Improved coffin and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

 The present invention concerns an improved coffin (1) comprising improved coffin (1) comprising a case (2), in which a body can be placed, and a cover (3), comprising a top (31) and a plurality of boards (32), said improved coffin (1) being characterized in that it comprises one or more ornament or frieze removable elements (4), each one obtainable from the material that constitutes said coffin (1), so as to achieve a respective seat (36), where it is housed.
The present invention also concerns a method for manufacturing an improved coffin (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved coffin and manufacture method thereof.

[0002] More specifically, the invention concerns a coffin or casket, from which parts can be removed, as a memory of the deceased for the mourners at the funeral.

[0003] As it is well known, a coffin or casket is a container, which is usually made of wood, intended to preserve the body of a deceased person. The coffin is usually placed under the ground, in which case the body is subjected to burial, or inserted into a suitable loculus, so that there is inhumation.

[0004] Generally, the body of the deceased is arranged in the coffin before the coffin is closed, exposing it to the family in the so called burial chamber for a final farewell. Later, the coffin is closed and, after any the religious function, is transported to the cemetery.

[0005] It is known that there are many kinds of coffins, more or less elaborated. In any case, in general, coffins comprise a case and a cover, made of several pieces of wood. The cover closes the case, in an isolating way.

[0006] The invention meets the need and the desire of the deceased dears to keep a tangible memory of the last moments of their closeness to the deceased. Therefore, there is on the one hand the opportunity to make available for dears of the deceased a part of the coffin, and on the other hand to solve structural and construction problems.

[0007] In view of the above, therefore, it is object of the present invention to provide a improved coffin, from which it is possible to take intrinsic and substantial parts of the coffin itself, being it obtained from the material of the coffin, which can be removed by participants of a religious functions, as a memory of the deceased, said coffin having in any case the construction requirements and the necessary mechanical strength.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide the manufacture method of said improved coffin.

[0009] These and other results are obtained according to the invention with a working of the cover of the coffin or casket, from which a plurality of removable elements is obtained.

[0010] It is therefore a specific object f the present invention an improved coffin comprising a case, in which a body can be placed, and a cover, comprising a top and a plurality of boards, said improved coffin being characterized in that it comprises one or more ornament or frieze removable elements, each one obtainable from the material that constitutes said coffin, so as to achieve a respective seat, where it is housed.

[0011] Always according to the invention, said removable elements could be obtained from one or more of said boards and/or from a portion of said case.

[0012] Always according to the invention, said boards could have a longitudinal slit filled with a filling material, preferably soft, such as cardboard, foam polystyrene or the like, and said ornament or frieze removable elements could be obtained from the surface of the boards, which is above said slit, and said ornament or frieze removable elements are arranged within respective seats, obtained by the realization of said ornament or frieze removable elements.

[0013] Further according to the invention, said longitudinal slit could have a constant thickness.

[0014] Advantageously according to the invention, each of said boards on which said ornament or frieze removable elements are obtained could comprise a lower profile and a upper profile, coupled to each other and arranged overlapped, said lower profile having a first longitudinal relief and a second longitudinal relief, obtained in said first upper longitudinal relief, and said upper profile having a longitudinal groove, obtained on the coupling surface with said lower profile, corresponding to said first longitudinal relief, said ornament or frieze removable elements and the respective seats being obtained on the surface of said upper profile, in correspondence with said longitudinal groove.

[0015] Always according to the invention, said coffin could comprise means to prevent the accidental removal of said ornament or frieze removable elements.

[0016] Still according to the invention, said means to prevent the removal could comprise a removable film, preferably transparent, arranged on said ornament or frieze removable elements.

[0017] Further according to the invention, said ornament or frieze removable elements could be obtained from the material of said coffin, so as to leave one or more interruptions along said cutting line, so that said ornament or frieze removable elements remain coupled to said board by said one or more interruptions of the cut.

[0018] Advantageously according to the invention, said ornament or frieze removable elements could be oval-shaped at the bottom.

[0019] It is further object of the present invention a method for manufacturing an improved coffin comprising the following steps: providing a plurality of boards for realizing a cover and/or a case of said improved coffin; obtaining one or more ornament or frieze removable elements from the material, preferably wood, of one or more of said boards and/or from the material, preferably wood, of said case.

[0020] Always according to the invention, following the obtaining of each of said ornament or frieze removable elements from the material by which said improved coffin is made, a corresponding seat, wherein said respective ornament or frieze removable elements (4) is housed, could be obtained.

[0021] Still according to the invention, the step in which a plurality of ornament or frieze removable elements are obtained from one or more of said boards, could comprise the following substeps: making a longitudinal slit on one or more of said boards; filling said longitudinal slit by a suitable filler material, preferably soft, such as cardboard, foam polystyrene or the like; and milling the surface of each one of said board that is above said slit, cutting out one or more ornament or frieze removable elements of the desired shape, realizing for each of said removable elements a respective seat.

[0022] Advantageously according to the invention, the step in which a plurality of ornament or frieze removable elements are obtained on one or more of said boards, could comprise the following substeps: dividing each of said boards on which said ornament or frieze removable elements obtained in a lower profile and an upper profile; milling said lower profile to obtain a first longitudinal relief and a second longitudinal relief arranged above to said first longitudinal relief; milling said upper profile to achieve a longitudinal groove on the coupling surface of said lower profile; and milling the surface of said upper profile, in correspondence of said longitudinal groove, cutting out said one or more ornament or frieze removable elements of the desired shape, achieving a respective seat for each of said ornament or frieze removable elements.

[0023] Further according to the invention, said ornament or frieze removable elements could be made by laser cutting and/or milling and/or mold and/or die cutting.

[0024] The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

figure 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of the improved coffin according to the present invention;

figure 2 shows a front view of the improved coffin according to figure 1;

figure 3 shows a perspective view of the improved coffin according to figure 1;

figure 4 shows a cross section of a board of the cover of the improved coffin according to figure 1;

figure 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the improved coffin according to the invention;

figure 6a shows a cross section of a board of the cover of the improved coffin as shown in figure 5;

figure 6b shows a cross section of a table of the cover of the improved coffin according to the figure 5, in which a transversal element is removed, and

figure 7 shows a detail of the improved coffin according to the present invention.

[0025] In the various figures, similar parts will be indicated by the same reference numbers.

[0026] Making reference to figures 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a coffin 1 according to the present invention is shown, which comprises a case 2 and a cover 3, to be arranged and fixed on the case 2.

[0027] Said cover 3 is made of an upper plane 31 and a set of six boards 32, which extend substantially longitudinally, having a shaped cross section. Said boards 32 are arranged so as to form an irregular hexagon, and interlocked one another in series in the junction lines, indicated by the reference number 33. Generally, said boards 32 are coupled along said junction lines 33 by dovetail couplings, or joint and teeth.

[0028] A plurality of ornament or frieze removable elements 4 are obtained from the surface facing toward the outside of the coffin 1 of said boards 32.

[0029] Referring now to figures 3 and 4, the cross section of the boards 32 can be seen in particular, which are worked by means of a suitable tool like a mill cutter or the like, for removing material and the realization of a longitudinal slit 34, as shown in the figures. Said slit 34 has preferably a constant thickness.

[0030] Said longitudinal slit 34 is filled with a suitable filling material 34', preferably soft, which can be cardboard, polystyrene foam or the like.

[0031] On the surface 35 of the board 32 overlying said slit 34, a milling preferably by laser, can be made, so as to realize the ornament or frieze removable elements 4, of any desired shape, realizing and obtaining, at the same time, for each of them, a respective seat 36.

[0032] Finally, a preferably removable transparent film 5 is arranged on said surface 35 of said boards 32, overlying to said slit 34. This because when a religious function is held, the cover 3 of the coffin 1 can be freely handled without that the ornament or frieze removable elements 4 may fall within the slit 34, as said slit 34 is filled of said filling material 34', or may come out from the respective seat 36 from which is obtained, in which are arranged, due to the action of containment of the film 5.

[0033] After the arrangement and the fixing of the cover 3 to the case 2 of the coffin 1, the film 5 can be removed. In this way the dears of the deceased may take a removable element 4, if they wish, by removing it from the respective seat 36. In order to facilitate the extraction, said removable elements 4 may have a lower ovalization. In this way, the simple pressure on the surface of said removable element 4 on an eccentric point causes the extraction from the seat 36 of the respective ornament or frieze removable elements 4. Filling material 34', being soft, facilitates the extraction of the ornament or frieze removable elements 4 from the respective seats 36, even if the ornament or frieze removable elements 4 were not ovalized below.

[0034] Of course, even other solutions to allow the extraction of said ornament or frieze removable elements 4 from the respective seats 36 may be provided.

[0035] In addition, said ornament or frieze removable elements 4 may have any shape.

[0036] A variant of the solution described is that of providing ornament or frieze removable elements always obtained from the material of the coffin and coupled in a removable way to the surface of the coffin itself.

[0037] Figures 5, 6a and 6b show a second embodiment of the coffin 1 according to the present invention, which is particularly advantageous under the manufacturing point of view, in which the boards 32 of the cover 3 are realized providing a lower profile 32a and an upper profile 32b, coupled each other and arranged overlapped.

[0038] Said lower profile 32a has a first longitudinal relief 37 and a second longitudinal relief 37', which is obtained above said first longitudinal relief 37. Considering the cross section, said second longitudinal relief 37' is arranged substantially in the center of said longitudinal relief 37.

[0039] Said upper profile 32b has a longitudinal groove 38 obtained on the coupling surface with said lower profile 32a, and corresponding to said first longitudinal relief 37. On the surface of said upper profile 32b, in correspondence with said longitudinal groove 38, said ornament or frieze removable elements 4 are obtained from the material of the coffin 1 and, therefore, the respective seats 36 are even obtained, so as to be supported or in any case overlapped to said second longitudinal relief 37'.

[0040] As said above, upper profile 32b is arranged overlapped to said lower profile 32a, in such way that said upper profile 32b is arranged in said longitudinal groove 38, thus preventing the mutual transverse sliding of the two profiles. In this way, making reference in particular to figure 6, exerting a pressure with a finger on the upper or lower portion of the surface of an ornament or frieze removable element 4, for example according to arrow A, second longitudinal relief 37', and in particular the edges 39 of said second longitudinal relief 37', have a function of "fulcrum" with respect to said ornament or frieze removable elements 4. Therefore, said ornament or frieze removable element 4 is lifted (arrow B), rotating, allowing an easy removal of said ornament or frieze removable element 4 from the respective seat 36.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment shown in figure 7, said removable elements 4 are cut out from the material, usually wood, which constitutes the coffin 1, so as to leave one or more interruptions 41 along the cutting line 40, the perimeter of which forms the seat 36 of each ornament or frieze removable element 4. In particular, said interruption 41 has to be realized in correspondence of one of the edges 39 acting as a fulcrum.

[0042] In this way, each of said ornament or frieze removable elements 4 remains fixed to the respective seat 36 from which it is obtained, without the need of the film 5. The pressure on each removable element 4 implies the breaking of interruption 41 of the cutting line 40 that kept it joined to the board 32 from which it is obtained and the following easy removal of said removable elements 4 from the respective seat 36.

[0043] An advantage of the present invention according to the embodiment described above is that the ornament or frieze removable elements 4 are a tangible and true part, effective and substantial of the coffin 1.

[0044] A further advantage of the present invention is that said removable elements 4 are obtained from the material (wood) of the coffin 1, so, as a consequence of their obtaining, realizing also the respective seat 36, there is an aesthetic value, when the removable elements 4 are arranged within their seats, obtaining a surface with no apparent discontinuities.

[0045] A variant of the described solution is that the removable elements 4 can be obtained from every part of the coffin 1, then from every part of the cover 3 and/or of the case 2 and/or of the upper plane 31.

[0046] In the above, preferred embodiments have been described and variants have been suggested of the present invention, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Improved coffin (1) comprising
a case (2), in which a body can be placed, and
a cover (3), comprising a top (31) and a plurality of boards (32), said improved coffin (1) being characterized in that it comprises one or more ornament or frieze removable elements (4), each one obtainable from the material that constitutes said coffin (1), so as to achieve a respective seat (36), where it is housed.

2. Improved coffin (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said removable elements (4) are obtained from one or more of said boards (32) and/or from a portion of said case (2).

3. Improved coffin (1) according to claim 2, characterized
in that said boards have a longitudinal slit (34) filled with a filling material (34'), preferably soft, such as cardboard, foam polystyrene or the like, and
in that said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are obtained from the surface (35) of the boards (32), which is above said slit (34), and said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are arranged within respective seats (36), obtained by the realization of said ornament or frieze removable elements (4).

4. Improved coffin (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said longitudinal slit (34) has a constant thickness.

5. Improved coffin (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said boards (32) on which said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are obtained comprises
a lower profile (32a) and a upper profile (32b), coupled to each other and arranged overlapped,
said lower profile (32a) having a first longitudinal relief (37) and a second longitudinal relief (37'), obtained in said first upper longitudinal relief (37), and
said upper profile (32b) having a longitudinal groove (38), obtained on the coupling surface with said lower profile (32a), corresponding to said first longitudinal relief (37),
said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) and the respective seats (36) being obtained on the surface of said upper profile (32b), in correspondence with said longitudinal groove (38).

6. Improved coffin (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means to prevent the accidental removal of said ornament or frieze removable elements (4).

7. Improved coffin (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said means to prevent the removal comprise a removable film (5), preferably transparent, arranged on said ornament or frieze removable elements (4).

8. Improved coffin (1) according to anyone of claims 2-7, characterized in that said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are obtained from the material of said coffin (1), so as to leave one or more interruptions (41) along said cutting line (40), so that said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) remain coupled to said board (32) by said one or more interruptions (41) of the cut (40).

9. Improved coffin (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are oval-shaped at the bottom.

10. Method for manufacturing an improved coffin (1) comprising the following steps:

- providing a plurality of boards (32) for realizing a cover (3) and/or a case (2) of said improved coffin (1);

- obtaining one or more ornament or frieze removable elements (4) from the material, preferably wood, of one or more of said boards (32) and/or from the material, preferably wood, of said case (2).

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that, following the obtaining of each of said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) from the material by which said improved coffin (1) is made, a corresponding seat (36), wherein said respective ornament or frieze removable elements (4) is housed, is obtained.

12. Method according to anyone of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the step in which a plurality of ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are obtained from one or more of said boards (32), comprises the following substeps:

- making a longitudinal slit (34) on one or more of said boards (32);

- filling said longitudinal slit (34) by a suitable filler material (34'), preferably soft, such as cardboard, foam polystyrene or the like; and

- milling the surface (35) of each one of said board (32) that is above said slit (34), cutting out one or more ornament or frieze removable elements (4) of the desired shape, realizing for each of said removable elements (4) a respective seat (36).

13. Method according to anyone of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the step in which a plurality of ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are obtained on one or more of said boards (32), comprises the following substeps:

- dividing each of said boards (32) on which said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) obtained in a lower profile (32a) and an upper profile (32b);

- milling said lower profile (32a) to obtain a first longitudinal relief (37) and a second longitudinal relief (37') arranged above to said first longitudinal relief (37);

- milling said upper profile (32b) to achieve a longitudinal groove (38) on the coupling surface of said lower profile (32a); and

- milling the surface (35) of said upper profile (32b), in correspondence of said longitudinal groove (38), cutting out said one or more ornament or frieze removable elements (4) of the desired shape, achieving a respective seat (36) for each of said ornament or frieze removable elements (4).

14. Method according to anyone of claims 10-13, characterized in that said ornament or frieze removable elements (4) are made by laser cutting (40) and/or milling and/or mold and/or die cutting.

Drawing