1. Technical Field.
The invention relates to a load-bearing framework, in particular rack, having upright, profiled load-bearing means or supports and having transversely directed elements, in particular having horizontal shelves, carrying rails and the like, fitted thereon via connecting components.
2. Related Art.
The invention is concerned, in the broadest sense, with a three-dimensional load-bearing system made of upright supports and horizontal elements connected to the upright supports. These horizontal elements are constituted, in particular, by shelves, clothes rails or other horizontal components of a rack system.
It is an object of the invention to design such a rack system such that the individual parts can in particular be straightforwardly assembled or installed on site, but a three-dimensional load-bearing system which can be subjected to high loading is nevertheless created.
In order to achieve this object, the invention is characterized by the following features:
The special feature is that the connection between the upright supports and the horizontal transversely directed components takes place by means of connecting elements which are accommodated entirely within the supports and/or transverse carriers. Accordingly, the connection cannot be seen from the outside.
A further special feature is that the upright supports are designed in the form of hollow profiles, in particular of extruded profiles made of metal or aluminum alloy with the peripheral groove formed therein. In particular the supports or the hollow profiles are dimensioned to be comparatively wide with a comparatively small depth.
A further special feature is that the upright supports are connected to transverse carriers, preferably likewise made of hollow profiles with the same configuration and dimensioning as the supports, wherein the transverse carriers are connected to the upright supports via connection components which have one sub-region located within the transverse carriers, designed in the form of hollow profiles, and have another sub-region located within the mutually facing grooves of the supports which are to be connected, the result being that the transverse carriers butt directly against the upright supports, preferably flush with the supports.
Further connecting means serve for fitting load-bearing profiles which are likewise arranged between the upright supports and are connected via special connecting components to the retaining elements of the load-bearing profile within the grooves.
A further special feature is the design of a clothes rail which can be used in conjunction with the rack system or independently of the same.
Details of the invention will be described more specifically hereinbelow with reference to the drawings, in which:
The load-bearing frameworks 10, 11 are designed in a particular manner and are shown in elevation in
The supports 14, 15 or the hollow profiles according to
Further (two) transverse walls 21, 22 are formed within the hollow profile. These serve for stabilizing the wide hollow profile and/or for allowing cross-sectionally annular profile extensions 23, 24 to be fitted thereon. These profile extensions likewise extend over the entire height and/or length of the hollow profile and are designed such that connecting screws can be introduced longitudinally into the round profile extensions 23, 24 in order to fasten further elements. Formed on that peripheral side of the hollow profile which is located opposite the groove 16 is a transversely directed terminating wall 25, which is connected to peripheries of the side walls 17 and 18.
The groove 16, which is formed along at least one side of the profiles or supports 14, 15, serves for accommodating connecting means for the connection of transversely directed structural parts, such as shelves, load-bearing elements etc., such that the connecting means or fittings are located entirely within the groove 16 once the relevant parts have been installed.
A particular method of connecting elements of the load-bearing system, in particular of a rack system, is constituted by use of separate profiles with connecting components which are positioned independently on or in the load-bearing profile. The present exemplary embodiment makes use of a load-bearing profile 26 which has an exposed load-bearing web 27 extending in the region of the groove 16. Suitable connecting means are arranged on this load-bearing web. In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, these connecting means are transversely directed load-bearing bolts 28, which are arranged in corresponding recesses of the load-bearing web 27. The load-bearing profile 26 is preferably an extruded part made of plastic. The load-bearing bolts 28 expediently consist of metal and are fixed in a force-fitting manner in corresponding holes in the load-bearing web 27. The length of the load-bearing bolts 28 are somewhat smaller than the free spacing between the side walls 17, 18 of the hollow profile or of the groove 16.
The load-bearing profile 26 has a widened base part fastened on the hollow profile or on the support 14, 15. The present exemplary embodiment (
The system parts which are to be connected to the load-bearing framework 10, 11 or the supports 14, 15 may be provided with different fittings for connection to the respective load-bearing profile 26. The fitting parts should be designed such that they disappear completely in the groove 16. An advantageous configuration of the connecting parts is one where an obliquely directed, slot-like recess 31 is formed in a coupling part. The recess 31 fits the load-bearing bolt 28, and the relevant connecting part therefore moves, under its own weight, into a stable anchoring position on the load-bearing bolt 28, the effect being that the connecting component is drawn into the groove 16 as a result of the inclined recess 31.
The connecting component 32 is connected to the shelf 12, that is to say to mutually opposite side peripheries of the shelf 12, via profile components 34, 35. The two profile components 34, 35 are connected to the shelf 12 in a central region of a side surface of the latter (
Another type of connecting component 36 is of angular design (
The transverse carrier 37 is likewise designed in the form of a hollow profile with a (downwardly or upwardly directed) groove 16. In the arrangement according to
The supports 14, 15, as upright load-bearing elements of the load-bearing framework 10, 11 are connected to one another by transverse profiles, in this case by a top crossmember 43 and a bottom crossmember 44. These form, together with the supports 14, 15, a closed load-bearing framework.
The crossmembers 43, 44 have, along at least one periphery, a groove 16 of the abovedescribed configuration. In particular, the crossmembers 43, 44 are designed in the form of hollow profiles, preferably with the same configuration and the same dimensioning as the supports 14, 15. The arrangement of the crossmembers 43, 44 is selected such that the groove 16 of the top crossmember 43 is directed upward and the corresponding groove of the bottom crossmember 44 is directed downward. The crossmembers 43, 44 lie flush against the supports 14, 15 at the top and bottom.
The crossmembers 43, 44 are connected to the supports 14, 15 by special connecting components 45, which are designed in a similar manner to the connecting components 36 for the transverse carriers 37. A horizontal leg 38 of the connecting component 45 fits in each case within the respectively upwardly or downwardly oriented horizontal grooves 16 of the crossmembers 43, 44 and is connected to the profiles by at least one screw 39. The upright load-bearing leg 40 of the connecting component 45 is fixed to the respective support 14, 15. For this purpose, the free end of the load-bearing leg 40 has arranged on it a headpiece 46 which has the load-bearing leg 40 located in the upright groove 16 of the support 14, 15. In the region of the headpiece 46, the connecting component 45 is fixed on a permanent basis on the support 14, 15 by means of transversely directed screws 42. The screws 42 pass through the slot 20 and are anchored, in particular in the transverse wall 21. It is also the case that this connecting part, that is to say the connecting component 45, is located entirely within the contour of the hollow profiles, that is to say of the supports 14, 15, on the one hand, and of the crossmembers 43, 44, on the other hand. The load-bearing profile 26 is preferably dimensioned such that it terminates at the connecting components 45 at the top and bottom.
A further special feature is the design of the supports 14, 15 in the bottom region. Adjustable supporting feet 47 are fitted here at the bottom ends of the supports 14, 15. The supporting foot 47 can be adjusted by means of an upright threaded bolt 48. The latter passes through a load-bearing plate 49 and can be adjusted in height by being rotated. The load-bearing plate 49 is fastened on the underside of the hollow profile of the support 14, 15 by means of screws, the screws entering into the profile extensions 23, 24.
In order that, irrespective of the adjusted height position of the supports 14, 15, the latter (are seen to) extend right down to the ground, a sleeve 50 is positioned at the bottom end of each support 14, 15, this sleeve comprising a U-shaped profile and being pushed over the bottom end of the support 14, 15 such that it rests under its own weight on the ground. The bottom end of the supports 14, 15 is thus concealed.
It is also provided, in accordance with
A further special feature is constituted by the clothes rail 13. The latter is designed in the form of a round hollow profile, in particular of a circular hollow profile. This tubular structure has formed within it channels 53, 54 which are separated off from one another by profiled partition walls 55. This gives rise, for example, to a top channel 53 and a bottom channel 54. Functional components providing for novel or additional functions of the clothes rail 13 may be accommodated within the channels.
Open regions extending over the length of the clothes rail 13 are provided for this purpose, that is to say a longitudinal slot 56 is provided on the top side and a longitudinal recess 57 is provided on the underside. The resulting clothes rail is produced in the form of an extruded profile, in particular one made of metal (aluminum alloy).
In the case of the present example, a supporting profile 58, preferably consisting of plastic, is arranged in the region of the top channel 53. This supporting profile is seated in a form-fitting manner within the channel 53. An upright web 59 projects through the longitudinal slot 56 and beyond the contour of the clothes rail 13. This gives rise to a protrusion made of elastic material which acts as a carrying means for clothes hangers, etc.
In the case of the exemplary configuration according to
The clothes rail 13 can be integrated in the load-bearing system described, that is to say it can be connected, for example, to the appropriately arranged transverse carriers 37. The latter have fitted on them special supporting parts 63 which enter into the downwardly oriented recess, that is to say into the longitudinal recess 57, of the clothes rail 13.
A simpler configuration of a clothes rail 13 designed in the form of a hollow profile is shown in
As an alternative to the exemplary embodiment according to
A central connecting web 68 is located on the opposite side to the coupling part 33. This connecting web interacts with profiles or profile components which are arranged on transversely directed elements, namely shelves, transverse carriers, clothes rails or the like.
In order for the position of the connecting component 32 on the shelf 12 to be additionally secured, a protrusion 71 is fitted on one or both sides of the connecting component 32. This is designed with a converging, wedge-shaped form and enters into a recess (not shown) in the periphery of the shelf 12, preferably with a fitting part which is fitted on the shelf 12 in the region of a recess.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2007 002 637.6 | Jan 2007 | DE | national |
This application is the U.S. National Phase Under Chapter II of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2008/000191 having an International Filing Date of Jan. 11, 2008, which claims priority on German Patent Application No. 10 2007 002 637.6 having a filing date of Jan. 12, 2007
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP08/00191 | 1/11/2008 | WO | 00 | 11/30/2009 |