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(11) | EP 2 813 162 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A display device for samples of leather, fabric and the like |
| (57) A display device for samples of leather, fabric and the like, comprising: - a fixed support structure (14) including a lower base (16), a central column (18) extending upwardly from said lower base (16) and a plurality of circular horizontal shelves (20) fixed with respect to said central column (18) and spaced apart in the vertical direction, - a plurality of cylindrical arrays (12) supported by said base (16) and by said shelves (20), each array (12) being rotatable about said central column (18) independently of the other arrays (12), wherein each array (12) comprises at least two display elements (22) having the shape of a cylindrical sector, each display element (22) comprising a pack (26) of card-shaped samples (36) arranged vertically and oriented in a radial direction with respect to said central column (18). |
Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a display device for samples of leather, fabric and the like.
Description of the prior art
[0002] In the state of the art, several types of displays are known for collecting and displaying samples of leather, fabric and the like to clients. One known solution is the so-called drawer sample case, formed by a fixed structure that supports a plurality of extractable drawers, each of which contains a series of card-shaped samples arranged vertically. In displays of this type, in order to examine different types of samples side by side it is necessary to remove the samples from the respective drawers. One of the problems of displays of this type is the difficulty in maintaining organized collections of samples, given that the samples are likely to be put back in the drawers in wrong positions. The reinsertion of the samples in the drawers is often difficult.
[0003] One type of widespread display is the so-called turret sample case that is composed of leather or fabric samples bound by a support. Generally, these samples are organized by product families and each turret contains all the color variations of the same product. Generally, samples of this type are assembled in bundles of variable size. These displays are also affected by various disadvantages, including the difficulty of extracting the samples and the poor visibility of the sample collections. Displays of this type are also bulky and cannot be organized by color between more products.
[0004] Binder sample cases are also very common, which are formed by a book support containing pages on which the samples of leather, fabric or the like are applied. Displays of this type are difficult to update and do not allow detachment of the samples to examine different sample types side by side. These displays can only be organized by color or by product.
Object and summary of the invention
[0005] The present invention aims to provide a display that overcomes the problems of the prior art. In particular, the invention aims to provide a display which enables examination of different types of products side by side in a simple and quick manner, and that it is organizable both by color and by product.
[0006] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a display device having the characteristics forming the subject of claim 1.
Brief description of the drawings
[0007] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display device according to the present invention,
- Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the display device of Figure 1,
- Figure 3 is a side view of the support structure indicated by the arrow III in Figure 2,
- Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a display element indicated by the arrow IV in Figure 2,
- Figure 5 is a plan view of the part indicated by the arrow V in Figure 4, and
- Figure 6 is a plan view of a sample intended to be used in a display according to the present invention.
Detailed description of the invention
[0008] In Figures 1 and 2, numeral 10 indicates a display device according to the present invention. The display device 10 has a cylindrical shape with a vertical axis and is divided into a plurality of cylindrical arrays 12, which are coaxial and superposed on each other in the vertical direction.
[0009] With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the device 10 comprises a fixed support structure 14, which comprises a circular base 16, a central column 18, which extends upwardly from the base 16, and a plurality of circular horizontal shelves 20 fixed relative to the central column 18 and spaced apart in the vertical direction. At the upper end of the column 18, a circular head 21 may be placed.
[0010] The cylindrical arrays 12 are supported by the base 16 and the shelves 20. Each array 12 extends by 360° around the central column 18. Each array 12 is free to rotate on the base 16 or on the respective shelf 20 about the central column 18 and can be manually rotated independently of the other arrays 12.
[0011] With reference to Figure 2, each array 12 is formed by two or more complementary display elements 22. The display elements 22 have a cylindrical sector shape. In the example illustrated in the figures, each display element 22 has an angular extension of 180°. In general, each cylindrical array 12 may be formed by more than two display elements 22. In any case, the sum of the angular extensions of the display elements 22 of each array 12 is equal to 360°.
[0012] With reference to Figure 4, each display element 22 comprises a base 24, a pack of samples 26 and a lid 28. The base 24 of each display element 22 comprises a bottom wall 30 having a circular sector shape, and a rear wall 32 orthogonal to the bottom wall 30. With reference to Figure 2, the rear wall 32 of each base 24 has a concave seat 34, for example with a radius essentially equal to the radius of the outer surface of the central column 18 of the support structure 14. The bottom wall 30 of each display element 22 has a curved vertical rib 35 concentric to the concave seat 34.
[0013] In Figure 6, numeral 36 indicates a sample intended to be used in a display device according to the present invention. Each sample 36 has a rectangular card-shaped support 38, for example made of cardboard or plastic material. On the support 38, a strip of leather, fabric or the like is applied. Preferably, the strip of leather or fabric is folded in a U-shape on the support 38, so that the main faces of the support 38 are covered by the strip of leather or fabric. Each support 38 has an outer side 39, an inner side 40, a lower side 41 and an upper side 42. On the lower side 41, a notch 43 is formed parallel to the inner side 40. Each support 38 can have one or more colored strips 44 on its upper side 42. The colored strips 44 constitute a visual code that facilitates the ordering of the 36 samples in each display element 22.
[0014] The samples 36 are arranged vertically on the bottom wall 30 of the respective display element 22. The notch 43 of the samples 36 is fitted on the rib 35 of the base 24. The samples 36 are oriented radially and set side-by-side to form a fan-shaped pack 26. The lid 28 is placed on the upper surface of the pack of samples 26. The lid 28 is preferably connected to the rear wall 32 of the base 24 by means of magnets 46. Preferably, the base 24 and the lid 28 of each display element 22 are made of transparent plastic material, for example Plexiglas.
[0015] The samples 36 all have the same length and can have different heights. For example, the samples of the two highest arrays 12 may have a height of 4 cm, the samples of the lower array 12 may have a height of 12 cm and the samples of the central array 12 may have a height of 8 cm. The dimensions of the samples and of the arrays 12 may of course vary according to requirements.
[0016] With reference to Figure 2, the display elements 22 are supported on the base 16 or on the shelves 20, with the concave seat 34 in contact with the outer surface of the central column 18. To facilitate the extraction of the display elements 22, the height of the display elements 22 is slightly less than the distance between the shelves 20, in order to be able to insert someone's fingers between a shelf 20 and a display element 22. Preferably, the outer diameter of the shelves 20 is less than the outer diameter of the display elements 22, in order to allow gripping with the hands of the outer part of the display elements 22 during extraction.
[0017] The arrays 12 can be rotated manually independently of one another. The strips of leather or fabric applied on the samples 36 are visible on the outer edges of the samples 36. The different arrays 12 contain collections of products with different colors. The possibility to rotate the arrays 12 independently of each other around the central column 18 allows alignment of different products with similar color tones in the vertical direction. The packs of samples 26 of each display element 22 can be leafed through. Each display element 22 can be pulled out in a drawer-like manner from the structure 12. After having extracted a display element 22, it is possible to extract individual samples 36 by removing the lid 28 and upwardly extracting the samples 36. The codification 44 on the upper side of the samples 36 facilitates the repositioning of the samples 36 within the pack 26 in the correct position.
[0018] The display device according to the present invention offers the following advantages:
- allows organization by both color and product of the entire catalog, working in a matrix manner;
- easy consultation;
- easy to maintain in order thanks to the graphical codification on the upper side of the samples;
- possibility to easily extract samples;
- large sample size;
- attractive appearance;
- samples always visible;
- 360° presentation of the samples;
- easy to update and replace the samples;
- good tactility.
1. A display device for samples of leather, fabric and the like, comprising:
- a fixed support structure (14) including a lower base (16), a central column (18) extending upwardly from said lower base (16) and a plurality of circular horizontal shelves (20) fixed with respect to said central column (18) and spaced apart in the vertical direction,
- a plurality of cylindrical arrays (12) supported by said base (16) and by said shelves (20), each array (12) being rotatable around said central column (18) independently of the other arrays (12), wherein each array (12) comprises at least two display elements (22) having the shape of a cylindrical sector, each display element (22) comprising a pack (26) of card-shaped samples (36) arranged vertically and oriented in a radial direction with respect to said central column (18).
2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein each of said display elements (22)
comprises a base (24) having a bottom wall (30) and a rear wall (32), said pack (26)
of samples (36) being arranged like a fan on said bottom wall (30).
3. A display device according to claim 2, wherein each of said display elements (22)
comprises a lid (28) resting on the upper surface of said pack (26) of samples (36).
4. A display device according to claim 2, wherein said base (24) has an curved rib (35)
projecting from said bottom wall (30), said samples (36) having a support (38) provided
with a notch (43) which couples with said rib (35).
5. A display device according to claim 2, wherein the rear wall (32) of each of said
display elements (22) has a concave seat (34) which rests against the outer surface
of said central column (18).
6. A display device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said
display devices (22) is removable as a drawer from said support structure (14).