GB2186185A

GB2186185A - Display cases

Info

Publication number: GB2186185A
Application number: GB08603478A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alistair Baxter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-02-12
Filing date: 1986-02-12
Publication date: 1987-08-12
Also published as: GB8603478D0

Abstract

A display case, assembled from a kit, has walls formed by four glass, or transparent-plastics, panels 1 to 4 that for their retention and upright support are gripped resiliently at their edges 13, 14 and 11, 12 within 2 circumferential slotting 7 of top and bottom rectangular frames 5 and 6 of wood or moulded plastics. Openings in the top and bottom frames 5 and 6 are covered by glass panels 8 and 9, the top panel 8 resting within the top frame 5 on an internal circumferential shoulder (10, Fig. 4) so as to be readily lifted up to allow entry of one or more display items into the case. The display items are supported within the case (possibly as standing on a plinth) on the bottom panel 9 which, as resting over the opening in the bottom frame 6, may have a painted bottom face to enhance the visual effect of the display. Display items, or parts thereof, may be supported from rods that are retained beneath the top panel 8 within grooves 15 in the internal shoulder (10) of the top frame 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display cases This invention relates to display cases.

The invention is especially concerned with display cases for use in displaying delicate or valuable collection items. More especially, the invention is concerned with display cases for use in displaying models.

An object of the present invention is to provide a form of display case that is simple in construction and can be readily supplied as a kit of parts for assembly by the user.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a display case having walls that extend between top and bottom frame-members of the case, wherein the walls are individual panels, and the panels each slot into both the top and the bottom frame-members for support and retention of the panels as walls of the case.

According to another aspect of the present invention a display case comprises four wall-panels at least one of which is transparent, and two rectangular frames to provide respectively at the top and bottom of the case, retention and support of the panels as walls of the case, each frame having slotting along its four sides to receive edges of the four panels respectively, and for gripping resiliently the received edges within the slotting such that the panels are thereby retained and supported between the two frames.

The frames may be open frames, and in these circumstances additional panels may be provided to cover the openings of the top and bottom frames so to serve as top and base respectively, of the display case. The top panel may in this respect merely rest on an internal shoulder of the top frame.

A display case, and the method of its assembly, in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled display case; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the display case, illustrating components of the case and their relationship to one another in the assembled display case; Figures 3 and 4 are plan views from above and below respectively of one of two identical frames of the display case; Figure 5 is a section taken on V-V of Fig. 3; and Figures 6 and 7 are part end-elevations taken in the directions of arrows VI and VII respectively, of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the assembled display case has walls that are formed by four glass panels 1 to 4 that extend between top and bottom frames 5 and 6. The frames 5 and 6, which are each of an open rectangular construction having circumferential slotting 7, are identical to one another, but in the assembly the frame 6 is presented inverted with respect to the frame 5.

A glass panel 8 is retained within the opening of the frame 5 to provide a top to the case, and a glass panel 9 is retained over the opening of the frame 6 to provide a base. The top panel 8, which merely rests on an internal circumferential shoulder 10 of the frame 5, can be lifted up out of the frame 5 to allow entry into the case of a model or other item that is to be displayed.

The panels 1 to 4 are supported and retained as the walls of the case simply by the two frames 5 and 6, no pillars between the frames 5 and 6, or other fixing being required in this respect. More especially, the panels 1 to 4 are retained by engagement of each panel 1 to 4 in the slotting 7 of both frames 5 and 6.

Referring now also to Fig. 5, the four sides of each frame 5 and 6 are throughout their lengths, each of a generally rectangular cross-section that is recessed to provide the slotting 7 and shoulder 10 running the length of that side. The shoulder 10 is provided in both frames 5 and 6, but it is only in the top frame 5 that it is utilised, to support the top panel 8.

In assembling the display case from the component parts identified, the bottom frame 6 is first laid flat with the slotting 7 uppermost. Lower edges 11 of the front and back panels 1 and 2 are then inserted in the slotting 7 along the front and back of the frame 6, and this is followed by insertion of lower edges 12 of the end panels 3 and 4 in the slotting 7 of the two ends. The base panel 9 is now inserted into the space between the upstanding panels 1 to 4 to lie flat on the top of the frame 6 and provide the base of the case.Following this, the top frame 5 is presented to the upstanding panels 1 to 4, with its slotting 7 downwards, firstly to enter the upper edge 13 of the back panel 2 in the grooving 7, and then, by easing the frame 5 forwards to bring the grooving 7 down onto the upper edges 14 of the end panels 3 and 4, finally to enter the upper edge 13 of the front panel 1 into the grooving 7. Once the edges 13 and 14 are properly entered in the slotting 7 around the whole circumference of the frame 5, downward pressure is applied evenly over the whole frame 5 to complete entry and ensure that the panels 1 to 4 are each engaged fully in the slotting 7 of both frames 5 and 6.The engagement is tight so that the resilience of the frame material, which may be wood (for example luan) or moulded plastics, and the depth of such engagement, are in themselves sufficient to support the panels 1 to 4 and to retain them resiliently to the frames 5 and 6. In order to complete the assembly the top panel 8 is now laid down onto the shoulder 10 within the top frame 5, so as to close the display case.

Access to the interior of the display case for insertion, or withdrawal, of the model or other item to be displayed, can be readily achieved, simply by lifting the top panel 8 with the help of adhesive tape or other material.

The model or other display item may stand on the base panel 9 or may be suspended within the case. In the latter respect, grooves 15 (Fig. 4) are provided in the shoulder 10 of each frame 5 and 6, and these in the top frame 5 enable one or more rods (not shown) to be positioned across the opening of the frame 5. The display item may be suspended by thin ties from such rods, so that, for example where a model flying aircraft is involved, this may be suspended wholly clear of the base panel 9, or where, for example a model motorcycle is involved, the ties may be used in supporting the model upright on the panel 9. The ties may nonetheless also be used to support just one or more parts of the display item rather than the whole; for example, ties may be used to hold open the boot and bonnetdf a model car that stands on the base 9.Placing of the top panel 8 on the shoulder 10 within the top frame 5, and over the one or more rods in the grooves 15, ensures that the rods are adequately retained in place.

In view of the simplicity of its construction, the display case may be readily supplied as a kit of parts for assembly by the user. Such kit may comprise simply the four glass panels 1 to 4, the two frames 5 and 6, and the two glass panels 8 and 9. One or more of the panels 1 to 4 and 8 and which as an alternative to glass, may be of a transparent plastics material (such as one of those sold under the Registered Trade Mark Perspex)-may be coloured to enhance the visual effect of the display item within the case. More particularly, the base panel 9 may be supplied with its bottom face painted, for example black, white or blue.The other panels with the exception, generally, of the front panel 1, may also be painted to provide an desired visual effect; indeed the back panel 2, and possibly also the end panels 8 and 9, may be replaced by coloured and/or decorated panels of opaque material, to the same end.

A rectangular solid block of wood or other material may accompany the display case for use in providing a plinth to stand on the base panel 9 within the case. Such a plinth may be used to facilitate the display of two or more items at different levels within the display case. A name easel, in the form, for example, of a block of wood of triangular cross-section, may be provided to stand on the base 9 and display details of the item or items on display.

The display case may be mounted on a wall using a simple bracket, but more generally, may stand freely on any flat surface. Furthermore a plurality of display cases of the same form may be stacked one upon another. In this latter connection, and in order to ensure correct registration of the cases with one another in a stack, each frame 5 and 6 has four sets of a boss 16 and adjoining groove 17, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. The two sets of boss 16 and groove 17 at one end of the respective frame 5 or 6, are reversed as compared with the two sets at the other end.

With this reversal, the display case can be readily fitted on, and restrained in register with, another such case, the four bosses 1 6 of the frame 6 of the upper case engaging in the four grooves 17 of the frame 5 of the lower case, and the four bosses 16 of this frame 5 engaging in the four grooves 17 of the frame 16. The bosses 16 of the bottom frame 6 of the lowermost case act as feet for the case.

In one practical realisation of the display case described above, the dimensions of the glass panels are as follows: panels 1 and 2 254 mm x 1 50mm x 2 mm panels 3 and 4 150 mm x 150mmx2 mm panels 8 and 9 250 mmx 150mmx2 mm

Claims

1. A display case having walls that extend between top and bottom frame-members of the case, wherein the walls are individual panels, and the panels each slot into both the top and the bottom frame-members for support and retention of the panels as walls of the case.

2. A display case according to Claim 1 wherein the top frame-member is an open frame having circumferential slotting for receiving and retaining edges of the wall panels.

3. A display case comprising four wall-panels at least one of which is transparent, and two rectangular frames to provide respectively at the top and bottom of the case, retention and support of the panels as walls of the case, each frame having slotting along its four sides to receive edges of the four panels respectively, and for gripping resiliently the received edges within the slotting such that the panels are thereby retained and supported between the two frames.

4. A display case according to Claim 3 wherein the frames are open frames, and additional panels are provided to cover the openings of the top and bottom frames so to serve as top and base respectively, of the display case.

5. A display case according to Claim 4 wherein the top panel rests on an internal shoulder of the top frame.

6. A display case according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the frames are of wood.

7. A display case according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the frames are of moulded plastics.

8. A display case according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of the panels forming said walls, are of glass.

9. A display case according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of the panels forming said walls, are of a plastics material.

10. A display case substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A kit for assembly into a display case according to any one of the preceding claims, said kit comprising four wall-panels, and two members to provide top and bottom frames of the case, each of the frame-members being slotted to receive edges of the respective panels during assembly of the case and for gripping resiliently the received edges in retaining the panels supported between the two frames as walls of the assembled case.