BARRIER

Abstract

 A barrier is provided with at least two uprights (2), a cross-member (3) coupled to the uprights (2); each upright (2) being provided with a seat (5) configured to house at least a portion of a further respective upright (2) of a further barrier (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a barrier. During the organisation of public events (sports events, concerts, social events, etc.) it is often necessary to delimit and prevent access to areas by means of barriers which are suitable to define mobile fencing.

[0002] However, the transportation and storage of the barriers known in the prior art is often difficult owing to the size and structure of each barrier.

[0003] As a consequence, before and after each event numerous resources have to be used to transport and store the barriers.

[0004] Moreover, when not in use, the barriers of the type known in the prior art take up a considerable amount of storage space.

[0005] A purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a barrier that can easily be transported and stored in smaller spaces than those required for storing the barriers known in the prior art.

[0006] In accordance with the aforesaid purposes, the present invention relates to a barrier comprising at least two uprights, a cross-member coupled to the uprights; each upright being provided with a seat configured to house at least a portion of a further respective upright of a further barrier.

[0007] Thanks to the specific shape of the barrier, several barriers can be stacked one on top of the other, reducing the amount of storage space required and facilitating their transportation.

[0008] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the drawings attached hereto, in which:

• figure 1 is a front view of a barrier according to the present invention;
• figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the barrier shown in figure 1 in which one part has been enlarged for the sake of clarity;
• figure 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of barriers according to the present invention stacked one on top of the other;
• figure 4 is a perspective view, with parts removed for the sake of clarity, of a first detail of figure 3;
• figure 5 is a perspective view, with parts removed for the sake of clarity, of a second detail of figure 3;
• figure 6 is a perspective view, with parts removed for the sake of clarity, of a third detail of figure 3;

[0009] In figure 1 reference numeral 1 indicates a barrier according to the present invention.

[0010] The barrier 1 comprises two uprights 2, a cross-member 3 coupled to the uprights 2 and a partitioning element 4 coupled at least to the cross-member 3. In the non-limiting embodiment described and illustrated herein, the partitioning element 4 is defined by a panel made of plastic material to which adhesive elements may be affixed. According to an alternative embodiment the partitioning element 4 is a semi-rigid sheet made of a plastic material or special fabric.

[0011] The uprights 2 extend respectively along two axes A and B, while the cross-member 3 extends along a respective axis C.

[0012] Preferably, the uprights 2 and the cross-member 3 are coupled in such a way that the axes A and B along which the uprights 2 extend are arranged so as to converge towards the cross-member 3 and the axis C along which the cross-member extends is transverse to both of the axes A and B.

[0013] In detail, the uprights 2 are arranged in such a way that the respective axes A and B are inclined with respect to a vertical direction at an angle of between 3° and 10°, preferably of approximately 4°.

[0014] The axis C along which the cross-member 3 is arranged is preferably horizontal.

[0015] The specific arrangement of the uprights 2 facilitates the stacking of one barrier 1 on top of another, as we shall see in more detail later on.

[0016] With reference to figure 2, each upright 2 is shaped so as to define a seat 5 configured to house at least a portion of a respective further upright 2 of a further barrier 1 as illustrated in figure 3 and in figure 4.

[0017] In particular, each upright 2 comprises a main body 6 provided with a resting portion 8, a supporting portion 9 and a central portion 10 arranged between the resting portion 8 and the supporting portion 9.

[0018] The seat 5 extends partially along the resting portion 8, along the entire central portion 10 and along the entire supporting portion 9.

[0019] Preferably the seat 5 is defined by a recess in the main body 6 and extends along the axis of extension A B of the respective upright 2.

[0020] Preferably the seat 5 is defined by a recess obtained along an outside face 12a of the main body 6 and longitudinally open.

[0021] Preferably, the shape of the seat 5 is complementary to the shape of the inside face 12b of the main body opposite the outside face 12a. In this way, the seat 5 is shaped to house the main body 6 of the upright 2 of the further barrier 2 as illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 5.

[0022] In the non-limiting example described and illustrated herein, the main body 6 is substantially shaped in such a way that the central portion 10 has a substantially V-shaped cross-section

[0023] Preferably, each upright 2 comprises hooking means 11 configured to hook the upright 2 to the respective further upright 2 housed in the seat 5 when the barriers 1 are stacked as illustrated in figure 4. In this way, the stacked barriers 1 are permanently coupled and the group of stacked barriers 1 can be transported in safety.

[0024] With reference to figure 2, the hooking means 11 comprise an opening 13 obtained along one of the walls of the seat 5 and a hook 14 arranged so as to engage the further respective opening 13 obtained along the further seat 5 in the further upright 2 (configuration illustrated in figure 4). The distance between the opening 13 and the hook 14 of each upright 2 is preferably such as to maintain a predefined distance between the supporting portions 8 of the barriers 2 stacked one on top of the other.

[0025] The opening 13 preferably has an elongated shape and extends along the axis A, B of the respective upright 2.

[0026] With reference to figure 2 and figure 4, the resting portion 8 comprises two wings 15, which extend along the sides of the seat 5 and are folded towards the inside of the upright 2 so as to define two supporting feet 16. In the non-limiting example described and illustrated herein, the supporting feet 16 are covered with covering elements 16a made of a non-slip material, preferably rubber.

[0027] In correspondence with the supporting feet 16, the wings 15 are preferably provided with fastening holes (not visible in the accompanying figures) for selectively fastening wheels 17 suitable to facilitate the transportation of the barrier 1 as illustrated in figure 3.

[0028] Preferably, in use, the fastening holes are covered by the covering elements 16a.

[0029] With reference to figure 1, the cross-member 3 is provided with two ends 18, each of which is coupled to a respective supporting portion 9 of the upright 2.

[0030] With reference to figures 5 and 6, the cross-member 3 is defined by a profile shaped so as to define, at least at each end 18, a fastening hole 19 suitable to be engaged, as described in detail below, by a respective fastening screw (only visible in figure 6).

[0031] The cross-member 3 is also provided with a longitudinal seat 22, which extends for the entire length of the cross-member 3 and is configured to house at least one end (not illustrated in the accompanying figures) of the partitioning element 4. The longitudinal seat 22 is preferably provided with a longitudinal opening 23 through which the partitioning element 4 passes.

[0032] The supporting portion 9 of each upright 2 comprises a coupling hole 24, obtained along the seat 5, a supporting element 25, which is suitable to be coupled to a respective end 18 of the cross-member 3, and a protection element 26, configured to protect the supporting element 25 and to make the supporting portion 9 more rigid.

[0033] The supporting element 25 extends from the inside face 12b of the main body 6 in correspondence with the coupling hole 24 and is preferably defined by a hollow tubular element configured to define a supporting seat 27 suitable to be engaged by the respective end 18 of the cross-member 3.

[0034] Preferably, the main body 6 of each upright 2 is made as a one-piece construction.

[0035] Preferably, the main body 6 of each upright 2 is made of a plastic material, for example ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene). The fact that the main body 6 is made of a plastic material makes the uprights 2 flexible enough to allow several barriers 1 to be stacked one on top of the other.

[0036] Preferably, the cross-member 3 is made of a metal material, for example aluminium.

[0037] In use, the end 18 of the cross-member 3 engages the supporting seat 27 and is fixed to the supporting seat 27 by means of the fastening screw 20, which respectively engages the coupling hole 24 and the fastening hole 19 (figure 6).

[0038] The protection element 26 is substantially defined by a folded U-shaped plate that partially envelops the supporting element 25.

[0039] Preferably, the supporting portion 9 is provided with a spacing element 30, which is L-shaped and arranged beneath the supporting element 25 so as to maintain an appropriate distance between the supporting elements 25 of the uprights 2 when the barriers 1 are stacked one on top of the other.

[0040] With reference to figure 3, the barriers 1 according to the present invention may be stacked one on top of the other so as to define a group of barriers 1 of limited overall dimensions that can easily be transported.

[0041] Moreover, the possibility of fitting wheels 17 to the feet 16 of the uprights 2 of each barrier 1 facilitates the transportation of the group of stacked barriers 1. Indeed, as illustrated in figure 3, the wheels 17 simply have to be fitted to one of the uprights 2 of the barrier 1 that rests on the ground in order to make the entire group of stacked barriers 1 easy to move.

[0042] Lastly, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the barrier described herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A barrier comprising at least two uprights (2), a cross-member (3) coupled to the uprights (2); each upright (2) being provided with a seat (5) configured to house at least a portion of a further respective upright (2) of a further barrier (1).

2. The barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the uprights (2) extend along respective longitudinal axes (A, B) converging towards the cross-member (3).

3. The barrier as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the uprights (2) are arranged in such a way that the respective longitudinal axes (A, B) are inclined with respect to a vertical direction at an angle of between 3° and 10°.

4. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seat (5) is defined by a recess extending along the longitudinal axis (A, B) of the upright (2).

5. The barrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat (5) is defined by a longitudinally open recess obtained along an outside face (12a) of the upright (2).

6. The barrier as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the seat (6) has a shape complementary to the shape of an inside face (12b) of the upright (2), opposite the outside face (12a).

7. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each upright (2) comprises a central portion (10) provided with the seat (5) and having a substantially V-shaped cross-section.

8. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each upright (2) is provided with hooking means (11) configured to hook the upright (2) to the respective further upright (2) housed in the seat (5).

9. The barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hooking means (11) comprise an opening (13) obtained along the seat (5) and a hook (14) arranged so as to engage the further respective opening (13) obtained along the further seat (5) in the further upright (2).

10. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each upright (2) comprises a supporting portion (8) provided with at least two supporting feet (16).

11. The barrier as claimed in claim 10, wherein each foot (16) is covered in an anti-slip material.

12. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each upright (2) comprises at least one supporting element (25) configured to define a supporting seat (27) suitable to house a respective end (18) of the cross-member (3).

13. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-member (3) is fixed to the respective upright (2) by means of at least one coupling screw (20).

14. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one upright (2) can be coupled to at least one wheel (17).

15. The barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a partitioning element (4) coupled at least to the cross-member (3).

Drawing