Columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns

Abstract

A columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns, comprising: a frame in which containment niches for the cinerary urns are formed in a honeycomb arrangement, a panel for covering at least one portion of a face of the columbarium, onto which a plurality of openings for accessing the niches opens. Elements for moving the panel are also provided which can be actuated for passing: from a first configuration, in which the panel covers the portion of the face, concealing the access openings, to a second configuration, in which the panel is spaced from the portion of the face, to expose the access openings, and vice versa.

Description

The present invention relates to a columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Columbariums are currently known which have a frame in which niches for accommodating cinerary urns are formed in a honeycomb arrangement.

Such columbariums substantially have a vertical parallelepiped-like structure, in which the niches formed therein have access openings that open onto one face of the columbarium.

The access openings can be closed by means of plates that substantially hang from the frame of the columbarium and generally comprise ceramic tiles on which sacred images, painted or printed thereon, are usually depicted and are arranged mutually adjacent so as to cover the face of the columbarium.

This type of columbarium has some drawbacks, which include the fact that the plates that cover the niches of the columbarium hang from the frame of such columbarium by means of hooks, and in order to disengage them it is necessary to use a suitable tool that supports the tile while it is moved during release.

Moreover, currently this type of columbarium does not ensure that the niches cannot be violated; it is in fact sufficient to have the tool adapted to remove the covering tiles of the niches in order to open them and access them.

Moreover, since the tiles are generally heavy, opening the niches is not easy.

Another drawback of these columbariums is that the sacred image shown on the face of the columbarium is interrupted by the edges of the tiles, which when arranged side by side form the surface of the face, to the full disadvantage of its aesthetics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a columbarium particularly for accommodating cinerary urns that allows easier access to the urn containment niches.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to ensure that the niches that accommodate the cinerary urns cannot be violated by unauthorized users.

Another object of the invention is to provide a columbarium that is structurally simple and easy to use and can be manufactured with low costs.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns, comprising a frame in which containment niches for said cinerary urns are formed in a honeycomb arrangement, characterized in that it comprises a panel for covering at least one portion of the face of said columbarium, onto which a plurality of openings for accessing said niches opens, means for moving said panel being provided which can be actuated for passing:

• • from a first configuration, in which said panel covers said at least one face portion, to conceal said access openings,
  • to a second configuration, in which said panel is spaced from said at least one face portion, to expose said access openings,
  • and vice versa.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the columbarium according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a columbarium according to the invention in its first configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the columbarium according to the invention in its second configuration;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the columbarium according to the invention in its first configuration;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the columbarium according to the invention in its first configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns 11, which comprises a frame 12 in which niches 13 for accommodating the cinerary urns 11 are formed in a honeycomb arrangement.

The columbarium 10 according to the invention comprises a panel 14 for covering at least one portion 15a of a face 15 of the columbarium 10, onto which a plurality of openings 16 for accessing the niches 13 opens.

Means 17 for moving the panel 14 are provided and can be actuated for transition:

• • from a first configuration, in which the panel 14 covers the portion 15a of the face 15, concealing the access openings 16,
  • to a second configuration, in which the panel 14 is spaced from the portion 15a of the face 15, leaving the access openings 16 exposed,
  • and vice versa.

Advantageously, doors 18 for closing the access openings 16 are provided which are hinged on the face 15 and can be closed independently of each other onto the access openings 16.

Conveniently, there are locks 19 for locking the doors 18 so that they are closed on the access openings 16 of the niches 13 in order to prevent access to the niches 13 by unauthorized users.

Conveniently, the movement means 17 comprise at least one hinge 20 for connecting the panel 14 to the frame 12.

Preferably, the frame 12 is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped and is vertical, and has, proximate to its upper end, the panel 14 hinged so that it can oscillate.

Conveniently, the movement means 17 comprise means for supporting the panel 14 so that it is spaced, by lifting, from the face 15 in the second configuration.

The niches 13 are conveniently likewise shaped like parallelepipeds and their access openings 16 open onto the face 15 and can be closed by the doors 18.

Advantageously, the supporting means comprise pistons 21, preferably of the gas-operated type, which are associated with the panel 14 and with the frame 12 substantially at its face 15.

Conveniently, in the second configuration, the pistons 21 support the panel 14, holding it raised with respect to the face 15 of the frame 12.

The frame 12 and the doors 18 are preferably made of stainless steel.

Moreover, the panel 14 conveniently comprises a supporting frame 22 for a plate 23 for concealing the niches 13 in the first configuration.

The concealment plate 23 is advantageously made of transparent material, conveniently a plastic material that is transparent in use or glass or the like, and has a first substantially opaque face 24, which is directed toward the face 15 of the frame 12 when the columbarium 10 is in the first configuration.

The first face 24 conveniently has an illustration, which is visible through the concealment plate 23, which faces a second face 25 of the concealment plate 23 that lies opposite the first face 24.

Such plastic material is advantageously polymethyl methacrylate, for example of the type commonly known by the trade name Plexiglas.

In an alternative embodiment, the concealment plate 23 is conveniently made of morainic material.

Advantageously, the frame 12 comprises a stabilizer step 26, which protrudes from the face 15 at the ground resting region of the frame 12.

The stabilizer step 26 is designed to give stability to the frame 12 to contrast its tipping toward the side of the face 15.

In practice it has been shown that the invention achieves the proposed aim and objects, providing a columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns, which allows easier access to the niches that accommodate the urns, at the same time ensuring that they cannot be violated by unauthorized users.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD2008A000124 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A columbarium, particularly for accommodating cinerary urns, comprising a frame in which containment niches for said cinerary urns are formed in a honeycomb arrangement, comprising a panel for covering at least one portion of the face of said columbarium, onto which a plurality of openings for accessing said niches opens, means for moving said panel being provided which can be actuated for passing:

from a first configuration, in which said panel covers said at least one portion of the face, to conceal said access openings,

to a second configuration, in which said panel is spaced from said at least one portion of the face, to expose said access openings,

and vice versa.

17. The columbarium according to claim 16, comprising doors for closing said access openings, which are hinged on said face and can be closed independently of each other on said access openings.

18. The columbarium according to claim 17, comprising locks for locking said doors closed onto said access openings of said niches, to prevent access to said niches by unauthorized users.

19. The columbarium according to claim 16, wherein said movement means comprise at least one hinge for connecting said panel to said frame.

20. The columbarium according to claim 17, wherein said frame is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped and is vertical and has, proximate to its upper end, said panel hinged so that it can oscillate, said movement means comprising means for supporting said panel when it is spaced by lifting from said face in said second configuration, said niches also being shaped like parallelepipeds, their access openings facing said face and being closable by said doors.

21. The columbarium according to claim 20, wherein said supporting means comprise pistons which are associated with said panel and with said frame, substantially at said face, in said second configuration said pistons supporting said panel, keeping it raised with respect to said face.

22. The columbarium according to claim 17, wherein said frame and said doors are made of stainless steel.

23. The columbarium according to claim 16, wherein said panel comprises a frame for supporting a concealment plate for said niches in said first configuration.

24. The columbarium according to claim 23, wherein said concealment plate is made of a transparent material and has a first substantially opaque face that is directed toward said face in said first configuration.

25. The columbarium according to claim 24, wherein said first face has an illustration that is visible through the interior of said concealment plate and faces a second face of said concealment plate that lies opposite said first face.

26. The columbarium according to claim 23, wherein said concealment plate is made of plastic material.

27. The columbarium according to claim 26, wherein said plastic material is polymethyl methacrylate or other plastic material that is transparent in use.

28. The columbarium according to claim 23, wherein said concealment plate is made of morainic material.

29. The columbarium according to claim 21, wherein said pistons are of the gas-operated type.

30. The columbarium according to claim 16, wherein said frame comprises a stabilizer step that protrudes from said face at the ground contact region of said frame.