The words “comprising,” “having,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.
The words “lateral movement” include both rotational movement and sideways movement.
An assortment of methods are used to display tools for sale. One particular method comprises packaging a tool and then hanging the packaged tool onto a peg or hanger on a pegboard or other type of point-of-sale display. The packaged tool prominently displays a side of the tool such that a customer is able to easily identify the tool. Often, tools are sold together in combination. For example, screwdrivers having an assortment of sizes and head types may be sold as a set. Pliers are another example of tools that may be sold as a set.
Currently, packaged tools are displayed side-by-side. Hardware stores typically have a limited amount of shelf space or space available on a pegboard. Ideally, a hardware store would like to display as wide a variety of tools as possible in this limited amount of space. While tools displayed side-by-side are easily identifiable, it is not necessary for the entire side of a tool to be displayed to be properly identified by a customer. For example, a customer can identify a hammer by seeing just its head portion. A customer may not need to also see the handle to know it is a hammer.
This invention, with its several desirable features, is summarized in the CLAIMS that follow. After reading the following section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION,” one will understand how the features of this invention provide its benefits, which include, but are not limited to: displaying a plurality of tools at a point-of-sale while occupying a limited amount of display space, displaying the tools with one overlying the other to obscure only partially the underlying tool to enable the buyer to identify both tools by glancing momentarily at the display device of this invention holding these tools, and maintaining a vertical orientation of the tools in the display device while being displayed.
Some, but not all, of the features of the display device of this invention are:
One, the display device of this invention is adapted to be hung on a point-of-sale display, with the tools oriented substantially vertically. It includes a first support member adapted to retain a first tool when the device is hung on the point-of-sale display; and a second support member adapted to retain a second tool when the device is hung on the point-of-sale display. These support members are coupled together with the second support member overlying the first support member and are designed to hold tools of different shapes. When the tools are placed in the support members, one tool partially obscures the other tool. Each support member may include a body having at least one slot that allows a portion of a tool to be disposed therein. Each support member may have at least one wall and these walls may be spaced apart and substantially parallel.
Two, the display device may include a hanging member that is a plate typically having a substantially rectangular shape. The support members are fixedly mounted to the hanging member, with the overlying support member fixedly attached to the underlying member and the underlying member fixedly attached to the hanging member. The hanging member is adapted to hang the device on a point-of-sale display. The hanging member includes at least one arm extending from a display side of the hanging member. This arm is adapted to support a tool substantially vertically when the hanging member hangs the device on said point-of-sale display, preventing lateral movement.
In one embodiment, the hanging member includes a front side having at least one positioning element projecting outward therefrom. The first support member may be coupled by a snap-on type connector to the front side of the hanging member. This first support member includes a display side having at least one positioning element projecting outward therefrom and at least one slot in which a portion of a first tool is disposed therein. Upon assembly of the first tool, hanging member and first support member, the one positioning element engages the first tool and prevents any substantial lateral or other movement of the first tool while this portion of the first tool is in the first slot. In this one embodiment, the second support member is coupled by a snap-on type connector to the display side of the first support member and including at least one slot in which a portion of a second tool is disposed therein. Upon assembly of the second tool, hanging member and second support member, the one positioning element projecting from the display side of the first support member, engages the second tool and prevents any substantial lateral or movement of the second tool while the second tool is in the second slot.
This invention also includes a method of merchandising. According to this method, a pair of tools, or more are packaged together in a device point of sale display device with, for example, one tool overlying the other tool. One tool is held by a first support member and the other tool held by a second support member, and the support members are mounted to each other and each one prevent the tool supported thereby from moving laterally. The one tool overlying the other tool is sized so that it partially obscures said other underlying tool. The first and second support members orient the tools to hang substantially vertically when the device is hung a point-of-sale display. The device with the tools held in the overlying arrangement is hung at a point-of-sale display.
Some embodiments of this invention, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. These embodiments depict the novel and non-obvious display device and merchandising method of this invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. These drawings includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numerals indicating like parts:
Referring particularly to
Referring to
Of the three vertical walls 24a, 24b, 24c, two of the vertical walls 24b, 24c may be located proximate to the center of the outer panel 22, while the wall 24a may lie near the curved end 22a and the wall 24c may lie near the curved end 22b. Of the four horizontal platforms, platforms 26b and 26d are both U-shaped and have substantially the same widths, and the platforms 26a and 26c are both rectangular and may be shorter in width than the platforms 26b and 26d. The platforms 26a, 26d may lie near the curved ends 22a and 22b, respectively, while the platform 26c may lie between two of the platforms 26b and 26d.
The inner support member 40 may comprise an inner panel 42 having a front 42d, a back side 42e, an extended portion 42a, a pair of curved ends 42b, 42c, four spaced-apart, vertical walls 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d of substantially equal height that extend orthogonally from the back side 42e of the inner panel 42, five adjoining, horizontal platforms 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e that may extend orthogonally from the back side 42e of the inner panel 42, and a pair of locking connectors 48a and 48b. Each connector 48a, 48b extends orthogonally from the back side 42e of the inner panel 42 near one of each of the curved ends 42b and 42c. Of the four vertical walls 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d, two of the vertical walls 44b and 44c, lie proximate to the center of the inner panel 42, while walls 44a and 44d each lie near the curved ends 42b, 42c of the inner panel 42, respectively. Of the five horizontal platforms 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e, three of the platforms 46a, 46c 46e may be of substantially the same width. The platforms 46a, 46e may lie near the curved ends 42b, 42c, respectively, while the platform 46c may lie between the platforms 46b, 46d. Both of the locking connectors 48a, 48b may have at one end, a conically shaped split end insert 48c and 48d, respectively. Such connectors 48a and 48b are of the snap-on type that lock the support member 40 in position when the inserts 48c and 48d are inserted into a hole as subsequently discussed. Vertical walls 44a, 44b, 44c, and 44d and horizontal platforms 46a, 46c, 46e are of equal depth and act as a spacer, offsetting the front 42d of the inner panel 42 from the hanging member 12 upon snapping the connectors 48a and 48b into position.
Positioning arms 42f and 42g extend orthogonally from the front 42h of the extended portion 42a of the inner support member 40. The arm 42f may be cylindrically shaped, or the arm 42g may be triangularly shaped. These arms 42f and 42g project outward to interact with and engage the pair of pliers 60, preventing lateral movement of the pair of pliers upon assembly of the support members 20 and 40 along with the pair of pliers 60.
Referring to
Positioning arms 12c and 12d may extend from the display side 11a of the rectangular plate 11, substantially midway between the top edge 11c and the bottom edge 11d, and spaced apart between side edges 11e and 11f. An arm 12c may be cylindrically shaped and the arm 12d may be triangularly shaped. The arms 12c and 12d are located in predetermined positions on the plate 11 so that they project outward to interact with and engage the pair of pliers 70, preventing lateral movement of the pair of pliers upon assembly of the support member 40 and the hanging member 12 along with the pair of pliers 70.
Referring to
When the device 10 is hung onto a point-of-sale display, such as by inserting a peg on a pegboard through cutout 16, the smaller pliers 60 is displayed in front of the larger pliers 70. The smaller pair of pliers 60 only partially obscures the larger pliers 70. In particular, the smaller pliers 60 allows a customer to see a large portion of the jaw end 72b, 74b of the larger pair of pliers 70, while substantially obscuring the handle end 72a, 74a of the larger pliers 70. A consumer looking at both pliers 60, 70 packaged by the device 10 is able to identify the larger pair 70 of pliers including its features such as jaw size 72b, 74b and arm length 72a, 74a.
Referring to
The outer support member 20 is coupled to the inner support member 40 by inserting inserts 28a and 28b into holes 58a and 58b. The vertical walls 24a, 24b, 24c and long horizontal platforms 26a, 26c and 26e of the outer support member 20 may contact the inner panel 42 of the inner support member 40. The vertical walls 24a, 24b, 24c and long horizontal platforms 26a, 26c and 26e may limit how deep the locking connectors 28a and 28b are inserted into the holes 58a and 58b. The inner support member 40 may be coupled to the hanging member 12 by inserting inserts 48a and 48b into holes 12a and 12b. The vertical walls 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d and horizontal platforms 46a, 46c 46e may limit how deep the locking connectors 48a and 48b are inserted into the holes 12a and 12b.
Upon assembly of the two pairs of pliers 60 and 70 and the components of the device 10, the cylindrical arms 12c and 42f respectively are seated in an oblong opening O1 and O2 in each pair of pliers 60 and 70, respectively. The triangular arms 12d and 42g respectively are bearing against and inner edges of the levers 74 and 64 of each of the pair of pliers 60 and 70. These arms 12c, 12d and 42f, 42g along with the slots 30, 32 and 50, 52 prevent lateral and vertical movement of the pair of pliers 60 and 70 while retained by the device 10. The device 10 must be bent to significantly distort its shape or some or all of the components disassembled to remove the pair of pliers 60 and 70 from the device 10. In another embodiment, the device 10 may be disassembled by separating the split-end inserts 28c and 28d from connectors 28a and 28b, separating the split-end inserts 48c and 48d from connectors 48a and 48b, pulling the outer support member 20 from the inner support member 40, and pulling the inner support member 40 from the hanging member 12.
Referring to
The inner support member 90 comprises an inner panel 92 having a front side 92d, a back side 92e, an upper extended portion 92a and a lower extended portion 92b, and a pair of curved ends 92b, 92c, a pair of rectangularly shaped blocks 94a and 94b of substantially equal depth that extend orthogonally from the back side 92e of the inner panel 92, two horizontal platforms 96a and 96b, that may extend orthogonally from the back side 92e of the inner panel 92, and a pair of locking connectors 98a and 98b, each connector 98a, 98b extending orthogonally from the back side 92e of the inner panel 92 near one of each of the curved ends 92b and 92c. The two rectangular blocks 94a and 94b may lie near the middle of inner panel 92. The horizontal platforms 96b and 96a may be of substantially similar length and each may lie near the curved ends 92b, 92c, respectively. Both of the locking connectors 98a, 98b may have at one end, a conically shaped split end insert 98c and 98d, respectively. When connectors 98a and 98b of the inner support member 90 are inserted into holes 12a and 12b of the hanging member 12, the rectangular blocks 94a and 94b define a single slot 106. There is a pair of arms 93a and 97a projecting outward from the inner support member 90. One arm 93a is located on an upper extended portion 92a of the front side 92d of the inner panel 92, and the other arm 97a is located on a lower extended portion 92b of the front side 92d of the inner panel 92 Arm 93a may be rectangularly shaped, while arm 97a may be cylindrically shaped.
Referring to
Referring to
The device 110 must be bent to significant distort its shape or some or all of the components disassembled to remove the pair of wrenches 100 and 102 from the device 110. In another embodiment, the device 110 may be disassembled by separating the split-end inserts 88c and 88d from connectors 88a and 88b, separating the split-end inserts 98c and 98d from connectors 98a and 98b, pulling the outer support member 80 from the inner support member 90, and pulling the inner support member 90 from the hanging member 12e.
When the device 110 is hung onto point-of-sale display, such as a peg on a pegboard, the smaller adjustable wrench 100 is displayed in front of the larger adjustable wrench 102. The smaller adjustable wrench 100 may partially obscure the larger adjustable wrench 102. In particular, the smaller adjustable wrench 100 may allow a customer to see a large portion of the clamp 102a of the larger adjustable wrench 102, while substantially obscuring the handle 102c. A consumer looking at the adjustable wrenches 100, 102 packaged by the device 110, shall be able to identify the larger adjustable wrench 102 as well as its features such as the size of its clamp 102a and the length of its handle 102.
The above presents a description of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the present invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. This invention is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/327,376, entitled “APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING TOOLS & MERCHANDISING METHOD,” filed Dec. 20, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,165. This related application is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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1765496 | Miller | Jun 1930 | A |
2068308 | Zerver | Jan 1937 | A |
5036975 | Chow | Aug 1991 | A |
5996817 | Kao | Dec 1999 | A |
6547077 | Budert | Apr 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20050098462 A1 | May 2005 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10327376 | Dec 2002 | US |
Child | 11014569 | US |