Merchandise Display
A merchandise display has a frame assembly supporting a plurality of drawers. Each drawer is slidably supported in the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position. The drawer defines a compartment adapted to contain packages of the product. The drawer supports a sample product visible to a consumer wherein the sample product corresponds to the packages of the product. The sample product is adapted to be grasped by the consumer to place the drawer in the open position. A first drawer defines a first compartment and a second drawer defines a second compartment. The second drawer has a portion being spaced a predetermined distance from the first drawer. The predetermined distance is sized such that the second compartment is visible to the consumer and requiring the second drawer to be in the open position for a hand of the consumer to reach into the second compartment.
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TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention generally relates to a merchandise display and more particularly to a merchandise display having an improved configuration for consumers to select merchandise contained in the display.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMerchandise displays are well known for displaying goods to consumers. Merchandise displays provide space for storing inventory, aid stores in organizing goods, and aid consumers in the process of identifying and selecting goods. The displays can further increase overall sales of goods. Current merchandise displays, however, possess various shortcomings for consumers. The displays do not allow for suitable interaction with the product being displayed. This limits the ability of consumers in making purchasing decisions. Current display configurations further to do not sufficiently invite the consumer to interact or otherwise handle the product being displayed. Other displays do not provide enough flexibility in changing the configuration of the display.
Thus, while merchandise displays according to the prior art provide a number of advantageous features, they nevertheless have certain limitations. The present invention seeks to overcome certain of these limitations and other drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide new features not heretofore available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a merchandise display having enhanced features for use by consumers and store owners.
According to one aspect of the invention, the merchandise display displays product and has a frame assembly and a drawer slidably supported in the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position. The drawer defines a compartment adapted to contain packages of the product. The drawer supports a sample product visible to a consumer wherein the sample product corresponds to the packages of the product. The sample product is adapted to be grasped by the consumer to place the drawer in the open position providing access to the compartment to select packages of product therein.
According to another aspect of the invention, a plurality of drawers are vertically spaced along the frame assembly. Each drawer is slidably supported in the frame assembly between the closed position and the open position, and each drawer defines a compartment therein.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the plurality of drawers comprises a first drawer defining a first compartment and a second drawer defining a second compartment. The second drawer has a portion being spaced a predetermined distance from the first drawer. The predetermined distance is sized such that the second compartment is visible to the consumer from a front of the second drawer and requires the second drawer to be in the open position for a hand of the consumer to reach into the second compartment.
According to another aspect of the invention, each drawer supports a sample product visible to the consumer, the sample product corresponding to packages of product adapted to be contained in respective compartments of the drawers. Each sample product is adapted to be grasped by the consumer to place the respective drawer in the open position providing access to the respective compartments.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the frame assembly has an upper portion supporting a display panel visible to a consumer. The upper portion defines a first groove and a second groove spaced below the first groove at a predetermined spacing. The display panel has a first end and a second end defining a height. The first end is positioned in the first groove and the second end is positioned in the second groove. The height is less than the predetermined spacing such that a gap is maintained between a base of the first groove and the first end wherein the display panel can be raised wherein the first end is moved into the gap wherein the second end can clear the second groove to allow removal of the display panel from the frame assembly. The display panel is selectively reinsertable into the grooves from a front of the frame assembly.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the first groove is positioned at a front portion of the frame assembly and the second groove is spaced from the front portion of the frame assembly.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the frame assembly has a base having a front extension. The front extension provides additional stability and may be adapted to be stepped on by a consumer.
According to another aspect of the invention, the drawer has at least one divider positioned in the compartment wherein the compartment comprises a plurality of compartments. The drawer has a plurality of channels wherein the channels receive the divider wherein the compartment is divided into a plurality of compartments.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the drawer has a front facing member defining an upwardly facing surface. The upwardly facing surface has indicia thereon relating to the product adapted to be contained in the compartment of the drawer.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the merchandise display includes a plurality of merchandise displays positioned adjacent one another.
These and other objects and advantages will be made apparent from the following description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention.
To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
A display for merchandising products is shown in
As shown in
The frame assembly 12 generally includes a base 16, a first side panel 18, a second side panel 20 and a back panel 22, which generally connect together to form a box-like structure defining a chamber 24 that receives the drawers 14 therein. A top panel (not shown) can be positioned over the top of the frame assembly 12 if desired. The base 16 has a forward extension portion defining an upwardly facing planar surface 26 or step portion 26. The forward extension portion of the base 16 provides additional overall stability to the frame assembly 12. The upwardly facing planar surface 26 may be a metal surface or support a metal insert for protection and durability. The first side panel 18 and the second side panel 20 extend upwardly and generally perpendicular from the base 16. The side panels 18, 20 may have cut-out portions (not shown) to define handles for moving the display 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the components of the frame assembly 12 can be connected by any of a variety of fastening methods including, but not limited to, screws, nails, adhesives, cooperating bracket structures and the like. As can be appreciated from
As further shown in
The front panel 60 supports the product to be contained in the compartment 58. For example, a sample cabinet pull or knob SP is mounted on the front panel 60 by known means such as screws or the like. The front panel 60 defines an upwardly facing surface 64 that supports indicia 66 relating to the products contained in the compartment 58. When facing the display 10 at a distance, the upwardly facing surface 64 is generally not fully seen by a consumer or user, until either the drawers 14 are pulled to an open position or the drawers 14 are approached at close range. The indicia 66 can include product names, dimension information, pricing, pictures or graphics and the like. The front panel 60 may also have a particular surface treatment such as a maple or cherry finish similar to wood cabinets. Alternative embodiments may include surface treatments of other premium or basic finishes, surfaces, colors and materials (e.g., pine, oak, birch, particle board, or other wood products, melamine or other plastic products, aluminum, steel or other metal products).
As further shown in
As discussed and further shown in
The frame assembly 12 and drawers 14 are fabricated and constructed as is known. As discussed and can be appreciated from
The drawers 14 of the display 10 are further set up for use by consumers. As shown in
In the configuration provided by the display 10,10′ of the present invention, a consumer can readily peruse several different products for potential purchase. The sample products SP are mounted on the respective front panels 60 visible to the consumer. As discussed, in one exemplary embodiment, the display 10, 10′ is used to merchandise products in the form of cabinet pulls and cabinet knobs. As discussed, the front panels 60 are provided with a surface finish that may correspond to a cabinet or cabinet drawer one might find in a residential setting, such as in a kitchen, bathroom or the like. This visual representation aids the consumer in a purchasing decision.
Other structural configurations of the display 10, 10′ further aid the consumer in purchasing decisions. As discussed, the front portions of the drawers 14 provide the space S or access opening into the drawers 14 as viewed from a front of the display 10. The space S may be considered to be proximate the difference between the maximum height of the drawer h and the height of the front wall 50 h′, thus providing the access opening into the drawer 14. As can be appreciated from
In general terms, the space S, or access opening, is large enough for a user to see into the compartment 58, but is not large enough for a hand of the user to fit completely into the compartment 58. This determination for the space S has been arrived at through testing to satisfy the above conditions for a user to be able to see into the compartment 58 but having to open the drawer 14 to gain unfettered access into the drawer 14. In one exemplary embodiment, the space S may be approximately 2.283 inches, generally corresponding to the difference in the maximum height h of the drawer 14 and the panel height h′. The 2.283 inch dimension of the space S could be increased if desired by approximately 10%. As previously noted, the front panel 60 may slightly overhang downwards from the front wall 50 of the drawer 14 a short distance. The drawers 14 may be spaced and configured such that a distance DS is provided from a bottom edge of one front panel 60 to a bottom edge of an adjacent front panel 60 (
As can be appreciated from
While the merchandise display 10 can be used for a variety of types of products. In one exemplary embodiment, the display 10 is used for cabinet hardware such as cabinet pulls and cabinet knobs. Display of cabinet hinges is also possible. In addition, while drawers 14 are provided that slide between open and closed positions, other structures could be used having compartments for holding packages of product. For example, compartments could be provided having hinged doors to simulate a kitchen cabinet having a cabinet knob or pull as well as a cabinet hinge. The consumer would use the sample product on the door to gain access into the compartment 58 to gain access into the compartment to select packages of product.
In addition, the display panel 34 can be easily mounted on the frame assembly 12. As shown in
Finally, as shown in
The merchandise display 10 of the present invention provides several benefits and advantages. The overall configuration provides a clean, sharp and aesthetically pleasing look for consumers while also providing enhanced functionality for consumers to select the merchandised product, and retail operators to re-stock the drawers. As shown in
While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.
Claims
1. A merchandise display for a product, the display comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- a drawer slidably supported in the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position, the drawer defining a compartment adapted to contain packages of the product, the drawer supporting a sample product visible to a consumer, the sample product corresponding to the packages of the product, wherein the sample product is adapted to be grasped by the consumer to place the drawer in the open position providing access to the compartment.
2. The merchandise display of claim 1 wherein the drawer comprises a plurality of drawers vertically spaced along the frame assembly, each drawer slidably supported in the frame assembly between the closed position and the open position, each drawer defining a compartment therein.
3. The merchandise display of claim 2 wherein the plurality of drawers comprises a first drawer defining a first compartment and a second drawer defining a second compartment, the second drawer having a portion being spaced a predetermined distance from the first drawer, the predetermined distance sized such that the second compartment is visible to the consumer from a front of the second drawer and requiring the second drawer to be in the open position for a hand of the consumer to reach into the second compartment.
4. The merchandise display of claim 1 wherein the drawer provides a space at a front portion of the drawer, the space being sized such that the compartment is visible to the consumer from a front of the drawer and requiring the drawer to be in the open position for a hand of the consumer to reach into the compartment.
5. The merchandise display of claim 1 wherein the frame assembly has an upper portion supporting a display panel visible to a consumer.
6. The merchandise display of claim 5 wherein the upper portion defines a first groove and a second groove spaced below the first groove at a first predetermined spacing,
- the display panel having a first end and a second end defining a height, the first end positioned in the first groove and the second end positioned in the second groove, the height being less than the predetermined spacing such that a gap is maintained between a base of the first groove and the first end wherein the display panel can be raised wherein the first end is moved into the gap wherein the second end can clear the second groove to allow removal of the display panel from the frame assembly and the display panel being selectively reinsertable into the grooves from a front of the frame assembly.
7. The merchandise display of claim 6 wherein the first groove is positioned at a front portion of the frame assembly and the second groove is spaced from the front portion of the frame assembly.
8. The merchandise display of claim 1 wherein the frame assembly has a base, the base having a front extension.
9. The merchandise display of claim 1 wherein the drawer has at least one divider positioned in the compartment wherein the compartment comprises a plurality of compartments.
10. The merchandise display of claim 1 wherein the drawer has a front facing member defining an upwardly facing surface, the upwardly facing surface having indicia thereon relating to the product adapted to be contained in the compartment of the drawer.
11. The merchandise display of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of merchandise displays positioned adjacent one another.
12. A merchandise display for products, the display comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- a first drawer slidably supported in the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position, the drawer defining a first compartment adapted to contain packages of a product;
- a second drawer slidably supported in the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position, the second drawer defining a second compartment adapted to contain packages of a second product, wherein a portion of the second drawer is spaced a predetermined distance from the first drawer, the predetermined distance sized such that the second compartment is visible to a user from a front of the drawers and requiring the second drawer to be in the open position for a hand of the user to reach fully into the second compartment.
13. The merchandise display of claim 12 wherein the first drawer supports a sample product visible to a user, the sample product corresponding to the packages of the product, wherein the sample product is adapted to be grasped by the user to place the first drawer in the open position providing access to the first compartment.
14. The merchandise display of claim 12 wherein the second drawer supports a second sample product visible to a user, the second sample product corresponding to the packages of the second product, wherein the second sample product is adapted to be grasped by the user to place the second drawer in the open position providing access to the second compartment.
15. The merchandise display of claim 13 wherein the frame assembly has an upper portion supporting a display panel visible to a user.
16. The merchandise display of claim 15 wherein the upper portion defines a first groove and a second groove spaced below the first groove at a first predetermined spacing,
- the display panel having a first end and a second end defining a height, the first end positioned in the first groove and the second end positioned in the second groove, the height being less than the predetermined spacing such that a gap is maintained between a base of the first groove and the first end wherein the display panel can be raised wherein the first end is moved into the gap wherein the second end can clear the second groove to allow removal of the display panel from the frame assembly, the display being selectively reinsertable into the grooves from a front of the frame assembly.
17. The merchandise display of claim 16 wherein the first groove is positioned at a front portion of the frame assembly and the second groove is spaced from the front portion of the frame assembly.
18. The merchandise display of claim 12 wherein the frame assembly has a base, the base having a front extension.
19. The merchandise display of claim 12 wherein the predetermined distance is in the range from approximately 2.283 inches to approximately 2.511 inches.
20. A merchandise display for a products, the display comprising:
- a frame assembly having an upper portion supporting a display panel visible to a consumer, the upper portion defining a first groove and a second groove spaced below the first groove at a first predetermined spacing;
- a display panel having a first end and a second end defining a height, the first end positioned in the first groove and the second end positioned in the second groove, the height being less than the predetermined spacing such that a gap is maintained between a base of the first groove and the first end wherein the display panel can be raised wherein the first end is moved into the gap wherein the second end can clear the second groove to allow removal of the display panel from the frame assembly, the display panel being selectively reinsertable into the grooves from a front of the frame assembly; and
- a plurality of drawers slidably supported in the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position, the drawers being spaced along the frame assembly, each drawer defining a compartment adapted to contain packages of a respective product.
21. The merchandise display of claim 20 wherein the display panel is angled downwardly.
22. The merchandise display of claim 20 wherein the first groove is positioned at a front portion of the frame assembly and the second groove is spaced from the front portion.
23. The merchandise display of claim 20 wherein the display panel is reinsertable into the frame assembly wherein the first end is inserted completely into the first groove thereby providing clearance for the second end to be inserted into the second groove.
24. The merchandise display of claim 20 wherein the first end rests against a front surface of the first groove.
25. A merchandise display for cabinet hardware, the display comprising:
- a frame assembly comprising: a base; a first side panel and a second side panel connected to the base, wherein at an upper portion of the frame assembly the side panels define a first groove at a front portion of the frame assembly and the side panels further define a second groove spaced from the front portion of the frame assembly and spaced below the first groove at a predetermined spacing; a display panel having a first end and a second end defining a height, the first end positioned in the first groove and the second end positioned in the second groove, the height being less than the predetermined spacing such that a gap is maintained between a base of the first groove and the first end wherein the display panel can be raised into the gap wherein a the second end can clear the second groove to remove the display panel from the grooves, the display panel being selectively reinserted into the grooves from a front of the frame assembly; and a plurality of drawers slidably supported by the frame assembly between a closed position and an open position, each drawer being vertically spaced along the frame assembly, each drawer defining a compartment adapted to contain packages of respective products, each drawer supporting a respective sample product visible to a consumer, the respective sample product corresponding to the respective packages of product, wherein the respective sample product is adapted to be grasped by the consumer to place the respective drawer in the open position to gain access to the compartment, wherein each drawer has a front panel, the respective front panel being spaced a predetermined distance from an adjacent drawer, wherein the predetermined distance is sized such that the respective compartment is partially visible to the consumer and requiring the drawer to be in the open position for a hand of the consumer to fully reach into the compartment, the front panel of each drawer defining an upwardly facing surface that supports indicia relating to the product adapted to be contained in the drawer.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 7, 2007
Publication Date: May 7, 2009
Applicant: NEWELL OPERATING COMPANY (Atanta, GA)
Inventor: Michael Hart Ricereto (Baltimore, MD)
Application Number: 11/936,527
International Classification: A47B 88/00 (20060101);