other.

6. Removable covering according to claim 1 , characterized in that each covering panel (P) is provided with a groove (P4) on one short edge and with a projection (P3) on the other opposite short edge, said projection (P3) being complementary to said groove (P4), and wherein said groove (P4) and said projection (P3) are complementary and can be coupled to each other.

7. Removable covering according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more elastic and flexible elements (G) applied to one or more surfaces or edges of each upright (M) facing towards the covering panels (P), and wherein said elastic and flexible elements (G) are pressed between said uprights (M) and said covering panels (P) fixed to said uprights (M) in such a way as to oppose and dampen any oscillation of said covering panels (P).