This invention relates generally to display hooks for supporting items of merchandise on a display structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a conversion bracket for mounting a pegboard display hook on alternate display structures.
It is common practice for retailers to display smaller items of merchandise on display hooks mounted to a display structure. The display hook allows a potential purchaser to examine a product prior to purchasing the item. At the same time, the display hook permits the retailer to place several of the items on display for purchase in a limited amount of space, thereby increasing the number of products displayed on the display structure and reducing the frequency needed to stock the products. The number and relatively small size of the items, however, makes the display hooks an attractive target for shoplifters. The shoplifter may attempt to remove all of the items of merchandise from the display hook at one time, referred to in the art as “sweeping,” or may attempt to remove the entire display hook from the display structure. As a result, display hooks have been developed that include an anti-sweeping feature and/or a locking mechanism for locking the display hook to the display structure. For reasons of cost, expediency and convenience it would be advantageous for a retailer to inventory display hooks having the same anti-sweep feature and/or locking mechanism regardless of the type of display structure on which the display hook is mounted. Commonality of display hooks is particularly desirable for retailers that utilize different types of display structures at the same retail location.
The most common type of display structure is pegboard, which is formed from a relatively thin panel having a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced holes therethrough. Alternate types of display structures include display rack and slatwall. Display racks may be formed from a relatively small diameter wire grid, also referred to as gridwall, or may be formed from larger diameter horizontally-extending rectangular or square bars spaced apart on vertical supports. Slatwall is formed from a relatively thick panel having one or more horizontal rows of uniquely shaped recesses. Historically, display hooks having different mounting structure for mounting the display hook to the display structure have been purchased and maintained in inventory. However, the use of multiple display hooks having different mounting structure increases the number of display hooks that the retailer must purchase and inventory. In addition, the need to locate and use display hooks having different mounting structure for the various types of display structures is inconvenient and unnecessarily increases the amount of time required to prepare a product display.
Accordingly, there exists an unresolved need for retailers to be able to mount a common display hook on alternate types of display structures. There exists a more specific need for a conversion bracket operable for mounting a plurality of display hooks having the same mounting structure on alternate types of display structures. There exists a particular need for a conversion bracket for mounting a display hook having mounting structure configured for pegboard on alternate display structures, namely wire grid and horizontal bar display racks.
The aforementioned needs, objectives and advantages, as well as others readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, are provided by a conversion bracket for mounting a display hook having mounting structure configured for pegboard on an alternate display structure.
In one embodiment, a conversion bracket includes a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate movably coupled to the first mounting plate so as to permit the conversion bracket to be positioned on an alternate display structure. At least one of the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate has at least one mounting opening therethrough for receiving a display hook having mounting structure configured for a pegboard display structure.
In another embodiment, a conversion bracket includes a first mounting plate having at least one first mounting opening therethrough and a second mounting plate having at least one second mounting opening therethrough. The first mounting plate and the second mounting plate are movably coupled together to guide the conversion bracket over the alternate display structure and to position the conversion bracket on the alternate display structure with the mounting structure of a display hook inserted through the first mounting opening and the second mounting opening, thereby securely mounting the display hook on the alternate display structure.
In a further embodiment, the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate are rotatably connected. In yet another embodiment, the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate include a plurality of interlacing hinges, and the conversion bracket further has a hinge pin for joining the interlacing hinges together such that the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate are rotatably connected.
In a further embodiment, at least one of the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate define at least one cavity for receiving a portion of the alternate display structure. In one aspect, a cavity is defined by the first mounting plate and the cavity is configured to receive a wire of a wire grid display rack. In another aspect, a cavity is defined by the second mounting plate and the cavity is configured to receive a bar of a horizontal bar display rack. In yet another aspect, the second mounting plate defines a first cavity configured to receive a bar of a horizontal bar display rack and a second cavity configured to receive a wire of a wire grid display rack.
In a further embodiment, the first mounting pate has a pair of first mounting plates each having at least one first mounting opening and the second mounting plate has a pair of second mounting openings for receiving the mounting structure of the display hook. In one aspect, the pair of first mounting plates are joined together by an integral arm extending therebetween. In another aspect,-the pair of first mounting plates are independently movable relative to the second mounting plate.
In another embodiment, a method of mounting a display hook having mounting structure configured for pegboard on an alternate display structure includes providing a conversion bracket including at least one first mounting plate having at least one first mounting opening therethrough and a second mounting plate having at least one second mounting opening therethrough, the at least one first mounting plate and the second mounting plate being rotatably coupled together. The method further includes rotating the at least one first mounting plate relative to the second mounting plate in a first direction to guide the conversion bracket over the alternate display structure and rotating the at least one first mounting plate relative to the second mounting plate in a second direction to position the conversion bracket on the alternate display structure. The method further includes inserting the mounting structure of the display hook through the at least one first mounting opening and the at least one second mounting opening to mount the display hook on the alternate display structure.
The following detailed description of the invention is best understood with reference to the accompanying drawing figures in which:
Referring now to the accompanying drawing figures wherein identical reference numerals denote like elements throughout the various views, a conventional display hook 10 and an exemplary embodiment of a conversion bracket 20 according to the present invention are shown. The display hook 10 is operable for supporting one or more items of merchandise (not shown for purposes of clarity), such as smaller consumer products, for example compact discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs), battery packs, etc., on a display structure. The display hook 10 is provided with mounting structure configured for mounting the display hook on a pegboard display structure (not shown) in a known manner. The conventional pegboard display hook 10 is presently the most commonly utilized type of display hook. For this reason, the conversion bracket 20 is configured to be operable for mounting the pegboard display hook 10 on an alternate display structure (i.e. other than pegboard). In other words, the conversion bracket 20 converts alternate display structures, and in particular, wire grid display rack and horizontal bar display rack, to pegboard display structure.
A conventional pegboard display hook 10 suitable for use with the conversion bracket 20 comprises a rod assembly 12 having mounting structure disposed at one end for mounting the display hook on a pegboard display structure or, as shown and described herein, on alternate display structures using the conversion bracket 20. In particular, the rod assembly 12 has at least one, and preferably, a pair of mounting prongs 14 (
The rod assembly 12 comprises a lower support rod 11 for supporting the items of merchandise and an upper guide rod 13 for positioning an optional label holder 15 on the free end of the rod assembly opposite the mounting prongs 14. As is known in the art, the label holder 15 may be configured to be lockable on the rod assembly 12 (i.e. either the upper guide rod 13 or the support rod 11, or both) to prevent the items of merchandise from being removed by an unauthorized person. As is also known, the support rod 11 may be provided with an optional anti-sweep feature 16 adjacent the free end of the rod assembly 12. As shown, the anti-sweep feature 16 comprises a series of bends through which an item of merchandise must be manipulated in order to remove the item from the support rod 11. The anti-sweep feature 16, however, is not intended to be limited to the configuration shown and described herein, and alternatively, may comprise any structure and may take any form suitable for increasing the time required to remove one or more of the items of merchandise from the display hook 10. For example, the anti-sweep feature 16 may comprise a device (commonly referred to as a “time delay”) configured to require the items of merchandise to be removed from the support rod 11 one at a time.
The display hook 10 may also comprise an optional lockable base 18 disposed on the rod assembly 12 adjacent the pegboard display structure, or when used in conjunction with the present invention, adjacent the conversion bracket 20 (as shown) mounted on an alternate display structure. The lockable base 18 is preferably slidingly disposed on the rod assembly 12. An opening 19 formed in the lockable base 18 is configured to receive a correspondingly-shaped magnetic key (not shown) for releasably locking the lockable base 18 on the rod assembly 12 with the pegboard display structure or the conversion bracket 20 disposed between the lockable base and the mounting prongs 14. Consequently, the lockable base 18 is operable for securely locking the display hook 10 on a pegboard display structure, or on an alternate display structure using the conversion bracket 20, as will be described. Regardless, the lockable base 18 is slid along the rod assembly 12 in the direction of the pegboard or the conversion bracket 20 and secured in place, for example by a spring-loaded magnetic metal projection that is biased into a notch (not shown) formed in the guide rod 13 of the rod assembly 12.
As illustrated by the exemplary embodiment shown in
As shown in
Another exemplary embodiment of a conversion bracket 60 in accordance with the present invention is shown in
As previously described with regard to the pegboard display hook 10, the rod assembly 52 comprises a lower support rod 51 for supporting the items of merchandise and an upper guide rod 53 for positioning an optional label holder 55 on the free end of the rod assembly opposite the mounting prongs 54. The display hook 50 may also comprise an optional lockable base 58 disposed on the rod assembly 52 adjacent the pegboard display structure, or when used in conjunction with the present invention, adjacent the conversion bracket 60 with the conversion bracket disposed between the lockable base and the mounting prongs 54. The lockable base 58 is operable for securely locking the display hook 50 on a pegboard display structure, or on an alternate display structure using the conversion bracket 60.
As illustrated by the exemplary embodiment described herein and shown in
The foregoing has described exemplary embodiments of a conversion bracket for mounting a pegboard display hook on alternate display structures, namely wire grid and horizontal bar display racks. In preferred embodiments, the conversion bracket includes at least one first mounting plate and a second mounting plate movably coupled to the first mounting plate(s) so that the conversion bracket can be guided over and positioned on the display structure. At least one of the first mounting plate(s) and the second mounting plate defines a cavity for receiving at least one horizontally-extending wire or bar of a display rack. At least one of the first mounting plate(s) and the second mounting plate also has one or more mounting openings for receiving mounting prongs of the pegboard display hook. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation. In particular, it will be appreciated that a conversion bracket in accordance with the present invention may be configured for use with other types of display structures, including but not limited to slatwall, without departing from the spirit and scope of any of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/047,956, filed Apr. 25, 2008.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61047956 | Apr 2008 | US |