Patent Application
20100148025
This invention relates to apparatus for supporting and displaying merchandise products and product containers such as candy bars, bottles, cans, pouches, packages and the like. More particularly, it relates to display trays, shelves, support hooks and the like adapted for mounting on one face of a substantially vertical wall to support products on the wall and display the products on or through the wall, and to methods and apparatus for mounting such products on a vertical wall.
Retail businesses commonly display chilled products for sale in refrigerated vaults or the like which have a transparent door or wall panel. Because a passing customer is more likely to select and purchase products displayed where they can be readily seen and recognized, the retailer desires to maximize visibility of products on display and also to maximize utilization of display space and space within the refrigerated area. Display shelves typically used for this purpose are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,693 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,433. Similarly, many products contained in pouches, packages and the like are often displayed on vertical strips supporting hooks or the like. The vertical display strips are often suspended from shelf ends or attached directly to a flat wall or other support.
Many products are packaged in individual containers such as bottles, cans, pouches and the like. In order to advantageously display such products, they must be arranged so that the product or package is readily visible, easily recognizable and readily accessible. To maximize use of visible space, display apparatus such as shelves, trays, etc., are often mounted on flat vertical surfaces such as walls, windows, doors and the like. Since display space is usually limited, the display apparatus should be adapted for easy installation and removal; should be adapted to support and display the maximum amount of product in the space available; and should permit easy removal and replacement of displayed product. Furthermore, the display apparatus must be sufficiently sturdy to support and display the product but must also be readily removable and repositionable without damaging the mounting surface.
In accordance with the present invention, display apparatus is provided which is adapted to be mounted on the face of a substantially vertical panel such as a wall, window or door. In the preferred embodiment the display apparatus is in the form of a shelf or tray having a floor supported on a support panel which has end portions extending beyond the lateral edges of the floor. The end portions support laterally extending prongs which are mounted in the stems of suction cups which secure the display apparatus to the vertical wall panel. The floor extends horizontally (normal to the plane of the support panel) from the support panel and a containment wall is positioned at the edge of the floor remote from the support panel. The containment wall cooperates with the wall on which the tray is mounted to contain products or product containers on the floor and adjacent the wall. The containment wall may be shaped to conform to individual product units and thereby confine them in restricted positions on the floor and/or may also be slotted and/or curved outwardly to permit easy access to and removal of products from the tray. The display trays of the invention find particular utility when mounted in a refrigerated vault or the like to display products through a transparent panel or door of the vault. However, the display apparatus of the invention may be used in conjunction with any substantially smooth wall, window, panel, door or similar structure. Other features and advantages of the invention will become more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended claims and attached drawing in which:
The above-described drawing is incorporated into and forms part of the specification to illustrate several exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Throughout the drawing like reference numerals designate corresponding elements. The figures are not to scale but are intended to disclose the inventive concepts by illustration. This drawing, together with this description, serves to explain the principles of the invention and is only for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative examples of how the invention can be made and used.
It will be recognized that the principles of the invention may be utilized and embodied in many and various forms. In order to demonstrate these principles, the invention is described herein by reference to specific preferred embodiments. The invention, however, is not limited to the forms illustrated and described. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to use in connection with any particular arrangement of support panels, floors or containment walls but may find utility in various other applications involving support and display of various items.
For purposes of this disclosure, the terms “shelf” and “tray” are used interchangeably to mean any structure on which products or packages containing products may be placed or suspended from for display. Such apparatus may be formed of any suitable material and may be continuous monolithic structures or formed of individually formed and attached members. Such trays may have walls extending upwardly or downwardly to form cavities in which goods may be supported and displayed. Accordingly, the tray may define one or more cavities above the floor or the floor may support one or more cavities which depend downwardly from the floor. Similarly, the floor and/or walls of the tray may have perforations, slots and/or may be hooks or the like attached to the support panel from which goods may be suspended. Accordingly, the terms “shelf” and “tray” are used generally to describe any structure on, in or from which goods may be placed or suspended for display.
For perspective and consistency in describing the display tray illustrated, the portion of the tray unit which is closest the wall or panel on which it is supported is described as the front and the portion most remote from the supporting wall or panel is described as the back or rear. Similarly, spatial orientation and relative terms such as “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rearwardly,” “horizontally,” “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower” and the like are used in reference to the position of the tray when the tray is mounted on a supporting wall for use.
In the embodiment illustrated in
A containment wall 30 extends upwardly from (but is not necessarily attached to) the top face 21 of the floor 20. A major portion of containment wall 30 is spaced horizontally from the plane of first face 11 of the support panel 10. The end portions 16, 17 of the containment wall 30 extend toward and may join the support panel 10 to define a open-topped cavity 31 defined by floor 20, containment wall 30 and the mounting wall 40 (see
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiment of
The embodiment of
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the display tray is mounted on a mounting wall 40 by positioning the prongs 50 in suitable apertures in the stems of suction cups and securing the suction cups to a mounting wall 40. Suction cups for effecting such mounting are illustrated in
In the alternative embodiment illustrated in
For mounting display trays as described in accordance with the invention, the suction cups must be uniquely designed to provide a aperture extending laterally (or vertically) through the stem to accommodate the mounting prongs 50, 50′, 50″. As illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
Mounting of a display tray on a mounting wall 40 in accordance with the invention is illustrated in
It will be obvious that when the tray is mounted on mounting wall 40 as illustrated in
It will be recognized that display trays may be formed of various materials by various methods for various applications. To be mounted in accordance with the invention, the tray need have only a support panel 10 with prongs such as prongs 50, 50′, etc., extending laterally (vertically, horizontally or otherwise) which mate with appropriately shaped and sized apertures extending laterally through the stems of appropriately sized suction cups.
It should be recognized that the features disclosed in each of the alternative embodiments may be combined as required or desired for particular purposes. For example, prongs 50′ may be formed to extend in opposite vertical directions if desired.
In the embodiments illustrated, prongs 50, 50′ are formed in the outer edges of flanges 33, 34. If desired prongs may be formed in the lower edge of support panel 10. As illustrated in
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the principles of the invention may be used to mount display trays which support products such as bottles, cans and the like on the floor as well as to mount displays with which support hooks or the like for hanging products for display.
It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description together with details of the structure and function of the invention, this disclosure is to be considered illustrative only. Various changes and modifications may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, arrangement and combination of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
