Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6789773
-
Patent Number
6,789,773
-
Date Filed
Monday, September 23, 200221 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 14, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 040 491
- 040 490
- 040 488
- 116 321
- 116 323
- 116 324
- 248 307
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Apparatus are provided that may be used, for example, by healthcare providers to educate patients and others on one or more particular pharmaceutical products. A promotional apparatus includes a housing, a support member that is configured to support articles suspended therefrom, and a display panel. The support member extends from the housing and is movable between a first position when not supporting an article and a second position when supporting an article. The display panel is operably coupled with the support member and is movable between a retracted, non-visible position within the housing when the support member is in the first position and an extended, visible position when the support member is in the second position. The display panel includes promotional indicia thereon.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to product promotion and, more particularly, to the promotion of healthcare-related products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of promotional items has proliferated in today's increasingly competitive marketplace, where companies are constantly seeking more effective and new ways to market their products. In the healthcare industry, physicians and other healthcare providers often receive promotional articles from vendors of healthcare-related products, such as pharmaceutical products. These promotional articles often include “everyday” items, such as writing pads, calendars, and pens that have promotional information (indicia) printed thereon. For example, pharmaceutical companies often provide physicians with writing pens having the name of a particular pharmaceutical product printed thereon with the hopes that the pens, when used by the physicians, will help remind the physicians to prescribe the particular pharmaceutical product.
Unfortunately, because of lack of distinctiveness, many promotional articles provided to healthcare providers often become “lost-in-the-shuffle” with other promotional articles. Thus, there is a need for distinctive, more effective promotional products directed to physicians and other healthcare providers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above discussion, promotional apparatus are provided that may be used, for example, by healthcare providers to educate patients and others on one or more particular pharmaceutical products. According to embodiments of the present invention, a promotional apparatus includes a housing, a support member that is configured to support articles suspended therefrom, and a display panel. The support member extends from the housing and is movable between a first position when not supporting an article (e.g., clothing, medical instruments, etc.) and a second position when supporting an article. The display panel is operably coupled with the support member and is movable between a retracted, non-visible position within the housing when the support member is in the first position and an extended, visible position when the support member is in the second position. The display panel includes promotional indicia thereon.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the support member is movable between first and second positions in a first direction, and the display panel is movable between retracted and extended positions in a second direction that is substantially parallel with the first direction.
According to other embodiments of the present invention, the support member is movable between first and second positions in a first direction, and the display panel is movable between retracted and extended positions in a third direction that is substantially transverse to the first direction.
According to other embodiments of the present invention, the display panel may remain visible until an article is placed on the support member. The display panel is configured to retract from view when an article is placed on the support member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification, illustrate key embodiments of the present invention. The drawings and description together serve to fully explain the invention.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of an apparatus, according to embodiments of the present invention, having a support member extending therefrom that is configured to support an article placed thereon and that is operably connected with a display panel.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
, wherein the display panel has been extended to a generally vertical display position in response to an article being placed on the support member.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of an apparatus, according to embodiments of the present invention, having a support member extending therefrom that is configured to support an article placed thereon and that is operably connected with a display panel that extends in a generally horizontal direction.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of an apparatus, according to embodiments of the present invention, having a support member extending therefrom that is configured to support an article placed thereon and that is operably connected with a display panel.
FIG. 5
is cross-sectional view of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
taken along lines
5
—
5
and illustrating the display panel in a retracted position.
FIG. 6
is cross-sectional view of the promotional apparatus of FIG.
2
. taken along lines
6
—
6
and illustrating the display panel in an extended position as a result of a downward force on the support member.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of an apparatus, according to embodiments of the present invention, having a support member extending therefrom that is configured to support a stethoscope or other medical devices placed thereon and that is operably connected with a display panel.
FIG. 8
is a rear plan view of the apparatus of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 9
is cross-sectional view of the apparatus of
FIG. 3
illustrating the display panel in a retracted position.
FIG. 10
is cross-sectional view of the promotional apparatus of
FIG. 3
illustrating the display panel in an extended position as a result of a downward force on the support member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
In the drawings, the thickness of lines, layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “attached” to another element, it can be directly connected or attached to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly attached” to another element, there are no intervening elements present.
Referring now to
FIGS. 1-2
, a promotional apparatus
10
according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. The illustrated promotional apparatus
10
may be used, for example, by healthcare providers to educate patients and others on one or more particular pharmaceutical products. The illustrated promotional apparatus
10
may also be used in various other industries to promote various goods and/or services.
The illustrated promotional apparatus
10
includes a housing
12
, a support member
16
that is configured to support articles suspended therefrom, and a display panel
18
. The illustrated housing
12
has a generally rectangular configuration with opposite front and rear sides
12
a
,
12
b
, opposite end portions
13
a
,
13
b
, and opposite edge portions
14
a
,
14
b.
The housing
12
may be formed from various materials including, but not limited to, polymeric materials, wood, metals, glass, etc. In addition, a promotional apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention may have a housing with various shapes including, but not limited to rectangular (FIGS.
1
-
2
), round or oval (FIG.
4
), triangular, or any geometric shape. Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustrated housing shape, or to a particular type of material. Housings having various shapes, configurations, and materials may be utilized without limitation. In addition, the housing
12
may include promotional indicia in one or more locations.
The support member
16
extends from housing end portion
13
b
, as illustrated, and is movable between a first position when not supporting an article (
FIG. 1
) and a second position when supporting an article (FIG.
2
). The illustrated support member
16
is configured to support an article of clothing placed thereon. According to embodiments of the present invention, a support member may be configured to support medical instruments (e.g., stethoscopes,
FIG. 7
) and/or various other articles. In addition, a support member according to embodiments of the present invention may have various shapes, sizes and configurations and may be formed from various types of materials, without limitation.
The display panel
18
is operably coupled with the support member
16
and is movable between a retracted, non-visible position within the housing
12
(
FIG. 1
) when the support member is in the first position and an extended, visible position when the support member is in the second position (FIG.
2
). In the illustrated embodiment, the display panel
18
extends from the housing
12
via a slot
19
formed in housing end
13
a.
The display panel includes promotional indicia
20
thereon, as illustrated in FIG.
2
. According to embodiments of the present invention, the housing
12
may include promotional indicia
21
in one or more locations, as illustrated in FIG.
7
. In addition, a display panel according to embodiments of the present invention may have various shapes, sizes and configurations and may be formed from various types of materials, without limitation.
In the embodiment of
FIG. 2
, the support member
16
is movable between first and second positions in a first direction D
1
, and the display panel
18
is movable between retracted and extended positions in a second direction D
2
that is substantially parallel with the first direction D
1
. In the embodiment of
FIG. 3
, the support member
16
is movable between first and second positions in a first direction D
1
, and the display panel
18
is movable between retracted and extended positions in a third direction D
3
that is substantially transverse to the first direction D
1
.
FIG. 9
is cross-sectional view of the apparatus of
FIG. 3
illustrating the display panel in a retracted position and
FIG. 10
is cross-sectional view of the promotional apparatus of
FIG. 3
illustrating the display panel in an extended position as a result of a downward force on the support member.
Referring to
FIGS. 5-6
, an exemplary mechanism
30
for operably coupling the display panel
18
and the support member
16
is illustrated. The illustrated mechanism
30
is a rack and pinion-type mechanism; however, it is understood that various other mechanisms may be utilized for operably coupling the display panel
18
and the support member
16
. A rack
32
having a plurality of spaced-apart teeth
33
is connected to the display panel
18
, as illustrated. A rack
34
having a plurality of spaced-apart teeth
35
is connected to the support member
16
, as illustrated. The respective racks
32
,
34
are operably coupled via a pair of respective pinion gears
36
,
37
that are secured to shaft
38
. Pinion gear
36
matingly engages the teeth
33
of rack
32
, and pinion gear
37
matingly engages the teeth
35
of rack
34
. Accordingly, movement of support member
16
causes rotation of pinion gear
37
which causes rotation of pinion gear
36
which causes movement of the display panel
18
.
In
FIG. 6
, a downward force F has been imparted on the support member
16
(e.g., by the placement of an article, such as an article of clothing, on the support member). The downward force F moves the support member
16
downwardly, thereby moving the rack
34
downwardly which causes the pinion gears
36
,
37
to rotate in a clockwise direction as indicated. Clockwise movement of pinion gear
37
causes the rack
32
to move upwardly, thereby causing the display panel
18
to extend from the housing
12
.
The illustrated mechanism
30
includes a spring
40
configured to cause the display panel
18
to return to the retracted position when an article is no longer supported by the support member
16
. The illustrated spring
40
has one end secured to a housing member
42
and the opposite end secured to a portion
44
of rack
34
. Thus, downward movement of the support member
16
causes the spring
40
to elongate as illustrated in
FIG. 6
, thereby providing a spring force for urging the support member
16
back to a first position when an article placed thereon is removed.
In the illustrated embodiment, guide members
50
are formed within the housing
12
for guiding the display panel
18
between retracted and extended positions. Guide members
52
are also formed within the housing
12
for guiding the racks
32
,
34
between operating positions.
Referring to
FIG. 8
, the housing
12
may include one or more apertures
60
formed therein (e.g., in the housing rear side
12
b
) that are configured to support the promotional apparatus
10
on respective supporting members
61
(e.g., screws, nails, hooks, etc.) extending from a surface
65
, such as a wall. According to other embodiments of the present invention, an adhesive
70
may be applied to the rear side
12
b
of the housing
12
that is configured to secure the promotional apparatus
10
to a surface
65
, such as a wall. According to embodiments of the present invention, a magnet (which may also be indicated by
70
) may be attached to the rear side
12
b
of the housing
12
and configured to removably secure the promotional apparatus
10
to a magnetically attractive surface.
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.
Claims
- 1. An apparatus, comprising:a housing; a support member extending from the housing that is configured to support articles suspended therefrom, wherein the support member is movable between a first position when not supporting an article and a second position when supporting an article; and a display panel operably coupled with the support member and movable between a retracted, non-visible position within the housing when the support member is in the first position and an extended, visible position external to the housing when the support member is in the second position, wherein the display panel comprises promotional indicia thereon; wherein the support member is movable between the first and second positions in a first direction, and wherein the display panel is movable between the retracted and extended positions in a third direction that is substantially transverse to the first direction.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises promotional indicia thereon.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one aperture formed therein that is configured to support the apparatus on a surface.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an adhesive that is configured to secure the apparatus to a surface.
US Referenced Citations (25)