Patent Publication Number: US-4927106-A

Title: Presentation podium

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a presentation podium which exhibits a closed, self-supporting, polygonal or circular frame into which an insert element is insertable. 
     A podium of this general type is described in German GM 8,431,566. 
     An underlying object of the present invention is to develop such a podium further so that an ability for the placing and fastening of various accessory articles, including bulky ones, and for the attachment of price boards and notice boards, can be created in a simple manner. 
     This object is achieved according to the invention by providing an arrangement wherein inward-pointing horizontal support bolts are fastened in the region of the upper edge of the frame, and wherein the insert elements, such as platforms, plant tubs and the like are insertable into the frame while maintaining a uniform all-round air gap from the latter. 
     The frame may be produced in sandwich construction with the widest variety of material combinations. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view from above of a presentation podium constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows on a larger scale a section along the line II--II in FIG. 1 with a platform in place; 
     FIG. 3 shows on the same scale a section corresponding to that of FIG. 2, but through an embodiment with an inserted plant tub; 
     FIG. 4 shows a partly fragmented side elevation of a presentation podium with a bracing element plugged in for a ski box to be presented; and 
     FIG. 5 shows a section corresponding to FIG. 2 through another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The presentation podium illustrated in the drawing exhibits an inherently closed, rectangular self-supporting frame 1, which is composed--as FIGS. 2 and 3 show--of an outer sheet-metal skin 1a and an inner wood layer 1b. However, a wide variety of sandwich constructions would be conceivable here, such as aluminium/corrugated aluminium/aluminium, steel or aluminium with polyurethane (PU) foam on the inside, etc. Somewhat below the upper edge of the frame 1, horizontally extending inward-pointing support bolts 2 are fastened on its inside, upon which a platform 3 (FIG. 2) may be placed or a plant tub 4 (FIG. 3) inserted, for example. A uniform all-round air gap 5 then remains between the frame 1 and the platform 3 or the plant tub 4, which is ensured by the fact that the platform 3 and/or the plant tub 4 exhibit hook-in slots 6 with a correspondingly limited extension in depth. 
     The podiums are equipped with wheels 7 to facilitate moving them. 
     The support bolts 2 fulfill further functions in addition to those described above. Thus, accessory elements, the wall thickness of which in the region within the air gap should correspond approximately to the width of the air gap 5 in order to achieve a stable position, may respectively be placed on two support bolts 2 arranged adjacently. Thus, a bracing element 8 for a ski box 9 to be presented is shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, which consists of two opposite retaining plates 10 which are connected by a rod 11, is supportable at the support bolts 2 at downwardly open slots of the plates 10. 
     Price boards or notice boards may be fitted to the presentation podiums via the support bolts in a similar manner. 
     In order to secure valuable exhibited good, such as tires for example, embodiments are also contemplated with a wire support cable provided with a lock and extended through beneath the support bolts and around the goods. 
     Lastly, a somewhat varied embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing. Here support bolts 13 are likewise arranged somewhat beneath the upper edge of a frame 12, upon which however a platform 14 provided with downward-angled edge regions is not placed directly. On the contrary, an engaging element 15 provided with a U-shaped cross-section is fastened to the frame 12 by the support bolts 13, and the platform 14 is hooked into it. The air gap 16 is created here, as in the embodiment of the invention previously described. 
     Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.