DISPLAY SYSTEM

Abstract

Display systems for displaying consumer products are provided. The display systems may include a support member having a plurality of apertures, a first insert insertable into a first one of the plurality of apertures to couple the first insert to the support member, a second insert insertable into a second one of the plurality of apertures to couple the second insert to the support member, a hang member supportable by the first and second inserts, and a fixture supportable by the hang member. Other display systems may include two hang members of different lengths and a fixture supportable by a first of the hang members or a second of the hang members. Still other display systems may include an insert supportable by a support member and a fixture supportable by the insert. Other display systems may include a hang member or a fixture supportable by an insert.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/794,284, filed on Apr. 21, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to display systems and, more particularly, to modular display systems having multiple accessories.

BACKGROUND

Retail environments have a wide variety of layouts, sizes, and configurations, and retailers are constantly attempting to display their products in the best and most efficient manner possible. Conventional display systems often have limited modularity to support and display products. Retailers are not satisfied with such conventional display systems because such systems cannot be configured for their particular retail environment as desired.

Retailers also desire display systems that are easily set-up, taken-down, re-configured, or moved. Due to the nature of the retail business, display systems are frequently set-up, taken-down, re-configured, or moved to various locations within the retail environment. Time is of the essence in the retail business and retailers want to limit the time consumed by setting-up, taking-down, re-configuring, or moving display assemblies or systems.

Accordingly, a need exists for a display system that has great modularity, can accommodate a wide variety of products, can be configured with great flexibility, and can be easily and quickly set-up, taken-down, re-configured, or moved.

SUMMARY

In some aspects, a display system is provided. In other aspects, a display system is provided and includes a support member, an insert connected to the support member, and an accessory or fixture removably connected to the insert. The display system may include a variety of accessories or fixtures that are removably connected to the insert.

In some aspects, a display system is provided and includes a support member having a plurality of apertures, a first insert insertable into a first one of the plurality of apertures to couple the first insert to the support member, a second insert insertable into a second one of the plurality of apertures to couple the second insert to the support member, a hang member supportable by the first and second inserts, and a fixture supportable by the hang member.

In some aspects, a display system is provided and includes a support member having a plurality of apertures including a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture, a first distance defined between the first aperture and the second aperture, and a second distance defined between the first aperture and the third aperture, the second distance different than the first distance, a first insert insertable into the first aperture to couple the first insert to the support member, a second insert insertable into the second aperture to couple the second insert to the support member, a third insert insertable into the third aperture to couple the third insert to the support member, a first hang member having a first length and being supportable by the first and second inserts, a second hang member having a second length different than the first length, the second hang member being supportable by the first and third inserts, and a fixture adapted to be removably supportable by the first hang member or the second hang member.

In some aspects, a display system is provided and includes a support member having an aperture, an insert supportable by the support member, the insert including a body at least partially insertable into the aperture, a spacing member coupled to the body, and a cover coupled to the spacing member such that the cover is spaced from the body to provide an insert receptacle, and a fixture supportable by the insert and including an inverted, U-shaped connector including a first portion, a second portion, and a fixture receptacle defined between the first portion and the second portion, wherein, when the fixture is supported by the insert, the first portion of the fixture is at least partially positioned in the insert receptacle and the cover is at least partially positioned in the fixture receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a display system in a retail environment.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a portion of the display system shown in FIG. 1.

Before at least one construction of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other construction and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a display system or assembly 20 is illustrated for displaying consumer products (not shown) in a retail environment. The display assembly 20 includes a support member or board 24 including a plurality of apertures 28 therein. Support members or boards are often positioned in a vertical or substantially vertical manner to allow consumer products to be arranged in a vertical manner. Such vertical or substantially vertical arrangement consumes a small footprint while utilizing the vast vertical space commonly available in retail environments. In the illustrated construction, the apertures 28 are aligned in parallel rows and columns and are equidistant from one another. Alternatively, the apertures 28 can be defined in the board 24 in any configuration including, but not limited to, non-parallel rows and/or columns, non-equidistant from one another, randomly, etc. Also in the illustrated construction, all the apertures 28 have substantially the same diameter. Alternatively, the apertures 28 may have varying diameters relative to each other.

The display assembly 20 also includes a plurality of inserts 32 that are shaped complimentary to the apertures 28 to enable insertion of the inserts 32 into the apertures 28. With additional reference to FIG. 2, each insert 32 includes a body 36, a connector 40 for connecting the insert 32 to the board 24, and an accessory support 44 for supporting fixtures or accessories 48 (described below). In the illustrated construction, the connector 40 includes two projections or posts 52 disposed on and extending from opposite sides of the body 36. Alternatively, the connector 40 could assume a variety of configurations to connect the insert 32 to the board 24. To connect the insert 32 to the board 24, the insert 32 is aligned with one of the apertures 28, the body 36 and the connector 40 are inserted into the aperture 28 to position the two posts 52 in respective slots 50 defined in the board 24 and within the aperture 28, and the insert 32 is then twisted to trap the posts 52 in the slots 50, thereby connecting the insert 32 to the board 24. The posts 52 can be secured in the slots 50 in a variety of manners including, for example, friction fit, snap fit, gravity (such as posts 52 resting on ends of the slots 50), etc. The insert 32 can be removed from the board 24 by reversing the connection steps listed above. This manner of connecting inserts 32 to boards 24 is conventional in the art of display assemblies and will not be described further herein. It should be understood that the inserts 32 can have a variety of configurations other than that illustrated and can be connected to a support member 24 in a variety of manners and such variations are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, the accessory support 44 includes two parallel, spaced-apart members on pins 56 connected to the body 36 and a plate or cover 60 connected to the two pins 56 to provide an accessory receptacle 64 between the body 36, the two pins 56, and the cover 60 for receiving a portion of an accessory 48. Alternatively, the accessory support 44 can have different configurations for receiving and supporting accessories 48 in different manners. When the insert 32 is connected to the board 24, the two pins 56 are desirably oriented in a substantially vertical orientation to support an accessory 48 therebetween. In some constructions, the accessory support 44 or the accessory 48 may include a positive locking member for locking the accessory 48 to the accessory support 44.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the display assembly 20 includes a variety of fixtures or accessories 48 removably connected to the inserts 32. For example, the fixtures and accessories 48 may include various sized hooks 48A and various sized hanging members or bars 48B as illustrated, or other fixtures and accessories such as, for example, baskets, shelves, and shoe supports. The hooks 48A include a U-shaped body 68 having an upper leg 72 and a lower leg 76. A cross-bar 80 is positioned at the end of the upper leg 72 and oriented substantially perpendicular to the upper leg 72. The lower leg 76 has an outward end thereof upturned toward the upper leg 72. The illustrated hooks 48A are only exemplary configurations of a larger variety of possible hook configurations, and such larger variety of hook configurations are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The hooks 48A also include an accessory connector 84, which includes a downward oriented U-shaped connector body 88 having a forward portion 92 and a rearward portion 96. To connect one of the hooks 48A to the insert 32, the accessory connector 84 is aligned, from above, with the accessory receptacle 64 defined by the insert 32, then the rearward portion 96 of the connector body 88 is inserted into the accessory receptacle 64 and the forward portion 92 of the connector body 88 is disposed in front of the insert cover 60. The connector body 88 rests on top of the insert cover 60 for vertical support, is retained laterally by the two pins 56, and is retained forwardly and rearwardly by the cover 60 and body 36. Removal of the hooks 48A can be accomplished by performing the connection steps listed above in reverse order.

With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bars 48B have a plurality of lengths and include a flat body 100 and a bar connector 104 defined in the body 100 near each end of the body 100. In the illustrated construction, the bar connectors are slots 104 defined in one edge of the body 100 and extend toward an opposite edge of the body 100. The bar 48B is connected at each end to an insert 32 by aligning the bar 48B, from above, with the accessory receptacles 64 of the inserts 32, then the bar 48B is moved downward toward the inserts 32 such that the slots 104 defined in the bar 48B align with and slide over the inside pin 56 of the insert 32. The top of the inside pin 56 engages an end of the slot 104 to vertically support the bar 48B on the inserts 32 and inhibit the inserts 32 from rotating, thereby assisting in securing the inserts 32 to the board 24. As shown in FIG. 1, bars 48B spanning multiple apertures (see the bottom bar 48B in FIG. 1) cover the in-between unused apertures 28. Inserts 32 are not required to plug the in-between unused apertures 28 because the unused apertures are hidden by the bar, thereby providing an aesthetically pleasing display assembly 20 with no uncovered apertures 28.

In the illustrated construction, the bar 48B supports hooks 48A in a hanging fashion. Alternatively, the bar 48B can support other fixtures and accessories in a hanging fashion such as, for example, baskets, shelves, shoe supports, etc. Also, the bar 48B can support fixtures and accessories that cannot be supported by the inserts. The hooks 48A are supported on the bar 48B by aligning the accessory connector 84, from above, with the bar 48B, and moving the accessory connector 84 down toward the bar 48B such that the bar 48B is received between the forward and rearward portions 92, 96 of the accessory connector body 88. The accessory connector 84 rests on top of the bar 48B to vertically support the hook 48A. As illustrated, the bars 48B can assume a variety of sizes and, accordingly, can support a varying number of other accessories thereon (hooks 48A as illustrated).

The display assembly 20 has significant modularity, which facilitates great flexibility for retailers when designing display layout options for their retail environments. In addition, retailers sell a wide variety of products that each require a particular manner of support and display. The flexibility of the display assembly 20 allows for support and display of such a wide variety of products.

Although particular constructions of the present invention have been shown and described, other alternative constructions will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the intended scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a support member having a plurality of apertures;

a first insert insertable into a first one of the plurality of apertures to couple the first insert to the support member;

a second insert insertable into a second one of the plurality of apertures to couple the second insert to the support member;

a hang member supportable by the first and second inserts; and

a fixture supportable by the hang member.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the hang member has a first end and a second end, the hang member being supportable by the first insert near the first end and being supportable by the second insert near the second end.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the hang member has a first slot and a second slot defined therein, the hang member being engageable with the first insert at the first slot and being engageable with the second insert at the second slot to support the hang member.

4. The display system of claim 3, wherein the first and second slots are defined in a first edge of the hang member, the hang member including a second edge opposite the first edge, the fixture being supportable by the second edge of the hang member.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein the hang member has a first end, a second end, a first slot defined in an edge of the hang member near the first end, and a second slot defined in the edge of the hang member near the second end, the hang member being engageable with the first insert at the first slot and being engageable with the second insert at the second slot to support the hang member.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the fixture is a first fixture, the display system further comprising a second fixture supportable by the hang member, the hang member being capable of simultaneously or interchangeably supporting the first fixture and the second fixture.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures includes a third aperture, and wherein the hang member substantially covers the third aperture when the hang member is supportable by the first and second inserts.

8. The display system of claim 7, wherein the third aperture is disposed between the first and second apertures.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the fixture is removably supportable by either the hang member or the first insert.

10. A display system comprising:

a support member having a plurality of apertures including a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture, a first distance defined between the first aperture and the second aperture, and a second distance defined between the first aperture and the third aperture, the second distance different than the first distance;

a first insert insertable into the first aperture to couple the first insert to the support member;

a second insert insertable into the second aperture to couple the second insert to the support member;

a third insert insertable into the third aperture to couple the third insert to the support member;

a first hang member having a first length and being supportable by the first and second inserts;

a second hang member having a second length different than the first length, the second hang member being supportable by the first and third inserts; and

a fixture adapted to be removably supportable by the first hang member or the second hang member.

11. The display system of claim 10, wherein the first hang member is supportable by the first insert near a first end of the first hang member and is supportable by the second insert near a second end of the first hang member, and wherein the second hang member is supportable by the first insert near a first end of the second hang member and is supportable by the third insert near a second end of the second hang member.

12. The display system of claim 10, wherein the first hang member and the second hang member are interchangeably supportable by the first insert.

13. The display system of claim 10, wherein the first, second, and third apertures are linearly oriented.

14. The display system of claim 10, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance and the second length is greater than the first length.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein the first, second, and third apertures are linearly oriented and the second aperture is disposed between the first and third apertures, and wherein the second aperture is substantially covered by the second hang member when the second hang member is supported by the first and third inserts.

16. A display system comprising:

a support member having an aperture;

an insert supportable by the support member, the insert including a body at least partially insertable into the aperture, a spacing member coupled to the body, and a cover coupled to the spacing member such that the cover is spaced from the body to provide an insert receptacle; and

a fixture supportable by the insert and including an inverted, U-shaped connector including a first portion, a second portion, and a fixture receptacle defined between the first portion and the second portion;

wherein, when the fixture is supported by the insert, the first portion of the fixture is at least partially positioned in the insert receptacle and the cover is at least partially positioned in the fixture receptacle.

17. The display system of claim 16, wherein the insert includes a second spacing member coupled to the body, the cover being coupled to both spacing members such that the cover is spaced from the body and the insert receptacle is defined by the body, the spacing members, and the cover.

18. The display system of claim 17, wherein, when the fixture is supported by the insert, the first portion of the fixture is at least partially positioned between the spacing members.

19. The display system of claim 16, wherein the fixture is a first fixture, the display system further comprising a second fixture, the first fixture and the second fixture being interchangeably supportable by the insert.

20. The display system of claim 16, further comprising a hang member supportable by the insert, wherein the fixture and the hang member are interchangeably supportable by the insert.

21. The display system of claim 20, wherein the fixture is supportable by the hang member when the hang member is supported by the insert.