PRODUCT DISPLAY TOWER

Abstract

A product display tower for utilization with tools, accessories, and related items on display in a retail showroom, having multiple sides and corner poles, a pole assembly having multiple poles corresponding in number to the number of corners and extending upwardly proximate each of the corners. A plurality of support assemblies corresponding in number to the number of sides of the base assembly, each formed of at least two vertical support members having a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending between and interconnected to the corner poles, form product display supports on each of the sides of the base assembly. Corner brackets attachable to the wires of two adjacent sides and surrounding the corner pole provide support for items from the corners, as well as from the sides.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a multi-sided product display tower for maximizing the display space of various tools, accessories, and the like for retailers, and, more particularly, to permit the display of items from any corner of the product display tower as well as from any side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Merchandise displays have evolved over the years, and retailers have sought improved ways to at least: (1) prominently display various types of goods, including featured and promotional items, (2) facilitate the stocking of merchandise on or in displays, and to the ease of removal by a consumer for both inspection and purchase, and (3) maximize the quantity/volume of merchandise per display, while at the same time minimizing the floor space requirement.

With respect to the prominent display of various goods, vendors and retailers have developed numerous alternatives including the placement and location of displays within a retail facility, the uniqueness of the shape of the display, e.g., how products might be stacked or arranged in a unique geometry to portray a particular theme, and the use of innovative signage.

With regard to the stocking and removal of merchandise, numerous bins, racks, trays, hangers, shelves, etc. having been developed to accommodate various types of goods. For example, angled trays, shelves, and hangers have been developed so that products stocked on a shelf, tray, or hanger will slide or roll downwardly when a consumer removes the forwardmost item from the shelf, tray, or hanger.

Lastly, with respect to maximizing the quantity/volume of merchandise per display, while at the same time minimizing the floor space requirement, display vendors and retailers have sought, among other solutions, innovative packaging to minimize package sizes to contain the same quantity of products, e.g., shrink wrapping, and various geometries for the displays themselves. For example, displays have been developed wherein products may be displayed on both sides of a single vertical display, and multi-sided and rotating displays have been designed. However, product display has been limited to placement within the height and width of the individual vertical walls/sections forming the display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a novel product/merchandise display tower, which is so constructed that it permits the placement of merchandise not only on the vertical surfaces of the product display tower, but also permits the placement of merchandise about each of the corners of the display tower.

The display tower is primarily intended for larger items such as a variety of handheld tools such as trimmers, pruners, and the like. The tower includes a plurality of vertically extending corner poles supported at the upper and lower extremities by a header and base. The tower is preferably four sided, but could have three, five, six or more sides. A plurality of horizontally spaced support wires extend between and are connected to the corner poles (or at least some of them) to form product display supports. One or more corner brackets formed of a product carrier member, a pair of legs extend angularly from the product carrier, each terminating at a hanger plate. The brackets are so configured that they may be selectively attached to and supported by corresponding support wires on adjacent sides of the display tower. Thus products can be displayed from the corners of the display tower, as well as from the sides.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the product display tower comprises a base assembly having multiple sides and corners. A plurality of corner poles, posts, or tubes corresponding in number to the number of corners extend upwardly proximate each of the corners. A plurality of support assemblies corresponding in number to the number of sides of the base assembly each comprise at least two vertical support members. Each vertical support member has a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending therebetween and interconnected thereto. Each support assembly is attached between an adjacent pair of poles to form product display attachments on each of the sides of the product display tower. A header assembly has a corresponding number of corners, which are interconnected to each of the upwardly extending poles. Thus, the spaced-apart support wires are so dimensioned and configured to receive product brackets that are shaped to attach to the spaced-apart supports so that products may be displayed from each of the sides of the product display tower. Further, and importantly the product display tower is so configured and dimensioned that corner brackets, which also carry product (probably larger product) may be attached to spaced-apart supports on adjacent sides of the product display tower so that the corner brackets may be attached about the corners of the tower. Thus, products may be displayed around the entire periphery, i.e., 360 degrees, of the product display tower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the product display tower in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a close-up view of a portion of one of the horizontally spaced-apart support member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base assembly of the display tower of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of a portion of the tower of FIG. 1, illustrating the placement and configuration of the support assemblies;

FIGS. 5, 5A and 5B illustrate the configuration and mounting details of a support assembly on each side of the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 6A are top perspective and top views, respectively, of the header assembly of the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are top perspective views of two exemplary corner brackets suitable for attachment on the product display tower of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective and side views respectively of the hanger plates used to attach a corner bracket to the adjacent sides of the product display tower of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 8C and 8D are perspective and top views respectively of a corner bracket illustrating how the legs of the bracket are arranged and connected to the hanger plates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, which, of course, is limited only by the claims below. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, modifications, and improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

Referring to the Figures in general, and to FIGS. 1 through 2A, in particular, the present invention is directed to a product, or merchandise display tower, designated generally as 100, for the retail display of tools, accessories, and like items in a retail showroom environment, and which addresses the problems described above. While the tower is described for displaying tools and the like, it could also be used for other lengthy items such as brooms, some appliances, vacuums, and others.

As used herein, the term “tower” may refer to a display of varying height and width, and which is generally free-standing on a retail showroom floor. The product display tower 100 of the present invention, in one embodiment, comprises a base 110, corner poles 120, a support assembly 130, and a header 150.

A simplified environmental view of the product display tower 100 is shown in FIG. 1. Tools T and T2, shown here as edgers/trimmers, are displayed on the corners of the tower 100. Other items T3 can be attached to the sides. The power heads of the tools T1, T2 are supported by corner brackets 200 (FIG. 7A) and the lower portions of the shafts of tools T1, T2 are supported, maintained substantially vertical, and limited in transverse movement by the boom channels 370 of corner brackets 300. Corner brackets 200 and 300 are but two exemplary corner brackets that may be constructed utilizing the common corner bracket structure described herein and illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8D. Other brackets may have the tool carrier configured differently.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the base assembly 110 is shown as being generally square, having four sides; however, it will be appreciated that the baseframe assembly 110, and thus the product display tower 100, may comprise as few as three sides and more than four sides, as is determined to be most practical and desirable for display of the particular types of tools and accessories. In the embodiment shown, the four-sided base assembly 110 comprises four baseframe feet 112, a baseframe mount 114 centered within the four-sided assembly, and baseframe cross-members 116, which interconnect the mount 114 with opposed feet 112.

The baseframe feet 112 are formed of 1.5 inch×1.5 inch, 16 gauge steel tubing, and the baseframe cross-members 116 are formed of 1 inch by 1 inch, 16 gauge steel tubing. The baseframe mount 114 comprises a solid baseplate 114a that is formed of 0.125 ( 1/8 ) inch stainless steel. Flanges 114b extend downwardly from each of the four sides to form a box-like, hollow structure. As shown in FIG. 3, mounting holes 114c are formed proximate the four corners of the baseplate 114a for mounting of each pole assembly, as described in greater detail below. Notches 114d are formed in the flanges, corresponding in cross-section to the cross-members 116, whereby the baseplate 114a is in contact with and directly supported by the cross-members 116. The baseframe feet 112, baseframe mount 114, and cross-members 116 are interconnected by a suitable welding technique. As will be appreciated, the materials comprising the components of the base assembly 110 may be any suitable load-bearing, rigid metals.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the base assembly 110 is approximately 24 inches square and the baseframe mount 114 is approximately 12 inches square; however, dimensions may be varied to form a larger base assembly, or the base assembly may be elongated into a rectangular geometry, so long as stability of the tower is sufficiently maintained for the intended application. Further, the entire base assembly 110 may comprise a singular baseframe mount 114, which incorporates baseframe feet. Optionally, the baseframe feet 112 may include adjustable levelers 115 (not shown) beneath at least two of the opposing baseframe feet 112 for adjustment when the product display tower is positioned on an unlevel floor space. Again where the tower is to be other than four sided, the base would be shaped and constructed correspondingly.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the embodiment shown comprises four 2 inch×2 inch corner poles, 122 formed of 14-gauge steel to be mounted to the four corner holes 114c of the baseframe mount 114. Note the corner posts illustrated and used in this embodiment are actually angle bars (2 sides).

As shown in FIG. 4, a generally 2 inch×2 inch mounting tab 124 is welded at each end of each pole 122, having a mounting hole or aperture 126 formed therethrough. The mounting tabs 124 are also 14 gauge steel, approximately 0.188 inches in thickness. The mounting hole 126 in each tab 124 is approximately 0.30 inches in diameter. Welded to the inner side of each mounting hole 126 is a 0.25 inch 20 weldnut 127 to facilitate threaded attachment. Each of the four poles 122 is subsequently mounted to the baseframe mount 114 baseplate 114a with a threaded bolt (not shown), wherein the bolt is inserted from beneath the baseframe mount 114 through the holes 114c and 126, and then threaded through the weldnut 127, and tightened.

A series of holes 129 also is formed in each side of each pole 122. Referring again to FIG. 4, a series of four holes 129, evenly spaced apart, are formed through each side, the holes being approximately 0.38 inches in diameter. As explained below, the holes 129 are formed on approximately 24-inch centers, with the holes 129 at either end of each pole 122 being formed approximately 2 inches from each end.

Turning now to FIGS. 2A, 5 and 5A through 5C, the support assembly 130 of the product display tower 100 comprises a support panel 132 for attachment to each side of the tower 100. As best shown in FIG. 5, each support panel 132 comprises a pair of vertical stretcher wires 133 to which are affixed spaced pairs 135 of horizontally extending, spaced-apart support wires 135a, b. The vertical wires 133 are formed of steel and are approximately 0.25 inches in diameter, and evenly spaced apart horizontally at about 9.0 inches, center-to-center.

Each spaced pair 135 of horizontally extending spaced-apart support wires 135a, b are also formed of steel, with diameters of approximately 0.25 inches. Each support wire 135a, b is dimensioned to support up to about 75 pounds. Each wire is spot-welded proximate its opposed ends to each of the vertical wires 133 sufficiently to support the loads for which they are intended, As best shown in FIG. 2A, each pair of wires 135 is spaced apart vertically approximately 0.63 inches center to center (dimension A), with the top support wires 135a of adjacent pairs 135 spaced apart vertically approximately 3.0 inches center-to-center (dimension B). This spacing has been selected to accommodate the attachment of both conventional existing pegboard-style hooks and the hanger plates of the corner brackets of the present invention. In the pegboard hooks, the upper hooks would protrude through the opening between the wires of a pair and the bottom of the hook would rest against the next lower pair. When used with the hanger plates of FIGS. 8A, 8B, end 210b would loop over the upper wire of one set of wires and tab 210d would snap beneath the lower wire of the next lower set. See FIGS. 1 and 2.

To attach each panel 132 to an adjacent pair of poles 122, as well as to ensure stability, rigidity, and integrity of the product support tower 100, each support panel 132 is attached to adjacent pairs of poles 122 with weldnuts 137 through the spaced holes 129, best shown in FIGS. 4 through 5B. As best shown in FIG. 5B, the weldnuts 137 are situated between selected pairs of support wires 135, the weldnuts 137 also having a center-to-center spacing of about 24 inches, corresponding to the center-to-center spacing of holes 129 formed through the poles 122.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 6A, the header assembly 150 of the product display tower 100 is shown. The header assembly comprises a boxlike structure having four rectangular-shaped face panels 152, each face panel formed of 16 gauge steel pieces that are joined together by welding. Slots 152e are formed inside the corner of each face 152 for the interchangeability of signage or other graphics 158 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

A pair of cross-members 155 extends between two opposing faces 152 and are preferably interconnected by welding to the bottom member 152a of each opposing face 152. Each of the cross-members 155 comprises a pair of spaced-apart holes 156. The spaced-apart holes 156 in each cross-member 155 are spaced to ensure that all four holes 156 (two per cross-member 155) properly align with the holes in the mounting holes 126 in the tabs 124 at the top end of each pole 122, so that threaded fasteners (not shown) may be inserted through holes 156 and 126, and then threaded into weldnuts 137 of the mounting tabs 124, and tightened. This completes construction of the product display tower 100.

Having fully described the construction of the product display tower 100 itself, the design of the novel brackets will now be described. Numerous bracket types for supporting different items may be designed for attachment to the product display tower 100 described herein, including those for attachment to the individual side support panels 132; however, one aspect of a product display tower 100 configuration, as described herein, is that it permits a novel corner bracket to be attached to two adjacent sides of the display tower 100 so that products may hang outwardly from the corners of the display tower 100. Thus, products, such as power trimmers/edgers, may now be more easily displayed on a rectangular or square product display tower 100, which also increases the number of products that may be displayed on a single tower.

Turning now to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 8A-D, the construction of the corner bracket of the present invention is illustrated. The basic component upon which the corner bracket is constructed is the hanger plate shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The hanger plate 210, 310, etc. (which is common to all corner brackets) is a vertical elongate steel plate, having a substantially flat outer surface 210a, 310a. As best shown in FIG. 8B, the hanger plate 210, 310 comprises a upper inverted U-shaped end 210b, 310b at its upper end for looping over and engaging the upper horizontal support wire 135a in each support wire pair 135. An arcuate inwardly turned lower end 210c, 310c, in combination with the vertical length of the hanger plate, positively engages the lower horizontal support wire 135b in the wire pair 135 immediately below. A tab 210d, 310d extends inwardly from the turned lower end 210c, 310c for releasing the hanger plate from engagement with the support wires 135a (upper pair) and 135b (lower pair). Further, as best shown in FIG. 8B, the intermediates support wires 135b (upper pair) and 135a (lower pair) provide additional support and stability to the hanger plate 210, 310.

Referring now to FIGS. 8C and 8D, beginning with the hanger plates 210, 310, the common structure of one of the many possible corner bracket designs is illustrated. As shown in the Figures, the corner bracket construction requires a pair of hanger plates 210, 310 for attachment to adjacent support sections 132 of the product display tower 100. Attached, to each hanger plate, preferably by welding, is a 90 degree (shown as θ in FIG. 8D) corner bridge wire 220, 320, which adjoins the hanger plates 210, 310 together proximate the lower edges of the outer surface 210a, 310a of each hanger plate. A corner hook support wire 240, 340 comprises a vertical leg 240a, 340a that is attached to each of the hanger plate outer surfaces 210a, 310a, and then turns outwardly at its upper end at about a 90 degree angle with a leg 240b, 340b extending horizontally outwardly. As shown in the Figures, the legs 240b, 340b are angled to merge toward the center of the corner bracket, at which point horizontal support wires 240c, 340c extend outwardly substantially parallel therefrom. Lastly, a upwardly-angled and outwardly-extending, U-shaped gusset wire 250, 350 interconnects the corner bridge wire 220, 320 to the horizontal support wires 240c, 340c to provide additional bracing support to the horizontal support wires 240c, 340c.

Turning lastly to FIGS. 7A and 7B, two of many exemplary embodiments of corner brackets are shown, each comprising the common structure described above. FIG. 7A is an exemplary corner bracket 200 for a power tool such as an edger or other elongated tool having a shaft and a power head. Extending transverse to and then turning outwardly is a price hook 260, to which pricing information/tags, etc. may be affixed or hung. The price hook 260 is also spot welded to the horizontal support wires 240c. Affixed to the free ends of the horizontal support wires 240c is a product carrier member in the form of a cradle wire 270, which comprises a C-shaped cradle that is dimensioned for receiving the shaft and supporting the power head of the tool. Also extending downwardly from the ends of the support wires is a stabilizing support 280 to provide stability for the tool and to hold the shaft of the tool in a substantially vertical position so that it does not swing inwardly on the product display tower 100.

FIG. 7B is an exemplary corner bracket 300, similar to bracket 200 except having product carrier member in the form of a boom channel 370. This type of corner bracket 300 is intended to be attached to the product display tower at a lower position for the purpose of supporting the boom, or shaft of a power tool, such as a trimmer. An inverted U-shaped support 340d extends upwardly from the free ends of the support wires 340c for attachment, by welding to the rear surface of the boom channel 370, which is mounted in a substantially vertical orientation. All other features of the corner bracket 300 are common to the corner bracket 200.

Although the present invention has been described with exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A product display tower for utilization in association with tools, accessories, and related items on display in a retail showroom, the product display tower comprising:

a plurality of corner poles extending upwardly between a base and a header;

a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending between the corner poles on at least two adjacent sides of the display tower and interconnected thereto forming product display supports;

at least one corner bracket comprising a product carrier member, a pair of legs extending from the product carrier member at a 90° angle with respect to each other, each leg terminating in a hanger plate so configured as to selectively attach to and be supported by the support wires;

wherein products may be displayed from the corners of the product display tower, as well as from the sides.

2. The product display tower of claim 1, wherein the corner poles are two-sided, forming a 90° angle and arranged in such a manner that two sides form the outside surface of a corner pole

3. The product display tower of claim 1 wherein the spaced-apart wires extend between all corner posts and form display supports for items on the sides as well as the corners,

4. The product display tower of claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending between and interconnected to a pair of adjacent poles comprise pairs of flexible support wires for releasable and frictional attachment of product display brackets thereto.

5. The product display tower of claim 4, wherein the support wires are arranged in pairs each wire approximately 0.25 inches in diameter and the wires of each pair are spaced-apart approximately 0.63 inches from center to center.

6. The product display tower of claim 5, wherein the uppermost support wires in adjacent pairs are vertically spaced-apart approximately 3.0 inches center-to-center.

7. The product display tower of claim 1 wherein each product carrier member comprises a tool-specific holder attached to free ends of the bracket legs.

8. A product display tower for utilization in association with tools, accessories, and related items on display in a retail showroom, the product display tower comprising:

a base having a plurality of sides and corners;

a plurality of corner poles extending upwardly proximate each of the plurality of corners;

a plurality of support assemblies corresponding in number to the number of sides of the base assembly, each support assembly comprising at least two horizontally spaced vertical support members, each having a plurality of vertically spaced-apart support wires extending therebetween and interconnected thereto, each support assembly attached between adjacent pairs of poles to form product display attachments on each of the sides of the base assembly; and

a header assembly having a plurality of corners interconnected to each of the plurality of upwardly extending poles;

at least one corner bracket comprising a product carrier member, a pair of legs extending from the product carrier member at a 90° angle with respect to each other, each leg terminating in a hanger plate so configured as to selectively attach to and be supported by the support wires;

wherein products may be displayed from the corners of the product display tower, as well as from the sides.

9. The product display tower of claim 8, wherein the base assembly is substantially rectangular and has four corners.

10. The product display tower of claim 9, wherein the pole assembly comprises four poles extending upwardly from the four corners of the base panel.

11. The product display tower of claim 8, wherein the corner poles are two-sided.

12. The product display tower of claim 8, wherein the support assemblies extending between and interconnected to a pair of adjacent corner poles comprise pairs of flexible support wires for releasable and frictional attachment of product display brackets thereto.

13. The product display tower of claim 12, wherein the support wires in each pair are each approximately 0.25 inches in diameter and the pair are spaced-apart approximately 0.63 inches from center to center.

14. The product display tower of claim 13, wherein the uppermost support wires in adjacent pairs are vertically spaced-apart approximately 3.0 inches from center to center.

15. The product support tower of claim 12, wherein each of the product display brackets for attachment to the spaced-apart support wires comprise a pair of commonly-formed hanger plates for direct attachment to the spaced-apart support wires on two adjacent sides of the product display tower.

16. The product display tower of claim 15, further comprising a corner wire interconnecting the pair of hanger plates for each product display bracket, the corner wire forming a 90 degree angle between the pair of hanger plates.

17. The product display tower of claim 14, further comprising a pair of substantially horizontal support wires, each of the pair attached to a respective hanger plate and extending outwardly therefrom.

18. The product display tower of claim 15, further comprising a gusset wire support attached to and extending outwardly and upwardly from the corner wire for attachment to and support of the substantially horizontal support wires attached to the pair of hanger plates.

19. The product display tower of claim 17, further comprising a tool-specific holder attached to free ends of the substantially horizontal support wires.