Display case assembly system
View Patent ↗A display case assembly system includes several closed frame tubes, each closed frame tube including two closed frame tube longitudinal ends, at least one closed frame tube longitudinal end including a fastener receiving structure; several laterally breakable frame tubes, each breakable frame tube including a breakable frame tube mounting section having a fastener port; at least one fastener fitted through the fastener port in one of the mounting section and into one of the fastener receiving structures in one of the closed frame tube longitudinal ends, so that at least one breakable frame tube is fastened to one closed frame tube longitudinal end; a breakable frame tube cover section with snap engagement structures for snap engagement with the mounting section to form a composite tube concealing the at least one fastener; and a panel mounted and extending between the closed frame tube and the breakable frame tube.
1. A display case assembly system, comprising:
a plurality of closed frame tubes, each said closed frame tube comprising two closed frame tube longitudinal ends, at least one said closed frame tube longitudinal end comprising fastener receiving means;
a plurality of laterally breakable frame tubes, each said breakable frame tube comprising a breakable frame tube mounting section having a fastener port;
at least one fastener fitted through said fastener port in one of said mounting section and into one of said fastener receiving means in one of said closed frame tube longitudinal ends, such that at least one said breakable frame tube is fastened to one said closed frame tube longitudinal end;
a breakable frame tube cover section with snap engagement means for snap engagement with said mounting section to form a composite tube concealing said at least one fastener;
a panel mounted and extending between said closed frame tube and said breakable frame tube;
a wiring port in at least one said breakable frame tube mounting section and additionally comprising a display case lighting fixture and lighting fixture wiring fitted longitudinally through said closed frame tube and through said wiring port.
2. The display case assembly system of claim 1 , wherein said panel is one of an opaque panel and a translucent panel.
3. The display case assembly system of claim 1 , wherein said wiring port is fitted and lined with a wire passing grommet.
4. The display case assembly system of claim 1 , each said closed frame tube comprising:
a tube of one of: substantially square cross-section and substantially rectangular cross-section and having a tube slat engaging wall, a tube panel engaging wall, and first and second tube side walls.
5. The display case assembly system of claim 4 , wherein a plurality of said closed frame tubes are formed of extruded aluminum.
6. The display case assembly system of claim 4 , wherein said slat engaging wall has an inward face and wherein a channel-shaped fastener engaging bead extends longitudinally along the inward face of said tube slat engaging wall and along an inward face of said tube panel engaging wall, said channel-shaped fastener receiving bead being tapped at each end for receiving at each end a threaded fastener passing through said breakable frame tube mounting section and connecting said breakable frame tube to said closed frame tube.
7. The display case assembly system of claim 6 , wherein said mounting sections each comprise two mounting walls having intersecting and integral mounting wall connected edges, each said mounting wall having a cover wall free edge shaped to form a mounting section snap engagement structure.
8. The display case assembly system of claim 7 , wherein said cover section comprises two cover walls having intersecting and integral cover wall connected edges, each said cover wall having a cover wall free edge shaped to form a cover section snap engagement structure configured to snap engage one of said mounting section snap engagement structures, such that said cover section can be snapped engagingly to one said mounting section.
9. The display case assembly system of claim 7 , additionally comprising a wiring port adjacent to each mounting wall longitudinal end.
10. The display case assembly system of claim 7 , additionally comprising a fastener passing port adjacent to each mounting wall longitudinal end and being positioned to correspond and register with an open end of one of said fastener receiving beads of one of said closed frame tubes.
11. The display case assembly system of claim 4 , wherein an outward face of said tube slat engaging wall comprises a profile slat engaging structure.
12. The display case assembly system of claim 4 , wherein said tube panel engaging wall comprises an inward jog defining a panel receiving channel.
13. The display case assembly system of claim 4 , additionally comprising a hinged door panel, said hinged door panel comprising:
a panel mounting channel with a hinge secured longitudinally along said panel mounting channel, and said hinge being connected longitudinally to said first tube side wall of a respective closed frame tube such that said panel mounting channel pivots on said hinge relative to said closed frame tube;
and a panel fitted into said panel mounting channel.
14. The display case assembly system of claim 13 , wherein said panel has a panel perimeter, additionally comprising additional lengths of panel mounting channel fitted around said panel perimeter to define a panel frame.
15. A display case assembly system, comprising:
a plurality of closed frame tubes, each said closed frame tube comprising two closed frame tube longitudinal ends, at least one said closed frame tube longitudinal end comprising fastener receiving means;
a plurality of laterally breakable frame tubes, each said breakable frame tube comprising a breakable frame tube mounting section having a fastener port;
at least one fastener fitted through said fastener port in one of said mounting section and into one of said fastener receiving means in one of said closed frame tube longitudinal ends, such that at least one said breakable frame tube is fastened to one said closed frame tube longitudinal end;
a breakable frame tube cover section with snap engagement means for snap engagement with said mounting section to form a composite tube concealing said at least one fastener;
and a panel mounted and extending between said closed frame tube and said breakable frame tube;
wherein each said closed frame tube has a longitudinal slat mounting face, additionally comprising a panel engaging profile slat secured to one said longitudinal slat mounting face for mounting and retaining a display case panel and for extending across and blocking longitudinal sliding movement of an adjacent said cover section relative to an adjacent said mounting section.
16. The display case assembly system of claim 15 , wherein said longitudinal slat mounting face of said closed frame tube comprises a profile slat engaging structure.
17. The display case assembly system of claim 16 , wherein said profile slat engaging structure comprises a longitudinal tongue element and wherein said profile slat comprises a longitudinal groove element sized such that said longitudinal tongue element slides engagingly into said longitudinal groove element.
18. A display case assembly system, comprising:
a plurality of closed frame tubes, each said closed frame tube comprising two closed frame tube longitudinal ends, at least one said closed frame tube longitudinal end comprising fastener receiving means;
a plurality of laterally breakable frame tubes, each said breakable frame tube comprising a breakable frame tube mounting section having a fastener port;
at least one fastener fitted through said fastener port in one of said mounting section and into one of said fastener receiving means in one of said closed frame tube longitudinal ends, such that at least one said breakable frame tube is fastened to one said closed frame tube longitudinal end;
a breakable frame tube cover section with snap engagement means for snap engagement with said mounting section to form a composite tube concealing said at least one fastener;
and a panel mounted and extending between said closed frame tube and said breakable frame tube;
wherein said closed frame tube additionally compromises a tube of one of: substantially square cross-section and substantially rectangular cross-section and having a tube slat engaging wall, a tube panel engaging wall, and first and second tube side walls and a downwardly arched reflector plate protruding outwardly from said tube second side wall adjacent to said slat engaging wall; a fixture slat receiving gap between said second tube side wall and said tube panel engaging wall, said second tube side wall and said tube panel engaging wall having opposing fixture slat engaging means, and fixture slat with a first fixture slat face and a lighting fixture mounted to said first fixture slat face and engaged by said fixture slat engaging means, extending across said fixture receiving gap and oriented such that said lighting fixture protrudes underneath said reflector plate.
19. The display case assembly system of claim 18 , wherein said lighting fixture is a fluorescent bulb fixture.