MODULAR MERCHANDISING SYSTEM

Abstract

A modular merchandising system for a retail environment includes a cabinet assembly supporting equipment and selectively configured to store within an interior cavity components coupled to the equipment to provide goods and/or services. The cabinet assembly includes a first side panel, a second side panel, a front panel, a rear panel, a floor panel and a top panel configured to form the interior cavity. The front panel is coupled to one of the first and the second side panel by one or more hinges to permit access to the interior cavity. One or more shelves are selectively positioned at one or more heights to support the components, for example, a printer, a scanner and like input and/or output device, within the interior cavity.

Description

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to systems for providing services related to merchandise in, for example, a retail environment and, more particularly, to a modular merchandising system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of merchandise are marketed by placing the merchandise in a position that is clearly visible to prospective purchasers. Conventional merchandise display units provide an array of vertically spaced, horizontally extending display bins, trays, shelves and the like that are both aesthetically pleasing and provide prospective purchasers convenient access to merchandise. Typically, merchandise display units combine numerous standardized hardware and accessories such as, for example, slat wall and peg board panels, dividers, posts and similar structures for receiving product support hardware such as brackets, hangers, shelf supports, and the like for supporting bins, trays, shelving and other specialized merchandise display units. Conventional display systems of this general type include a series of vertical support members or posts connected to panels or walls.

In most retail environments, display systems focus on supplying prospective purchasers with products or services. Such supply-type display units are configured to allow the bulk storage, organization and display of merchandise. Additionally, the space that is available in a retail environment for merchandise display must be utilized effectively in order to maximize the revenue generated from merchandise displayed within a certain retail floor space. Therefore, conventional supply-type display systems are often customized to fit available floor space and/or to display certain merchandise. Moreover, customization is an on-going effort. As such, it is desirable that merchandise display systems are modular and reconfigurable in the field without specialized tools and without undo effort by technicians and/or retail store personnel.

For example, user-friendly and interactive shopping environments are often employed to attract prospective purchasers of certain electronic products such as computers, traditional and digital photographic equipment, such as traditional and digital cameras, camcorders and the like. Interactive shopping environments include environments where products offered for sale are integrated with supporting services and components for delivering such services such as, for example, printers, scanners and other input/output devices and the like. The inventor of the present invention has realized that a preferred shopping environment for such merchandise would have displays providing stations for the use and/or demonstration of products and services offered, feature technological innovations and direct purchasers to complementary product offerings. Such interactive and collaborative retail environments not only capture the attention of prospective purchasers but also encourage repeat visits to a store.

The inventor of the present invention has realized that the primary role of conventional supply-type display units cannot be altered to achieve the preferred collaborative retail environments and/or later reconfigured to achieve different environments without time consuming and costly modification and, more often, by replacement of an existing structure with another customized, fixed structure. As such, conventional display systems are not seen to offer flexibility in providing configurations that adapt to use in various retail locations, positioning and quantities of components and systems providing services to prospective purchasers, or replacement of components and systems when it is desired to offer new technological innovations to customers.

Accordingly, the inventor has discovered that a need exists for a modular merchandising system that can be changed to implement a collaborative retail environment now and in the future.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a modular merchandising system for a retail environment. The modular merchandising system includes a cabinet assembly providing a surface for supporting equipment and selectively configured to store within an interior cavity one or more components operatively coupled to the equipment to provide goods and/or services complimentary to an inventory of merchandise displayed in proximity to the modular merchandising system. The cabinet assembly includes a first side panel, a second side panel, a front panel, a rear panel, a floor panel and a top panel configured to form the interior cavity. The front panel is coupled to one of the first side panel and the second side panel by one or more hinges such that the front panel may be selectively opened to permit access to the interior cavity. One or more shelves are coupled to interior portions of the first side panel and the second side panel, and extend horizontally therebetween. The shelves to support the components, for example, a printer, scanner and like input and/or output device, positioned thereon. The one or more shelves are selectively positioned at one or more heights within the interior cavity. A support bracket is coupled to sides of each shelf. The support bracket includes two or more fingers disposed along a length thereof that each extend outwardly from the support bracket to engage one of a plurality of slots arranged at various heights in the interior portions of the first side panel and the second side panel, respectively. In one embodiment, a plurality of threaded holes is disposed in proximity to the plurality of slots. The plurality of threaded holes may each receive a fastener that acts to secure the fingers of the support bracket within the slots. In one embodiment, the fastener includes a head that permits tightening and loosing of the fastener without the need for a specialized tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood when the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments given below is considered in conjunction with the figures provided, wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a modular merchandising system configured, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates another modular merchandising system configured, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the merchandising system of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an interior portion of the merchandising system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an interior portion of the merchandising system of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the interior portion of the merchandising system of FIG. 1B having a slide assembly shown in an extended position;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the slide assembly of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a detail view of a support bracket and a shelf installed within the interior portion of the merchandising system of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 8 is a detail view of a fan assembly installed within the interior portion of the merchandising system of FIG. 1B; and

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of a drawer extending from the interior portion of the merchandising system of FIG. 1A.

In these figures like structures are assigned like reference numerals, but may not be referenced in the description of all figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It should be appreciated that while described and illustrated as a modular merchandising system for displaying and offering services related to an inventory of electronic merchandise such as, for example, traditional film and digital photographic products and equipment, e.g., multi-media flash memory cards for digital photography, single use cameras and the like, the scope of the present invention may be varied by those skilled in the art and used as a merchandising system for displaying merchandise and for providing services complimentary to such merchandise in other retail environments.

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2 and 3 illustrate embodiments of a modular merchandising system 10 of the present invention. The modular merchandising system 10 includes a cabinet assembly, shown generally at 20, providing a surface 22 for supporting equipment 80 such as, for example, a computer, and selectively configured to store within an interior cavity 36 one or more components 90 such as, for example, printers, scanners and like input and/or output devices, operatively coupled to the equipment 80 to provide goods and/or services complementary to the inventory of merchandise displayed in proximity to the modular merchandising system 10. The cabinet assembly 20 includes a first side panel 24, a second side panel 26, a front panel 28, a rear panel 30, a floor panel 32 and a top panel 34 configured to form the interior cavity 36. In one embodiment, an exterior portion of the top panel 34 provides the surface 22.

In one embodiment, the front panel 28 is coupled to one of the first side panel 24 and the second side panel 26 by one or more hinges 40 (e.g., two hinges 40 shown in FIG. 1A, while only one hinge 40 is shown in FIG. 1B) such that the front panel 28 may be selectively opened to permit access to the interior cavity 36. In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, one or more shelves 42 are coupled to interior portions 24A and 26A, respectively, of the first side panel 24 and the second side panel 26, and extend horizontally therebetween. In one embodiment, the shelves 42 are formed of relatively heavy duty metal, plastic, or the like, to support the weight of the components 90, for example, a printer, scanner and like input and/or output device, positioned thereon.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the one or more shelves 42 are selectively positioned at one or more heights within the interior cavity 36. For example, a support bracket 50 is coupled to sides of each shelf 42. The support bracket 50 includes two or more fingers 52 disposed along a length thereof that each extend outwardly from the support bracket 50 to engage one of a plurality of slots 24B and 26B arranged at various heights in the interior portions 24A and 26A of the first side panel 24 and the second side panel 26, respectively. In one embodiment, a plurality of threaded holes 24C and 26C are disposed in proximity to the plurality of slots 24B and 26B. The plurality of threaded holes 24C and 26C receive a fastener 60 that acts to secure the fingers 52 of the support bracket 50 within the slot 24B and 26B. In one embodiment, the fastener 60 includes a head 62 that permits tightening and loosing of the fastener 60 without the need for a specialized tool. As should be appreciated, the fingers 52 and slots 24B and 26B combine to provide a first level for securing the support bracket 50 and shelf 42 during adjustment, and the fastener 60 and holes 24C and 26C provide a second level for securing the support bracket 50 and shelf 42. This dual level of fastening is seen to assist personnel doing adjustments in the field by providing a relatively quick first adjustment and fastening method while also providing a safer, more secure second fastening method.

In one embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7, the support bracket 50 may be coupled to a slide assembly 70 such that the shelf 42 may be selectively extended horizontally forward and away from the interior cavity 36 of the cabinet assembly 20 (FIGS. 5 and 6). In this manner, the components 90 that are supported by the shelf 42 may be more readily accessible by, for example, personnel of a retail establishment or other personnel servicing or maintaining the components 90. Once access in no longer needed, the slide assembly 70 may be engaged to reposition the shelf 42 back within the interior cavity 36 (FIGS. 4 and 7). In one embodiment, a support tray 44 is coupled to a surface of the shelf 42. The support tray 44 may be adapted to receive a specific configuration of the component 90 disposed thereon. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the support tray 44 includes one or more protrusions 46 extending upwardly from the shelf 42 such that a component disposed thereon is supported above the surface of the shelf 42 to, for example, accommodate features of the component and/or to provide clearance for air flow under the component, or the like. In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 8, a fan 100 provides an air flow within the interior cavity 36 to cool electronic components disposed therein.

Referring again to FIGS. 1B, 4 and 5, in one embodiment, an interior surface 28A of the front panel 28 includes an output receiving chute 28B and an exterior surface 28C of the front panel 28 includes an output collecting chute 28D. The output receiving chute 28B receives output such as, for example, paper from a printer disposed in the interior cavity 36, and directs the output through an aperture 28E in the front panel 28 to the output collecting chute 28D where it is accessible to a prospective purchaser.

In one embodiment, the cabinet assembly 20 includes one or more drawers 38 (one drawer shown). The drawers 38 may include one or more of the components 90. As shown in FIG. 9, the drawer 38 may be coupled to one of the slide assemblies 70 such that the drawer 38 may be selectively extended horizontally forward and away from the cabinet assembly 20. In this manner, the components 90 that are supported by the drawer 38 may be more readily accessible by personnel of the retail establishment or other personnel servicing or maintaining the components 90. Once access in no longer needed, the slide assembly 70 may be engaged to reposition the drawer 38 back within the cabinet assembly 20. In one embodiment, the support tray 44 may be coupled to a surface of the drawer 38 such that the drawer 38 may be adapted to receive a specific configuration of the component 90 disposed thereon.

In accordance with the present invention, the plurality of components 90 of the merchandising system 10 are operable by, for example, prospective purchasers, to input data, preview, select, edit and output the data as, for example, a photographic image of the data (e.g., duplicate prints), or downloading the inputted and/or edited image data. For example, the components 90 within the interior cavity 36 and/or the drawer 38 may include a printer for outputting data, a scanner for scanning a previously processed photograph and/or document. As can be appreciated, the equipment 80 and the components 90 within the interior cavity 36 and/or the drawer 38 are operatively coupled and provide electronic data so that a prospective consumer may input, preview and edit the electronic data, for example, by enlarging or cropping unwanted portions of an image, enhancing or diminishing color, contrast or the like, adding, changing and deleting text or borders, graphics or otherwise tailoring the image or content of a document, within the retail environment. In one embodiment, the components 90 include output devices such as, for example, the printer and/or high-speed printer, and a disk drive (e.g., optical or digital storage devices such as CD ROM burner, zip or floppy drives) so that consumers may purchase the inputted and/or edited image data in the form of print photograph or image data downloaded onto storage media (e.g., a CD ROM or diskette).

A perceived advantage of the merchandising system, as described herein, is its ability to adapted to a variety of retail environments by accommodating a desired configuration of components and providing services complementary to the inventory of merchandise displayed in proximity thereto. It should be appreciated that a desired configuration of components is achieved with the inventive merchandising system both when the merchandising system is first deployed in the retail environment and when a retailer wishes to change a current configuration to employ an expanded and/or reduced footprint and/or wishes to add, change or remove certain components to adapt the merchandising system to a latest trend in the retail space.

Although described in the context of preferred embodiments, it should be realized that a number of modifications to these teachings may occur to one skilled in the art. Accordingly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A modular merchandising system disposed in a retail environment, the modular merchandising system comprising: a cabinet assembly having a first side panel, a second side panel, a front panel, a rear panel, a floor panel, and a top panel configured to form an interior cavity;the front panel is coupled to one of the first side panel and the second side panel by one or more hinges such that the front panel is selectively opened to permit access to the interior cavity;the first side panel and the second side panel each having a plurality of slots arranged at various heights in interior portions of the first side panel and the second side panel, and a plurality of threaded holes, each hole disposed in proximity to one of the plurality of slots;at least two support brackets, each bracket having two or more fingers disposed along a length of each of the extend outwardly from the support bracket;at least one shelf having a first and a second side, the first side of the shelf coupled to a first of the at least two support brackets and the second side of the shelf coupled to a second of the at least two support brackets, wherein the two or more fingers of the at least two support brackets are selectively securable to the plurality of slots at one or more heights within the interior cavity; anda plurality of fasteners, each fastener being received by one of the threaded holes to secure the fingers of the support bracket within the slots.