Movable wall structure

Abstract: A movable wall structure comprising a framework which is composed of uprights, and possible cross-members, suitable for supporting curtain-wall panels (8). Each of the uprights is constituted by two profiled elements (2) made of metal plate which are arranged specularly and are mutually coupled by welding. The structure is characterized in that each profiled element (2) has lateral wings (4) which are shaped so as to define supporting regions (7) for the panels (8) which are arranged orthogonally to the axis of symmetry of the upright. Each wing (4) furthermore ends with a portion (9) which is substantially parallel to the axis of the upright and with a coupling curling (10) which inserts, in a snap-together manner, by elastic deformation of the wing (4), into a longitudinal groove (11) in the edge of the panel (8).

Description: The present invention relates to a movable wall structure, as defined in the preamble of the appended claim 1 and as disclosed for example in US-A-3 312 032, So-called movable walls are currently used in order to divide large enclosed spaces into a plurality of smaller rooms or to cover walls. Said movable walls are substantially constituted by frameworks composed of uprights which are secured between the ceiling and the floor, by possible cross-members arranged between pairs of uprights, and by curtain-wall panels which are applied and secured to the uprights in various manners. Said movable walls also have the advantage that they can be easily disassembled and reassembled in order to vary their arrangement. The panels are currently secured by means of various anchoring means to be fixed on the hidden faces thereof, so that they are not in view when the wall is completed. The coupling devices are naturally suitable for being inserted in adapted seats of the uprights, which are conveniently made of metal plate profiled elements. The presence of the coupling devices causes the assembly of movable walls to be rather complicated and consequently not particularly quick. The movable wall is furthermore composed of a considerable number of parts, and this certainly does not facilitate the management of the storage of its raw materials and of its finished-product. The aim of the present invention is to provide a movable wall structure wherein the panels are coupled to the uprights directly, without interposing any kind of device. A consequent primary object is to provide a movable wall structure which is constructively simpler than current ones. Another important object is to provide a movable wall structure which is composed of a smaller number of elements than currently commercially available types. Still another object is to provide a movable wall structure having uprights which are fixed between the ceiling and the floor without requiring any intervention thereon. Yet another object is to provide a movable wall structure having uprights which are suitable for the fixing of supports for brackets or the like. Another object is to provide a movable wall structure which is capable of being easily adaptable to both floors and ceilings which are not perfectly horizontal. Not least object is to provide a movable wall structure which can be manufactured with conventional equipment and facilities. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a movable wall structure as defined in appended claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective partially cutout view of a lower portion of a movable wall according to the present invention; figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken along a vertical plane, of the upper part of the movable wall; figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken along a horizontal plane, of the wall region which comprises an upright; figure 4 is a perspective view of the arrangement of the panels and of the supports for shelves; figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken along a vertical plane, of the lower part of the movable wall; figure 6 is a perspective detail view of an upright with a bracket for a cross-member and a shelf support; figure 7 is a perspective view of a panel supporting profiled element comprised within the wall structure according to the present invention. With reference to the above figures, the wall structure according to the present invention comprises a series of uprights 1, each of which is constituted by two profiled elements 2 made of metal plate which are arranged specularly and are mutually coupled by projection welding. Each profiled element 2 has, in cross section, a central portion 3 which is U-shaped so as to compose, together with the other profiled element associated therewith, a square tubular structure. Laterally to said central portion 3, each profiled element 2 has two wings 4, each of which can be ideally divided into: a first planar portion 5 for supporting, and joining to, a corresponding first planar portion of the associated profiled element to thereby form the upright 1; a second portion 6, which is orthogonal to the preceding portion and is U-shaped, so as to form a supporting region 7 for a corresponding lateral portion of a curtain-wall panel 8; and a third portion 9 which is slightly inclined with respect to said first planar portion 5 and ends with a curling 10 which defines a sort of bead which is inserted in a snap-together manner, by elastic deformation of said wing 4, into a corresponding longitudinal groove 11 with a rectangular cross section which is provided on the edge of the panel 8. The second portion 6 is defined so that a certain gap remains between the third portions 9 and the first portions 5 so as to allow access to vertical slots 12 defined on the second portion 6 in a region adjacent to where said second portion bendingly blends with the first portion 5. Said slots 12 are suitable for the insertion of hook-shaped ends 13 which extend from laminar supports 14 for shelves or other elements to be applied to the wall. Conveniently, said vertical slots 12 are arranged so as to be mutually spaced with a constant pitch. The space between the ends of two mated profiled elements 2 which is not occupied by the supports 14 is closed by a covering strip 15 made of rubber or of an equivalent material. In the region comprised between two uprights 1 it is possible to conveniently arrange cross-members, not illustrated, the ends whereof are rested on the horizontal portions of brackets 16 which are advantageously provided with holes 17 for fixing by means of screws. In a central region of the vertical portion of each bracket 16 there is instead a tab 18 which is defined by blanking and bending and is suitable for being inserted in an adapted slotted hole 19 of the central portion 3 of the upright 1 and is then caused to slide downward to engage said upright 1. The uprights 1 are conveniently secured between the ceiling and the floor without requiring any kind of intervention on such ceiling or floor. In particular with regard to floor securing, the second portions 6 of two opposite wings 4 form an insertion seat 20 for a corresponding end of a U-shaped element 21, also made of metal plate, the bottom whereof is transversely inserted in a floor channel 22 constituted by a profiled element made of metal plate and folded so as to be U-shaped with a planar supporting base and vertical wings. The floor channel 22 has longitudinal stiffening ridges 23, and its upper ends 24 are curled. Said floor channel 22 conveniently rest with its base on elastic elements 25 made of rubber or of another material. Conveniently, said U-shaped element 21 has, at the end 24 of the channel 22, folds 25a suitable for constituting supporting regions for it. A sliding element 26, shaped like an inverted U, is arranged inside the U-shaped element 21, and the lower end of the upright 1 rests on the base 27 of said element 26. Wings 28 are defined on the base 27, are folded upward and are suitable for keeping the upright 1 in position. Said inverted-U element 26 has lateral tabs 29 with folds directed outward so as to define sliding seats for the element 21. The lower part of a threaded stem 30 is welded to the base of the element 21, passes through the base 27 of the element 26 and enters the central portion 3 of the upright 1. Conveniently, a hexagonal adjustment nut 31, suitable for spacing the bases of the respective elements 21 and 26 or for moving them mutually closer, is screwed on the threaded stem 30 below the base 27 of the element 26. An end of a panel supporting profiled element 32, also made of metal plate, rests on said lateral tabs 29 of the inverted-U sliding element 26; said profiled element 32 is composed of a planar central base 33, of two lateral inverted-U portions 34, in which the wings of the floor channel 22 are inserted, of two planar portions 35 which are external to said portions 34 and are co-planar with respect to the base 33 and are suitable for constituting supporting regions for the panels 8, and of two V-shaped end channels 36, each of which is suitable for defining, at its concavity and at its vertex, two engagement regions for respective shaped tabs 37 and 38 which extend laterally from a baseboard 39 made of plastic material. Advantageously, a tubular finishing element 40 with a rectangular cross-section is arranged between said baseboard 39 and the floor channel 22. As regards ceiling securing, the ends of the wings of an inverted-U element 41 are inserted in the upper portions of the seats 20 of the upright 1, and a threaded stem 42 is welded to the base of said element 41 and extends from the center of said base; said stem 42 is inserted, with its other end, between the central portions 3 of said upright 1. Said threaded stem 42 passes, in an adapted hole, through a supporting plate 43 which is arranged on the upright 1 and is provided with wings 44 which are folded downward and are suitable for keeping it in position. A cylindrical helical spring 45 is located between the base of the element 41 and the supporting plate 43 so as to embrace a portion of the threaded stem 42 and is compressed by a hexagonal nut 46 which is screwed onto the threaded stem 42. The structure is completed by a ceiling channel 47 on which the panels 8 rest laterally and on which the inverted-U elements 41 rest internally. Elastic elements 48, made of rubber or of another material, are arranged between the channel 47 and the ceiling. The combined actions of the hexagonal nuts 31 and 46 and of the spring 45 causes the upright 1 to be axially loaded between the ceiling and the floor and to be secured thereto without further aid. The presence of the spring is suitable for giving the system a certain elasticity. From what has been described above it is evident that the panels 8 are secured onto the structure without the aid of any auxiliary engagement element but simply by snap-together insertion of the curling ends 10 of the profile elements 2 into the seats or grooves 11 of such panels 8. This provides considerable advantages from the point of view of construction and from the point of view of assembly, which is more simplified and rapid. The structure is furthermore composed of a smaller number of parts with respect to current ones and this naturally entails smaller management problems. Finally, said structure is capable of adapting without trouble also to mounting between non-horizontal ceilings and floors. In practice it has thus been observed that the movable wall structure according to the invention has achieved the intended aim and obiects. In practice, the materials employed, so long as compatible with the contingent use, may be any according to the requirements. 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 scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Movable wall structure comprising a framework composed of uprights (1), and possible cross-members, which support curtain-wall panels (8), said uprights having lateral wings (4) shaped so as to define supporting regions (7) for the panels (8) which are orthogonal to the axis of symmetry of the upright (1), each wing (4) ending with a portion (9) which is substantially parallel to the wing (4) of the upright (1) and which extends along the edge of the panel (8), characterized in that each wing (4) has an engagement curling (10) protruding from said portion (9) and inserted in a snap-together manner, by elastic deformation of the wing (4), into a longitudinal groove (11) of the edge of the panel (8). Movable wall structure according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said uprights (1) is constituted by two profiled elements (2) which are made of metal plate and are arranged specularly, said metal plate profiled elements (2) being coupled by means of projection welding. Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each profiled element (2) which constitutes said upright (1) has a central portion 3 which is U-shaped so as to compose, together with the profiled element associated therewith, a square tubular structure, said profiled element (2) having, laterally to said central portion 3, two wings (4), each of which is composed of: a first planar portion (5) for support and coupling to a corresponding portion of the other profiled element which forms the upright; a second portion (6) which is orthogonal to the preceding one and is shaped like an inverted U so as to form said support region for a corresponding lateral portion of a panel (8); and a third portion (9) which constitutes said portion which is substantially parallel to the axis of the upright with an engagement curling (10). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said third portion (9) of each wing (4) of each profiled element (2) is slightly inclined with respect to the first portion (5) and ends with said curling (10), which defines a sort of bead which is inserted snap-together in said longitudinal groove (11) of said panel (8). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second portion (6) of each wing (4) of each profiled element (2) is executed so that a certain gap remains between the third portions (9) of two associated profiled elements and so that access is allowed to vertical slots (12) defined on said second portion (6) of each wing in a region adjacent to where said second portion bendingly blends with the first portion, said slots (12) being suitable for the insertion of hook-shaped ends (13) which extend from supports (14) for shelves or the like. Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the space between the ends of two mated profiled elements (2) which is not occupied by said supports (14) for shelves or the like is closed by a covering strip (15) made of rubber or of an equivalent material. Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cross-members are arranged so that their ends rest on the horizontal portions of brackets (16) which are provided with holes (17) for coupling by means of screws, each of said brackets having, in the central region of the vertical portion, a tab (18) which is defined by blanking and bending and is suitable for being inserted in an adapted slotted hole (19) of the central portion (3) of the upright (1), providing an insertion coupling with the lower edge of said hole. Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that pairs of said second portions (6) of the wings (4) of said profiled elements (2) of each upright (1) form respective seats (20) for the insertion of the ends of a U-shaped metal plate element (21) the bottom whereof is inserted transversely in a floor channel (22). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said floor channel (22) is constituted by a profiled element made of metal plate folded so as to be U-shaped, with a planar supporting base and vertical wings which have curled upper ends (24), said floor channel conveniently supporting with its base on elements (25) made of rubber or of an equivalent material. Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that inside said U-shaped element (21) which is transversely inserted in said floor channel (22) there is a sliding inverted-U element (26) on the base (27) of which the lower end of the corresponding upright (1) rests, wings (28) being defined on said base (27) of said inverted-U element (26), said wings (28) being folded upward and being suitable for keeping said upright (1) in position, said inverted-U element (26) having lateral wings (29) with folds directed outward so as to form sliding seats for said U-shaped element (21). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower part of a threaded stem (25) is welded on the base of said U-shaped element (21) arranged in said floor channel (22), said threaded stem (25) passing through the base (27) of said inverted-U element (26) and inserting itself inside the central portion of the corresponding upright (1), a hexagonal nut (31) being screwed on said threaded stem and abutting on the base (27) of said inverted-U element (26). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an end of a panel supporting profiled element (32) made of plate metal rests on said lateral wings (29) of said inverted-U element (26) on which said upright rests (1), said panel supporting profiled element (32) being composed of: a planar central base (33); two lateral inverted-U portions (34), in which the wings of said floor channel (22) are inserted; two planar portions (35), which are external to said lateral inverted-U portions (34), are co-planar to said base (33) and are suitable for constituting supporting regions for said panels (8); and two V-shaped end channels (36). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said two V-shaped channels (36) is suitable for defining, at the concavity and at the vertex, two coupling regions for respective shaped wings (37,38) which extend laterally from a baseboard (39) made of plastic material. Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tubular finishing element (40) with rectangular cross-section is arranged between said baseboard (39) and said floor channel (22). Movable wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ends of the wings of an inverted-U element (41) are inserted in the upper portions of said seats (20) defined by the second portions (6) of the wings (4) of said profiled elements (2) which compose each upright (1), a threaded stem (42) extending from the center of the base of said inverted-U element, said threaded stem (42) being welded thereto and being inserted, with its other end, in the central portion of said upright (1), said threaded stem passing, in an adapted hole, through a supporting plate (43) which is arranged on said upright (1) and is provided with wings (44) which are folded downward and are suitable for keeping it in position, a spring (45) being arranged between the base of the inverted-U element (41) and the supporting plate (43), said spring (45) being compressed by a hexagonal nut (46) which is screwed on said threaded stem (42). Wall structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a ceiling channel (47) on which said panels (8) rest laterally and on which said upper inverted-U elements (41) rest internally, elastic elements (49), made of rubber or of an equivalent material, being arranged between said channel (47) and the ceiling.

Inventors: PROGIDA ALBERTO, PROGIDA, ALBERTO
Applicants: NORDWALL SPA, NORDWALL S.P.A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: E04B2