This invention generally relates to merchandise display assemblies and more particularly to methods of maintaining merchandise displays.
Shelving units and pegboard display units are the back bone to retail display for displaying merchandise within a retail establishment store. These shelving units typically have a rigid vertical support structure having a plurality of holes for either mounting shelves or peg hooks that support and display the merchandise that is to be sold. Typically, these display units are made from a substantially rigid sheet metal and have a painted finish to provide a clean appearance. In some retail settings, word fiber board pegboard sheets (board sheets with regularly spaced holes) may also be used.
Unfortunately, over time, as the display units are used and merchandise is added and removed from the peg hooks or shelves, the appearance of the display unit degrades as the paint begins to chip or the display units become dirty or rusty. Furthermore, as the display units are typically painted a uniform color, the display units are typically non-descript and provide limited visual appeal. However, during seasonal shopping periods for example such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the like, it can be desirable to adjust the appearance of the display units to more accurately represent the shopping period or to provide an indicator as to the type of merchandise that is being sold on the specific display unit. However, repainting the display unit for each shopping season would be very time consuming and expensive.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a quick, easy and/or economical way to modify the appearance of the display unit.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an improved method of maintaining a retail display support structure using roll media. The method includes the steps of dispensing a length of covering material from a wound state on a roll. The dispensed covering material is then severed from the roll to form a placard of covering material. The placard of covering material is sized to correspond to at least one dimension of the retail display support structure. Finally, the placard of covering material is secured to the retail display support structure to cover a portion of the retail display support structure.
In another aspect, the invention provides a kit for covering a retail display support structure with a covering material. The kit including a roll of covering material to cover the product display support. A container carries the roll of covering material. The kit further includes a plastic cutting track mountable to the container. The cutting track includes a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall. The second wall is interposed between the first and third walls to form a cutting groove between the first and second walls and a mounting groove between the second and third walls. The first wall is connected to a first end of the second wall, and the third wall is connected to a second end of the second wall. The first, second and third walls are substantially parallel. The cutting groove is sized for receipt of a cutting blade, and the mounting groove is sized for snug-fit receipt of a wall of the container.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The present invention relates to a method of covering product display structures. As explained previously, the finish of a product display structure can become dirty or damaged over an extended period of use making the display less appealing. Additionally, even with clean and undamaged product display structures, it may be desirable to vary the appearance or decorate the product display structure depending on the products being displayed or the time of year.
Referring now to the figures,
The pegboard 12 acts as a vertical support structure to which display hooks 16, also known as peg hooks, and other similar hanger devices are mounted for displaying retail product for sale. Horizontal shelving may arranged in front of the pegboard 12. The pegboard 12 includes a plurality of holes 18 for receipt of display hook mounts 20 of the display hook 16. The product display structure 10 is typically made from metal but may be made from any substantially rigid material, such as plastic or wood.
The display hook 16 may be any commercially available display hook. The illustrated display hook 16 is generally U-shaped and includes two horizontally extending bars 22, 24. The two bars 22, 24 are typically formed by bending a generally round rod into the U-shape. The top bar 22 is vertically disposed above the bottom bar 24 and the bars 22, 24 are generally parallel. The top bar 22 supports a label holder 25 and the bottom bar 24 supports retail product (not shown). However, other shaped display hooks may be used such as ones where the two bars are laterally spaced apart or display hooks that only have a single horizontally extending bar. The display hook mounts 20 extend rearward from the horizontal bars 22, 24 and typically have upturned ends 26. The display hook mounts 20 extend through the holes 18 in the pegboard 12. The upturned ends 26 help secure the display hooks 16 to the pegboard 12, and prevent the display hook 16 from being inadvertently removed from the pegboard 12.
As the invention will be described with reference to a pegboard 12 and display hooks 16, the invention is not so limited. The present invention may be applied to other retail product display structures, and typically other retail product display structures having a main support structure with a plurality of holes.
As is shown in
The rolled format of the media 40 allows very large or long lengths of media 40 to be stored in a compact container 42 and in a protected configuration while making the media 40 easy to handle. As a result, preformed flat placards which are made at a factory and then shipped to a retail establishment need not be done. Rather, the present invention accomplishes major spacing and shipping advantages. The width of the roll of media 40 may be any width, but is preferably between about 2 feet and about 4 feet. The unwound length of the media 40 wound around the center core 44 will preferably be between about 100 and 1000 feet. The unwound linear length of the roll of media 40 can vary depending on the weight of the media and the width of the media. Preferably, the roll of media 40 has a total weight of less than about 20 pounds so that it can be easily manipulated. The container 42 protects the media 40 from environmental conditions such as dust and light. The media 40 is preferably paper or vinyl, but may be any other suitable material for covering the pegboard 12 while providing an aesthetic appearance.
One advantage of vinyl is that it may be washed without degradation to the material. By using a covering material that may be washed, the useful life of the covering material maybe extended between replacement by allowing the covering material to be cleaned if it becomes slightly dirty. However, at some point the appearance of the covering material will become such that it will need to be replaced. In a further embodiment when paper is used, the paper may be coated with a substantially liquid impermeable coating that allows the paper to be washed. This coating is preferably non-reactive to most generally cleaning agents that may include ammonia compounds, bleaches, detergents, soaps and the like.
The present invention provides a method of covering the product display structure 10, i.e. the pegboard 12 with the media 40. The preferred method includes the step of measuring the dimensional size of the area of the pegboard 12 (see
After measuring, the method includes the step of dispensing a portion of the media 40 from the roll corresponding to the measurements of the area to be covered. The media 40 is dispensed by pulling on the free edge 52 of the roll of media 40, in a direction indicated by arrows 54, causing the roll of media 40 to rotate within the container 42 about the spindle 46. As the roll of media 40 rotates, a portion of the media 40 is unwound from the roll of media 40, as illustrated in
After a sufficient length of media 40 has been unwound, the unwound length of media 40 is severed from the roll, as is shown in
Alternatively, a removable cutting track 66 may be provided that attaches to the free edge 62 of the container 42, as is illustrated in
As illustrated in
After the length of media 40 is removed from the roll of media 40 forming a placard 74, the placard 74 is secured to the product display structure 10. As is shown in
While securing the placard 74 to the pegboard 12, the placard 74 is smoothed across the surface 89 of the pegboard 12 as more and more pushpins 88 are inserted into the placard 74 and pegboard 12. Furthermore, the user may run his finger or hand over the surface of the placard 74 with light pressure to determine the location of the holes 18 in the pegboard 12. The pressure should be light enough that the placard 74 is not significantly pulled causing the portion of media surrounding installed pushpins 88 to tear. Coverage of the pegboard 12 may typically range between 80 and 100 percent of the surface of the pegboard, but it is preferable that substantially all (which term includes but not limited to all) of the pegboard surface be covered by the placard 74.
After the placard 74 is secured to the pegboard 12, the display hook 16 or other hanger devices may be secured to the pegboard 12. Specifically, the upturned ends 26 (see
The media 40 may include a plurality of die cut holes 90, as illustrated in
Alternatively, the plug or portion of media that is removed to form the hole 90 in
Furthermore, the media 40 may include perforated lines 96, 98 running the width of the media 40 and/or the length of the media 40, respectfully, as illustrated in
Not only may the covering material come with cutting markers, die-cut holes, scored hole plugs, and perforated lines, the covering material may come in any number of colors, patterns or styles. The ability to provide various patterns allows for decorating the pegboard 12 as can be seen in
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein, are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.