Modular wall-display system for decorative fixtures

Abstract

Disclosed is a modular display system that can be used to display decorative fixtures, such as curtain rods, on a wall. The system can be used to display one or more items in adjacent, vertical positions on a wall. The system is adapted to permit quick and easy replacement of the display items on the display board and to also permit the items to be re-arranged on the display board quickly and easily.

Description

REFERENCE TO PRIORITY DOCUMENTS

This application claims priority of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/699,622 entitled “Modular Wall-Display System for Decorative Fixtures”, filed Jul. 15, 2005. Priority of the aforementioned filing date is hereby claimed, and the disclosures of the Provisional Patent Application is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to wall display devices and, more particularly, to a modular mount for displaying decorative fixtures on a wall, such as in a retail environment.

Decorative fixtures, such as drapery hardware and bathroom hardware, are often displayed in retail environments, such as in a showroom, for perusal by consumers. The decorative fixtures can be, for example, drapery mounting hardware (such as an elongate rod mounted between two finials) or bathroom hardware for hanging towels. The type of decorative fixture can vary widely from those discussed above.

The decorative fixtures are typically mounted in groups of two or more on a single board or panel that hangs on a wall to form a wall display. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary wall display 102 that includes a single, unitary mounting board 105 on which are mounted two or more decorative fixtures, such as drapery mounting hardware 110. The drapery mounting hardware can be a curtain rod assembly that includes an elongate rod positioned in between a pair of finials. The hardware 110 are mounted in a vertical configuration. That is, one piece of hardware 110 is positioned above and/or below an adjacent piece of hardware 110. In addition, the wall display 102 can include various indicia, such as specifications for each piece of hardware 110.

It is generally desirable to include more than one item on the wall display, such as to include items from a common family. Multiple items can also be included on the wall display for efficiency of space. However, it can also be desirable to change one or more of the hardware items on the display while keeping the other hardware items the same. Unfortunately, the decorative fixtures (i.e., the hardware 110) are typically fixedly mounted on the display board (such as using screws or glue.) Thus, it can take a great amount of time in order to change one of the items, as the item to be changed has to be removed from the display board using hardware such as a screwdriver and/or wrench. Alternately, the entire display can be replaced with a new display every time one of the items on the display is changed. This is very inefficient.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved display device for decorative fixtures that permits quick and easy replacement of one of the display items from a group of display items. Disclosed is a modular display system that can be used to display decorative fixtures, such as curtain rods, on a wall. The system can be used to display one or more items in adjacent, vertical positions on a wall. The system is adapted to permit quick and easy replacement of the display items on the display board and to also permit the items to be re-arranged on the display board quickly and easily.

In one aspect, there is disclosed a modular display system for decorative fixtures, comprising: at least one display board; at least one decorative fixture fixedly mounted on a front face of the display board; and at least one wall mounting member configured to be attached to a wall, wherein the mounting member is configured to be removably attached to the display board whereby a plurality of display boards can be modularly supported on a wall in a predetermined orientation.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front, plan view of a conventional display board on which is mounted a plurality of decorative fixtures.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a modular display system.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a wall mounting member and a display mounting member of the modular display system coupled to one another.

FIG. 4 shows the display boards being coupled to the wall frame.

FIG. 5 shows a rear, perspective view of the modular display system with three display boards.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the modular display system with three display boards.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the modular display system.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the modular display system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is a modular display system that can be used to display decorative fixtures on a wall. The system can be used to display one or more items in adjacent, vertical positions on a wall. As described below, the system permits quick and easy replacement of the display items on the display board and also permits the items to be re-arranged quickly and easily.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the modular display system 200, which includes a wall frame 205 and one or more display boards 210 that can be removably coupled to the wall frame 205, as described in detail below. The wall frame 205 is configured to be attached to a wall using any attachment means, such as screws, bolts, glue, etc. At least one decorative fixture, such as a curtain rod assembly, is mounted on a front side of each of the display boards. In one embodiment, the decorative fixture is attached to the display board, such as by using bolts, screws, glue, etc. The decorative fixture can be attached in a manner that makes it difficult to remove the fixture from the board. In another embodiment, the decorative fixture is attached to the display board in such a manner that the display board must be warped, damaged, or destroyed in order to remove the decorative fixture from the display board.

With reference still to FIG. 2, the wall frame 205 includes one or more vertically-extending wall mounting members 215 that are configured to be coupled to corresponding display mounting members 220 that are positioned on rear sides of the display boards 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the display mounting members 220 are vertically-extending members on the display boards 210, although the shapes of the display mounting members 220 can vary. The wall mounting members 215 and display mounting members 220 have a structural configuration that permits the display mounting members 220 and wall mounting members 215 to be removably coupled to one another. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall mounting members 215 are interlinked by various cross-bars 225 to form the wall frame 205. However, it should be appreciated that the wall mounting members 215 need not be part of a frame 205, but can rather be independently mounted on a wall.

Each of the display boards 210 has a front surface on which can be mounted one or more pieces of decorative hardware. Each display board 210 also has a rear surface on which is located one or more vertically-extending display members 220, which couple to the wall members 215.

As mentioned, the wall mounting members 215 and display mounting members 220 have a structural configuration that permits the display mounting members 220 and wall mounting members 215 to be removably coupled to one another. In this regard, the mounting members 215, 220 can have a structure that permits the members to be coupled to one another in a sliding fashion. Some exemplary structures are described herein, although it should be appreciated that the coupling structures of the members can vary.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of the wall mounting member 215 and the display mounting member 220 coupled to one another. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the mounting members 215, 220 are elongated channels that have complementary, u-shaped structures that slidably mate with one another along the axis of the mounting members. This permits the display mounting member 220 to slidably mate along a substantially vertical axis upward or downward with the wall mounting member 215. It should be appreciated that the mounting members can have various other structural configurations that permit removable coupling of the display mounting members and wall mounting members.

FIG. 4 shows the display boards 210 being coupled to the wall mounting members 215. Specifically, two display boards 210 are already coupled to the wall mounting members 215 and a third display board 210a is prepared to be coupled to the wall mounting members 215. It should be appreciated that the wall mounting members 215 are secured to a wall, such as by using screws, bolts, glue, or any other attachment means. Prior to attaching the display board 210a to the wall mounting members 215, the display board 210a is positioned relative to the wall mounting members 215 such that each display mounting members 220 is co-axially aligned with a corresponding wall mounting member 215. That is, the display mounting members 220 are lined up with the wall mounting members 215. The display mounting members 220 are then coupled to the wall mounting members 215 in a sliding fashion, such as by sliding the display mounting members 220 downward onto the wall mounting members 215.

FIG. 5 shows a rear, perspective view of the three display boards 210 coupled to the wall mounting members 215 to form the modular display system 200. FIG. 6 shows a front view of the modular display system 200 with three display boards. The system 200 is shown with three display boards 210, although it should be appreciated that any quantity of display boards can be used. In this regard, the length of the wall mounting members 215 can be selected to accommodate any quantity of display boards 210. Moreover, the wall mounting members 215 can be positioned along a horizontal axis rather than a vertical axis such that the display boards 210 are positioned in a row rather than in a column. The wall mounting members 215 can also be positioned along an inclined axis.

In one embodiment, the display boards 210 are sufficiently large and of sufficient shape such that the boards 210 mask the frame 205 from view when the modular display system 200 is viewed from the front (as shown in FIG. 6). This provides a clean look to the modular display system 200. Alternately, at least a portion of the wall mounting members or display mounting members can be visible. Moreover, the display boards 210 can have a finish that provides a seamless appearance between the multiple display boards so that that the multiple display boards appear to be a single display board.

The modular display system 200 provides a quick and easy method of displaying multiple decorative fixtures in a single display. If one or more of the fixtures needs to be removed or switched with another fixture, the display board 210 to which the fixture is attached is simply slid off of the wall mounting members and replaced with another display board. There is no need to replace the entire display.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the modular display system. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7A and 7B, the wall mounting members 215 couple directly to the display board 210 rather than to display mounting members 220. Thus, the system does not require display mounting members 220. The wall mounting members 215 have a structural configuration that is configured to receive and support at least a portion of the display board 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall mounting member 215 comprises an elongated, unshaped channel that is sized to slidingly receive a vertically-extending edge of the display board 210. A wall mounting member is located on both opposed edges of the display board, as shown in FIG. 7A.

The wall mounting members 215 are attached directly to a wall such that they support one or more display boards 210 on the wall with the display boards 210 being positioned in a vertically-stacked orientation. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the display system is mounted on the wall, the wall mounting members 215 are visible from the front of the display board 210.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the modular display system. For each display board 210, the system includes a wall mounting member 215 that couples to a corresponding display mounting member 220 positioned on a rear side of the display board 210. The wall mounting members 215 are mounted on a wall in relative positions such that the display mounting members 220 and attached display boards can be relatively positioned in a desired orientation, such as in a stacked, vertical orientation, as shown in FIG. 8B.

In one embodiment, the wall mounting member 215 comprises upwardly-open, u-shaped channel. The display mounting member 220 comprises a complementary-shaped, downwardly-open, u-shaped channel that mates with the wall mounting member 215. The display mounting members 220 are coupled to the wall mounting members 215 by sliding the display mounting members 220 onto the wall mounting members 215, or by simply lowering the display mounting members 220 over the wall mounting members 215. As in the previous embodiments, it should be appreciated that the structural configuration and the coupling methods for the mounting members can vary and are not limited to the examples shown and described herein.

Although embodiments of various methods and devices are described herein in detail with reference to certain versions, it should be appreciated that other versions, embodiments, methods of use, and combinations thereof are also possible. Therefore the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

Claims

1. A modular display system for decorative fixtures, comprising:

at least one display board;

at least one decorative fixture fixedly mounted on a front face of the display board; and

at least one wall mounting member configured to be attached to a wall, wherein the mounting member is configured to be removably attached to the display board whereby a plurality of display boards can be modularly supported on a wall in a predetermined orientation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall mounting member comprises an elongate channel adapted to mate with at least a portion of the display board such that the channel can support the display board in a suspended state when the channel is attached to a wall.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the display board includes a display mounting member located on a rear face of the display board.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the display mounting member and the wall mounting member comprise u-shaped channels that slidingly mate with one another.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the display mounting member and the wall mounting member collectively form a frame, and wherein the display board is sized to completely cover the frame when the frame is attached to a wall.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wall mounting member is an elongate structure.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wall mounting member is positioned along a vertical axis when attached to a wall.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wall mounting member is positioned along a horizontal axis when attached to a wall.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the decorative fixture comprises a curtain rod assembly that includes a curtain rod and a pair of finials.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the mounting member is configured to be removably attached to the display board such that a plurality of display boards can be modularly supported in a vertically-stacked arrangement on a wall.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the mounting member is configured to be removably attached to the display board such that a plurality of display boards can be modularly supported in a horizontally-stacked arrangement on a wall.