MERCHANDISE DISPLAY SYSTEM
A profile rail (16) for a merchandise display system (10) is used for supporting merchandise on at least one display accessory arm (14) extending from a display wall (11). The profile rail (16) has a top wall (34), a bottom wall (36) and a rear wall (38) defining an open chamber (28) configured to receive an accessory arm (14), wherein the chamber (28) has a channel (30) formed therein between an upper lip (31) and lower lip (32) and extending rearward toward the rear wall (38), and wherein an upper wall (66) extends between the top wall (34) and the upper lip (31) and the lower lip (32) extends from the bottom wall (36). The profile rail (16) has a lower bearing surface (32) located in the bottom wall (36), and the profile rail (16) also includes an upper bearing surface (62) located on the upper wall (66) directed toward the chamber (28). A protrusion (50) extends into the chamber (28) adjacent to the top and rear walls (34, 38), wherein the protrusion (50) is spaced-apart from the rear wall (38) to form a receiving chamber (51) therebetween, and the protrusion (50) includes a rear bearing surface (53) directed toward the receiving chamber (51). The invention is also directed to a display system comprising the profile rail and an accessory arm cantileveringly supported in the profile rail.
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This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/358,585 filed Jun. 25, 2010.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of invention
This invention relates to the field merchandise display systems, and more particularly, relates to a merchandise display system mountable on a display wall configured to receive cantilevered accessories on which articles may be displayed.
2. Description of Related Art
Many types of display systems are used to support merchandise on a display panel or wall at locations such as retail stores. These systems use one or more types of accessory arms, such as pegs, brackets or shelves, on which the merchandise is displayed. In some systems, these accessory arms are attached to the display wall with nails, screws or an adhesive fastener. However, it is often desirable to periodically change the display layout or to switch the type of accessory arms used in the layout. For example, at times it may be desirable to reposition the location of a peg accessory arm or to replace a peg accessory arm with a small shelf if the display panel is to be used for different products. With these semi-permanent display systems, changing the layout requires the removal of the screws or nails and repairing the holes left behind in the display wall.
It is known to use display systems with accessory arms configured to be plugged into a rail or slot in the display panel. However, some of these display systems are not very functional in that it can be difficult to secure the accessory arm in the slot, causing the accessory arm to fall out or rotate under the weight of the item being displayed. Additionally, these designs typically have rails or slots that only accept accessory arms having a specific plug-in configuration. This may limit the options available as to the type of accessory arms that may be used on the display panel.
It would therefore be desirable to have a display system that permits reconfiguration of the layout design and is able to work with different types of accessory arms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one aspect of the present invention, a profile rail for a merchandise display system used for supporting merchandise on at least one display accessory arm extending from a display panel is provided. The profile rail includes a top wall, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a chamber configured to receive an accessory arm. The chamber has a channel extending therefrom between an upper lip and lower lip. An upper wall extends between the top wall and the upper lip and the lower lip extends from the bottom wall. The profile rail further includes a lower bearing section located on the bottom wall and a protrusion extending into the chamber adjacent to the top and rear walls. The protrusion is spaced-apart from the rear wall to form a receiving chamber therebetween, and the protrusion includes a rear bearing surface directed toward the receiving chamber. The profile rail further includes an upper bearing surface on the upper wall directed toward the chamber.
In another aspect of the present invention, a merchandise display system is provided. The merchandise display system includes a base portion and an accessory arm releasably engageable with the base portion. The base portion includes a top wall, a rear wall, and a bottom wall forming a chamber therebetween, wherein the bottom wall includes a lower bearing section. The base portion further includes an upper wall extending between the top wall and an upper lip, wherein the upper wall includes an upper bearing surface. A lower lip extends from the bottom wall. The base portion also includes a channel extending from the chamber, wherein the channel is surrounded by the upper and lower lips. A protrusion is positioned between the top wall and the rear wall and is spaced-apart from both, wherein the protrusion extends into the chamber and forms a rear bearing surface.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention.
The structure, operation, and advantages of the presently disclosed embodiment of the invention will become apparent when consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTSThe invention will now be described in the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, wherein preferred embodiments are described in detail to enable practice of the invention. Although the invention is described with reference to these specific preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these preferred embodiments. But to the contrary, the invention includes numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents as will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description.
Referring now to the drawings,
As best seen in
Turning now to
Near the junction of the rear wall 38 with the top wall 34 is a protrusion 50 extending into the chamber 28 and forming an undercut 52. The protrusion 50 is spaced apart from the rear wall 38, thereby forming a receiving chamber 51 therebetween. The undercut 52 includes a rear bearing surface 54. For purposes of illustration, the lower bearing surface 42 and rear bearing surface 54 are used with one embodiment of accessory arm 14 that is a cantilevered peg 14A as shown in
An upper wall 66 extends upwardly between the upper lip 31 and the top wall 34 and provides a portion of the boundary of the chamber 28. The inner surface of the upper wall 66 directed inwardly toward the chamber 28 defines an upper bearing surface 62. The portion of the chamber 28 extending between the upper bearing surface 62 and the protrusion 50 below the top wall 34 is an upper void 60 within the chamber 28.
In the installed state, the upper and lower lips 31, 32 terminate generally flush with the front side 22 of the display wall 11. It is advantageous to have the top and bottom lips 31, 32 project slightly beyond the front side 22 to serve as edge protection.
The profile rail 16 further defines an upper cavity 80 and a lower cavity 81 positioned adjacent to the chamber 28. The upper cavity 80 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the portion of the chamber 28 opposite the channel 30, as shown in
The profile rail 16 further includes an upper and a lower panel support flange 82, 84 extend vertically beyond the corresponding cavity 80, 81. The panel support flanges 82, 84 abut the rear side 24 (
In the embodiment shown in
For purposes of illustration, in the embodiment illustrated in
In an additional embodiment of an accessory arm 14 shown in
In yet an additional embodiment of an accessory arm 14 shown in
The illustrated accessory arm 14 is a simple peg on which merchandise may be displayed. However, with the present invention, it is to be appreciated that the display system 10 may be easily reconfigured with several different types of accessory arms 14. For example, the illustrated peg type accessory arm 14 may be replaced with an accessory arm comprising a small shelf or table frame or with any desired shape of accessory arm depending on the type of merchandise to be displayed. In order to switch the type of accessory arm 14 being used in the system 10, one must only remove the current accessory arm 14 from the profile rail 16 and replace it with a different accessory arm.
While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments described above, it is evident that many alternatives, combinations, modifications and variations are apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of this invention, as set forth above are intended to be illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense. Various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A profile rail (16) for a merchandise display system (10) used for supporting merchandise on at least one display accessory arm (14) extending from a display wall (11), the profile rail (16) comprising:
- a top wall (34), a bottom wall (36) and a rear wall (38) defining a chamber (28) configured to receive an accessory arm (14), wherein the chamber (28) has a channel (30) extending therefrom between an upper lip (31) and lower lip (32), and wherein an upper wall (66) extends between the top wall (34) and the upper lip (31) and the lower lip (32) extends from the bottom wall (36);
- a lower bearing surface (32) is located on the bottom wall (36);
- a protrusion (50) extending into the chamber (28) adjacent to the top and rear walls (34, 38), wherein the protrusion (50) is spaced-apart from the rear wall (38) to form a receiving chamber (51) therebetween, and the protrusion (50) includes a rear bearing surface (53) directed toward the receiving chamber (51); and
- an upper bearing surface (62) is located on the upper wall (66) and is directed toward the chamber (28).
2. The profile rail of claim 1 further comprising an upper cavity (80) and a lower cavity (81) positioned adjacent to the chamber (28).
3. The profile rail of claim 1, wherein an upper panel support flange (82) extends upwardly from the upper cavity (80) and a lower panel support flange (84) extends upwardly from the lower cavity (81).
4. The profile rail of claim 1, wherein the lower bearing surface (32) includes a longitudinal duct (44) having a slip-preventing strip (46) positioned therein.
5. A merchandise display system (10) comprising:
- a base portion (12) comprising: a top wall (34), a rear wall (38), and a bottom wall (36) forming a chamber (28) therebetween, wherein the bottom wall (36) includes a lower bearing surface (42); an upper wall (66) extending between the top wall (34) and an upper lip (32), wherein the upper wall (66) includes an upper bearing surface (62); a lower lip (32) extending from the bottom wall (36); a channel (30) extending from the chamber (28), wherein the channel (30) is surrounded by the upper and lower lips (31, 32); a protrusion (50) positioned between the top wall (34) and the rear wall (38) and is spaced-apart from both, wherein the protrusion (50) extends into the chamber (28) and includes a rear bearing surface (53);
- an accessory arm (14) releasably engageable with the base portion (12).
6. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the accessory arm (14) includes a peg (14A) and a tongue (110), wherein the peg (14A) has a distal end (120) and a base end (112) and the tongue (110) extends from the base end (112), said tongue (110) being insertable into the channel (30) for removable engagement with the base portion (12).
7. The merchandise display system of claim 6, wherein the tongue (110) includes a stem (116) and a hook (118), said hook (118) being engageable with the rear bearing surface (53) of the protrusion (50) for securing the accessory arm (14) to the base portion (12).
8. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the accessory arm (14) includes a top surface (141), a bottom surface (142), and a rear surface (143) extending between the top and bottom surfaces (141, 142), said top surface (141) being engageable with the protrusion (50) of the base portion (12), the bottom surface (142) being engageable with the slip-preventing strip (46), and the rear surface (143) being engageable with the rear wall (38) of the base portion (12) for removably connecting the accessory arm (14) to the base portion (12).
9. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the accessory arm (14) includes a base end (112) and a distal end (120) and a bracket (140) extending from the base end (112), the bracket (140) being insertable into the chamber (28) of the base portion (12), wherein a portion of the bracket (140) contacts the upper bearing surface (62) of the upper wall (66) for removably engaging the accessory arm (14) to the base portion (12).
10. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the accessory arm (14) is a peg, a shelf, or a table frame.
11. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the base portion (12) further includes an upper cavity (80) and a lower cavity (81) extending from the rear wall (38) and an upper panel support flange (82) extending from the upper cavity (80) and a lower panel support flange (84) extending from the lower cavity (81).
12. The merchandise display system of claim 5, wherein the base portion (12) further includes an upper tongue extension (94) extending outwardly from the upper lip (31) in the direction opposite the channel (30) and a lower tongue extension (95) extending outwardly from the lower lip (32) in the direction opposite the channel (30).
13. The merchandise display system of claim 12, wherein the accessory arm (14) is a cover (102) that is operatively connectable to the upper and lower tongue extensions (94, 95) in snapping engagement for removably securing the cover (102) to the base portion (12).
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 21, 2011
Publication Date: May 9, 2013
Applicant: MARLITE, INC. (Dover, OH)
Inventor: Jamie Kuhn (Cambridge, OH)
Application Number: 13/703,798
International Classification: A47F 5/08 (20060101); A47F 1/00 (20060101);