Patent Application
20070090236
The invention relates generally to retail display devices for the point-of-sale display of produce and other damageable items and, more particularly, to a produce display stand known as an end cap riser that is used to display damageable produce.
Retail display stands, and in particular produce end cap risers, are well known in the industry. Conventional display stands are typically constructed of multiple components involving labor-intensive manufacturing processes. They are of a rigid construction and configured in a fixed manner, whereby the interrelation of the various components is fixed with regard to each other, resulting in a single “look” for the stand. In addition, because of the multiple components, seams, joints, gaps, and other structures are of necessity utilized, providing access points to water, mold, and bacteria, which can damage the produce or other items displayed thereon. The rigidity of these display stands requires the use of additional padding in order to reduce the likelihood of damage to the items to be displayed.
The prior art fails to offer all of the functionality disclosed in the present invention, and thus none of the prior art anticipates the present invention.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a useful, improved end cap riser suitable for supporting produce and other damageable items in an aesthetically pleasing manner while at the same time protecting the items so displayed.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a useful, improved end cap riser that is easily configurable in an unlimited number of arrangements.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a useful, improved end cap riser that is easy to manufacture.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a useful, improved end cap riser which is light weight, easy to clean, is impervious to water or other liquid penetration, and will not absorb odors.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a useful, improved end cap riser which is not easily damaged and which can satisfy its other objectives even if it becomes slightly damaged.
Other objectives of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description that follows.
The present invention is directed to a device for displaying produce and other damageable items, comprising multiple monolithic, flexible support blocks each constructed entirely of a closed cell foam material, such as closed cell pvc foam, with each support block having a top surface suitably adapted for supporting other support blocks and the items to be displayed.
The present invention may include one or more of the following features: each support block has a substantially planar top surface, a substantially planar base surface, and at least three side surfaces, with each side surface being substantially planar and adjacent to the top and base surfaces; each support block is of a different size than each other support block; each support block has a like number of side surfaces as each other support block; each support block has substantially the same shape as each other support block; each support block has a base surface with a greater width and depth than the width and depth of its top surface; and each support block has one or more side surfaces angled outward from its top surface to its base surface, at substantially the same angle for each side surface.
Other features and advantages of the invention are described below.
The present invention is directed to an improved end cap riser device 1. The device 1 may be placed on any supporting surface, such as a table top or a floor. When used as intended, the device 1 supports items 10 placed upon it. See
The device 1 is manufactured using closed cell foam material, such as closed cell pvc foam. The foam construction cushions the produce or other items to be displayed thereon and reduces bruising or other damage. Due to its foam construction, the device 1 is light weight, flexible, and fully immersible in water for easy cleaning.
The device 1 comprises at least two monolithic, flexible, substantially solid support blocks 100, each constructed entirely of a closed cell foam material, as described above. Each support block 100 has a top surface 110, a base surface 120, and at least three side surfaces 130. See
While each support block 100 is configured as described above, each support block 100 is of a different size than each other support block. See
In one embodiment of the present invention, each support block comprises a like number of side surfaces as each other support block. In the preferred embodiment the number of side surfaces of each support block is six. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment each support block has substantially the same shape as each other support block. This is shown in
In another embodiment, for each support block 100 the base surface 120 has a width 122 and a depth 124 greater than the width 112 and depth 114 of the top surface 110. See
In the preferred embodiment, the device 1 comprises a first support block 100, a second support block 200, and a third support block 300. See
The device 1 may be manufactured using compression molding technology. It is created out of closed cell foam material, such as closed cell pvc foam. A liquid mixture of closed cell foam material is created. The liquid mixture is placed into a mold through an aperture in the mold. The liquid mixture within the mold is heated under pressure until the liquid mixture expands and completely fills mold and solidifies. The resulting solid material is removed from the mold and cooled. During cooling, the solid material expands to its desired final size.
Among the advantages of the device 1 are the following. The device 1 holds produce and other items 10 safely while also providing a visually appealing display. The device 1 is configurable in an unlimited number of different arrangements to achieve different aesthetic looks. The variable sizes of the support blocks 100 provide added flexibility in the appearance of the display. The surfaces 110,120,130 of the support blocks 100 are substantially non-skid, so the support blocks 100 need not be arranged on a perfectly level surface, but the supporting surface, such as a table top, may be tilted somewhat for aesthetic purposes without risk of the support blocks 100 sliding off each other or the supporting surface. The device 1 is light weight and easy to clean. Each support block 100 is impervious to water or other liquid penetration and will not absorb odors, due to the closed cell foam construction. Each monolithic support block 100 of the device 1 simplifies the manufacturing process and increases manufacturing efficiency. The closed cell foam material construction of the device 1 provides a surface substantially impervious to mold, bacteria, or other organic compounds. The properties of closed cell foam also provide the benefit that, should a surface 110,120,130 of the device 1 sustain a cut or have a portion broken off, the inner portion of the cut or break will retain the same imperviousness as the previously unbroken surface. In addition, because the device 1 is made of a closed cell foam material, even if damaged it provides greater protection against bruising or damage than an end riser constructed of a rigid material. That is, if a surface 110,120,130 of the support block 100 is damaged, the underlying foam material has the same cushioning properties as the surfaces. Thus, produce or other items 10 placed on the device 1 are protected even if the device 1 is damaged.
The invention is not limited to what is described in the foregoing embodiments. For example, although a produce display stand is described in detail, the principles described herein may be used in the construction and manufacture of a stand for displaying any other type of perishable and/or damageable goods.
Other embodiments not specifically set forth herein are also within the scope of the following claims.
