Mobile Carpet Display System
A mobile system for the display of multiple carpet samples in a concise and orderly array which are securely mounted within a convenient unitary carrier, yet which are readily accessed when comparing each of the samples to the decor at locations remote from the retail outlet. In the present system, the carpet samples are individually affixed to a strong, but light-weight carrier comprised substantially exclusively of paperboard and which is particularly resistant to flexing, tearing or rupture in the course of conveyance of the samples to and from a retail outlet and/or when exposing each sample for evaluation in the actual environment within which the carpet is intended to be installed.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
FIELD OF INVENTIONThis invention relates to the display of carpet samples, particularly displays of multiple carpet samples as a unit.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONBy reason of their bulky nature, carpets are most commonly displayed in the form of relatively small samples at a retail (or wholesale) outlet for evaluation by prospective purchasers. It is not unusual for a retail outlet to display multiple relatively small samples of available carpets in groupings so that a potential purchaser may view multiple carpet designs without meandering among large bulky displays of carpets. Even so, there is little, if any, opportunity for a potential purchaser of carpet to “match” a carpet design to other decorative features of a room, office or other enclosure where the carpet is to be installed.
Even when relatively small size samples of a carpet are made available for viewing by a potential purchaser, the bulky nature of the carpet samples and their weight may inhibit or even preclude the potential purchaser from taking multiple carpet samples to their home or office for evaluation purposes, particularly for matching of a carpet to existing decorative features of the house or office. Moreover, even small carpet samples can be flexible and difficult to handle when attempting to position a carpet sample alongside one or more of the existing decorative features of a home or office in a manner as allows the purchaser to make their choice of carpet.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONIn accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mobile system for the display of multiple carpet samples mounted in a concise and orderly array on a convenient unitary carrier, yet which are readily accessed when comparing each of the samples to the decor at locations remote from the retail outlet. In the present system, the carpet samples are individually affixed to a strong, but light-weight carrier comprised substantially exclusively of paperboard and which is particularly resistant to flexing, tearing or rupture in the course of conveyance of the multiple samples to and from a retail outlet and/or when exposing each sample for evaluation in the actual environment within which the carpet is intended to be installed.
In the present system, the carrier preferably comprises a unitary carrier formed from a laminate of paperboard which includes specifically selected components that are combined in a specifically selected order of formation and of specifically selected paperboard elements which in combination exhibit enhanced strength, rigidity and minimized overall weight of the carrier. The present invention envisions multiple sizes of carriers, depending in major part by the number and/or size of samples which are to be affixed to the carrier for display purposes. The carriers of the present invention further may be designed as a planar panel onto which the samples are affixed, or “book” of samples, or some geometrical combination intermediate a folding book and a planar panel. In the instance of planar panel carriers, the top end of the carrier is folded over and provided with means for grasping the carrier with a handle for transport of the carrier and its samples. In a “book” type carrier, the closed book is of a size which is readily carried by a prospective purchaser.
Of essence in the present invention is the construction of a light-weight, carrier which desirably is unitary, non-flexing, tear and puncture resistant and sufficiently strong as to support multiple carpet samples in a planar attitude for transport between at least a retail outlet and a location remote from such retail outlet, commonly repeated ones of such transport events by various prospective consumers.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, and referring to several Figures initially, there is provided a carrier 12 comprising a laminate 14 of paper (which term includes the commonly known types of paper sheet material employed in corrugated laminates unless the context indicates otherwise). This carrier includes a planar central core 16 of a first layer 18 of corrugated paperboard having a first set of physical and mechanical, a second layer 20 of corrugated paperboard having a second and differing set of physical and mechanical characteristics, and an intermediate inner layer of linerboard. This combination is bonded together employing conventional gluing techniques wherein the valleys 24 of the flutes 26 of the first layer of corrugated material and the peaks 28 of the flutes 30 of the second layer 20 of corrugated paperboard are bonded to respective opposite surfaces 31,33 of the intermediate inner layer 22 of linerboard. As depicted, the flutes of the two layers of corrugated paperboard are aligned generally parallel to one another and perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline 35 of the laminate.
As depicted in
As depicted in
The core with its overlaid top and bottom layers of linerboard defines a sheet 46 suitable for use in the present invention. For use in the present invention, commonly this sheet is cut into appropriately sized substantially rectangular units 48. Preferably, in the cut units, the corrugations are oriented to run between the opposite sides 50,52 of the cut unit, i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline 35 of the laminated rectangular cut unit.
In the depicted embodiment of
In the latter instance, as depicted in
Alternatively, the exposed portion of the surface 54 of the laminate may be provided with a decorative overlay 62, such as a pattern of intersecting ribs 64 in the nature of a window with multiple panes. In this embodiment, each “pane” is adapted to receive therein a relatively small carpet sample 68. This embodiment is especially useful where the carrier is designed in the form of a planar laminate having one end 70 thereof folded back over upon itself, and anchored as by fasteners 72, 74 to the laminate.
As further depicted in
In one embodiment, as depicted in
When employing the carrier to transport relatively large size carpet samples which drape from the top end of the carrier, the folded back edge of the carrier may be sized to permit the mounting of the top ends of a plurality of carpet samples within the folded back region of the laminate so that these samples drape freely downwardly from the folded back region. As depicted in
Referring to
One such embodiment is depicted in
Each of the first and second panels includes at least one carpet sample 114 affixed to at least the front surface of respective panels. The third panel includes carpet samples n both its front and rear surfaces. Thus, when the panels of the carrier are folded back upon one another, with the third panel being most central, the samples on the front and rear surfaces of the third panel overlie the samples on the front surfaces of the first and second panels.
Each fold groove exhibits a generally rectangular lateral cross-section as seen in
This “book” carrier is of substantially the same laminate construction as the flat planar carrier of the type described hereinabove. In either instance the carrier is suitable to have mounted thereon one or more carpet samples in a manner which permits the carrier and its affixed carpet samples to be mobile in that the carrier is significantly light in its overall weight, but is inordinately resistant to flexing, tearing, rupture or similar destructive forces both during transport of the carrier and during placement of the carpet samples adjacent other decor of a home or office, for example, which is remote from a retail or wholesale outlet for the carpet displayed via the present invention.
Claims
1. A carrier for mobile display of carpet samples comprising
- a laminate constructed essentially of paper, including
- a first outer layer of linerboard having a thickness of between about 0.014 and about 0.020 inch and a burst strength of between about 65 lbs and about 75 lbs as determined employing a conventional Mullen tester,
- a first inner layer of corrugated paperboard, having not less than 8 flutes per inch, each flute having a peak to valley height of about 0.085 inch, and having a burst strength of not less than about 23 lbs,
- the peaks of said flutes of said first inner layer of corrugated paperboard being bonded to said first outer layer of linerboard,
- a second layer of linerboard having a thickness of between about 0.010 and about 0.016 inch,
- the valleys of said flutes of said first inner layer of corrugated paperboard being bonded to said second layer of linerboard,
- a second inner layer of corrugated paperboard having between about 5 and about 20 flutes per inch, each flute having a peak to valley height of about 0.065 inch,
- the peaks of said flutes of said second inner layer of corrugated paperboard being bonded to said second layer of paperboard,
- a second outer layer of linerboard disposed opposite said first outer layer of linerboard, having a thickness of between about 0.014 and about 0.020 inch, and
- said valleys of said second layer of corrugated paperboard being bonded to said second outer layer of linerboard, thereby defining a flat planar paperboard laminate having opposite flat top and bottom planar outer surfaces, opposite side edges and opposite end edges, and exhibiting a burst strength of 400 lbs.
2. The carrier of claim 1 further including at least one fold line extending between opposite side edges of said planar laminate proximate one end thereof, said fold line being characterized by the absence of said first layer of linerboard and said flutes of said first layer of corrugated paperboard within the bounds of said fold line and minimal deformation of said second layer of corrugated paperboard.
3. The carrier of claim 1 including a fourth layer of linerboard overlying and bonded to said top planar surface of said laminate, overwrapping said side opposite side edges of said laminate, and defining a perimeter on said bottom planar surface of said laminate.
4. The carrier of claim 3 wherein said fourth layer exhibits a burst strength of about 50 lbs.
5. The carrier of claim 4 and including a fifth layer of linerboard overlying and bonded to said bottom planar surface of said laminate, said fifth layer of linerboard having a thickness of about 0.008 inch and covering any exposed edges of said perimeter of said fourth layer of linerboard which may be exposed on the bottom surface of said laminate.
6. The carrier of claim 4 wherein said fourth layer of linerboard includes an outer surface and further including a coating applied at least said outer surface.
7. The carrier of claim 6 wherein said outer coating is printable employing conventional printing techniques.
8. The carrier of claim 5 and including a plurality of carpet samples affixed to at least said fifth layer of linerboard.
9. The carrier of claim 8 and including at least one further carpet sample affixed to said planar bottom surface of said laminate.
10. A system for mobile display of multiple carpet samples comprising
- a carrier,
- said carrier including
- a first outer layer of linerboard having a thickness of between about 0.014 and about 0.020 inch and a burst strength of between about 65 lbs and 75 lbs as determined employing a conventional Mullen tester,
- a first inner layer of corrugated paperboard,
- having between about 8 and about 12 flutes per inch, each flute having a peak to valley height of about 0.085 inch, said first inner layer of corrugated paperboard having a burst strength of not less than about 23 lbs,
- the peaks of said flutes of said first inner layer of corrugated paperboard being bonded to said first outer layer of linerboard,
- a second layer of linerboard having a thickness of between about 0.010 and about 0.016 inch,
- a second inner layer of corrugated paperboard having between about 15 and about 20 flutes per inch, each flute having a peak to valley height of about 0.065 inch,
- said second layer of linerboard being interposed between, and bonded to, the valleys of said first layer of corrugated paperboard and the peaks of said flutes of said second layer of corrugated paperboard,
- a third layer of linerboard, having a thickness of between about 0.014 and about 0.020 inch,
- said third outer layer of linerboard being disposed in overlying relationship to, and bonded to, said first outer layer of linerboard, thereby defining a flat planar unitary laminate having top and bottom opposite surfaces, first and second opposite side edges, and first and second opposite end edges, and exhibiting a burst strength of not less than 350 lbs,
- said laminate further including at least one fold line extending between opposite side edges of said planar laminate, and
- said fold line being characterized by the absence of said first layer of linerboard and said flutes of said first layer of corrugated paperboard within the bounds of said fold line and minimal deformation of said second layer of corrugated paperboard.
11. The system of claim 10 and including a fourth layer of linerboard overlying, overwrapping and bonded to at least a planar top surface and opposite of said laminate.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein said fourth layer exhibits a burst strength of about 50 lbs.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein said fourth layer of linerboard includes an outer surface and further including a coating applied at least said outer surface.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein said outer coating is printable employing conventional printing techniques.
15. The system of claim 15 and including a plurality of carpet samples affixed to at least said fourth layer of linerboard.
16. The system of claim 15 and including at least one further carpet sample affixed to said planar bottom surface of said laminate.
17. A system for mobile display of multiple carpet samples comprising
- a carrier formed essentially of paper for mounting of said carpet samples thereon for storage or transport,
- said carrier comprising a laminate including a central core formed from a first outer layer of linerboard, a first layer of corrugated paperboard having corrugations of a first size and spacing and a second layer of corrugated paperboard having corrugations of a second size and spacing, said corrugations of said first layer being of a larger size and greater spacing than said corrugations of said second layer of corrugated paperboard, an inner layer of linerboard interposed between said first and second layers of corrugated paperboard and bonded to the valleys of the flutes of said first layer of corrugated paperboard and to the peaks of the flutes of said second layer of corrugated paperboard, a second outer layer of linerboard overlying and bonded to the peaks of said flutes of said first layer of corrugated paperboard, a third outer layer of linerboard overlying and bonded to the valleys of said first layer of corrugated paperboard,
- a further outer layer of linerboard disposed in overlying and bonded relationship to said third outer layer of linerboard, and
- a still further layer of paperboard overlying and bonded to said further outer layer of linerboard and overwrapping and bonded to at least the opposite side edges of said laminate and further extending into overlying and bonded relationship to at least the perimetral margins of said third outer layer of linerboard.
18. The system of claim 17 and including at least one fold groove extending between opposite side edges of said laminate, said fold groove being characterized by the absence of paperboard or linerboard within the bounds of said fold groove.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 24, 2007
Publication Date: Apr 30, 2009
Inventor: Donnie Cooper (Knoxville, TN)
Application Number: 11/877,718
International Classification: A47F 7/00 (20060101);