Patent Application
20190281998
The present invention is generally related to a merchandising clip for towing products and, more particularly, to a merchandising clip selectively attachable and securely engaging with a hitch assembly such as a ball mount assembly.
In a typical retail store, it is common to find a product advertising or point of sale displays used for promotional purposes. Many towing products are heavy, large and have different configurations which require different brackets to properly display such merchandise. Moreover, the point of sale displays used for various towing products, for example hitch assemblies such as ball mount assemblies, are typically arranged in a spread and spaced configuration along a lower portion of the merchandising display rack of a retail store. One of the drawbacks with these types of display arrangements is that they typically require more space and lack full visibility in an attractive and coordinated manner with the desired promotional purposes. Further still, equipment used for such display arrangements are often intended to be used only temporarily and constructed of lightweight materials that may be easily damaged and are unable to be reused.
Therefore, provided is a merchandise holder assembly that addresses some of the issues in the market that utilizes economy of space while securely displays towing products in a merchandising display rack of a retail store. Furthermore, provided is a merchandising clip assembly configured to securely display towing products in a predetermined position that may be visible at the merchandising display rack or a display wall for users. The embodiments of the presently disclosed merchandising clip may be easily accessible and reusable.
Provided is a clip device for supporting a towing product on a merchandising display rack. The clip device comprises a mounting body. a first elongated body member and a second elongated body member, each of the first and second elongated body members extending from the mounting body. The first and second elongated body members each include a base portion, an extending portion extending from the base portion, a support portion extending from the extending portion, the support portion being offset from the base portion, and an engaging portion extending from the support portion, the engaging portion selectively engageable with an aperture of a towing product. The mounting body may be selectively engageable with a display hook on a merchandising display rack to maintain the towing product in a predetermined position. The engaging portion may include a gripping surface or a surface coating. A magnet member may be positioned on or in the engaging portion or in the mounting body. The engaging portions of each of the first and second elongated body members may include a receiving portion capable of engaging opposing apertures on the towing product. The first and second elongated body members may be symmetrical. The mounting body, said first elongated body member, and said second elongated body member may be monolithically formed. The first and second elongated body members may be generally spaced from one anther and be subject to a bias force acting thereon that maintains the first and second elongated body members in a generally open configuration. The first elongated body member may be configured to be biased towards the second elongated body member into an attachment position to be inserted within a cavity of the towing product. From the attachment position, the engaging portions of the first and second elongated body members may be configured to be biased outwardly to engage oppositely disposed apertures of the towing product.
In another embodiment, provided is a merchandising assembly for displaying a towing product comprising at least one towing product having a towing body that defines a cavity with opposing first and second apertures. A clip device comprising a mounting body, a first elongated body member and a second elongated body member, each of the first and second elongated body members extending from the mounting body. The first and second elongated body members each comprising a base portion, an extending portion extending from the base portion, a support portion extending from the extending portion, the support portion being offset from the base portion, and an engaging portion extending from the support portion, the engaging portion selectively engageable with an aperture of a towing product. The engaging portions of the first and second elongated body members may be selectively engageable with said first and second apertures of the towing product to maintain the towing product in a predetermined position. The cavity of the towing product incudes a generally hollow interior portion wherein portions of the first and second elongated members are insertable into the generally hollow interior portion such that the engaging portions are configured to be selectively engagable with the first and second apertures. The first and second elongated members may be symmetrical. The clip device may be monolithically formed. The first and second elongated body members may be generally spaced from one anther and are subject to a bias force acting thereon that maintains the first and second elongated body members in a generally open configuration. The first elongated body member may be configured to be biased towards the second elongated body member into an attachment position to be inserted within said cavity of the towing product. When in the attachment position, the engaging portions of the first and second elongated body members are configured to be biased outwardly to engage said opposing first and second apertures of the towing product.
In another embodiment, provided is a system for displaying a towing product on a merchandise display rack. The system includes a towing product, a display hook extending from a surface of a merchandising display rack, and a clip device insertable into and engageable with the towing product to hold and support the towing product on the display hook. The clip device comprising a mounting body, a first elongated body member, and a second elongated body member, each of the first and second elongated body members extending from the mounting body. The first and second elongated body members each comprising a base portion, an extending portion extending from the base portion, a support portion extending from the extending portion, the support portion being offset from the base portion, and an engaging portion extending from the support portion, the engaging portion selectively engageable with an aperture of a towing product. The mounting body may be selectively engageable with said display hook extending from said merchandising display rack to maintain the towing product in a predetermined position. The first and second elongated body members may be generally spaced from one anther and are subject to a bias force acting thereon that maintains the first and second elongated body members in a generally open configuration. The first elongated body member is configured to be biased towards the second elongated body member into an attachment position to be inserted within said cavity of the towing product. The engaging portions of the first and second elongated body members are configured to be biased outwardly to engage said opposing first and second apertures of the towing product.
Operation of the present teachings may be better understood by reference to the detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations. These appended drawings form part of this specification, and written information in the drawings should be treated as part of this disclosure. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present teachings, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the respective scope of the present disclosure. As such, the following description is presented by way of illustration only and should not limit in any way the various alternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustrated embodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
As used herein, the words “example” and “exemplary” mean an instance, or illustration. The words “example” or “exemplary” do not indicate a key or preferred aspect or embodiment. The word “or” is intended to be inclusive rather an exclusive, unless context suggests otherwise. As an example, the phrase “A employs B or C,” includes any inclusive permutation (e.g., A employs B; A employs C; or A employs both B and C). As another matter, the articles “a” and “an” are generally intended to mean “one or more” unless context suggest otherwise.
It is noted that the various embodiments described herein may include other components and/or functionality, such those from other described embodiments herein. It is further noted that while various embodiments refer to a clip device, various other components may be utilized in view of embodiments described herein. Further, the present device and assembly may include a variety of components, not limited to the components discussed below such as towing products including a hitch ball or other type of hitch related assembly. Optionally, the present apparatus may include multiple units of the same components. In an embodiment, the present apparatus may include just the clip device described herein. Further, the present apparatus may include components of each of the clip device to create a combination of each feature of the various apparatus.
As shown in
As illustrated in
The mounting body 140 may be securely attached to the first and second elongated body members 120, 130 or may be monolithically formed therewith. The mounting body 140 may provide stability if and when the engaging member 110 is placed on or attached to a mounting stud, wall or a display peg-style hook 75, such as those shown selectively attached with the display rack 60 in
The engaging member 110 may be constructed to securely support the weight of the ball mount product 50. The engaging member 110 may be made of any appropriate materials such as, steel, iron, chrome, aluminum, sheet metal or other alloy, or polymer, plastic or the like to generally provide structural stability to the engaging member 110. The engaging member 110 in may include a generally cylindrical shape with a width and a length. However, the engaging member 110 may include different configurations than the generally cylindrical shape, which is merely exemplary. The engaging member 110 may be formed as a monolithic unit or may be attached through a subsequent operation such as welding, fastening or adhering. By way of a non-limiting example, the engaging member 110 may be formed by stamping or extruding, which may create a generally smooth, reinforced structure.
The engaging member 110 of the clip device 100 may include a top side 151 and an opposite bottom side 152 along the z-axis. The first and second base portions 160A, 160B may extend downwardly from the mounting body 140 and be aligned along the z-axis. The first extending portion 170A of the first elongated body member 120 may angle outwardly along x-axis relative to the first base portion 160A and extend diagonally from the bottom side 152 of the clip device 100. The first extending portion 170A may include the angle such that the first support portion 180A may be offset from the first base portion 160A along the z-axis. This configuration may result in a generally S-shape. In one embodiment, the first extending portion 170A may be arcuate. Alternatively, the first extending portion 170A may be straight. The first support portion 180A may extend along the z-axis from the first extending portion 170A.
The first engaging portion 190A may extend along the x-axis from the first support portion 180A opposite from the first extending portion 170A. The first engaging portion 190A may include a receiving portion 192A having a generally curved engagement shape for securely holding and supporting the towing product 50 in a predetermined position, i.e., a storage position. The first engaging portion 190A may be of any appropriate shape or size, such as having a generally curvilinear or other profiled shape and length. By way of a non-limiting example, the first engaging portion 190A may be formed by stamping or extruding, which may create a generally smooth, reinforced structure. In some embodiments, the first engaging portion 190A may be arcuate. The first engaging portion 190A may further include a first receiving portion 194A which may provide a smooth engagement when the towing products 50 are engaged with the clip device 100. The first receiving portion 194A may be a hook configured to be aligned in a co-terminus position with an first aperture 90 in the towing product 50 when the clip device 100 is operatively positioned in the towing product 50. The first receiving portion 194A may be angled such that it may be configured to slide within the first aperture 90A of the towing product 50 from within a cavity 92 of the towing product 50 such that a frame portion 52 of the towing product 50 may rest along the first receiving portion 192A of the first engaging portion 190A.
The first and second elongated body members 120, 130 of the engaging member 110 may be symmetrically or generally symmetrically (i.e., minor tolerance differences, slight differences in configuration or shape) formed along z-axis. The first and second base portions 160A, 160B may extend downwardly from the mounting body 140 and be aligned along the z-axis. Similar to the first elongated body members 120, the second extending portion 170B of the second elongated body member 130 may bent outwardly along x-axis relative to the second base portion 160B with an angle and extend diagonally from the bottom side 152 of the clip device 100. The second extending portion 170B may include the angle such that the second support portion 180B may be offset from the second base portion 160B along the z-axis. This configuration may result in a generally S-shape. In one embodiment, the second extending portion 170B may be arcuate. Alternatively, the second extending portion 170B may be straight. The second support portion 180B may extend along the z-axis from the second extending portion 170B.
The second engaging portion 190B may extend along the x-axis from the second support portion 180B. The second engaging portion 190B may include a second receiving portion 192B having a generally curved engagement shape for securely holding and supporting the towing product 50 in a predetermined position, i.e., a storage position. The second engaging portion 190B may be of any appropriate shape or size, such as having a generally curvilinear or other profiled shape and length. By way of a non-limiting example, the second engaging portion 190B may be formed by stamping or extruding, which may create a generally smooth, reinforced structure. In some embodiments, the second engaging portion 190B may be arcuate. The second engaging portion 190B may further include a second receiving portion 194B which may provide a smooth engagement when the towing products 50 are engaged with the clip device 100. The second receiving portion 194B may be a hook configured to be aligned in co-terminus relationship with a second aperture 90B in the towing product 50 when the clip device 100 is operatively positioned in a cavity 92 of the towing product 50. The second receiving portion 194B may be angled such that it may be configured to slide within the second aperture 90B aligned opposite from the first aperture 90A within the cavity 92 of the towing product 50 from within the cavity 92 of the towing product 50 such that a frame portion 52 of the towing product 50 may rest along the second receiving portion 192B of the second engaging portion 190B.
The first and second elongated body members 120, 130 of the engaging member 110 may be subject to a bias force 200 acting thereon that maintains the engaging member 110 in a generally open configuration as illustrated by
With respect to
By way of a non-limiting example, the grip 153 may also be a solid shell with a texture and/or a color. The grip 153 may be made of a weather, ultra violet (UV) and/or shatter resistant polymer such as ABS and polycarbonate. The grip 153 may have a gripping surface 154 thereon having an ornamental shape made with precision molding contours thereon. These shapes may help the user grip the driving sleeve. The gripping surface 154 may be made by over-molding including insert molding, double shot molding, co-injection molding as well as hot stamping for a decorative finish and sonic welding for attachment of various features. However, the grip 153 may be made of any appropriate materials and colors and this disclosure is not limited in this regard.
Referring to
The first and second elongated body members 120, 130 may further include a surface coating 157. The surface coating 157 may be securely attached to the first and second elongated body members 120, 130. By way of a non-limiting example, the surface coating 157 may be a solid shell with a texture and/or a color. The surface coating 157 may be made of a weather, ultra violet (UV) and/or shatter resistant polymer such as ABS and polycarbonate and/or with IP-67 rating.
The engaging member 110 may further include a strap member (not shown) that may be used to selectively engage the towing products 50 with the loading surface, such as the first elongated body member 120. By way of a non-limiting example, a safety chain, rope, bungee cord, strap or the like may selectively engage the towing products 50. This may generally prevent the towing products 50 from being inadvertently moved from the clip device 100.
In operation shown in
The first and second engaging portions 190A, 190B may have an outer diameter and shape that is generally complimentary to the diameter and shape of the first and second apertures 90A, 90B. The outer diameter of the first and second engaging portions 190A, 190B may be of a shape and size that it is configured to be insertable within and through the apertures. The fit between the first and second first engaging portions 190A, 190B and the apertures 90A, 90B may be snuggly inserted such that the aperture is just large enough to allow the first and second engaging portions 190A, 190B to pass therethrough, e.g., the first and second engaging portions 190A, 190B may be shaped as a button that substantially fills the aperture 90 when the clip device 100 is operatively inserted into the towing product 50. In some embodiments, for example as shown in
While a single engaging member 110 is described above, the a plurality of engaging members 110 may be structured generally in the same manner as the opposing side may have generally identical structure, i.e., the two sides may be generally symmetrically identical.
Although the embodiments have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be understood that the present teachings are not to be limited to just the embodiments disclosed, but that the teachings described herein is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the claims hereafter. The claims as follows are intended to include all modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalent thereof.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/642,724 filed on Mar. 14, 2018 titled, “BALL MOUNT MERCHANDISING CLIP” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62642724 | Mar 2018 | US |
