Exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles

Abstract

 An exhibitor (1) for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles, comprises a panel (2), provided with a face (3) with which one or more manufactured articles to be displayed are associated, and a stack of sheets (6) bearing informational data related to the manufactured articles and associated with the panel by interposing means (7) for articulation between a first configuration, in which the sheets substantially face, and are adjacent to, the manufactured articles, and a second configuration, in which the sheets are spaced from the manufactured articles.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles.

[0002] In industrial sectors dedicated to the manufacture of panels, tesseras or the like for cladding walls and floors by using ceramic material or wood, the products on sale are sampled and collected within appropriately provided exhibitors so that they can be offered easily to the viewing of retailers, civil engineers, architects and/or the end customer.

[0003] Two different types of exhibitor for these products are known: fixed ones, in which the manufactured articles are mounted on large panels, generally of the wall-mounted type and usually placed in showrooms and shops for direct sale to the public; and portable ones, in which the products, often in the form of sample tiles, are collected on one or more smaller panels made of cardboard, wood, plywood or the like, optionally pivoted together so that they can be leafed through like a book and used in particular to promote the manufactured articles to retailers, civil engineers and architects.

[0004] Usually, these portable exhibitors are proposed for viewing to the interested parties together with paper catalogs that collect the technical and commercial information related to the products, such as for example data regarding origin, composition, format, mechanical strength, frost resistance, and many others.

[0005] These catalogs are generally separate from the actual exhibitors, but in the case of book-like hinged exhibitors they may also be inserted between one panel and the other.

[0006] Portable exhibitors of the traditional type are not free from drawbacks, including the fact that visual assessment of the manufactured articles mounted on the panels and simultaneous inspection of the paper catalogs is not always practical and easy.

[0007] Moreover, in many traditional exhibitors the manufactured articles are spaced from the edges of the panels and this in practice hinders inconveniently their arrangement next to products gathered on other similar exhibitors, therefore limiting the possibility to evaluate any aesthetic combinations among the displayed manufactured articles.

[0008] The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the background art, by providing an exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles, that allows to collect many product samples, facilitating not only their viewing but also the inspection of the technical and informational data related to them.

[0009] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to allow simply and practically to compare the displayed manufactured articles with other similar products.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide an exhibitor having a structure which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and low-cost.

[0011] This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles, characterized in that it comprises at least one panel, with one face of which it is possible to associate at least one manufactured article to be displayed, and at least one sheet, which bears informational data related to the manufactured article and is associated with said panel by interposing means for articulation between a first configuration, in which said sheet substantially faces, and is adjacent to, said manufactured article, and a second configuration, in which said sheet is substantially spaced with respect to said manufactured article.

[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the exhibitor according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the exhibitor according to the invention, with the informational sheets arranged in a first configuration for use;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the exhibitor according to the invention, with the informational sheets arranged in a second configuration for use.

[0013] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles.

[0014] The exhibitor 1 comprises a panel 2, which is provided with a face 3 to which a plurality of manufactured articles 4 to be displayed, such as a series of sample tiles made of ceramic material, wood or the like, are glued.

[0015] The panel 2 is rectangular and elongated longitudinally and is provided with mutually parallel first and second longitudinal sides 2a and 2b; the dimensions of the panel 2 are such as to allow easy and practical manual handling.

[0016] The sample tiles 4 also are rectangular and are distributed in succession along the longitudinal direction of the panel 2 so that at least one edge of each sample tile 4 is arranged proximate to the first longitudinal side 2a of the panel 2.

[0017] The second longitudinal side 2b of the panel 2 has a tapering and pointed transverse cross-section, and a graduated length scale 5 is provided thereon.

[0018] Conveniently, the exhibitor 1 comprises a plurality of sheets 6, which bear informational data related to the manufactured articles 4, such as for example their trade names, technical data regarding origin, composition, format, mechanical strength, frost resistance, et cetera.

[0019] The sheets 6 are gathered in a stack, which is associated with the panel 2 by interposing means 7 for articulation between a first active configuration, in which the sheets 6 are arranged substantially adjacent to each other and face the sample tiles 4, and a second active configuration, in which the sheets 6 are substantially spaced with respect to the sample tiles 4.

[0020] In particular, the articulation means 7 are arranged at a longitudinal end of the panel 2 and are constituted by means for turning the sheets 6 about an axis which is perpendicular to the panel.

[0021] The rotation means comprise a hinge pivot 8, which can be associated with the panel 2, and a plurality of holes 9, each formed in a corresponding sheet 6, in which said pivot can be inserted once the sheets have been mutually aligned.

[0022] In detail, the hinge pivot 8 is constituted by a rivet, the associable parts 8a and 8b of which are inserted from opposite ends of a through eyelet 10 formed in the panel 2.

[0023] A spacer 11 is arranged between the panel 2 and the stack of sheets 6 and is constituted by a circular block provided with a central through opening 12, which can be engaged by the hinge pivot 8.

[0024] Advantageously, the sheets 6 have surface dimensions which are substantially identical to the dimensions of the face 3, and in the first active configuration they cover the exposed surfaces of the sample tiles 4, preventing their viewing from the outside.

[0025] By gradually turning the sheets 6 about the hinge pivot 8, it is instead possible to read the sheets 6 arranged below the first one and to view the sample tiles 4 mounted on the panel 2.

[0026] Conveniently, one or more of the sheets 6 is substantially transparent, so as to allow, even if it is arranged in the first active configuration, to examine the informational data provided thereon and simultaneously view the underlying sample tiles 4.

[0027] In practice it has been found that the described invention achieves the proposed aim and objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that it allows quick and accurate viewing both of the displayed manufactured articles and of the informational data related to them.

[0028] Further, the particular refinement of distributing the sample tiles at one side of the supporting panel allows to arrange easily the displayed manufactured articles alongside other manufactured articles, either loose or collected on other exhibitors of the known type or of the type according to the invention, allowing to appreciate from an aesthetic standpoint the possible color and pattern combinations.

[0029] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0030] All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0031] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.

[0032] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. M02005A000200 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0033] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. An exhibitor for manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles, characterized in that it comprises at least one panel, with one face of which it is possible to associate at least one manufactured article to be displayed, and at least one sheet, which bears informational data related to said manufactured article and is associated with said panel by interposing means for articulation between a first configuration, in which said sheet substantially faces, and is adjacent to, said manufactured article, and a second configuration, in which said sheet is substantially spaced with respect to said manufactured article.

2. The exhibitor according to claim 1, characterized in that said panel is elongated in a longitudinal direction.

3. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said articulation means are arranged at a longitudinal end of said panel.

4. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said articulation means comprise means for rotation about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to said panel.

5. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said rotation means comprise at least one hinge pivot, which can be associated with said panel, and at least one hole, which is formed in said sheet and in which it is possible to insert said pivot.

6. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hinge pivot is constituted by a rivet.

7. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one spacer which can be interposed between said panel and said sheet.

8. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spacer is constituted by a block provided with at least one through opening in which said hinge pivot can be inserted.

9. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface dimensions of said sheet are substantially identical to the dimensions of said face.

10. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of said sheets.

11. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said sheets is at least partially substantially transparent.

12. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said manufactured article is a sample tile made of ceramic material, wood or the like.

13. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sample tile is substantially rectangular.

14. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one edge of said sample tile is arranged proximate to one of the sides of said panel.

15. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of said manufactured articles.

16. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said manufactured articles are distributed along the longitudinal direction of said panel.

17. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one graduated length scale provided along at least one side of said panel.

18. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said graduated length scale is provided along at least one of the longitudinal sides of said panel.

19. The exhibitor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said graduated length scale is provided along a side of said panel that has a tapering transverse cross-section.

Drawing