EP2050366A1

EP2050366A1 - Guiding device for display panels

Info

Publication number: EP2050366A1
Application number: EP08380290A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Salvador Llorens Miravet
Original assignee: Insca Internacional SL
Current assignee: Insca Internacional SL
Priority date: 2007-10-18
Filing date: 2008-10-13
Publication date: 2009-04-22
Also published as: ES1066327U; ES1066327Y

Abstract

It comprises a plurality of display panels (8) vertically arranged on a floor (11) from which said panels (8) are extracted and withdrawn byguided sliding means. For each panel (8) said guided sliding means consist of a "U"-shaped profile (1) fixed to the floor (11) and a mobile inverted-"U" profile (2) integral with the lower edge of the panel (8), in such a way that two outer wheels (3) of the rear end of the inverted-"U" profile (2) rest and can roll on the free ends of the lateral arms of the "U" of the "U"-shaped profile (1), while one or more inner wheels (6) of the front end of the inverted-"U" profile (2) rest and can roll on said floor (11); there existing damping and buffer means (4, 13) for the end positions of extraction and withdrawal of the panel (8).

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

As stated In the title of this descriptive specification, the present invention refers to a guiding device for display panels, the essential aim of which is to facilitate an extraction and withdrawal with great smoothness and reliability for the display panels arranged vertically, in parallel and on a base for the display of various objects, providing certain means of sliding and guiding of great effectiveness and resistance, along with damping means in order to soften the ends of the travel or situations of maximum opening and maximum closure of the panel.

PRIOR ART OF THE INVENTION

Display panels which are arranged in the vertical position and in parallel on a base and which can be extracted and withdrawn by means of sliding or guiding are known. Conventionally, these means usually consist of some guides and runners defining the sliding of the panels similar to that of sliding doors, creating drawbacks relating to the lack of smoothness In the sliding, ease getting dirty of the sliding and guiding means and a brusqueness in the end positions of extraction and withdrawal of the panel.
We are not aware in the current state of the art of any guiding device for display panels that are provided with profiles and wheels arranged as in the present invention, nor with the means of damping accompanying it.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks stated above, the invention consists of a guiding device for display panels arranged vertically on a floor from which said panels are extracted and withdrawn with guided sliding means.
As a novelty, according to the invention, said means of guided sliding for each panel consist of a "U"-shaped profile fixed to the floor and a mobile Inverted-"U" profile integral with the lower edge of the panel; in such a way that the two outer wheels of the rear end of the inverted-"U" profile rest and can roll on the free ends of the lateral arms of the "U" of the "U"-shaped profile, while one or more inner wheels of the front end of the inverted-"U" profile rest and can roll on the said floor; there existing damping and buffer means for the end positions of extraction and withdrawal of the panel.
Those two outer wheels and the front inner wheels make it possible to have great equilibrium of the panel with respect to its centre of gravity, permitting an easier extraction and being an ideal solution for large size panels.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said damping and buffer means consist of a damper whose main body is fixed to the inside of the front zone of the "U"-shaped profile on its central part, presenting a mobile damping rod provided with a buffer element in the form of a vertical projection and one or more rollers with a vertical axis of rotation which interact with the inner walls of the side arms of the "U" of the inverted-"U" profile, smoothing its sliding and preventing the panel from moving from side to side; in such a way that in the arrangement for the withdrawal of the panel a flat piece on the inside the inverted-"U" profile pushes on one end of the damper rod until the rear part of the inverted-"U" profile corresponding to the axis of the outer wheels makes contact with a rubber buffer located in the manner of a vertical rod in the rear zone of the "U"-shaped profile, thereby determining the withdrawal buffer; while in the arrangement for extraction of the panel an axis of the said outer wheels makes contact with the buffer element, pulling on the rod and producing its sliding in the opposite direction to the thrust referred to above, until said rod arrives at the end of that sliding, thereby determining the extraction buffer.
According to the preferred embodiment of the Invention, in the upper part of the panels and transversely to them, a profile with lower projections acting as a buffer with the upper edges of the panels can be provided with the aim of preventing them from jolting as they slide.
Moreover, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the "U"-shaped profiles include some front notches that provide housing for the said inner wheels In the position of maximum withdrawal of the panels.
With the structure that has been described, the guiding device for display panels of the present invention presents advantages such as the fact that it facilitates a very smooth and fluid sliding of the panels, providing damping at the end positions which makes the panel more efficient, safer and convenient to use. Also, the means used present great resistance and durability, being virtually Impossible for them to suffer from defective functioning as a result of dirt entering the sliding means.
Below, in order to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive specification and forming an integral part thereof, some figures are attached in which the object of the invention has been represented by way of illustration and non-limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 .- Represents a perspective view of some display panels using a guiding device for display panels according to the present invention with the nearest panel being in its position of maximum extraction.
Figure 2 .- Represents a profile view of figure 1 referred to above In the position of maximum extraction, with a section having been made therein so that some details of the guided sliding means of the said device can be seen.
Figure 3 .- Is a profile view similar to that of the previous figure 2 but with the nearest panel in its position of maximum withdrawal, also being sectioned so that the arrangement of the guided damping means can be seen in detail.
Figure 4 .- Is an enlarged view of the detail referred to in the above figure 2 showing with greater precision and clarity the said sliding and damping means when the panel is in its position of maximum extraction.
Figure 5 .- Is an enlarged view of the detail referred to in the above figure 3 showing the sliding and damping means when the panel is in Its position of maximum withdrawal.
Figure 6 .- Is a perspective view of the device of the above figures, partially showing the panel and the sliding and damping means when that panel is in its position of maximum extraction.
Figure 7 .- Is a perspective view, partial and sectioned, of the panel of the previous figure 6 when it is in its position of maximum withdrawal.
Figure 8 .- Represents a perspective rear view, Internal and partial, of the device of the above figures.
Figure 9 .- Represents a perspective upper partial view of the device of the above figures.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A description is now going to be made of an example of the invention making reference to the numbering adopted in the figures.
So, the guiding device for display panels of the present example is applied to a plurality of display panels 8 like those shown in figure 1, where just two panels are shown for greater clarity, but which in general will be able to be an arrangement of any number of panels that are extended in parallel and perpendicularly with respect to a support base 11.
Each panel 8 has some guided sliding means in an individually manner and with application in its lower part as shown in figures 1 to 3.
Those means include a "U"-shaped profile 1 which is fixed to the floor 11 and a mobile inverted-"U" profile 2 which is integral with the lower edge of the panel 8.
The rear end of the inverted-"U" profile 2 includes a pair of outer wheels 3 which rest and can roll on the free ends of the lateral arms of the "U" of the "U"-shaped profile 1, as can be seen particularly well in figure 6.
Moreover, the front end of the inverted-"U" profile 2 has one or more inner wheels 6 which rest and can roll on the said floor 11, as can be seen particularly well in figure 7.
So, the outer wheels 3 and the inner wheels 6 provide a very smooth and fluid rolling of the panel 8 both in its extraction and in its withdrawing. By means of the outer wheels 3 and the inner wheels 6 considerable equilibrium is possible for the panels 8, this arrangement being highly suitable for large size panels.
For the positions of maximum extraction and withdrawal of the panels 8 some damping and buffer means have been provided which, in the present embodiment, consist of a damper 4 whose main body is fixed to the inside of the front zone of the "U"-shaped profile 1, on its central part, as shown in figure 6.
Said damper 4 includes a mobile damping rod 10 fitted with a buffer element 9 having the shape of a vertical projection, furthermore presenting some rollers 7 with a vertical axis of rotation which interact with the inner walls of the side arms of the "U" of the inverted-"U" profile 2 in order to smooth its sliding and prevent it from moving from side to side, this buffer element 9 and roller 7 being particularly well shown in figures 4 and 5.
When the panel 8 approaches its position of maximum withdrawal, a flat piece 12 on the inside of the inverted-"U" profile 2 pushes on one end of the rod 10 of the damper 4 until the rear part of the inverted-"U" profile 2 corresponding to the axis of the outer wheels 3 makes contact with a rubber buffer 13 located as a vertical rod in the rear zone of the "U"-shaped profile 1, as shown in figures 5, 7 and 8, thereby determining the withdrawal buffer.
On the other hand, as the panel 8 approaches its position of maximum extraction an axis 5 of the outer wheels 3 makes contact with the buffer element 9. pulling on the rod 10 and producing its sliding in the opposite direction to the thrust referred to above, until said rod 10 arrives at the end of its sliding, as shown in figures 4 and 6, which determines the extraction buffer for the panel 8.

Claims

GUIDING DEVICE FOR DISPLAY PANELS, which comprises a plurality of display panels (8) vertically arranged on a floor (11) from which said panels (8) are extracted and withdrawn by guided sliding means; characterised in that for each panel (8) said guided sliding means consist of a "U"-shaped profile (1) fixed to the floor (11) and a mobile inverted-"U" profile (2) integral with the lower edge of the panel (8), in such a way that two outer wheels (3) of the rear end of the inverted-"U" profile (2) rest and roll on the free ends of the lateral arms of the "U" of the "U"-shaped profile (1), while one or more inner wheels (6) of the front end of the Inverted-"U" profile (2) rest and roll on the said floor (11); there existing damping and buffer means (4, 13) for the end positions of extraction and withdrawal of the panel (8).
GUIDING DEVICE FOR DISPLAY PANELS, according to claim 1, characterised in that said damping and buffer means consist of a damper (4) whose main body is fixed to the Inside of the front zone of the "U"-shaped profile (1) on its central part, presenting a mobile damping rod (10) provided with a buffer element (9) In the form of a vertical projection and one or more rollers (7) with vertical axis of rotation which interact with the inner walls of the side arms of the "U" of the inverted-"U" profile (2), softening its sliding; In such a way that in the arrangement for the withdrawal of the panel (8) a flat piece (12) on the inside the inverted-"U" profile (2) pushes on some ends of the rod (10) of the damper (4) until the rear part of the inverted-"U" profile (2) corresponding to the axis of the outer wheels (3) makes contact with a rubber buffer (13) located as a vertical rod in the rear zone of the "U"-shaped profile (1), thereby determining the withdrawal buffer; while in the arrangement for extraction of the panel (8) an axis (5) of said outer wheels (3) makes contact with the buffer element (9), pulling on the rod (10) and producing its sliding In the opposite direction to the thrust referred to above, until said rod (10) arrives at the end of that sliding, thereby determining the extraction buffer.
GUIDING DEVICE FOR DISPLAY PANELS, according to claim 1, characterised in that in the upper part of the panels (8) and transversely to them, a profile is provided with lower projections (14) which act as a buffer with the upper edges of the panels (8) with the aim of preventing them from jolting as they slide.
GUIDING DEVICE FOR DISPLAY PANELS, according to claim 1, characterised in that the "U"-shaped profiles (1) include some front notches (15) which provide housing for the inner wheels (6) in the position of maximum withdrawal of the panels (8).