Patent Description:
Museum showcases must therefore meet requirements of various type, in relation to preservation and integrity of the exhibits. In addition, these showcases must of course guarantee the best visibility for the exhibits.

In addition, museum showcases are increasingly made in very large sizes, both to accommodate large objects and to ensure better possibility of enjoying the exhibits; for example, in the exhibition of collections or of series that comprise many objects, the placement of these objects in the same showcase facilitates the viewer's overall and comparative vision.

Especially when the showcase is very large, it becomes important for the those managing the museum space to be able to have easy access to the inside of the showcase, both to be able to place large-sized objects in it, and to be able to operate more comfortably for the arrangement of a large number of objects.

The need to facilitate access to the inside of the showcase is therefore always felt. On the other hand, it is still indispensable to be able to guarantee the necessary seal of the showcase, in order to be able to keep the objects inside it in the atmosphere provided for the best preservation thereof and protected from the external environment.

<CIT> discloses a showcase made of two sliding sections that can slide horizontally one with respect to the other, thanks to a guide system on the base of the showcase. Each of the two sliding sections includes two vertical side walls sealingly connected to a top wall; the two sliding sections slide with respect to a common fixed lower plane. Sealing between the vertical side walls of the sliding sections and the fixed bottom plane is obtained by means of a gasket mounted at the bottom edge of the vertical side walls and in sliding engagement with the fixed bottom plane.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a museum showcase according to claim <NUM>; preferred characteristics are reported in the dependent claims.

More particularly, the museum showcase comprises a base, a primary horizontal guide system placed on the base along a sliding direction A, and a case which encloses a single exhibition space and is mounted on the primary horizontal guide system; the case is divided into at least two modules, and each of the modules comprises two vertical side walls sealingly connected to an upper horizontal top panel and to a lower horizontal bottom; each module is mounted on the primary horizontal guide system so as to be slidable in the sliding direction A; said at least two modules comprise two end modules, and each end module further comprises a vertical end wall, the vertical end walls being sealingly connected to the vertical side walls, to the top panel and to the bottom in the respective module. The showcase then comprises an abutment profile on each of the modules, that is directed towards another adjacent module and extends at a free edge of the bottom, of the top panel and of the vertical side walls, and a single exhibiting plane extended within the case, above the bottom of the modules.

In this showcase, the case can be opened completely by division, moving its modules in the sliding direction so as to have easy access to the single exhibiting plane, from all directions: both from the sides and from above. The single exhibiting plane allows the arrangement of the objects on it, when the showcase is open; the arrangement of the objects is then maintained unchanged during the subsequent operations of closing and opening of the showcase. It should also be noted that the exhibiting plane is enclosed within the case, which is closed (sealingly) by butt coupling, along the abutment profiles of the modules. There is therefore no need to provide for sealing systems between the modules and the base, which are complex as to construction and of limited effectiveness due to the relative sliding between the modules and the base.

Preferably, the showcase comprises a secondary horizontal guide system, placed between the single exhibiting plane and the bottom of the modules and extended in the same sliding direction as the primary horizontal guide system.

This expedient allows the modules of the case to slide freely with respect to the exhibiting plane during the opening and closing of the showcase.

Preferably, said at least two modules further comprise at least an intermediate module without vertical end walls, and comprising two abutment profiles, extended along the two free edges of the bottom, of the top panel and of the vertical side walls.

The use of one or more intermediate modules allows implementation of showcases of even very large size; the easy access to the inside of the showcase is guaranteed by the possibility of moving each of the modules in the sliding direction, in order to free the access to the various areas of the exhibiting plane, as needed.

Preferably, the museum showcase comprises for each pair of adjacent modules at least a sealing gasket, extended as a ring along one of the abutment profiles of the two adjacent modules. Thanks to the configuration of the showcase, the butt seal along the abutment profiles is easily ensured by simple and effective ring-shaped seals.

Preferably, the showcase comprises a locking mechanism to lock a module against an adjacent module, thereby ensuring that the locked condition is maintained.

The movement of the modules on the primary horizontal guide system can be free: in this case, it is an operator who manually moves the modules to open or close the showcase, making them slide like trolleys to the right and/or left, as needed.

Preferably, especially in the case of very large and therefore heavy showcases, the showcase comprises a driving mechanism that is active on the primary horizontal guide system to move the modules along the sliding direction. This mechanism can be manual (e.g. crank), or motorised.

The showcase can be extended horizontally or vertically. In a showcase extended horizontally, in which in each module the vertical side walls have a height lower than the width and/or the length of the top surfaces and bottoms, the invention allows a great ease of opening and closing. In a showcase extended vertically, in which in each module the vertical side walls have a height greater than the width and/or the length of the top surfaces and bottoms, the invention allows a great opening and closing safety, thanks to the presence of the single exhibiting plane.

Preferably, depending on the shape and size of the showcase, and depending on the exhibits, the vertical side walls and/or the vertical end walls and/or the top panels are made of transparent material, preferably glass.

Further features and advantages will best result from the following description of a showcase according to an embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In such drawings:.

In the figures, numeral <NUM> is used to indicate a museum showcase as a whole; the showcase <NUM> is a showcase of the type extending horizontally, also known as a table showcase, but it is evident -as mentioned above- that the invention is also applicable to a showcase extending vertically.

The showcase <NUM> comprises a base <NUM>, supported or fixed to the ground by means of feet <NUM>, surmounted by a case <NUM> in which the exhibition space is enclosed. The case <NUM> is formed with a plurality of side-by-side modules, in particular four modules: a left end module 21a, a right end module 21b and two intermediate modules 21c and 21d. The indication left or right is purely indicative, with reference to <FIG>.

The modules <NUM> each comprise a lower horizontal bottom <NUM>, an upper horizontal top panel <NUM> and two vertical side walls <NUM> and <NUM>, which connect the bottom <NUM> to the top panel <NUM>; more precisely, the vertical side walls are welded (for example by gluing) to the bottom <NUM> and to the top panel <NUM>, so as to form a substantially tubular, airtight monolithic structure. The end modules 21a and 21b then also comprise two vertical end walls <NUM>, which are in turn welded to respective bottoms <NUM>, top panels <NUM> and vertical side walls <NUM> and <NUM>. The bottoms <NUM> are made from a rigid, non-transparent panel, such as metal. On the other hand, the top panels <NUM> and the vertical walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are preferably all (or at least part of them) made of glass.

All modules <NUM> are mounted above the base <NUM>, aligned and slidable along a horizontal sliding direction A, which is longitudinal to the showcase <NUM>. To this end, the showcase <NUM> comprises a primary horizontal guide system <NUM> between the base <NUM> and the case <NUM>, on which the modules <NUM> are mounted. The primary horizontal guide system <NUM> comprises a pair of fixed rails <NUM>, fixed above the base <NUM>, and a pair of movable rails <NUM>; the fixed rails <NUM> extend along the entire length of the showcase <NUM>, while the movable rails <NUM> are divided into sections, respectively fixed below each of the bottoms <NUM> of the modules 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d. The rails <NUM> and <NUM> have low friction, for example with ball or roller bearings, preferably of the type in which the only possible relative movement is sliding, while the possibility of moving away in different directions is excluded; rails of this type are per se known and readily available on the market.

Thanks to the primary guide system <NUM>, the modules <NUM> are free to slide on the base <NUM>, like trolleys on a rail.

Each of the modules <NUM> faces adjacent modules with an abutment profile <NUM>; the end modules 21a and 21b therefore have one abutment profile <NUM>, while the intermediate modules 21c and 21d have two abutment profiles <NUM>. Each abutment profile <NUM> develops along a rectangle at the free edges of the bottom <NUM>, of the vertical side walls <NUM> and <NUM>, and of the top panel <NUM>. Preferably, each abutment profile <NUM> is formed by a frame, placed to protect the free edge of the bottom <NUM>, of the vertical side walls <NUM> and <NUM> and of the top panel <NUM>. Preferably, at least one of two facing abutment profiles <NUM> is provided with an annular, deformable gasket <NUM>, for example of the O-ring type, so as to allow an airtight sealing between two modules <NUM> placed side by side.

The showcase <NUM> then comprises a single exhibiting plane <NUM>, extended within the case <NUM> above the bottoms <NUM> of all modules <NUM>. The exhibiting plane <NUM> is preferably made of a sheet of opaque material, such as metal, reinforced by transverse cross members <NUM> applied at the bottom, and extends along the entire length of the showcase <NUM> in the direction A.

The single exhibiting plane <NUM> is mounted floating on the bottoms <NUM> of the modules <NUM> by means of a secondary horizontal guide system <NUM>, comprising a pair of fixed rails <NUM>, fixed below the single exhibiting plane <NUM>, and a pair of movable rails <NUM>; the fixed rails <NUM> are extended along the entire length of the single exhibiting plane <NUM>, while the movable rails <NUM> are divided into sections, respectively fixed above each of the bottoms <NUM> of the modules 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d. Similarly to what is provided for the primary horizontal guide system <NUM>, the rails <NUM> and <NUM> have low friction, for example with ball or roller bearings, preferably of the type in which the only possible relative movement is sliding, while the possibility of moving away in different directions is excluded.

The showcase <NUM> can then be provided with locking mechanisms to lock two adjacent modules <NUM> together. Furthermore, the showcase <NUM> can be provided with a driving mechanism -manual or motorised- for the primary horizontal guide system <NUM>. These features are per se known to the person skilled in the art, and are therefore not described in detail, nor shown on the drawings.

The operation of the showcase <NUM> is readily apparent from the foregoing. The opening thereof is achieved by moving one or more of the modules <NUM> along the primary horizontal guide system <NUM>, until the desired access space is freed; the objects (or the single object) intended for display are then arranged on the single exhibiting plane <NUM>. Once the arrangement has been completed, the showcase <NUM> is closed again by sliding the modules <NUM> so as to reconstitute the case <NUM>, which is closed and sealed between module and module thanks to the abutment profiles <NUM> and the gaskets <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the showcase <NUM> has a single large exhibition space with a single exhibiting plane <NUM>, despite being made with modules <NUM> with relatively limited size.

During the opening and closing operations of the showcase <NUM>, the single exhibiting plane <NUM> does not interfere with the sliding movement of the modules <NUM>, remaining floating above the bottoms <NUM>, thanks to the secondary horizontal guide system <NUM>. With the open showcase <NUM>, the single exhibiting plane <NUM> may also be moved in turn along the direction A, within the limits of the position of the two end modules 21a and 21b, so as to facilitate the arrangement of objects thereon.

It should be noted that the two horizontal guide systems <NUM> and <NUM>, with the respective rails <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM>, guarantee the solidity of the showcase <NUM> also during the opening and closing operations, and in particular in the positions of maximum opening. In fact, even if the modules 21a and 21b are cantilevered with respect to the base <NUM>, the rails prevent them from overturning, since they are coupled to each other in such a way as to allow only sliding in the direction A and not moving away in the vertical direction. It should be noted in particular that the same single exhibiting plane <NUM> acts at this stage as a stiffening element against the weight that would tend to overturn the cantilevered modules 21a and 21b.

Claim 1:
A museum showcase comprising a base (<NUM>), a primary horizontal guide system (<NUM>) placed on the base (<NUM>) along a sliding direction (A), and a case (<NUM>) enclosing a single exhibition space and mounted on the primary horizontal guide system (<NUM>), wherein the case (<NUM>) is divided into at least two modules (<NUM>) and each of the modules (<NUM>) comprises two vertical side walls (<NUM>, <NUM>) sealingly connected to an upper horizontal top panel (<NUM>) and to a lower horizontal bottom (<NUM>), wherein each module (<NUM>) is mounted on the primary horizontal guide system (<NUM>) so as to be slidable in the sliding direction (A), wherein said at least two modules (<NUM>) comprise two end modules (21a, 21b), wherein each end module (21a, 21b) further comprises a vertical end wall (<NUM>), the vertical end walls (<NUM>) being sealingly connected to the vertical side walls (<NUM>, <NUM>), to the top panel (<NUM>) and to the bottom (<NUM>) in the respective module (<NUM>), further comprising an abutment profile (<NUM>) on each of the modules (<NUM>), that is directed towards another adjacent module (<NUM>) and extends at a free edge of the bottom (<NUM>), of the top panel (<NUM>) and of the vertical side walls (<NUM>, <NUM>), further comprising a single exhibiting plane (<NUM>) extended within the case (<NUM>), above the bottom (<NUM>) of the modules (<NUM>) and wherein the exhibiting plane (<NUM>) is enclosed within the case (<NUM>), which is sealingly closed by butt coupling along the abutment profiles (<NUM>) of the modules (<NUM>),
characterised in that
said vertical side walls (<NUM>, <NUM>) connect the bottom (<NUM>) to the top panel (<NUM>), and the vertical side walls (<NUM>, <NUM>) are welded to the bottom (<NUM>) and to the top panel (<NUM>), so as to form a substantially tubular, airtight monolithic structure.