Abstract:
A fitting for walls or panels includes a female coupling element which can be mounted on the panel or wall an a support element which can be fixed releasably in the female coupling element. A coupling and a complementary coupling are provided for restraining the support element in the female coupling element and include a pin and a catch seat, respectively, and a resilient member are also provided for urging the pin into the catch seat so as to prevent accidental disengagement of the coupling and the complementary coupling.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a fitting for walls or panels, according to the preamble to main Claim 1. 
     In the field of display structures, it is known to use modular panels equipped with fittings which comprise female coupling elements mounted firmly on the panels and support elements with male couplings which can be coupled releasably in the corresponding female elements for the suspension thereon of the items to be displayed or for the support of shelves or brackets on which the items are subsequently placed. 
     The support elements are restrained releasably in the female coupling elements by a releasable bayonet coupling. 
     However, these fittings have many disadvantages, amongst which is the fact that the support element may accidentally be disengaged, resulting in its detachment from the panel. 
     A further disadvantage is the displeasing aesthetic effect of the holes in the female coupling elements on the visible face of the panel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The problem upon which the present invention is based is that of providing a fitting for panels or walls equipped with fittings, which is designed structurally and functionally to overcome the limitations described above with reference to the prior art mentioned. 
     This problem is solved by the invention by means of a fitting for walls or panels equipped with fittings, comprising a female coupling element which can be mounted on the panel or wall, a support element which can be fixed releasably in the female coupling element in a position such that the support element projects like a bracket from the panel or wall, as well as bayonet coupling means and complementary coupling means provided in one and in the other of the female coupling element and the support element, respectively, for restraining the support element in the female coupling element when the support element is fixed therein, wherein the coupling means and the complementary coupling means comprise, respectively, a pin and a catch seat for catching the pin, and in that resilient means are provided and act between the pin and the catch seat in order to urge the pin into the catch seat so as to prevent accidental disengagement of the coupling means and the complementary coupling means when the support element is fixed in the female coupling elements. 
    
    
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a panel equipped with fittings formed in accordance with the present invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of a first detail of one of the fittings of FIG. 1, 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are a section through a second detail of one of the fittings of FIG. 1 and a rear elevational view thereof, respectively. 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of a support element according to a further embodiment, 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the core of the female coupling element according to the further embodiment, and 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the female coupling element according to the further embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the drawings, a panel, indicated  1 , is equipped with fittings  2  formed in accordance with the present invention. 
     Each fitting  2  comprises a female coupling element  3  which can be mounted on the panel  1  and a support element  4  which can be fixed releasably in the female coupling element  3 . 
     Coupling means and complementary coupling means are provided on the female coupling element  3  and on the support element  4 , respectively, for restraining the support element  4 , by means of a bayonet coupling, in the female coupling element  3  when it is fixed therein. 
     The female coupling element  3  comprises a substantially cylindrical bush  5  with an outer curved surface  6  having an axis X and an inner curved surface  7  having an axis Y which is inclined at an angle A of between 0.5 and 5 degrees to the axis X. 
     The bush  5  has a screw thread on an end portion  6   a  of the outer surface  6  and, at its opposite end, has a flange  8  perpendicular to the axis X. The bush  5  is closed at its axial end remote from the flange  8  by a base  9  in which a flared hole  10  is formed. 
     Each female coupling element  3  is mounted on the panel  1  with the flange  8  in abutment with a visible face of the panel. At the opposite end, the female coupling element  3  is fixed to the panel  1  by means of a ring nut, not shown in the drawings, screwed onto the threaded portion  6   a.    
     Two opposed flat areas  5   a ,  5   b  are formed axially in the outer surface  6  of the bush  5  and corresponding flat areas are provided in the hole for housing the female coupling element  3  in the panel  1 . The flat areas  5   a ,  5   b  constitute locating means for the mounting of the female coupling element  3  in a predefined angular position on the panel  1 . 
     A pin  11  is fixed in the bush  5  at a predetermined angular point relative to the flat areas  5   a ,  5   b  and a short portion of the pin  11  projects radially from the internal surface  7 . A cylindrical core  12  having an axis Y is fixed inside the bush  5  and is restrained so as to be coaxial with the inner surface  7  by a screw  13   a  extending through the hole  10  in the base  9 . An end  12   a  of the core  12  remote from the base  9  is flush with the flange  8 . 
     An annular chamber  13  is defined between the inner surface  7  and the core  12 . 
     Housed in the annular chamber  13  is a helical spring  14  which extends around the core  12  and is in abutment between the base  9  and the pin  11 , a thrust axis and a thrust direction of the spring being indicated by the arrow F in FIG.  3 . 
     The support element  4  comprises a cylindrical, preferably tubular, body with an axis Z. It has a substantially “J”-shaped slot, indicated  16 , at one of its axial ends  15 . Identified in the slot  16  are a flared mouth  17 , a first portion  18  of predominant axial extent, a second, successive portion  19  extending transversely relative to the first portion  18  and preferably oriented away from the end  15 , as well as a third successive, blind portion  20  which is elongate predominantly axially towards the end  15  and defines a catch seat, as will be explained further below. 
     Two or more appendages  21  suitable for supporting, for example, a bracket or a shelf  22 , may be provided on the outer surface of the support element  4 . 
     The angular positioning of the appendages is predetermined relative to that of the catch seat  20  for the reasons explained below. 
     The coupling means of the above-mentioned bayonet coupling comprise the pin  11  in the female coupling element  3  and the complementary coupling means comprise the slot  16 . Naturally, the above-mentioned positioning may be reversed, in wholly equivalent manner, with the pin  11  on the support element  4  and the slot in the female coupling element. 
     In the embodiment according to FIGS. 5,  6  and  7  and a pin  31  is located on the inner surface of the support member for engagement with a slot  36  formed on the outer surface of the core  32  of the female coupling element  23 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6 the slot  36  is provided with a first straight axially directed portion  38  and a second portion  39  which is curved and terminates in a catch seat  40 . 
     As shown in FIG. 7 the female coupling element  23  is comprised of a substantially cylindrical bush  25  having an outer curved surface  26  having an axis X and an inner curved surface  27  having an axis Y which is inclined at an angle A of between 0.5 and 5° to the axis X. The bush  25  has a screw thread on an end portion  26   a  of the outer surface  26  and at its opposite end has a flange  28  perpendicular to the axis X. The bush  25  is closed at its axial end remote from the flange  28  by a base  29  in which a flared hole  30  is formed. The female coupling element  23  is fixed to the panel  1  by means of the ring nut similar to the first embodiment. 
     A cylindrical core  32  having an axis Y is fixed inside the bush  25  and is restrained so as to be coaxial with the inner surface  27  by a screw  33   a  extending through the hole  10  in the base  9 . An end  32   a  if the core  32  remote from the base  29  is flush with the flange  28 . An annular chamber  33  as defined between the inner surface  27  and the core  32 . 
     Housed in the annular chamber  33  is a helical spring  34  which extends around the core  32  and is maintained in abutment with the base  29  by means of a pin  41  extending through the cylindrical bush  25 . 
     When the support element  24  is inserted in the female coupling element  23  the complementary coupling means are housed in the annular chamber  33 . As in the previous embodiment the first and second portions  38  and  39  of the slot  36  are engaged in succession by the pin  31  by means of a first, substantially axial movement in the opposite direction to the direction of thrust F of the spring  34  and a second rotary movement about the axis Z of the support element  24 . 
     When the support element  24  is released a pin  31  will be caught in the catch seat  40  because of the thrust of the spring  34  which is compressed during the previous rotational-translational movement. 
     When the support element  4  is inserted in the female coupling element  3 , the complementary coupling means are housed in the annular chamber  13 . At this stage of the engagement of the bayonet coupling, the first and second portions  18  and  19  of the slot  16  are engaged in succession by the pin  11  by means of a first, substantially axial movement in the opposite direction to the direction of thrust F of the spring  14  and a second, rotary movement about the axis Z of the support element  4 . 
     When the support element  4  is released, the pin  11  is caught in the catch seat  20  because of the thrust of the spring  14  which is compressed during the previous rotational-translational movement. 
     In this condition, any accidental disengagement is prevented since, in order to disengage the bayonet coupling, it is necessary first of all to press the support element  4  against the female coupling element  3  in opposition to the spring  14  and thus to release the support element and the female coupling element for relative rotation. The coupling is further strengthened by the core  12 . 
     The relative arrangement of the inclination of the axis Y and of the locating means defined by the flat areas  5   a ,  5   b  is selected in a manner such that the axis Y is inclined upwardly. It is thus possible to compensate for any bending of the support element  4  under load and also as a result of the taking up of the play between the coupling elements. 
     Moreover, the coupling means and the complementary coupling means are positioned relative to one another in a manner such that the appendages  21  advantageously extend upwards in order to support any bracket or shelf correctly when the support element is fixed. 
     The present invention thus solves the problem complained of above with reference to the prior art mentioned, at the same time offering many further advantages, amongst which is a greater load capacity of the support elements and improved security against their accidental disengagement. 
     Moreover, the core of the female coupling element masks its cavity, considerably improving the appearance of the visible face of a panel thus equipped if respective support elements are not fitted in all of the female coupling elements.