The present invention relates to racks and more particularly to a modular rack for storing and displaying pneumatic tires.
Automotive facilities selling tires typically use racks to store tires. If security against theft is desired, tires are enclosed within cage type racks. Alternatively, some racks may not enclose tires being stored thereon. In the latter case, it is conventional to pass a chain through the openings of the tires and secure the chain with a padlock. Neither of these types of tire racks is esthetically pleasing. Moreover, conventional racks are not conducive to displaying tires in a manner that will elicit interest by potential buyers. That is, tires are not held apart from one another and presented so as to enable inspection of the entire face of a tire by a potential buyer. Also, storage racks are not adapted to present signage which may promote tire sales.
The present invention addresses the above deficiencies in several ways. In one way, tires are held in an attitude enabling passers by to view the full face of each tire. In another way, some of the tire engaging structure occupies the open interior of the tire, thereby being concealed from view. Further, the novel modular rack accommodates signage which may present information of interest to potential buyers, such as what type of vehicle may utilize the displayed tire, characteristics of the tire, and price.
To these ends, the novel rack comprises a floor plate, a vertical mast, and a tire engaging element which may project horizontally from the vertical mast. The vertical mast is arranged to telescopically engage other vertical masts, so that the total number of tire holding units is at the discretion of the user.
The tire engaging element may be formed in two sections which are assembled once inside the opening of the tire. The tire engaging element may incorporate a lock which prevents casual removal of a tire from the novel rack.
Plates, clips, or other structure may be formed integrally with the rack to accommodate signage.
In its simplest form, the novel rack may comprise only one tire engaging element, and may support and display only one tire. Alternatively, tire engaging modules may be vertically stacked to support and display plural tires. In addition to being vertically arrayed, novel racks may be arrayed abreast of one another so as to define a two dimensional display array. If desired, the racks may be extended to form a three dimensional storage and display array.
An object of the invention is to provide a versatile, convenient tire storage and display racking system which presents the full face of a tire for display, which holds the tire securely and deters casual removal, which accommodates signage, and which conceals a substantial amount of utilitarian structure of the rack.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Referring first to
Construction of the modular rack 100 may be understood by turning to
It is preferable but not necessary that the relatively short section 18 be received within the open end of the relatively long section of another vertical mast such as the vertical mast 12. The relatively short section 18 could instead comprise a female socket which receives the relatively long section of another vertical mast (this option is not shown). Still other connection schemes (not shown) could also be employed. It is further preferable although not necessary that the relatively long sections of the vertical masts of modular tire holding units such as the tire holding unit 10 have similar external dimensions and configuration, so that when several modular tire units are serially joined as depicted in
The tire holding unit 10 may comprise a multipiece tire engaging element 22 which projects horizontally from the vertical mast 12 when the vertical mast 12 is in a vertical orientation as seen in
It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as vertical and upright refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an observer. The drawing figures depict their subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously change with changes in orientation and position of the depicted objects. Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to provide semantic basis for purposes of description, and do not limit the invention or its component parts in any particular way.
The multipiece tire engaging element 22 may be disposed to be assembled so as to partially occupy the open center of a tire such as the tires 2. More particularly, the multipiece tie engaging element 22 may be disposed to engage the inner surface of the tire 2 at two diametrically opposed points at the inner surface of the tire 2, and to hold the tire 2 from the inside of the tire 2 in an upright orientation as seen in
The first non-circular stub channel 24 and the second non-circular stub channel 26, both shown as square channel in the example of
The first lateral projection 28 and the second lateral projection 30 may comprise respective stems 36, 38 and respective wheel contacting portions 40, 42 each of which generally conforms to the curvature of the interior of a tire such as the tires 2. Although depicted as arcuate, the wheel contacting portions 40, 42 need not be literally arcuate or curved, as long as each presents at least one point of contact which would establish interference with the interior surface of the tire 2 so as to prevent casual removal of the tire 2 from the multipiece tire engaging element 22. As employed herein, the phrase “at least one” explicitly contemplates one of the referenced item and also any number greater than one of the referenced item. Furthermore, it is not necessary that both of the wheel contacting portions 40, 42 literally contact the inner surface of the tire 2, as long as interference preventing casual removal is achieved.
As employed herein, casual removal signifies removal by manual manipulation, as might be attempted by a person attempting to remove the tire 2 for example to steal the same.
Assembly and disassembly of the multipiece tire engaging element 22 are explained with reference to
Referring again to
The plate 62 of the floor base 60 may comprise a first panel 70 which is horizontal when the vertical mast 12 is in a vertical orientation as seen in
The tire holding unit 10 may comprise a separate and attachable upper signage support 74 which is disposed to hold a sign (not shown) above a tire 2 held by the multipiece tire engaging element 22. The upper signage support 74 may have a stepped stub shaft 76 having a relatively large section 78 and a relatively small section 80 the latter of which may be dimensioned and configured to be telescopically received by the open end 16 of the vertical mast 12 in the same way as other vertical masts are received. When plural tire holding units such as the tire holding unit 10 are joined in vertical series, for example, as seen in
The multipiece tire engaging element 22 may comprise a front signage support 76 disposed to hold a sign over the open center of a tire 2 (as seen in
Referring now to
Thus far, illustration of a modular rack such as the modular rack 100 of
Referring again to
The wheel plate 92 may include a non-circular wheel plate stub shaft 98 which telescopically engages the first non-circular stub channel 24 and the wheel plate stub shaft 98.
Although it is contemplated that because it is desirable that tires be supported within convenient viewing height of potential buyers, the rack assembly will be between one and four units high, it would be possible to stack units in greater numbers if desired.
A tire holding unit such as the tire holding unit 10 may be increased in capacity to hold and display more than one tire if desired.
Connections of modular components of a modular rack according to the present invention may be manual, such as relying upon friction fit or using manually removable fasteners, or alternatively, may be secured by locks, such as that employing the locking pin 50 seen in
It should be understood that signage supports such as signage support panel 72, upper signage support 74, support plate 82, and spanning signage support 212 are shown in representative capacity only, and may include pockets, clips, and other apparatus (none shown) for engaging, supporting, and holding removable signs.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 USC 119(e) of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/504,589, filed Jul. 5, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61504589 | Jul 2011 | US |