Display system
A display system having an improved support structure to reduce the display profile and consequent shipping costs and an improved display hook for mounting on the display grid. A support structure, such as an easel, is formed with or attached to the rear side of the display grid to support the grid in an elevated position. Unlike prior displays that must be shipped with bulky support structures, the easel of this invention is collapsible, allowing the display to retain its relatively thin profile. To install the display in the store, the easel may be quickly and easily formed and locked into place to support the display. The easel may be formed and collapsed as necessary, facilitating both shipping of the display as well as transporting the display in the store. This invention also relates to an improved display hook capable of releasably engaging the grid at three locations and thereby distributing the product load carried by the hook and reducing the likelihood that the hook with be pulled from or otherwise disengage the grid.
This application claims priority to a provisional patent application No. 60/686,578 entitled Display System, filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 31, 2005 and which is herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to display systems, and more particularly, to self-supporting displays on which display hooks may be mounted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDisplays for displaying products in retail stores come in all shapes and sizes. To perform their intended function, many displays require that hooks be mounted on the display. The desired products can then be mounted on the hooks and made available to the customer in this way. Many times the hooks disengage from the display under the product loads, leading to display failure. Thus, lack of stability of product-bearing display hooks is a serious problem in the industry, and a need exists for a display that is capable of supporting a variety of hooks in a firm and stabilized manner.
Moreover, regardless of the type of display, all displays must be provided with support structure for retaining the displays in an upright position so that the products on display remain in the customer's line of sight. For example, display stands are provided to elevate the displays from the floor. Other structures are used to prop displays resting on counters. These support structures, which are typically shipped with the displays, are bulky and occupy significant shipping capacity, which in turn leads to increased shipping costs. Thus, a need exists to provide a compact support structure to minimize shipping costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention addresses the problems of previous display systems by providing a display system having an improved support structure to reduce the display profile and consequent shipping costs and an improved display hook for mounting on the display grid. A support structure, such as an easel, is formed with or attached to the rear side of the display grid to support the grid in an elevated position. Unlike prior displays that must be shipped with bulky support structures, the easel of this invention is collapsible (the easel preferably collapses into a plane substantially parallel to the grid), allowing the display to retain its relatively thin profile. Thus, when the display is shipped with its associated easel in a collapsed position, more displays may be palletized in a shipping carton, resulting in reduced shipping costs. To install the display in the store, the easel may be quickly and easily formed and locked into place to support the display. The easel may be formed and collapsed as necessary, facilitating both shipping of the display as well as transporting the display in the store.
This invention also relates to an improved display hook capable of releasably engaging the grid at three locations and thereby distributing the product load carried by the hook and reducing the likelihood that the hook with be pulled from or otherwise disengage the grid. The hook may be positioned and repositioned anywhere on the grid. Moreover, if desired, a cover panel (preferably upon which product information, advertisements, or other graphics may be printed or otherwise provided) may be releasably attached to the front surface the display grid. The cover panel can easily be removed, allowing the grid, easel, and hooks of the display to be re-used with different products.
In addition to display hooks, dividers may also be mounted on the grid to help organize the products hanging from the hooks and prevent them from moving laterally and becoming entangled, which can often happen during shipping and when the display is positioned in an upright, but tilted position.
It is an object of this invention to provide a display system that includes a compact support structure, such as a collapsible easel, mounted on a display grid.
It is another object of this invention to provide a display hook for a display grid that is structured to firmly mount on a display grid and prevent unintended disengagement from the grid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of grid 302 is shown in
While grid 302 may be formed from any material exhibiting structural integrity, such as plastic, metal, wood, etc., forming the grid 302 from a molded plastic has proven particularly cost-effective. Moreover, any size grid 302 may be used in the display and any number of apertures 310 may be provided in the grid 302. Apertures 310 need not be rectilinear, but rather may be formed of any shape capable of receiving and retaining the display hooks, screws, and other fasteners discussed below. Moreover, apertures 310 of different dimensions and/or shapes may be provided in the same grid 302.
As shown in
The embodiment of
The easel 304 may be formed of any material rigid enough to support a product-laden grid 302, such as plastic, metal, wood, or certain types of paper. Easel 304 may even be integrally formed with grid 302. However, reduced manufacturing and shipping costs may be realized by forming the easel 304 from suitably rigid paperboard, such as corrugated board. In this way, a blank used to form the easel (such as the easel blank 320 shown in
One embodiment of the easel 304 is shown in
The easel blank 320 is positioned on the grid 302 in the desired location and secured in place with any of a variety of mounting means, including glue and screws, bolts, nails, clips or other types of fasteners. Screws (especially clear plastic screws which are not as noticeable) have proven particularly useful in this application as they are cheap and may be installed quickly. After the easel blank 320 is positioned on the grid 302, screws 400 are simply inserted through the side mounting portions 322 and into the grid apertures 310 (if the screws 400 are entering from the rear side of the grid 302) or into the grid apertures 310 and through the side mounting portions 322 (if the screws 400 are entering from the front side of the grid 302, as shown in
After attachment, the easel blank 320 may be easily formed into the easel 304. To do this, the first and second wings 324, 326, which are currently collapsed into an fan-like structure, are extended outwardly (such as through use of a handhold cut-out 340 that can be, but does not have to be, provided in the easel blank 320) and the ledge 336 of the lower portion 334 of the central body 328 is bent along dashed line d in direction C and folded inwardly (see
Display hooks for hanging products on grid 302, including those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/942,057, may be mounted on grid 302.
The base 350 includes a front surface 354 and a rear surface 356. Support member 352, which can be provided in any desired length, extends from the front surface 354 of base 350 and is preferably angled slightly upwardly. Support member 352 preferably includes an upturned portion 358 at its outer end. Products for sale can be mounted on the support member 350, whose upward angling and upturned portion 358 facilitates retention of the product on display hooks 348. Gussets 360 may also be provided at the juncture of support member 352 and base 350 to increase the support member's load-bearing capacity.
Base 350 is preferably, but does not have to be, dimensioned so as to cover substantially the entirety of adjacent apertures 310 when the display hook 348 is mounted on grid 302. For example, when the hook 348 is mounted on the grid 302, the base 350 may cover nine apertures 310, three across and three down (see
Structure for engaging the grid 302 is provided on the rear surface 356 of base 350. As seen in
Any number of hooks 348 can be mounted on grid 302 between adjacent horizontal and vertical ribs 306, 308. To install the hook 348 on the grid 302, hook portion 362 enters aperture 310. The lip 364 of hook portion 362 engages the ridge 318 of one of the horizontal ribs 306 so that the lip 364 is substantially parallel to and abuts the ridge 318. Prongs 366 snap-fit into an aperture 310 (each preferably at least one aperture removed from the aperture into which hook portion 362 extends and preferably at least one aperture removed from each other) so that the recess 368 surrounds the upper portion 314 of other of the horizontal ribs 306. Through engagement of hook portion 362 and prongs 366 with horizontal ribs (or vertical ribs 308 if it is desired to suspend the hooks 348 so that they are rotated 90 degrees), hook 348 is firmly secured to grid 302. Moreover, the hooks 348 can quickly and easily be removed from and repositioned on the grid 302.
It may be aesthetically desirable to hide the front side of the grid 302 by attaching a cover panel 370 to the front side of the grid 302 (see
As with the easel 304, the cover panel 370 can be mounted on the grid 302 in any of a variety of ways but screws have proven to be the easiest and most cost-effective way. Indeed, if a cover panel 370 is used, the same screws or fasteners 400 that secure the cover panel 370 to the grid 302 may be used (but do not have to be used) to secure the easel 304 to the grid 302, as shown in
Because the screws are easily removable, the cover panel 370 can easily be replaced when desirable by simply removing the screws and substituting the old cover panel for a new cover panel. In this way, the grid 302, easel 304, and hooks 348 of the display 300 are entirely re-usable with different products.
While the cover panel 370 may be completely flush with the front side of the grid 302, as shown in
In addition to display hooks 348, it may be desirable to provide additional structure on the display 300 to help organize the products hanging from the hooks 348 and prevent them from moving laterally and becoming entangled, which can often happen during shipping and when the display 300 is positioned in an upright, but tilted position. In
The dividers 384 may be made from any material suitably rigid to serve effectively as a barrier between adjacent products on the display 300, but are preferably made from plastic (such as polyvinylchloride) which is relatively cheap and more preferably from a clear plastic, which allows the dividers 384 essentially to disappear into the display 300 façade and thus not interrupt the graphical flow provided on the cover panel 370. Plastic sheets may be stamped into the divider blank 389 shown in
After the easel 304, hooks 348, cover panel 370 (if desired), and dividers 384 (if desired) are mounted on the grid 302, the display 300 is ready to be stocked with product and shipped. While assembly of the display 300 may be done on site at the store, the benefits of this invention are fully realized when the display 300 is fully-stocked prior to shipping. Unlike prior displays that must be shipped with bulky support structures, display 300 includes a collapsible support structure, easel 304, that enables the display 300 to be shipped flat on its back (see
If the display 300 is stocked with product prior to shipment, it may be desirable to further stabilize the products before shipment.
To ship a display 300, the fully-stocked display 300 is first placed in a shipping carton 410. As shown in
The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A self-supporting display system comprising:
- a. a grid having a height and a width and comprising: i) a plurality of horizontal ribs; ii) a plurality of vertical ribs; iii) apertures formed between adjacent horizontal and vertical ribs; iv) a front side; and v) a rear side; and
- b. a support structure attached to the rear side of the grid, wherein the support structure is adapted to assume an extended position whereby the support structure supports the grid in an elevated position and to assume a collapsed position whereby the support structure collapses into a plane substantially parallel to the rear side of the grid.
2. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, wherein the grid further comprises a peripheral frame.
3. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, wherein the grid comprises plastic.
4. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the horizontal ribs comprises an upper portion having an underside and a lower portion narrower than the upper portion and extending from the underside of the upper portion, wherein a ridge is formed on the underside of the upper portion.
5. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises an easel.
6. The self-supporting display system of claim 5, wherein the easel comprises paperboard.
7. The self-supporting display system of claim 5, wherein the easel is attached to the grid with at least one fastener positioned in a grid aperture.
8. The self-supporting display system of claim 5, wherein the easel comprises a central body comprising a height and a width substantially identical to the height and the width of the grid.
9. The self-supporting display system of claim 5, wherein the easel comprises a plurality of side wings adapted to extend for the easel to assume the extended position and adapted to fold for the easel to assume the collapsed position.
10. The self-supporting display system of claim 9, wherein the easel comprises side mounting portions for attaching the easel to the rear side of the grid, first side wings proximal the side mounting portions, and second side wings proximal the first side wings and adjacent to a central body.
11. The self-supporting display system of claim 5, wherein the easel comprises a central body having a ledge comprising teeth for engaging the grid when the easel assumes the extended position.
12. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, further comprising:
- c. at least one removable display hook comprising: i) a base having a front surface and a rear surface; ii) an elongated support member extending from the front surface of the base; iii) a hook portion provided on the rear surface of the base, wherein the hook portion defines a substantially vertical lip; iv) at least one prong provided on the rear surface of the base; and v) at least one recess formed between the at least one prong and the rear surface of the base.
13. The self-supporting display system of claim 12, wherein the elongated support member comprises an upturned portion on an end distal the base.
14. The self-supporting display system of claim 12, wherein the at least one prong comprises at least two prongs.
15. The self-supporting display system of claim 12, wherein a plurality of the horizontal ribs each comprises an upper portion wider than a lower portion and having an underside and wherein, when the display hook is mounted on the front side of the grid, the hook portion engages one of the horizontal ribs so that the lip of the hook portion abuts a portion of the underside of the upper portion of a horizontal rib.
16. The self-supporting display system of claim 15, wherein, when the display hook is mounted on the front side of the grid, the at least one recess at least partially surrounds the upper portion of a horizontal rib.
17. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, further comprising a cover panel releasably attached to the front side of the grid.
18. The self-supporting display system of claim 17, wherein the cover panel comprises a height and a width substantially identical to the height and the width of the grid.
19. The self-supporting display system of claim 1, further comprising display hooks mounted on the front side of the grid for supporting products and organizing means positioned between products supported on adjacent display hooks.
20. A self-supporting display system comprising:
- a. a plastic grid comprising: i) a plurality of horizontal ribs, each comprising an upper portion having an underside and a lower portion narrower than the upper portion and extending from the underside of the upper portion, wherein a ridge is formed on the underside of the upper portion; ii) a plurality of vertical ribs; iii) apertures formed between adjacent horizontal and vertical ribs; iv) a front side; and v) a rear side;
- b. an easel attached to the rear side of the grid, wherein the easel is adapted to assume an extended position whereby the easel supports the grid in an elevated position and to assume a collapsed position whereby the easel collapses into a plane substantially parallel to the rear side of the grid; and
- c. at least one display hook removably mountable on the grid comprising: i) a base having a front surface and a rear surface; ii) an elongated support member extending from the front surface of the base; iii) a hook portion provided on the rear surface of the base, wherein the hook portion defines a substantially vertical lip; iv) at least two prongs provided on the rear surface of the base; and v) at least one recess formed between each of the at least two prongs and the rear surface of the base,
- wherein, when the display hook is mounted on the front side of the grid, the hook portion engages one of the horizontal ribs so that the lip of the hook portion abuts the ridge formed on the underside of the upper portion of the horizontal rib and the at least one recess at least partially surrounds the upper portion of a horizontal rib.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 13, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 14, 2006
Inventors: Thomas Lockwood (Clemmons, NC), Thomas Lang (New Milford, CT)
Application Number: 11/151,106
International Classification: A47B 96/06 (20060101);