Patent Grant
9271584
1. Technical Field
This invention is related to display stands, and, more particularly, to lightweight, portable display stands that may be readily assembled and disassembled without tools.
2. Prior Art
Display stands for exhibiting, among other things, merchandise or other items (together “merchandise”) have been in wide use for many years. Various types of display stands are commonly seen in retail stores such as supermarkets, hardware stores, discount stores, and a multitude of other locations. Display stands may be permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary in nature.
Display stands typically include a perforated, slotted, or gridded support panel configuration that is oriented in a vertical direction, with the front of the panel facing the intended viewers. Perforated, slotted, or gridded vertical panels commonly include slatwall, gridwall, slatgrid, pegboard, or other designs for vertical support panels.
Removable fixtures for exhibiting or displaying merchandise include hooks, braces, shelves, or brackets that are adapted to fit into the perforations, slots, or grids of, or wrap around the support features of, the vertical support panel in a manner wherein the hooks, braces, shelves, or brackets are supported by the vertical support panel. The removable fixtures generally extend more or less outwardly from the front of the vertical support panel. The removable fixtures may be used to exhibit or display the merchandise itself (such as when a hook fits through a hole in the products' packaging to support the package on the hook). Removable fixtures may also, in turn, support shelving, baskets, or other associated support fixtures or accessories (together “accessories”) that may be utilized to display merchandise.
The removable fixtures are commonly designed to be removable and re-arrangeable on the front of the vertical support panel of the display stand so as to promote flexibility in changing or refashioning the arrangement and appearance of merchandise displays.
While some display stands are permanent or semi-permanent, there is often a desire for at least some display stands at a given location to be temporary or portable, or both, in order to promote flexibility in the re-arrangement of the layout and configuration of display stands within the floorspace in that given location, or in multiple locations. Temporary and portable display stands are especially useful in promoting that flexibility.
Temporary and portable display stands are also especially desirable in environments where merchandise display stands are to be set up quickly, sometimes in locations far from the display stands' owner's usual location, displayed for a relatively short time, and then disassembled and removed quickly from that location, sometimes for transport and re-assembly elsewhere, and sometimes for transport and storage (short-term or long-term). The desirability of such temporary and portable display stands, for example, would exist for some display stands used at trade shows, craft shows, art shows, or conventions (together “trade shows”). In those instances, it is often very desirable that display stands be highly portable, be capable of being quickly and easily assembled (very preferably without tools, and with the display stand having minimal parts, to avoid separation and loss of or damage to or by those parts), be lightweight, be sturdy (to withstand the impact of the high volume of people accessing the displayed items at a trade show), be capable of being quickly and easily disassembled, and be easily and neatly packable, storable, and transportable in stored form. It is an unfortunate correspondence that prior art display stands that have been designed to promote portability and have lightweight structures generally are less sturdy, are prone to having many separable parts, and are often difficult to assemble or disassemble quickly (and require tools for such assembly and disassembly).
Accordingly, prior to the invention of the display stand that is described further herein, a need remained for a display stand that included all of the following features, and properties discussed above, in a single display stand unit.
It is an object of this invention to provide a display stand that may be quickly and easily assembled, without tools.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a display stand that, when disassembled, includes very few individual, non-attached parts or sub-assemblies so as to avoid separation, loss, or damage of parts or sub-assemblies during assembly, disassembly, transport, or storage. In particular, in one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the slotted, perforated, or gridded vertical support panel sub-assembly is formed of multiple connected segments to promote portability and easy storage, with the multiple segments of the vertical support panel sub-assembly being hinged to each other to form a one-piece construction, in order to prevent individual segments from being separated from each other, thereby avoiding loss of or damage to the multiple individual segments, and in order to facilitate fast and easy assembly and disassembly as a result of alignment facilitation resulting from the hinged construction. Relatedly, it is an object of the invention to promote easy disassembled stowage and transport of the display stand.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a display stand design that promotes superior stability as compared to prior art portable display stand designs.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a display stand that may also be disassembled quickly and easily, without any tools.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a display stand that, when disassembled, is compact and may, in preferred embodiments, be loaded into a carrying case capable of being carried with a single hand or strapped over a single shoulder so as to be easily stored and transported by a single person in stored form.
The portable display stand of the present invention includes a vertical support panel sub-assembly, preferably split into multiple segments, and more preferably split into two segments (a top panel segment and a bottom panel segment), with the split in the vertical support panel sub-assembly running in the horizontal direction across the face of the vertical support panel sub-assembly, preferably near the vertical mid-point of the vertical support panel sub-assembly. The vertical support panel sub-assembly is perforated, slotted, gridded, or otherwise adapted to accept removable fixtures, such as hooks, braces, shelves, brackets, or other accessories for displaying or exhibiting merchandise.
The vertical support panel sub-assembly is supported at its side edges by first and second vertical braces. The first and second vertical braces are preferably a hollow, tubular construction, and more preferably, constructed of a tubular metal. Preferably, the vertical braces are each split in the horizontal direction at a location that corresponds with the split between the top and bottom segments of the vertical support panel sub-assembly, so as to form a first top brace, a first bottom brace, a second top brace, and a second bottom brace.
The split between the first top brace and the first bottom brace frames a first gap in the first vertical brace. Likewise, the split between the second top brace and the second bottom brace frames a second gap in the second vertical brace. The first top brace includes a hollow tubular portion proximate to the first gap, and the second top brace includes a hollow tubular portion proximate to the second gap. The first bottom brace includes a hollow tubular portion proximate to the first gap, and the second bottom brace includes a hollow tubular portion proximate to the second gap. Furthermore, the first bottom brace includes a hollow tubular portion distal from the first gap, and the second bottom brace includes a hollow tubular portion distal from the second gap.
The first and second vertical braces are each attached to, and preferably permanently attached to, opposite sides of the vertical support panel sub-assembly, such as by welding or soldering, or are each formed integrally with opposite sides of the vertical support panel sub-assembly. The first top vertical brace is attached by a first hinge to the first bottom vertical brace, and the second top vertical brace is attached by a second hinge to the second bottom vertical brace.
The first and second hinges permit folding of the top panel segment and bottom panel segment of the vertical support panel sub-assembly, that is, the hinges permit folding (at the first gap and second gap) of the first top brace and first bottom brace, on the one hand, and the second top brace and second bottom brace, on the other hand, as well as the attached top panel segment and bottom panel segment of the vertical support panel sub-assembly, along the split in the horizontal direction of the panel located at or near the vertical midpoint, allowing compact stowing and easy transport of vertical support panel sub-assembly when folded. The first and second hinges maintain critical alignment of the first top brace and first bottom brace, as well as the second top brace and second bottom brace of the first and second vertical braces, respectively, when the vertical support panel sub-assembly is unfolded (for assembly) so that the first top brace and first bottom brace, on the one hand, and the second top brace and second bottom brace, on the other hand, align without the need for simultaneously visually and manually lining up the first and second top and bottom braces to permit the assembly and stabilization of the first and second vertical braces as discussed further herein. Simultaneously lining up tubular parts during assembly has been a particularly difficult and time consuming task in prior art portable display stands having multiple unconnected tubular parts, and particularly multiple unconnected tubular insertable parts, given the somewhat flexible and unwieldy nature of past designs for portable display stands.
In order to secure the vertical support panel sub-assembly and the first and second vertical braces in the unfolded (assembled) position, the portable display stand includes (preferably two) slideable pin locks (one for the first top brace and first bottom brace, and one for the second top brace and second bottom brace) which, when slid into engagement, fit snugly within the hollow tubular portions (proximate to the first and second gaps) of both the top and bottom braces of the first vertical brace, and both the top and bottom braces of the second vertical brace, respectively, so as to stabilize the top panel segment of the vertical support panel sub-assembly relative to the bottom panel segment of the vertical support panel sub-assembly.
The first and second slideable pin locks each include one or more locking mechanisms (such as bolts) which are preferably able to be hand locked (hand-tightened in the case of bolt locking mechanisms). When the slideable pin locks are in the non-engaged position, the first and second slideable pin locks fit inside of either the hollow tubular portions of the first and second top vertical braces proximate to the first and second gaps, or within the hollow tubular portions of the first and second bottom vertical braces proximate to the first and second gaps, and are secured in the non-engaged position using the locking mechanisms (such as the hand-tightened bolts previously mentioned).
When the vertical support panel sub-assembly is unfolded to the fully opened position and the hollow tubular portions of the first top brace and first bottom brace, and the second top brace and second bottom brace, respectively, are aligned, the slideable pin locks of the first and second vertical braces may be: (1) unlocked from the disengaged position (such as by loosening the hand-tightened bolts); (2) slid and extended partially from within the hollow tubular portions of either the first top brace or first bottom brace portions of the first vertical brace proximate to the first gap (wherever they are optionally situated in the disengaged position), and extended to fit snugly inside of the corresponding opposing hollow tubular portion of the first vertical brace, thereby strengthening and stabilizing the hinged connection of the first top brace and first bottom brace, and, as a result, strengthening and stabilizing the top panel segment and the bottom panel segment of the vertical support panel sub-assembly; (3) slid and extended partially from within the hollow tubular portion of either the second top brace or second bottom brace segments of the second vertical brace proximate to the second gap (where they are situated in the disengaged position), and extended to fit snugly inside of the corresponding opposing hollow tubular portion of the second vertical brace in order to further and similarly strengthen and stabilize the hinged connection of the second top brace and second bottom brace, thereby strengthening and stabilizing the top panel segment and the bottom panel segment of the vertical support panel sub-assembly; and (4) locked in the engaged position (such as by hand-tightening the bolts for the slideable pin locks).
Preferably, a slot is formed in the first and second bottom braces, and in the first and second top braces, to permit movement of the locking mechanisms of the first and second slideable pin locks between the disengaged and engaged positions. Because the first and second slideable pin locks are locked in the disengaged positions when the support panel sub-assembly is in the disassembled folded position, separation and potential loss of these small but critical parts, namely, the first and second slideable pin locks and associated locking mechanisms, especially during disassembly, storage, or transport, is avoided.
First and second leg sub-assemblies preferably include a horizontal leg support and a tubular vertical leg support that are permanently attached to each other, such as by welding or soldering. First and second leg sub-assemblies preferably are made of a tubular metal. First and second leg sub-assemblies may optionally be connected (temporarily or permanently, such as by welding or soldering) to each other before attachment to the vertical support panel sub-assembly, but preferably are not, because connection of the first and second legs to each other would require alignment and attachment of both of the vertical leg supports with the first and second bottom braces of both the first vertical and the second vertical brace simultaneously, a more difficult task than separately aligning and attaching the first and second leg sub-assemblies to the first and second bottom braces, respectively, one at a time. Permanent attachment of the first and second leg sub-assemblies to each other would also render them unwieldy, making the display less portable.
Vertical leg supports extend preferably substantially transversely from at or near the midpoints of the horizontal leg supports. Preferably, leg levelers may be attached to the bottom of the horizontal leg supports. The leg levelers include headless bolts, or other known means, to permit leveling of the leg sub-assemblies on uneven surfaces. The headless bolts terminate in horizontal feet. The headless bolts screw inwardly and unscrew outwardly in their location in the bottoms of the horizontal leg supports and thereby may be shortened or lengthened as needed, by hand, in order to lower or raise the horizontal feet to level the portable display stand for stability. Other attachments (for example, casters) may be connected to the bottom of the horizontal leg supports as substitutes for the leg levelers, or the leg levelers or other attachments may be omitted in their entirety, without departing from the invention.
First and second leg sub-assemblies are attached to the first and second bottom braces, respectively. The tubular vertical leg supports fit snugly within the hollow tubular portions of the ends of the first and second bottom braces that are distal from the first gap and second gap, respectively.
The first and second leg sub-assemblies may then be secured to the hollow tubular portions of the first bottom brace and second bottom brace, respectively, using tool-free attachments. A preferable example of a tool-free attachment for attaching the first and second leg sub-assemblies may be one or more (preferably two) spring-plungers per leg sub-assembly which are preferably permanently attached to the hollow tubular portions of the first and second bottom braces that are distal from the first and second gaps, adjacent to brace apertures, and which, when engaged, cause the tips of plungers to fit through the brace apertures and then into corresponding leg apertures in the vertical leg supports of the first and second leg sub-assemblies. For assembly, the plungers are retracted (such as by pulling by hand) allowing the vertical leg supports to be fully inserted into the hollow tubular portions of the first and second bottom braces that are distal from the first and second gaps, and thereby permitting the leg apertures of the vertical leg supports to become aligned with the brace apertures and plungers. The plungers are then released and a spring bias causes the tips of the plungers to insert through the brace apertures into the corresponding aligned leg apertures, securing the leg sub-assembly in place. For disassembly, the plungers are retracted (by pulling) releasing the leg apertures so that the leg sub-assemblies may be removed (by lifting and sliding) in a tool-free manner. The spring-plungers preferably remain permanently attached to the hollow tubular portions of the first and second bottom braces adjacent to the brace apertures during disassembly.
An alternative tool-free attachment that may be used to secure the vertical leg supports of the first and second leg sub-assemblies to the first and second bottom braces are spring buttons. Spring buttons may be attached to the vertical leg supports (or to the first and second bottom braces) in a manner such that the buttons of the spring plungers engage corresponding apertures in the first and second bottom braces (or in the vertical leg supports). For disassembly, the spring buttons may be depressed, releasing the corresponding apertures of the vertical braces (or vertical leg supports), permitting removal of the leg sub-assemblies in a tool-free manner. The spring buttons are not removed from the leg sub-assemblies (or bottom braces) during disassembly of the portable display stand.
Optimally, a carrying case (preferably made of ballistic nylon or other suitable material) or other container of suitable size is used for stowing the (preferably a maximum of three) sub-assemblies of the portable display stand (the vertical support panel sub-assembly and the two leg sub-assemblies) when they are disassembled from each other. The small number of separate sub-assemblies when disassembled is highly advantageous. No small separable parts are required to be located for assembly or stored following disassembly, avoiding the risk of separation and loss of parts, or damage to or from loose parts, when they are disassembled or stowed. Assembly or disassembly of the portable display stand may occur entirely without tools, and may take place in less than a minute. The display stand, especially when stowed in the carrying case, is highly portable. It may be hand carried in the carrying case, which preferably includes a handle, or the carrying case may include a shoulder strap permitting the person carrying the stowed portable display stand to have his or her hands free for other purposes.
The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Embodiments of the portable display stand 10, described as the invention, are illustrated in
Vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 has a first side 18, a second side 20, a front face 22, a back face 24, a top 26, and a bottom 28. Removable fixtures are generally removably attached or mounted to the front face 22 of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12. When mounted or attached, removable fixtures may extend substantially outwardly from the front face 22 of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Similarly, first vertical brace 30 and second vertical brace 32 are split in the horizontal direction, with each split being at a location that corresponds with the split between the top panel segment 34 and the bottom panel segment 36. Thus, first vertical brace 30 is split into a first top brace 38 and a first bottom brace 40, while second vertical brace 32 is split into a second top brace 42 and second bottom brace 44. The split between the first top brace 38 and the first bottom brace 40 causes a first gap 96 to occur in the first vertical brace 30. Similarly, the split between the second top brace 42 and the second bottom brace 44 causes a second gap 98 to occur in the second vertical brace 32.
The first top brace 38 includes a hollow tubular portion 100 proximate to the first gap 96. The second top brace 42 includes a hollow tubular portion 100 proximate to the second gap 98. The first bottom brace 40 includes a hollow tubular portion 100 proximate to the first gap 96 and a hollow tubular portion 100 distal from the first gap 96. The second bottom brace 42 includes a hollow tubular portion 100 proximate to the second gap 98 and a hollow tubular portion 100 distal from the second gap 98.
Preferably, first top brace 38 is attached near the first gap 96 to first bottom brace 40 by a first hinge 46, and second top brace 42 is attached near the second gap 98 to the second bottom brace 44 by a second hinge 48. First bottom brace 40 and second bottom brace 44 are attached to (and preferably permanently attached to) bottom panel segment 36. First top brace 38 and second top brace 42 are attached to (and preferably permanently attached to) top panel segment 34. Consequently, as more particularly illustrated in
The first hinge 46 and second hinge 48, moreover, serve critical functions during assembly of portable display stand 10. The first and second hinges 46, 48 aid in automatically aligning and partially stabilizing first top brace 38 and second top brace 42 relative to first bottom brace 40 and second bottom brace 44, respectively, when vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 is unfolded. The automatic alignment and stability provided by first and second hinges 46, 48 facilitates the ability to have hollow tubular portion 100 of the first top brace 38 proximate to first gap 96 line up properly with the hollow tubular portion 100 of the first bottom brace 40 proximate to first gap 96, and the hollow tubular portion 100 of second top brace 42 proximate to second gap 98 line up properly with the hollow tubular portion 100 of second bottom brace 44 proximate to second gap 98, so that first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 may slide from their disengaged positions (locked substantially inside of the hollow tubular portion 100 of either first top brace 38 or first bottom brace 40, on the one hand, and inside of the hollow tubular portion 100 either second top brace 42, or second bottom brace 44, on the other), to their engaged positions (extending inside of and bridging the first gap 96 between the hollow tubular portions 100 of the first top brace 38 and first bottom brace 40, on the one hand, and extending inside of and bridging the second gap 98 between the hollow tubular portions 100 of the second top brace 42 and second bottom brace 44, on the other), as is described more fully herein.
As noted previously, first slideable pin lock 52, when in the disengaged position, fits substantially within (and preferably fits snugly within) the interior of hollow tubular portion 100 of first top brace 38 or (optionally) of first bottom brace 40. Similarly, second slideable pin lock 54, in the disengaged position, fits substantially within (and preferably fits snugly within) the interior hollow tubular portion 100 of second top brace 42 or (optionally) of second bottom brace 44.
As such, first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 must have outside dimensions that are smaller than the inside dimensions of the hollow tubular portions 100 of first and second top braces 38, 42 and first and second bottom braces 40, 44, so as to allow the slideable pin locks 52, 54 to slide between their disengaged positions and their engaged positions. On the other hand, the outside dimensions of first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 should fit somewhat snugly within the hollow tubular portions 100 of, respectively, first and second top braces 38, 42 and first and second bottom braces 40, 44 so as to impart substantial stability to the hinged connections between the first top and bottom braces 38, 40 and the second top and bottom braces 42, 44 when the first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 are in the engaged position, as more fully described herein, thus imparting further stability as well to the resulting assembled position of top panel segment 34 and bottom panel segment 36 of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12.
Preferably, as illustrated more particularly in
As previously discussed and as illustrated in
Referring again to
With the hollow tubular portions 100 thus aligned at the first gap 96 and the second gap 98, the first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 may be moved from the disengaged to engaged positions. In order to move first slideable pin lock 52 from the disengaged to engaged position, it must first be unlocked. First locking mechanism 60 is disengaged (such as by unscrewing in the illustrated embodiment where the locking mechanism is a hand-tightened bolt) from the edges of first locking slot 56. First slideable pin lock 52 is now free to slide from the hollow tubular portion 100 in which it is stored during disengagement. The process is repeated for second locking mechanism 62 of second slideable pin lock 54. See
Referring to
Addressing first slideable pin lock 52, for purposes of illustration, it is shown stored substantially within the hollow tubular portion 100 of first top brace 38 when vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 is in the folded, disassembled position (with the understanding that it could be stored in the hollow tubular portion 100 of the first bottom brace 40 without departing from the invention described herein). To secure vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 in the unfolded, assembled position, first slideable pin lock 52 is slid partially from its stored position in the hollow tubular portion 100 of first top brace 38 to extend partially into the hollow tubular portion 100 of first bottom brace 40. While so extended, a substantial portion of first slideable pin lock 52 remains within the hollow tubular portion 100 of first top brace 38. The first slideable pin lock 52 thereby forms a bridge between first top brace 38 and first bottom brace 40. First locking mechanism 60 (which is unlocked or disengaged from first locking slot 56) is provided clearance during sliding by first locking slot 56. After being extended as described above, first locking mechanism 60 is caused to be engaged (such as in the illustrated embodiment by hand-tightening of a bolt so that the head of the bolt engages with the sides of first locking slot 56), locking the first slideable pin lock 52 in the engaged position.
The first slideable pin lock 52, in the extended, engaged position described above, bridges the gap at the hinged connection between first top brace 38 and first bottom brace 40, locking and stabilizing the top panel segment 34 and bottom panel segment 36 of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 in the unfolded, assembled position.
Similarly, second slideable pin lock 54 is shown stored substantially within the hollow tubular portion 100 of second top brace 42 when top panel segment 34 and bottom panel segment 36 of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 are in the folded, disassembled position (under the same understanding discussed above). To further secure vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 in the unfolded, assembled position, second slideable pin lock 54 slides partially from its stored position in the hollow tubular portion 100 of second top brace 42 to extend partially into the hollow tubular portion 100 of second bottom brace 44, while a substantial portion of second slideable pin lock 54 remains within the hollow tubular portion 100 of second top brace 42. Second locking slot 58 provides clearance for second locking mechanism 62 to slide between the two positions described above. With second slideable pin lock 54 in the extended position described above, second locking mechanism 62 is caused to be engaged (in the illustrated embodiment, the bolt that is illustrated as the example of the second locking mechanism 62 is hand-tightened so that its head engages the sides of second locking slot 58), locking second slideable pin lock 54 in its extended, engaged position.
Second slideable pin lock 54 similarly bridges the second gap 98 at the hinged connection, this time between second top brace 42 and second bottom brace 44, further locking and providing enhanced stability to top panel segment 34 and bottom panel segment 36 of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 in the unfolded, assembled position.
It is noteworthy and highly advantageous that assembly or disassembly of the vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 requires no addition to or dismantling of extra or loose parts from the vertical support panel sub-assembly 12. It is likewise noteworthy and desirable that the vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 may be assembled entirely by hand, without the necessity or employment of any tools.
The vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 discussed above is one of only three sub-assemblies (maximum) that combine to form portable display stand 10. The other two sub-assemblies are first leg sub-assembly 64 and second leg assembly 66, described more fully below.
Referring to
Preferably, leg levelers 72 are attached to the bottom of horizontal leg support 68. Leg levelers may take many known forms, but one preferred form includes a headless bolt 74 terminating in horizontal feet 76. Preferably two leg levelers 72 may be connected to the bottom of horizontal leg support 68 by screwing or unscrewing the headless bolts 74 of horizontal leg support 68 to the extent desired to shorten or lengthen leg levelers 72 as needed to cause horizontal feet 76 to permit leveling of the first leg sub-assembly 64 on uneven surfaces. Casters (not shown) or other attachments may be attached to first horizontal leg sub-assembly 64 in lieu of leg levelers 72, or the leg levelers 72 may be omitted in their entirety, without departing from the invention.
Vertical leg support 70 of first leg sub-assembly 64 preferably extends from at or near the midpoint of horizontal leg support 68. Referring to
Tool-free attachments are preferably used to attach first leg sub-assembly 64 to either first bottom brace 40 or second bottom brace 44. As previously discussed, while a variety of tool-free attachments are suitable for attaching first leg sub-assembly 64 to either first or second bottom braces 40, 44, the preferred tool-free attachments would include spring-plungers 82.
Referring to
Referring to
Second leg sub-assembly 66 preferably may be constructed in substantially the same manner as first leg sub-assembly 64, and may be (and preferably is) interchangeable therewith. Second leg sub-assembly 66 may be attached to first or second bottom brace 40, 44 (whichever brace is not attached to first leg sub-assembly 64) in the same manner described above for first leg sub-assembly 64.
First and second leg sub-assemblies 64, 66 are two of a total of only three (maximum) sub-assemblies that combine to form portable display stand 10. As described, first and second leg sub-assemblies 64, 66 may be assembled to the remaining third sub-assembly, namely, the vertical support panel sub-assembly 12, without requiring the addition of any extra loose parts. Moreover, assembly of and disassembly of the three sub-assemblies may occur entirely without tools.
Referring to
The invention described above simultaneously meets a number of previous needs in the marketplace. The portable display stand 10 may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled, entirely without tools. This is highly advantageous especially when the portable display stand 10 is being transported to and erected at a remote location, such as a trade show. The user of the portable display stand 10 is not required, in addition to transporting the portable display stand 10, to bring a number of different tools or a heavy tool box, with the extra effort and expense (such as baggage fees) that may entail in traveling to a remote location.
The portable display stand 10 of the present invention is compact, and may easily fit in a compact carrying case 50. It may thereby be easily transported by hand (using a handle or shoulder strap) or in a more convenient hands-free manner (using shoulder strap 92). It is highly compact in the folded, disassembled condition due to the split, hinged construction of vertical support panel sub-assembly 12. On the other hand, the first and second hinges 46, 48 and first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 impart considerable stability to the folding structure of the vertical support panel sub-assembly 12. Moreover, the three (maximum) sub-assembly construction of the preferred embodiment avoids loss of small pieces or damage to the individual components that often occurs during transport or storage when a larger number of smaller or loose pieces required for assembly and disassembly are transported in a container.
Moreover, the hinged construction of the multi-segment vertical support panel sub-assembly 12 greatly facilitates alignment and stabilization of the panel during assembly, which greatly speeds the assembly process. Unlike prior art display stands, the user-friendly portable display stand 10 of this invention may be completely assembled, even by an inexperienced user, in less than a minute, largely due to the stabilization and superior alignment imparted by first and second hinges 46, 48 and first and second slideable pin locks 52, 54 in combination with the tool-free assembly described herein.
Finally, tool-free assembly and disassembly of portable display stand 10 carries other benefits as well, especially in the context of trade shows or exhibitions. Exhibition halls and convention centers often have strict rules requiring that when assembly and disassembly of displays and other fixtures require the use of tools, the work is not permitted to be performed by the exhibitor, but must instead be performed by exhibition hall/convention center tradesmen, at a cost, often a considerable cost, to the exhibitor. By eliminating the need for tools during assembly and disassembly of one or more portable display stands 10, the requirement for hiring exhibition hall/convention center tradesmen may be avoided, and the exhibitor may assemble the portable display stands 10 himself or herself, without using tools, thereby realizing a considerable cost savings. Thus, the invention described herein, due to its advantages, would constitute a highly productive addition to the user's inventory of displays.
While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that modifications and changes may be made by skilled practitioners without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims. In particular, it is to be realized that optimal dimensional relationships for the components of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, and manner of operation.
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| Specialty Store Services, Inc.; “Grid & Go Display”(p. 35); published in Specialty Store Services, Store Fixtures and Supplies, Growing Your Business is Our Business; Catalog # 9023 published Feb. 8, 2013 (USA). |
