Device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets

Abstract

A device (100) for supporting commemorative items on coffins or caskets, comprising: at least one first element (101) and one second element (102) supporting removably a commemorative item (60); at least one first fixing means (103) and one second fixing means (104) removably hinged respectively to said first and second element (101, 102) and fixed to opposite external portions of a coffin or casket (50), or to a lid (51) of a coffin or casket (50). The at least one first element (101) and one second element (102) are in use able to be moved between two stable positions maintained by means of blocking means.

Description

[0001]DESCRIPTION “Device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets” * * * The present invention relates to a device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for supporting commemorative elements on coffins and mortuaries which allows, when displaying the bier before burial, and also immediately before performing such an operation, to adorn in an original way, responding to tastes peculiar to the deceased, the coffin. Typically, the traditional decorations of the biers consist of floral cushions, candles and general drapes, and are removed before the burial. The patent literature cites several types of technical items acting as supports for accessories and decorations on coffins and caskets. A first example of a known technical solution is described by the patent application IT201800002942A1, which discloses an accessory suitable for allowing decorations, for example candles, floral compositions, effigies or the like, to be fixed to a coffin in an easy and stable manner. The accessory for the coffin is characterized by comprising a base configured to be fixed to the same coffin, at least one holding member fixed to this base and a covering element, which can be fixed to the base and configured to cover the holding member for hide it from sight. The accessory also includes at least one support for an ornament configured to removably couple to the aforementioned holding member. The covering element is connected to the base in a movable way between a closed position and an open position such that, in the closed position, the aforementioned covering element covers the holding member, concealing it, while in the open position the holding member is discovered and mechanically engageable by the support. A second known technical solution is the subject of the patent application ITRM20060097A1, which describes a support device for furnishing elements, in particular for application to a coffin. The device comprises a vertical support portion and is characterized by including coupling means fixed to the aforementioned vertical portion and applicable to the contour and / or edge of the coffin, and one or more support elements, fixable to the vertical portion and comprising each further means for coupling with the support of the furnishing elements. The support device solves the problem of arranging the furnishing of coffins in small spaces, which on one hand leads to the sensation that the elements around the body are piled up, giving a sense of disorder, and on the other the fact that people visiting the body may trip over the supports, risking making noise, disturbing other visitors or, again, dropping the furnishings which are delicate and expensive. Furthermore, the patent application US1378298A mentions a support element for covers, consisting of an upright hinged to one of these covers and having a lower end, with the cover closed, housed in a recess obtained in the same cover. In particular, the upright finds application in supporting and maintaining a funeral coffin in the open position. The text of the patent application US4962574A describes a coffin characterized by two substantially identical upper portions, fixed and hinged to opposite sides of the body of the coffin. The upper portions use quick release mechanisms that allow to conveniently turn the upper portion, which acts as the unselected end of the coffin during the coffin closing procedures. The patent application US6421890B1 relates to an apparatus for storing urns and / or cremated remains, such as a container comprising, or forming, a vault with an open top. A cover closes the open top, and one or more vaulted fasteners are present so that the container can be secured to a second container. The vault is configured to contain a plurality of urns placed side by side, facing each other. Finally, the patent application KR20110135121A discloses a system and a method of worship that allow a user to safely and conveniently visit the position of a container for the conservation of cremated remains in order to prevent the container from falling, thus reducing vibrations during a transfer. However, the currently known technical solutions suffer from some limitations, for example they do not allow to opt for the burial of decorations or commemorative elements together with the coffin, or to keep them in use, removably on the coffin, only during the display of the coffin, for example in a funeral home, during the funeral ceremony and during the transportation before burial. Another limitation of known devices for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets is that they do not allow a personalization of the accessories or commemorative elements based on the tastes of the deceased when alive, for example they do not allow the sporting faith of the deceased to be made manifest. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an innovative and versatile device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets which allows to optimize the display of accessories during funeral ceremonies and also to choose whether to bury the same accessories together with the coffin, having, therefore, characteristics such as to overcome the limits that still affect the known technical solutions. According to the present invention, a device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets is provided, as defined in claim 1. According to the present invention, a commemorative kit and a coffin or casket comprising the device are also provided, according to claims 13 and 14. For a better understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is now described, purely by way of non- limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: - figure 1 shows a schematic front view representing a device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets in a first position, according to the invention; - figure 2 shows a three-dimensional schematic view of the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets in the first position, according to the invention; - figure 3 shows a further three-dimensional schematic view representing the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets in a second position, according to the invention; - figure 4 shows the device in the second position supporting a commemorative item, according to the invention; - figure 5 shows a view in detail of a fixing mean of the device according to an embodiment of the invention. With reference to these figures and, in particular, to figure 1, a device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets is shown, according to the invention. In particular, the device 100 for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets 50 comprises: - at least one first element 101 and one second element 102; - at least one first fixing means 103 and one second fixing means 104, hinged respectively to the at least one first element 101 and to the second element 102. According to one aspect of the invention, the first fixing means 103 and the second fixing means 104 are configured to removably fix, in correspondence with respective external portions of a lid 51 of a coffin or casket 50, respectively the first element 101 and the second element 102. According to an aspect of the invention, the least one first and second fixing means 103, 104 comprise blocking means, said at least one first element 101 and one second element 102 being in use able to be moved between two stable positions maintained by means of said blocking means. Said stable positions consisting of a first stable position wherein the at least one first element 101 and one second element 102 are both positioned to be raised above the lid 51, and of a second stable position wherein the at least one first element 101 and one second element 102 are both substantially aligned along the longest sides of the lid 51 and are substantially lower than the upper surface of the lid 51. According to one aspect of the invention, the first element 101 and second element 102 are, in use, able to be manually moved between two stable positions maintained by means of blocking means comprised in the first fixing means 103 and in the second fixing means 104. According to another aspect of the invention, such two stable positions consist of a first stable position wherein the first element 101 and the second element 102 are both positioned along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longest sides of the lid 51, as shown in figures 2, and of a second stable position wherein the first element 101 and the second element 102 are both aligned along the longest sides of the lid 51, as shown in figure 3 and 4. According to another aspect of the invention, the first element 101 and the second element 102 support removably a commemorative item 60, preferably made of fabric and consisting of, for example, a scarf or a flag, in preferably elements falling within the scope of sports gadgets. According to one aspect of the invention, the first element 101 and the second element 102 have substantially the same shape and dimensions. According to one aspect of the invention, the first element 101 and the second element 102 are fixable in correspondence with the respective external portions of the lid 51 to fixing points symmetrical with respect to a ‘y’ axis, shown in figure 2, parallel to the two longest sides of the plain section of the same lid 51. According to one aspect of the invention, the first element 101 comprise a lower portion 101a and an upper portion 101b, and the second element 102 comprise a respective lower portion 102a and an upper portion 102b. The lower portions 101a, 102a of each element are fixed to said first and second fixing means 103, 104. According to an aspect of the invention, the angle between the first portion 101a, 102a and the second portion 101b, 102b is comprised between 40° and 180°. According to an aspect of the invention, the lower portions 101a, 102a each have the shape of a first arm, and respective upper portions 101b, 102b each have the shape of a forearm. According to an aspect of the invention, the angle comprised between each lower portions 101a, 102a and respective upper portion 101b ,102b is substantially an angle of 90°. According to an aspect of the invention, each upper portion 101b, 102b is connected at a first end to said lower portion 101a, 102a and, in correspondence with a second end opposite to the first end, to an annular element. According to one aspect of the invention, each of the annular elements, comprised respectively in the first element 101 and in the second element 102, is able to be crossed by opposite ends of the commemorative item 60, so that the two annular elements are able to support removably the flag or scarf 60. According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one first element 101 and the at least one second element 102 consist of telescopic arms. According to an aspect of the invention, the lower portions 101a, 102a and / or the upper portions 101b, 102b consist of telescopic arms, able to modify the height of the flag or scarf 60 when exhibited over the coffin or casket 50. According to one aspect of the invention, the first fixing means 103 and the second fixing means 104 consists of hollow elements able to removably fix respectively the first element 101 and the second element 102 to the corresponding fixing points obtained on the external portions of the lid 51 by means of screws. According to another aspect of the invention, the first fixing means 103 and the second fixing means 104 have, preferably, the shape of a nut or a washer, with an additional side cavity able to hinge each fixing means 103, 104 to the corresponding first element or second element 101, 102. According to an aspect of the invention, the first fixing means 103 and the second fixing means 104 consists of a first hollow element, able to be removably fixed to a fixing point obtained on the external portions of the lid 51, said first hollow element housing a second element substantially perpendicular to its axis. The second element is preferably a cylindrical element with horizontal axis as shown in figure 5. The second element is housed in its first end to the first hollow element and is connected at a second end to a third element. The third element is a hollow element rotatable connected to the second element, so as to allow a rotation of the third element itself around an axis of rotation, that in the example of figure 5 is a horizontal axis, and the rotation of the first element 101. The same applies to fixing element 104 and to second element 102. According to one aspect of the invention, the lid 51 of the coffin or casket 50 has a substantially rectangular plain section, more similar to a mortuary box, or a polygonal plain section, typical of a coffin. According to one aspect of the invention, as previously described, the aforementioned fixing points of the first element 101 and of the second element 102, obtained over external portions of the lid 51, are symmetrical with respect to the 'y' axis parallel to the two longest sides of the plain section of the same lid 51. Such two fixing points, for example two of the points where the lid 51 is screwed to the body of the coffin 50 before burial, are preferably located in correspondence with the chest of the deceased's body, placed in coffin 50, and at shoulder height. Assuming, consequently, that the coffin or casket 50 is characterized by a length of the longest sides 'a' and 'b' of the lid 51 equal to 'L', as visible in figure 3, the two fixing points of the first element 101 and of the second element 102 are positioned, preferably, at a distance approximately equal to L / 4 starting from the head portion of the coffin 50. According to one aspect of the invention, the angular movements of the first element 101 and of the second element 102, hinged respectively to the first fixing means 103 and to the second fixing means 104, is allowed by means of hinges or springs, provided with the locking means through which the same first element 101 and second element 102 are maintained in the two stable positions. According to one aspect of the invention, in an alternative embodiment the first element 101 and the second element 102 have the shape of forearms, both of them with a semi-closed hand-shaped element in correspondence with an upper portion, with these last elements holding the commemorative item 60. According to one aspect of the invention, the first element 101 and the second element 102 can be moved, for example by a funeral home operator, independently of each other. According to one aspect of the invention, the exhibition of the commemorative item 60 on the coffin or casket 50 statically replicate a typical display of similar scarfs or flags in sports arenas, for example football stadiums and sports halls. According to one aspect of the invention, the blocking means comprised in the first fixing means 103 and in the second fixing means 104 consist of, preferably, snap locking devices, served by further springs or mechanical limit switches. In use, during the showing of the coffin, for example during a funeral ceremony in a church, in a funeral home or immediately before the burial, the first stable position, visible in figure 1 and 2, of the two elements 101, 102, allows to exhibit the commemorative element 60, an expression of the sporting faith of the deceased, with a considerable visibility to an attending audience. At the moment of burial of the coffin 50, the device 100 and the commemorative item 60 can be removed or, thanks to the second stable position of the first element 101 and the second element 102 which minimizes the overall dimensions, both of these two elements 101, 102 and of the commemorative item 60, buried together with the coffin or casket 50. The present invention is also relative to a commemorative kit consisting of the device 100 and the commemorative item 60, scarf or flag. Advantageously according to the invention, the commemorative kit may be provided as a personalized decoration, based on the sporting faith of the deceased, to manufacturers of coffins or caskets 50, or may be sold on the market as a separate product. According to one aspect of the invention, as specified, the first element 101 and the second element 102 included in the commemorative kit are removably fixed in correspondence with respective external portions of the lid 51 of the coffin or casket 50. Furthermore, the present invention is relative to a coffin or casket 50 comprising the aforementioned device 100 or commemorative kit. Advantageously according to the invention, the coffin 50, equipped with the commemorative kit, is able to be assembled and marketed as a single assembly by firms producing items for the funerary sector. Therefore, the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets according to the invention allows the view of commemorative elements on the coffin, customizable according to the sporting faith of the deceased, only during funeral ceremonies or, optionally according to the wishes of the deceased or of his family members, to bury the same elements together with the coffin. Furthermore, the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets, and the related kit, according to the invention, can be made using different materials. Another advantage of the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets, and of the related kit, according to the invention, is that they are inexpensive. Finally, the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets, and the related kit, according to the invention, are easily replicable on a large scale, within a series production. It is finally clear that the device for supporting commemorative items on coffins and caskets, described and illustrated herein, may be subject to modifications and variations without departing from the protective scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received bythe InternationalBureauonSeptember23,2024 (23.09.2024)CLAIMS1. Device (100) for supporting commemorative items on coffins or caskets, comprising: at least one first element (101) and one second element (102) supporting removably a commemorative item(60);- at least one first fixing means (103) and one second fixing means (104) removably hinged respectively to said first element (101) and second element (102) and fixed to opposite external portions of a coffin or casket (50), or to a lid (51) of a coffin or casket (50); said at least one first and second fixing means (103,104) comprising blocking means, said at least one first element (101) and one second element (102) being in use able to be moved between two stable positions maintained by means of said blocking means, said stable positions consisting of a first stable position wherein the at least one first element (101) and one second element (102) are both positioned to be raised above the lid (51), and of a second stable position wherein the at least one first element (101) and one second element (102) are both substantially aligned along the longest sides of the lid (51)and are substantially lower than the upper surface of the lid (51);characterized in that the at least one first element(101) and the at least one second element (102) consist of telescopic arms.

2. Device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first element (101) and the second element (102) have substantially the same shape and dimensions and in that said first element (101) and second element (102) are fixable in correspondence with the respective external portions of the lid (51) to fixing points symmetrical with respect to a major symmetry axis 'y' of the lid (51).

3. Device (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first element (101) and the second element (102) each comprise a respective lower portion (101a, 102a) and an upper portion (101b, 102b), the lower portions (101a, 102a) being fixed to said first and second fixing means (103, 104), wherein the angle between the first portion (101a, 102a) and the second portion (101b, 102b) is comprised between 40° and180°4. Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that said lower portions (101a, 102a) each have the shape of a first arm, and respective upper portions (101b, 102b) each have the shape of a forearm.

5. Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that said angle comprised between each lower portions(101a, 102a) and respective upper portion (101b ,102b) is substantially an angle of 90°.

6. Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that each upper portion (101b, 102b) is connected at a first end to said lower portion (101a, 102a) and, in correspondence with a second end opposite to the first end, to an annular element.

7. Device (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that each of said annular element is able to be crossed by opposite ends of the commemorative item (60), wherein said commemorative item (60) is made of fabric and consists of a scarf or a flag.

8. Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the lower portions (101a, 102a) and / or the upper portions (101b, 102b) consist of telescopic arms.

9. Device (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first fixing means (103) and the second fixing means (104) consist of hollow elements able to removably fix respectively the first element (101) and the second element(102) to the corresponding fixing points on the external portions of the lid (51) by means of screws.

10. Device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first fixing means (103) and the second fixing means (104) have the shape of a nut or a washer.

11. Device (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the two fixing points of the first element (101) and of the second element (102) are positioned at a distance approximately equal to L / 4 starting from the head portion of the coffin (50), wherein "L" is the length of longest sides of the coffin or casket (50).

12. Commemorative kit consisting of a commemorative item (60) and a device (100) according to claim 1.

13. Coffin or casket (50) comprising a device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first element(101) and the second element (102) are removably fixed in correspondence with respective external portions of the lid(51) of the coffin or casket (50).

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