Patent Application
20130015148
This invention generally relates to retail displays, and more particularly to merchandise strips.
Merchandise strips are generally known in the art. A merchandise strip is used in a retail environment to hang merchandise therefrom. Consumers can readily remove merchandise from the merchandise strip by pulling merchandise away from the same.
Merchandise strips are typically incorporated into retail structures such as shelving or other point of purchase displays. The strip mounts at an end thereof and freely hangs from the display.
With reference to
Unfortunately, once loaded, there is a tendency for the strip 10 to exhibit an undesirable outward bow or lean as shown at
As a result, the center of gravity G of each item of merchandise 16 is positioned outwardly from the strip 10, and more particularly the root of each hook 20, by a distance W as illustrated. As a result, the loading of each item of merchandise due to its own weight as illustrated by directional arrow 24 causes a moment M at the root of each hook 20. These moments M cause the aforementioned outward bow or lean.
This aforementioned outward lean is undesirable for several reasons. First, it is not aesthetically pleasing and generally tends to exhibit a generally disorganized look. Second, for heavier items, there is a risk that the outward bow or lean can be so pronounced that merchandise will fall off the hooks 20.
As such, there is a need in the art for a merchandise strip that eliminates or substantially reduces the aforementioned outward bow or lean. Embodiments of the invention provide such a merchandise strip. These and other advantages of the invention, as well additional inventive features, will be apparent from description of the embodiments of the invention provided herein.
In one aspect, a merchandise strip for carrying retail merchandise is provided. An embodiment of a merchandise strip according to this aspect includes a strip member having a mounting section and a strip section extending away from the mounting section. The strip section includes a plurality of clips and an aperture formed proximate an end thereof. The merchandise strip also includes a support member having a channel for receipt of the strip section. The support member includes an aperture formed proximate an end thereof within the channel. The strip member is slidably received by the channel such that the aperture of the strip member is aligned with the aperture of the support member. The merchandise strip also includes a fastener extending through the aperture of the strip member and through the support member for fastening the strip member to the support member.
In certain embodiments, the mounting section has a greater width than a width of the strip section. In certain embodiments, the mounting section defines a pair of abutments. An end of the support member abuts the abutments.
In certain embodiments, the width of the strip section is less than a width of the support member.
In certain embodiments, the support member is formed as a one piece extrusion. In certain embodiments, the support member is formed from a plastic material.
In certain embodiments, the channel includes an opening and a pair of grooves on either side of the opening. The support member also includes a backing wall, a pair of side walls in opposed spaced relation extending generally perpendicular to the backing wall, a first lip extending generally parallel with the backing wall and from an end of one of the pair of side walls, and a second lip extending generally parallel with the backing wall and from an end of the other one of the pair of side walls.
In certain embodiments, one of the pair of grooves is formed between the backing wall, one of the pair of side walls, and the first lip. The other one of the pair of grooves is formed between the backing wall, the other one of the pair of side walls, and the second lip.
In another aspect, a merchandise strip for carrying retail merchandise is provided. An embodiment of a merchandise strip according to this aspect includes a strip member having a plurality of clips for receipt of retail merchandise, with each clip including a hook and at least one tab. The merchandise strip also includes an extruded support member having a channel. The strip member is slidably received in the channel. The channel defines an opening and a pair of grooves positioned on either side of the opening. Each of the plurality of hooks extends through the opening of the channel. The merchandise strip also includes a fastener extending through the opening to fasten the strip member to the support member.
In certain embodiments, the opening has a first width, and the channel has a second width. The first width is less than the second width. The strip member includes a mounting section and a strip section. The strip section has a third width. The third width is greater than the first width and less than the second width. The mounting section has a forth width greater than the first, second, and third widths.
In certain embodiments, the strip member includes a flange portion disposed on either side of the plurality of hooks. The flange portion disposed on one side of the plurality of hooks is received in one of the pair of grooves. The flange portion on the other side of the plurality of hooks is received in the other one of the pair of grooves.
In another aspect, a method for assembling a retail display including a merchandise strip and a retail structure is provided. The merchandise strip has a strip member with a plurality of clips extending therefrom and a support member slidably receiving the strip member within a channel of support member. An embodiment of a method according to this aspect includes sliding the strip member into the channel of the support member. The method also includes fastening the strip member to the support member using a first fastener. The method also includes fastening the strip member and the support member to a retail structure using a second fastener.
In certain embodiments, the step of sliding the strip member into the channel includes positioning a pair of flange portions, respectfully, within a pair of grooves of the support member. The pair of grooves are positioned on either side of an opening of the channel. Each one of a plurality of hooks extends outwardly and through the opening.
In certain embodiments, the step of fastening the strip member to the support member includes aligning an aperture of the strip member with an aperture of the support member and passing a fastener therethrough. In certain embodiments, the step of fastening the strip member to the support member includes abutting an end of the support member with a pair of abutments of the strip member to align the aperture of the strip member with the aperture of the support member.
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.
Turning now to the drawings,
With particular reference now to
Turning now to
The mounting section 150 has a greater overall width than the strip section 152. As a result, the mounting section 150 also defines abutments 156 that serve as a positive stop to limit the upward sliding movement of the support member 142 relative to the strip member 140. The strip section 152 also includes an aperture 158 at an end thereof for receipt of the aforementioned pin 144.
The support member 142 has a first end 160 and a second end 162. The first end 160 abuts the abutments 156 of the strip member 140, and more particularly the mounting section 150 thereof, when the strip member 140 and support member 142 are fully assembled.
The second end 168 of the support member 142 includes an aperture 168 formed therethrough. The aperture 168 is alignable with the aperture 158 of the strip member 140 when these two components are assembled. As such, the pin 144 passes through both the aperture 158 of the strip member 140 as well as the aperture 168 of the support member 142.
The support member 142 functions to maintain the generally vertical and straight presentation of the strip member 140 when it is loaded with merchandise. As a result, the aforementioned outward bow of prior designs is reduced or eliminated. Additionally, the pin 144 holds the support member 142 in place relative to the strip member 140 such that the support member 142 does not slide away from the strip member 140 under gravity.
Turning now to
Turning now to
The strip member 140 and support member 142 are shown in cross-section in an assembled state. The strip member 140 has an overall width W3. This width W3 is greater than the width W1 of the opening but less than the width W2 of the channel 180. As a result, the outer edges or flange portions of the strip member 140 extend into the grooves 182, 184 of the support member 142 as illustrated. Put differently, the lips 176, 178 extend inwardly and beyond the outer most edges of the support member 142. Such a configuration reduces or eliminates the ability for the strip member 140 to move in a direction parallel to axis 186 and relative to the support member 142. As a result, the above undesirable bow of prior designs is prevented.
Turning now to
The strip member 140 is preferably made of a plastic material using a molding process. The aperture 158 (See
Although illustrated as having a slidable support member 142, in other embodiments, the merchandise strip 110 can include a support member that attaches directly to a back of the strip member 140 without the need to slide the strip member 140 into the support member 142. Such a configuration increases the effective thickness of the merchandise strip 110, and thus reduces the above described bowing effect of prior designs. As another alternative, the strip member 140 can be molded with intermittent or continuous areas of increased thickness to reduce bowing. As an example of such an embodiment, one or more rails can be molded with the strip member 140 at the back surface of the strip member 140 to increase the rigidity of the strip member 140.
As described herein, the merchandise strip 110 advantageously overcomes existing problems and prior designs by incorporating a support member 142 which reduces or eliminates the tendency for a strip member 140 to otherwise have an outward bow when loaded with retail merchandise 116.
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.
