Regal

Abstract

Shelf (2) with frame surface elements (4), - which are arranged perpendicular and parallel to each other in the intended orientation, and - between which shelf elements (10) are attached horizontally one above the other, with their side edges (12) along each surface (14) of one of the frames (4) and accessible from one side (16), and - which extend at their upper end (20) over an area in front of the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements and support roofing surface elements (22) there (for example, with an outer contour in the form of an oval, a circle, a superellipse, a rectangle, a square or a leaf, in some areas simply or doubly curved, as a free-form surface arched and / or flat or in total one of these), which is designed to be placed freely on a flat horizontal floor (26) without additional lateral support (for example, on a wall).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shelf, in particular for sales rooms such as supermarkets, for displaying and offering goods there, in particular for self-service.

[0002] The self-service concept is particularly widespread in supermarkets. Customers walk through the "aisles" between the shelves and, either deliberately or inspired by the visible selection, search for items, take them from the shelf, and purchase them.

[0003] Sales psychology influences the customers' stay and behavior in such a sales space. Lighting and music, for example, change the "atmosphere," but the design and arrangement of the furniture also influence the customers' well-being and thus their "buying behavior."

[0004] Sales rooms often have technical structures, such as air conditioning and sprinkler systems, electrical power supply and data cables, located particularly under their ceilings, which should be hidden as much as possible from passers-by and customers down there in the room, for example, to avoid distraction or uncertainty.

[0005] The present invention is based on the object of creating a shelf that better surrounds passersby walking along the shelf, particularly in the sense of the aforementioned. This object is achieved by a shelf having the features of independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

[0006] The shelf according to the invention shown below is used in particular for displaying and offering goods in sales areas such as supermarkets, in particular for self-service.

[0007] According to the invention, the shelving unit comprises frame-surface elements arranged vertically and parallel to one another in the intended orientation. Between any two of these, shelf compartment elements or general merchandise supports (e.g., shelves, baskets, dispensers, inclined planes, display cases) are attached horizontally one above the other, with their side edges along a surface of one of the frames and accessible from one side, the "front." Thus, according to the invention, the shelf compartment elements, one above the other and accessible from this one side, form the usual functionality of a shelving unit.

[0008] According to the invention, the frames each extend at their upper end over an area in front of the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements. Roofing surface elements are attached to them there (possibly overlapping one another, especially then possibly on frames of different heights). The roofing surface elements have any desired outer contour, particularly preferably in the shape of an oval, a circle, a superellipse, a rectangle, a square, or a leaf. But they could also be star-shaped, in the shape of a "speech bubble" or a cartoon explosion, and not all necessarily have the same outer contour. As a surface, they are flat or singly or doubly curved, as a freeform surface they are arched – in some areas in any combination, or as an entire element of one of these – and again not necessarily all on a shelf with the same surface shape.

[0009] The shelf according to the invention is designed to be freely positioned on a flat, horizontal floor without additional lateral support, for example, against a wall. For this purpose, the frames preferably each have two foot elements at their lower end, which are preferably height-adjustable.

[0010] The spades particularly preferably have an outer contour with a front edge (towards the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements) that is concave (at least in one section). Thus, the respective frame can arch with its front edge over the area in front of the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements or at least into it. The roofing surface element can then be attached to the frame, particularly preferably on the rear edge of this upper end of the frame - for which purpose the frame is particularly preferably designed as a tapered cantilever. The shelf can have frames of different heights in order to arrange roofing surface elements at different heights, in particular to allow them to overlap one another.

[0011] In particular, two opposing shelves according to the invention can form an intermediate space from which both shelves are accessible and which is covered by the roofing surface elements, for example, like a canopy of leaves. People there are then enveloped, as it were, by the two shelves (especially with concave frames or front edges) and the cantilevers supporting the roofs (again, particularly concave), as if in a tunnel. The roofing surface elements can thus also conceal structures such as air conditioning and sprinkler systems, electrical power supply and data lines under the ceiling of a sales area in which the shelves are installed.

[0012] The outer contour of the frames also particularly preferably has a rear edge (opposite the front edge) which (in the intended position of the frame) is straight and vertical (i.e., in the direction opposite to the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements) at least in a lower section. These rear edges thus form a vertical plane toward which the shelf compartment elements then particularly preferably extend (i.e., again, in the direction opposite to the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements). This forms a flat rear side of the shelf – where a flat rear wall can particularly preferably be attached and / or the shelf can be placed with this flat rear side against the (flat, vertical) rear side of another shelf, so to speak, back to back – or against a vertical wall, even if support there is not required according to the invention (but is nevertheless possible).

[0013] Particularly preferred are rails mounted along the vertical rear edges of the frames, into which the shelf compartment elements can be hung, preferably in a height-adjustable manner, and thus fastened between the frames.

[0014] Particularly preferably, the spades and / or floors of the shelf elements and / or the rear wall are made of wood panel material (plywood or OSB).

[0015] Furthermore, a system is particularly preferred which has as components at least one configuration of a frame surface element, a shelf compartment element and a roof surface element for erecting a shelf as described so far.

[0016] Lights, in particular spotlights and / or indirect light sources, are preferably mounted on the shelf, the latter for example on the rear edge of the frames in the upper area. Spotlights or other lamps, in particular those generating direct light, are preferably located below the roofing surface elements, in particular on the front edge of the upper frame ends. They are preferably movable there in spotlight rails that are mounted along the front edge. Particularly advantageously, the power supply for the lighting mounted on the shelf can be provided by cables that run from the light sources on the shelf through longitudinal grooves in the rear edges of the frames, in particular in the upper frame ends, as well as through preferably horizontal cable ducts or (in particular upwardly open) channels between (in particular bores in) the frames with power lines.This makes it particularly convenient to connect the power supply for an entire shelf (even a large number of frames with product carriers in between, forming a longer shelf line) to the power grid at a few or even just one “transfer point”.

[0017] Further aspects, features, and technical advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. The figures show an embodiment of the invention in two different arrangements – in which the features depicted therein and described here are also inventive individually, detached from the respective illustrated embodiment, insofar as this is at least somewhat obvious or functions without requiring inventive activity – namely Fig. 1 is an isometric view from above of two shelves according to the invention back to back and Fig. 2 a spatial representation from the front of the two shelves according to the invention Fig. 1 compared with each other.

[0018] The following in Fig. 1 and Fig. Shelf 2 shown in Figure 2 is used for displaying and offering goods (not shown) in sales areas such as self-service supermarkets.

[0019] It has become apparent, first of all with regard to Fig. 2, each of the two shelves 2 has three frame surface elements 4 (with a concave front edge 6 and - in its lower section - a straight, vertical rear edge 8 - more on this shortly), which are arranged perpendicularly and parallel to one another in the intended orientation shown. Between each two of the three frames 4 of each of the two shelves 2, shelf compartment elements or product supports (shown in the form of shelves) 10 are attached horizontally one above the other, with their side edges 12 along a surface 14 of one of the frames 4 - and accessible from one side 16, namely the space 16 between the two shelves 2. Rails 18 are attached along the vertical rear edges 8 of the frames 4, into which the shelf compartment elements 10 can be suspended in a height-adjustable manner with their side edge cantilever arms 12 and thus fastened between the frames 4. Thus, the shelf compartment elements 10, positioned one above the other and accessible from one side 16, form the usual functionality of a shelf.

[0020] However, the frames 4 that support these shelf elements or goods carriers 10 are special in their shape.

[0021] The frames 4 each extend at their upper end 20 beyond the area in front of the accessible side 16 of the shelf compartment elements 10. Roofing surface elements 22 are attached to them there. The roofing surface elements 22 all have the same outer contour, namely in the shape of a superellipse. As a surface, they are doubly curved as a whole element: firstly, concave like the front edge of the frames 4 (towards the accessible side 16 of the shelf 2) in cross-sections in planes (not shown) parallel to the surfaces 14 of the frames 4; and secondly, convex (towards the accessible side 16 of the shelf 2) in cross-sections in perpendicular planes (not shown) at right angles thereto, i.e., in planes that are perpendicular and perpendicular to the surfaces 14 of the frames 4.

[0022] The spades 4 have an outer contour with a front edge 6 (in the direction of the accessible side 16 of the shelf compartment elements 10), which is concave, as already indicated. Thus, the respective frame 4 arches with its front edge 6 over the area 16 in front of the accessible side 16 of the shelf compartment elements 10. There, the roofing surface element 22 is attached to the frame 4, specifically on the upper end 20 of the rear edge 8 of the frame 4 (in this upper end section 20 of the rear edge 8, concave like the front edge 6). For this purpose, the frames 4 are designed at their upper end 20 as a tapered cantilever 20 (with a front edge 6 and rear edge 8 concave in the direction of the accessible side 16 of the shelf compartment elements 10). Fig. Figure 2 shows how the two opposing shelves 2 form an intermediate space 16 (from which the shelves 2 are accessible), which is covered by the superellipses 22 of the roofing surface elements 22, like a canopy of leaves. People there are enveloped, as it were, by the two shelves with their concave front edges and the concave cantilevers 20 supporting the roofs 22, as if in a tunnel. The roofing surface elements 22 also conceal structures such as air conditioning and sprinkler systems, electrical power supply and data lines (not shown) under the ceiling of a sales room in which the shelves 2 are installed.

[0023] And the frames 4 have an outer contour with a rear edge 8 (opposite the front edge), which (in the illustrated intended position of the frames 4) is straight and vertical in its lower section. Thus, these rear edges 8 of the frames 4 of the shelves 2 (three here in the figures - but with the modular system with which the illustrated shelves 2 are constructed from elements 4, 10, 22, 24, 30, 32, to form a row of more that can be extended as desired) span a vertical plane (not shown). This forms a flat rear side of the shelves 2. A flat rear wall 24 can be attached there. The shelf compartment elements 10 extend to this point (i.e., in the direction opposite to the accessible side 16 of the shelf compartment elements 10). With this flat rear side, the shelves 2 can be placed against a vertical wall (not shown) - or, as in Fig. 1 can be seen, and the (flat, vertical) back of another shelf 2, so to speak back 24 to back 24.

[0024] With a view to Fig. 1 it can also be seen that the shelves 2 have frames 4 of different heights in order to arrange roofing surface elements 22 at different heights, namely to allow them to overlap one another as shown: the middle of the roofing surface elements 22' is arranged higher (and can thus overlap the two lateral roofing surface elements 22 on top and without touching) because it is mounted on a frame 4' which is slightly higher than the two lateral frames 4.

[0025] The shelves 2 are designed to be placed freely on a flat, horizontal floor 26 of a salesroom without additional lateral support (such as a wall). For this purpose, the frames 4 each have two foot elements (not shown) at their lower, straight ends 28, which are height-adjustable, particularly to compensate for uneven floors. Between the lower ends of the frames 4, there are rolling drawers 10' (which are not connected to the frames) as product supports 10' of a different shape and function, with a plane inclined forward.

[0026] Light spotlights 30 are attached to the shelves 2, specifically below the roofing surface elements 22 at the front edge 6 of the upper frame ends (or booms) 20. There, they are movable in light spotlight rails 30, which are supplied with power lines (not shown) from a central connection (not shown) through longitudinal grooves (not shown) in the upper frame ends 20 and through cable trays 32 between holes 34 in the frames 4.

[0027] The spades 4 and the floors of the shelf elements 10 and the rear wall 24 are made of wood panel material, namely plywood. List of reference symbols 2 shelves 4, 4' frame surface element, frame 4' higher frame 6 Frame leading edge 8 Rear edge of frames 10, 10' shelf element, product carrier 10' roller drawer 12 shelf element, goods carrier side edge, side edge cantilever 14 Frame surface 16 Accessible shelf side 18 Mounting rail 20 Upper frame end, boom 22, 22' roofing surface element 22' higher roofing surface element 24 Rear wall 26 Horizontal floor 28 Lower frame end 30 spotlights, spotlight rail 32 cable tray 34 Cable duct hole in the bulkhead

Claims

[1] Shelf (2) with frame surface elements (4), - which are arranged vertically and parallel to each other in the intended orientation, and - between which shelf elements (10) are fastened horizontally one above the other, with their side edges (12) along a surface (14) of one of the frames (4) and accessible from one side (16), and - which extend at their upper end (20) over an area in front of the accessible side of the shelf compartment elements and there carry roofing surface elements (22) (for example with an outer contour in the form of an oval, a circle, a superellipse, a rectangle, a square or a sheet, partially single or double curved, arched as a free-form surface and / or flat or altogether one of these), which is designed to be freely placeable on a flat horizontal floor (26) without additional lateral support (for example on a wall). [2] Shelf according to claim 1, characterized by that the spade surface elements (4) and / or floors of the shelf compartment elements (10) and / or a rear wall (24) are made of wood panel material (plywood or OSB). [3] Shelf according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the spade surface elements (4) have an outer contour with a concave front edge (6) in the direction of the accessible side (16) of the shelf compartment elements (10). [4] Shelf according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the spade surface elements (4) have an outer contour with a straight vertical section of the rear edge (8) in the direction opposite to the accessible side (16) of the shelf compartment elements (10) (so that these rear edges span a vertical plane and thus form a flat rear side of the shelf, up to which the shelf compartment elements then preferably extend (in the direction opposite to their accessible side) - a rear wall can also be attached there and / or the shelf with this flat rear side can be placed against the (flat, vertical) rear side of another shelf or against a vertical wall). [5] Shelf according to claim 4, characterized by that rails (18) are attached along the vertical section of the rear edge (8) of the frames (4), to which the shelf elements (10) can be attached between the frames. [6] System with frame surface elements (4), shelf compartment elements (10) and roof surface elements (22) for erecting a shelf according to one of the preceding claims.

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