Patent Publication Number: US-2009218920-A1

Title: Modular System for Realising Furnishing Elements

Description:
The present invention relates a modular system for realising furnishing elements. 
     More specifically, the invention concerns a modular system preferably, but not exclusively, using pressed glass modular elements, for realising furnishing elements comprised of various modular elements for linear or curved structures, or various architectural inner or outside spaces with different colours, surface finishing and possible lighting inserts. 
     These and other results are obtained according to the invention, suggesting a modular system, particularly comprised of pressed glass, for realising furnishing elements or for various architectural inner or outside spaces with different colours, surface finishing and possible lighting inserts. 
     It is therefore specific object of the present invention a modular system for realising furnishing elements characterised in that it comprised a plurality of different kind of modular elements, each kind of modular element providing at least a base module and an upper cover element, said base module being provided above with a fixed joint coupling element, coupling with a corresponding fixed joint coupling element provided under the same base module or the upper cover element, said different king of modular elements providing at least straight modular elements, 45° bent modular elements, and modular elements with a round fixed joint. 
     Further features of the invention are described in the dependent claims. 
     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: 
       FIGS. 1   a,    1   b,    1   c,    1   d,  and  1   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a first module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 2   a,    2   b,    2   c,    2   d,  and  2   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 3   a,    3   b,    3   c  and  3   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the base element of the module of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the three elements shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
       FIGS. 5   a,    5   b,    5   c,    5   d,  and  5   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a second module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 6   a,    6   b,    6   c,    6   d,  and  6   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIGS. 7   a,    7   b,    7   c,  and  7   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the base element of the module of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the three elements shown in  FIGS. 5-7 ; 
       FIGS. 9   a,    9   b,    9   c,    9   d,  and  1   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a third module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 10   a,    10   b,    10   c,    10   d,  and  10   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIGS. 11   a,    11   b,    11   c,  and  11   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the base element of the module of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the three elements shown in  FIGS. 9-11 ; 
       FIGS. 13   a,    13   b,    13   c,    13   d,  and  13   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a fourth module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 14   a,    14   b,    14   c,    14   d,  and  14   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIGS. 15   a,    15   b,    15   c,  and  15   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the base element of the module of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIG. 16  is an exploded view of the three elements shown in  FIGS. 13-15 ; 
       FIGS. 13   a,    13   b,    13   c,    13   d,  and  13   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a fifth module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 18   a,    18   b,    18   c,    18   d,  and  18   e  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIGS. 19   a,    19   b,    19   c  and  19   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the base element of the module of  FIG. 17 ; 
       FIG. 20  is an exploded view of the three elements shown in  FIGS. 17-19 ; 
       FIGS. 21   a,    21   b,    21   c  and  21   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a sixth module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 22   a,    22   b,    22   c  and  22   d  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 21 ; 
       FIGS. 23   a,    23   b,    23   c  and  23   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the base element of the module of  FIG. 21 ; 
       FIG. 24  is an exploded view of the three elements shown in  FIGS. 21-23 ; 
       FIGS. 25   a,    25   b,    25   c  and  25   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of a seventh module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 26   a,    26   b,    26   c  and  26   d  are perspective, front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 25 ; 
       FIGS. 27   a,    27   b,    27   c  and  27   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of an eight module of the system according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 28   a,    28   b,    28   c  and  28   d  are front, lateral, top and perspective views, respectively, of the cover element of the module of  FIG. 27 ; 
       FIGS. 29-33  show some possible uses of the modular system according to the invention; 
       FIG. 34  schematically shows an arrangement for lighting the elements of the system according to the invention; and 
       FIG. 35  is a general scheme of the system according to the invention. 
    
    
     Observing the enclosed figures, the modular system according to the invention comprises a series of modules that can be combined in such a way to obtain a large number of shapes and structures. 
     It should be noted that in the figures, single modules are shown with a specific coupling system, but it is well evident that the coupling system could be different, being it not possible using this feature to unduly limit the scope of the invention. 
     Modular system according to the invention is preferably comprised of pressed glass. 
     Different elements are shown in the figures, but it is possible providing other elements with a different shape, always based on the same technical principle. 
     Observing first  FIGS. 1   a - e,    2   a - e,    3   a - d  and  4 , it is shown the half module  10 , providing upper cover  1  and lower base  1   2 , the combination of which is clearly shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Observing now  FIGS. 5   a - e,    6   a - e,    7   a - d  and  8 , it is shown the base module  20 , providing upper cover  21  and lower base  22 , the combination of which is clearly shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     45° bent module  30  is shown in  FIGS. 9   a - e,    10   a - e,    11   a - d  and  12  providing upper cover  31  and lower base  32 , the combination of which is clearly shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Coming now to observe  FIGS. 13   a - e,    14   a - e,    15   a - d  and  16 , it is shown the 90° bent module  40 , providing upper cover  41  and lower base  42 , the combination of which is clearly shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     Leftward joint module  50  is shown in  FIGS. 17   a - e,    18   a - e,    19   a - d  and  20 , providing upper cover  51  and lower base  52 , the combination of which is clearly shown in  FIG. 20 . 
     Rightward joint module  60  is shown in  FIGS. 21   a - e,    22   a - e,    23   a - d  and  24 , providing upper cover  61  and lower base  62 , the combination of which is clearly shown in  FIG. 24 . 
     Finally, in  FIGS. 25   a - e,    264   a - e,    27   a - d  and  28 , the circular fixed joint half module  70 , providing upper cover  71 , and the circular fixed joint base module  80 , providing upper cover  81 , are respectively shown. 
     Circular fixed joint base module  80  and circular fixed joint half module  70  permit, thanks to the circular fixed joint, realising angled joints without limitation within a 180° range, based on the hinge principle and perfectly integrating with all the other elements  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60  of the system. 
     Some embodiments of structures that can be realised using and freely combining the elements shown in previous  FIGS. 1-28  are shown in  FIGS. 29-33 . 
     In  FIG. 34  it is shown that each one of the elements  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 , if comprised of transparent material, such as pressed glass, can be provided with a lighting system, that in the figure is comprised of a lamp  90 , but that could be comprised of any other system technically feasible. 
     Finally,  FIG. 35  shows a scheme of combination of some elements according to the invention. 
     As it can be observed, modular system according to the invention, that, as already mentioned, can be comprised of pressed glass, is comprised of elements studied so as to permit, by a fixed joint, realising plane and/or curved surfaces, columns, pilaster strips, basements and pedestals, using the structural modularity of elements  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction. 
     It is thus possible obtained infinite chromatic effects combining the structural elements, alternating modules with different colours in order to integrate the same in the architectonic space. Further, as already noted, elements  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  are hollow, this permitting housing different kinds of lighting sources, such as LEDs, incandescent lamps, low consumption lamps, in order to create lighting modules that can be integrated in the compositions or used singularly. 
     Modular system with pressed glass elements  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  with a big thickness permits to the elements  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  specifically withstanding to the atmospheric agents and to the sudden thermal variations. 
     In case they are comprised of pressed glass, single elements can be manufactured by press moulding, thus being able controlling dimension tolerances of each element  10 ,  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 , maintaining the same within very narrow ranges, in order to make the fixed joint system very precise and resistant. 
     It is thus obtained a system realised fulfilling the environmental protection rules both for the glass raw materials and the possibility of recycling. 
     It is further possible housing photovoltaic modules comprised of receiving and accumulator group autonomously supplying the lighting LED system. Lack of main supply permits providing the module thus realised in every point of the assembly. 
     Particular fixed joint system permits obtaining a stability of the figure realised even without a specific binder or adhesive, thus permitting modifying afterwards the structure, adding or removing modules on the basis of the new dimension and chromatic needing. 
     Further, pressed glass modular system according to the invention, thanks to the design and realisation methods, can be very easily packaged, stored and transported. 
     The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, 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.