FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to a display for merchandise.
BACKGROUND
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art. In self-service retail establishments, such as grocery stores and the like, articles are usually presented using a variety of displays. Manipulating the environment for a certain merchandise may be desirable for improving consumer appeal and improving access to the merchandise. However, many displays are limited in this regard and/or do not allow for such versatility. These shortcomings are addressed by the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
One aspect of the disclosure provides a product display assembly. The product display assembly includes a frame, a support deck pivotally coupled to the frame, one or more support panels removably attached to the support deck and including an array of apertures formed therethrough, and one or more modular units configured to engage with the array of apertures of each of the one or more support panels.
Implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some examples, the frame includes one or more attachment rails, and each of the support panels includes a bottom side defining one or more attachment channels configured to engage with the one or more attachment rails.
In some further examples, one or more attachment rails includes two attachment rails that are arranged in an upper half of the frame and two attachment rails that are arranged in a lower half of the frame.
In some implementations, the one or more modular units includes a first modular unit having a tray frame that is couplable with the one or more support panels and configured to support a removable tray.
In some configurations, the one or more modular units includes a second modular unit having a top side and a bottom side, the top side including a plurality of cradles, and the bottom side configured to be engaged with the one or more support panels.
In some other examples, the one or more modular units includes a third modular unit having a body. The body includes a primary panel having a first outer side for supporting merchandise and a first inner side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels. The body also includes a secondary panel coupled to the primary panel. The secondary panel has a second outer side for supporting merchandise and a second outer side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels.
In some other implementations, the third modular unit further includes a body slot in the primary panel of the body.
In some other configurations, the third modular unit is operable to be arranged in a first orientation or a second orientation.
In some other examples, the third modular unit further comprises a guard configured to be selectively attached to the body slot.
Another aspect of the disclosure provides a product display assembly. The product display assembly includes a frame, a support deck pivotally coupled to the frame, one or more support panels each removably attached to the support deck and including a slot disposed adjacent to a first end, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a bridge plate, a first wing pivotally coupled to a first side of the bridge plate, and a second wing pivotally coupled to a second side of the bridge plate, wherein one of the first wing or the second wing are engaged with the slot of the one or more support panels.
Implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some examples, the first wing of the locking mechanism includes a tongue extending outwardly from a distal edge of the first wing and a tooth extending from the tongue in a direction parallel to the distal edge of the first wing.
In some further examples, the tongue is received in the slot of the one or more support panels and a portion of the one or more support panels is received in a gap defined between the tooth and the distal edge of the first wing.
In some implementations, the frame includes one or more attachment rails and each of the support panels includes a bottom side defining one or more attachment channels configured to engage with the one or more attachment rails.
In some further implementations, the one or more support panels each include a first end, a second end disposed at an opposite end from the first end, a top side, and a bottom side. Each support panel includes an array of apertures extending from the top side through the bottom side, at least one slot near the first end.
In some configurations, the product display assembly includes a first modular unit having a tray frame that is couplable with the one or more support panels and configured to support a removable tray.
In some other examples, the product display assembly includes a second modular unit having a top side and a bottom side, the top side including a plurality of cradles, and the bottom side configured to be engaged with the one or more support panels.
In some other implementations, the product display assembly includes a third modular unit having a body. The body includes a primary panel having a first outer side for supporting merchandise and a first inner side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels. The body also includes a secondary panel coupled to the primary panel. The secondary panel has a second outer side for supporting merchandise and a second outer side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels.
In some other configurations, the third modular unit includes a body slot in the primary panel of the body.
In some other examples, the third modular unit is operable to be arranged in a first orientation or a second orientation.
Yet another aspect of the disclosure provides a product display system. The system includes a first frame and a first support deck pivotally coupled to the first frame and configured to move between a first orientation and a second orientation, a second product display assembly including a second frame and a second support deck pivotally coupled to the second frame and configured to move between the first orientation and the second orientation, and a locking mechanism including a first wing coupled to the first support deck and a second wing coupled to the second support deck, the locking mechanism configured to move between the first configuration and the second configuration with the first support deck and the second support deck.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
DRAWINGS
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a product display assembly including a frame and a support deck according to an example of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the product display assembly of FIG. 1 including one or more modular units according to an example of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the product display assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the product display assembly of FIG. 1 with one or more support panels removed;
FIG. 5A is a front view of a support panel of the product display assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5B is a rear view of the support panel of FIG. 5A;
FIG. 5C is a side view of the support panel of FIG. 5A;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the product display assembly of FIG. 1 and illustrating the support deck exploded from the frame;
FIG. 7 is a detailed view of a locking mechanism of the product display assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism of the product display assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism and the product display assembly of FIG. 2 taken at line 9-9;
FIG. 10 is a side view of the product display assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the product display assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a first modular unit coupled to the support deck of the product display assembly of FIG. 1 and illustrating a removable tray exploded from a frame;
FIG. 13A is a perspective view of a second modular unit arranged on the support deck of the product display assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 13B is a side view of the second modular unit arranged on the support deck of the product display assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 14A is a perspective view of a plurality of third modular s arranged on the support deck of the product display assembly of FIG. 11;
FIG. 14B is a front view of the third modular unit of the product display assembly of FIG. 11; and
FIG. 14C is a bottom view of the third modular unit of the product display assembly of FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and the example configurations should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example of a retail environment including pair of product or merchandise display assemblies 10 is generally shown. As shown, the environment includes a pair of the product display assemblies 10 joined together by a plurality of locking mechanisms 400 to form a modular retail display system 1000. However, as discussed below, the product display assemblies 10 may be provided within the retail environment as standalone structures. The retail display system 1000 and/or the product display assemblies 10 may be located in a store or other suitable location where consumers are able to purchase merchandise. Each product display may include a front side 12 and a rear side 14 spaced disposed on an opposite side from the front side 12. The product display assembly 10 may also include a first or right side 16 and second or left side 18 spaced laterally from the first side 16. A lower portion 20 of the product display assembly 10 may be spaced vertically from an upper portion 22 of the product display assembly 10.
The product display assembly 10 may include a frame 100, an adjustable arm 200, a support deck 300, one or more locking mechanisms 400, and one or more modular units 500 (FIG. 2). In operation, any suitable merchandise may be arranged on or within one of the one or more modular units 500. The modular units 500 include one or more configurations and are selectively positionable on the support deck 300, which may be desirable to enhance consumer appeal and increase access to products or merchandise within a store, for example.
With reference to FIG. 3, the frame 100 is shown including a front support member 102 and a rear support member 104 extending between the first side 16 and the second side 18. The frame 100 may also include a first side support member 106 and a second side support member 108 coupled to and extending between the front and rear support members 102, 104. The first side 16 of the frame 100 includes a front vertical support arm 110, a middle vertical support arm 112, and a rear vertical support arm 114 coupled to a portion of the first side support member 106 and extending between the lower portion 20 and the upper portion 22. Likewise, the second side 18 of the frame 100 includes a front vertical support arm 116, a middle vertical support arm 118, and a rear vertical support arm 120 coupled to a portion of the second side support members 108 and extending between the lower portion 20 and the upper portion 22. An upper support member 122 may be coupled to the front, middle, and rear support arms 110, 112, 114 on the first side 16 and extend between the front side 12 and the rear side 14. Another upper support member 124 may be coupled to the front, middle, and rear support arms 116, 118, 120 on the second side 18 and extend between the front side 12 and the rear side 14. Additional intermediate support members 126, 128 may be coupled to the vertical support arms 110, 112 and intermediate support members 130, 132 may be coupled to the vertical support arms 116, 118. A front cross member 134 may be coupled to the support arms 122, 124 and extend between the first side 16 and the second side 18. A rear cross member 136 may be coupled to the rear vertical support arms 114, 120 and extend between the first side 16 and second side 18. Adjustable arm locks 138, 140 may be arranged on either side of the rear cross member 136 and between the cross member 136 and the support arms 114, 120. The adjustable arm locks 138, 140 may be desirable for limiting outward movement of the adjustable arm 200 in the lateral direction which will be discussed in more detail below. The frame 100 may be equipped with one or more casters or wheel assemblies 142 so that the product display assembly 10 may be movable. For instance, the casters 142 may be coupled to the front and rear support members 102, 104.
With continued reference to FIG. 3, the adjustable arm 200 is shown including arms 202 each having a proximal end 206 pivotally attached at the support deck 300 and a distal end 204 disposed at an opposite end from the proximal end 206. The arms 202 include a plurality of adjustment rungs 208a-208c spaced along a length of each arm 202 between the proximal end 206 and the distal end 204, which may be desirable for adjusting the height or orientation (i.e., incline) of the support deck 300. Each of the adjustment rungs 208a-208c may engage with and gain support from the rear cross member 136 depending on the desired height of the support deck 300. In the present illustrative example, the arms 202 are spaced laterally and an upper cross member 210 and lower cross member 212 are coupled to the arms 202.
With reference again to FIG. 1, the support deck 300, also called a display support deck, is shown including one or more support panels 302 coupled to a support deck frame 304. Each support panel 302 may have a first end 306 spaced longitudinally from a second end 308 and a first or right side 310 spaced laterally from a second or left side 312, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The support panel 302 may also have a thickness 314 arranged between a top side 316 (FIG. 5A) and a bottom side 318 (FIG. 5B). The bottom side 318 may include a reinforcement lattice 319 including a plurality of lateral and longitudinal ribs to increase strength and minimize flex along and across the length and width of the support panel 302. As shown in FIG. 5B, the reinforcement lattice 319 may be spaced inwardly with respect to the sides 310, 312 of the support panel 302, thereby providing exposed portions of the bottom side 318 which may engage corresponding support rails of the frame 100. With reference to FIG. 5B, each support panel 302 may include at least one channel on the bottom side 318. For example, the at least one channel may include a first or upper channel 320 and a second or lower channel 322 that each extend along a direction from the first side 310 and the second side 312 of the support panel 302. The first channel 320 may be spaced longitudinally from the second channel 322 and correspond with one or more portions of the support deck frame 304, as best shown in FIG. 3.
Each support panel 302 may have an array of apertures 324 that correspond with one or more attachments of the modular units 500, which will be discussed in more detail below. The apertures 324 may extend through thickness of the support panel 302 from the top side to the back side 318 to establish a point of attachment, for example. Each support panel 302 may also include one or more slots for attachment, for instance, a slot 326 is arranged near the first end 306 of the support panel 302. As will be discussed in more detail below, the slot 326 may be configured so that a portion of the locking mechanism 400 may be inserted and engage with the slot 326 for coupling two product display assemblies 10 together (FIG. 2).
With reference to FIG. 4, the support deck frame 304 of support deck 300 may include support members 328, 330 spaced laterally from one another and coupled together with a first or lower cross member 332 and a second or upper cross member 334. In the illustrative example, the first cross member 332 is coupled to the support members 328, 330 at an intermediate portion such that the support deck frame 304 may be described as including an upper frame half 336 and a lower frame half 338. The second cross member 334 may be coupled to the support members 328, 330 on the upper frame half 336 of the support deck frame 304. Attachment rails 340 may be arranged in the upper half 336 and lower half 338 and coupled to the support members 328, 330. In the illustrated example, a first pair of attachment rails 340 may be positioned in the upper half 336 and a second pair of attachment rail is positioned in the lower half 338 such that they correspond with the first and second channels 320, 322 arranged on the bottom side 318 of the one or more support panels 302. In other words, two attachment rails 340 may be arranged in the upper half 336 and spaced longitudinally to align with the first and second channels 320, 322 and provide support for the one or more support panels 302, and two attachment rails 340 may be arranged in the lower half 336 and spaced longitudinally to align with the first and second channels 320, 322 and provide support for the one or more support panels 302.
As shown in FIG. 6, the support panels 302 may be arranged on and/or coupled to the support deck frame 304 in a manner which covers a top side of the support deck frame 304 so that the support deck 300 appears frameless from a front or top view. While the present example includes four support panels 302 arranged on the upper half 336 of the support deck frame 304 and four support panels 302 arranged on the lower half 338 of the support deck frame 304, other arrangements are possible depending on the desired size of the support deck frame 304 and/or the support panels 302. For instance, the product display assembly 10 may be arranged such that there are two support panels 302 arranged on the upper half 336 and two support panels 302 arranged on the lower half 338, for example. Likewise, the product display assembly 10 may be arranged to accommodate more than four support panels 302 on the upper and lower halves 336, 338 of the support deck frame 304 or arranged to accommodate n-number of support panels 302 on the upper and lower halves 336, 338 of the support deck frame 304.
In the illustrative example shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of upper support panels 302, 302a-302d are arranged on the upper half 336 of the support deck frame 304 and a plurality of lower support panels 302, 302e-302h are arranged on the lower half 338 of the support deck frame 304. The support panel 302a is coupled to the support deck frame 304 such that the first side 310a is flush with and/or adjacent to a portion of the support member 330. The second side 312a of the support panel 302a is adjacent and/or in contact with the first side 310b of the support panel 302b. The second side 312b of the second support panel 302b is adjacent and/or in contact with the first side 310c of the support panel 302c. The second side 312c of the support panel 302c is adjacent and/or in contact with the first side 310d of support panel 302d. The support panel 302d is coupled to the support deck frame 304 so that the second side 312d is flush with and/or is adjacent to a portion of the support member 328. The support panel 302e is coupled to the support deck frame 304 such that the first side 310e is flush with and/or is adjacent a portion of the support member 328. The first end 306e of support panel 302e is adjacent and/or in contact with the first end 306d of the support panel 302d. The second side 312e is adjacent or in contact with the first side 310f of the support panel 302f. The first end 306f of support panel 302f is adjacent and/or in contact with the first end 306c of support panel 302c. The second side 312f is adjacent and/or in contact with the first side of 310g of the support panel 302g. The first end 306g of support panel 302g is adjacent and/or in contact with the first end 306b of support panel 302b. The second side of 312g is adjacent and/or in contact with the first side 310e of the support panel 302e. The support panel 302e is coupled to the support deck frame 304 such that the second side 312e is in-line with and/or adjacent a portion of the support member 330.
In assembly, with reference to FIG. 9, the support deck 300 may be coupled to the frame 100 and the adjustable arm 200. More specifically, for example, the lower half 338 of the support deck frame 304 may be pivotally coupled to the support arms 110, 116 of the frame 100 with fasteners (e.g., nuts and bolts) and the proximal end 206 of the arms 202 may be pivotally coupled to the upper half 336 of the support deck frame 304 with fasteners (e.g., nuts and bolts). Thus, when the arms 202 of the adjustable arm 200 are adjusted with respect to the rear cross member 136, the support deck 300 may rotate, at least partially, about axis A300 (FIG. 3) so that the height or orientation of the support deck 300 may be adjusted.
Now with reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, several locking mechanisms 400 are shown coupling two of the product display assemblies 10 together. With reference to FIG. 8, the locking mechanism 400 is shown including a bridge plate 402, a first wing 404, and a second wing 406. The first wing 404 includes a proximal edge 405a pivotally coupled to the bridge plate 402 along a first axis 408 so that the first wing 404 may at least partially rotate about the first axis 408 with respect to the bridge plate 402, as shown in FIG. 8. The second wing 406 includes a proximal edge 407a pivotally coupled to the bridge plate 402 at a second axis 410 so that the second wing 406 may at least partially rotate about the second axis 410 with respect to the plate 402. The first and second axes 408, 410 are parallel to each other. The first wing 404 may include a tongue 412 which extends from a distal edge 405b of the first wing 404, orthogonally to the first axis 408, and includes a tooth 414 which extends axially from the tongue 412 parallel to the first axis 408. The second wing 406 may include a tongue 416 which extends from a distal edge 407b of the second wing 406, orthogonally to the second axis 410, and includes a tooth 418 which extends axially from the tongue 416 parallel the second axis 410 and in the same direction as the tooth 414. Thus, the teeth 414, 416 are each spaced apart from the respective distal edges of the wings 404, 406, thereby forming a gap or recess 415, 417 between the tooth 414, 416 and the corresponding wing 404, 406. The gap 415, 417 is configured to receive or engage with a portion of one of the support panels 302 when the locking mechanism 400 is assembled to the support deck 300.
In assembly, with reference to FIG. 10, two product display assemblies 10 may be arranged adjacent one another (i.e., back-to-back) when the support decks 300 are in a lowered position and the locking mechanisms 400 may be arranged in the slots 326 of opposing support panels 302. As indicated above, the locking mechanism 400 will connect and/or couple two opposing support panels 302. Once the locking mechanisms 400 are arranged in the opposing support panels 302, the height of the support decks 300 of the product display assemblies 10 may be adjusted together and lowered together by manipulating the respective adjustable arms 200. For example, referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, when the two product display assemblies 10 are assembled with the locking mechanisms 400 and the support decks 300 of the respective product display assemblies 10 are in the elevated configuration (FIG. 9), the wings 404, 406 are engaged with the slots 326 of the support panels 302 and are pivoted inwardly at an oblique angle relative to the bridge plate. When the support decks 300 of the respective product display assemblies 10 are moved to the lowered (i.e., level) configuration, the wings 404, 406 remain engaged with the slots 326 of the support panels 302 and pivot outwardly, thereby maintaining the product display assemblies in a coupled relationship with each other and providing a continuous support surface between the product display assemblies 10.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 11, one or more modular units 500 may be arranged on the support deck 300. The modular units 500 may include a first modular unit or tray 510, a second modular unit or trough 520, and a third modular unit or shelf 530, for example. Each of these modular units 500 will be discussed in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 12-14.
With reference to FIG. 12, the first modular unit or tray 510 is shown including a tray frame 512 coupled to the support panel 302 and configured for a removable tray 514. The tray frame 512 may have attachments (i.e., pegs) 516, 518 that can be inserted into the apertures 324 of the support panel 302. A portion of the tray frame 512 may rest against the top side 316 support panel 302 so that the tray frame 512 can support the removable tray 514 and merchandise arranged in and/or atop of the removable tray 514.
With reference to FIGS. 13A-13B, the second modular unit or trough 520 is shown arranged on the support deck 300. In the illustrated example, as shown in FIG. 13B, the trough 520 has a top side 522 and a bottom side 524 that faces one or more of the support panels 302 when the trough 520 is assembled to the support deck 300. The top side 522 includes one or more cradles 526 each defined by an arcuate or convex surface 527 configured for receiving corresponding merchandise on the trough 520. In the illustrated example, the cradles 526 are sized to receive bananas, but other sizes and configurations may be selected for receiving other elongate or rounded foods. While the illustrated troughs 520 are shown having four cradles 526, the top side 522 may also be configured to include more cradles 526 or less cradles 526. The trough 520 is shown arranged along the length of two adjacent upper and lower support panels 302, however, while it is not readily shown in the figures, the trough 520 may also be configured with a reduced length so that it can be arranged on only one of the support panels 302. The trough 520 may be a uniform and/or unitary piece of material, as shown in FIG. 13A. Additionally, the trough 520 may be made of a foam material and/or of a material that prevents damage to merchandise that is arranged on the trough 520, for example. With reference to FIG. 13B, one or more divider openings 528 may be arranged on the bottom side 524 of each trough 520 along a length of the trough 520. The divider openings 528 are formed as recesses or notches along each side of the trough 520 and are configured to receive or mate with a corresponding tab 570 (FIG. 7) of one of the dividers 568. When assembled, the divider tabs 570 are received within the divider openings 528 between the trough 520 and the support panel 302 to secure the dividers 568 on the support deck 300. Optionally, a lateral position of each divider 568 may be adjusted relative to the troughs 302 by sliding the dividers 568 in and out of the divider openings 528, thereby allowing an functional width (i.e., distance between opposing dividers 568) to be adjusted to accommodate different widths of foods.
With reference to FIGS. 14A-14C, the third modular unit or shelf 530 is shown arranged on the support deck 300. The shelf 530 may include a body 532 and a detachable guard 534, as shown in FIG. 14B. The body 532 includes a primary panel 536 and a secondary panel 538 coupled to the primary panel 536. The primary panel 536 is shown having a outer side 540 which may support merchandise and an inner side 542 (FIG. 14C) which is configured with one or more attachments 544 (i.e., pegs) for coupling the shelf 530 to the support panel 302. The secondary panel 538 is shown having an outer side 546 and an inner side 548 (FIG. 14C) which may be configured with one or more of the attachments 344 for coupling the shelf 530 to the support panel 302. The shelf 530 may further include a first side 550 and a second side 552 each connected the primary panel 536 and the secondary panel 538 to enclose opposite sides of the shelf 530, respectively. The first side 550 and the second side 552 may each include divider openings 554 similar to the divider openings 524 discussed previously with respect to the trough 520. As best shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C, a body slot 556 may be arranged through the primary panel 534 adjacent to the 534 and the secondary panel 536 of the shelf 530.
With reference to FIG. 14B, the guard 534 includes a main body 558 that has a lip 560 with tooth 562 extending from the lip 560. The guard 534 may be arranged in the body slot 556 or the slot 326 of the support panel 302 and the arrangement and/use of the guard 534 may depend on how the shelf 530 is oriented on the support deck 300. For instance, in FIG. 14A, the shelf 530 is arranged in a first orientation 564 (e.g., shelf 530 on the left) or a second orientation 566 (e.g., shelf 530 on the right). In the first orientation 564, a first shelf 530a is arranged on the support panel 302 with the primary panel 536 facing the front side 12 and the secondary panel 538 facing rearward, whereby the secondary panel 538 is oriented perpendicular to the top side 316 of the support panel 302. Thus, in the first orientation, the secondary panel 538 provides an inclined step relative to level, whereby the secondary panel 538 functions as a stop for stacking and retaining certain types of irregular or unpackaged foods (e.g., grapes, loose vegetables) on the support deck 300. As shown, another shelf 530b may be arranged above the first shelf 530a on the same support panel 302 such that merchandise may be arranged on and/or between the secondary panel 538 of the first shelf 530a and the primary panel 536 of the second shelf 530b.
In the second orientation 566 a third shelf 530c is arranged on another support panel 302 with the secondary panel 538 facing the front side 12 and primary panel 536 facing generally rearward, whereby the guard 534 is arranged in the slot 556 of the shelf 530c. In the second orientation, the primary panel 536 of the third shelf 530c is in a horizontal orientation (i.e., level), whereby produce can be stacked upon the primary panel 536 without support from adjacent ones of the shelves 530. This configuration is particularly useful for self-stacking merchandise, like cartons or boxes. A fourth shelf 530d may arranged above the third shelf 530c on the same support panel 302.
In assembly, as shown in FIG. 11, the modular units 500 may be arranged as shown or may be arranged one of many other arrangements. The arrangements of the modular units 500 is not limited to the arrangements shown throughout the FIGS. For instance, the product display support deck 10 may be arranged with only the first modular units 510, the second modular units 520, or third modular units 530, as shown in FIG. 2. The product display support deck 10 may be arranged with a combination of the first, second, and third modular units 510, 520, 530, as shown in FIG. 11. As shown throughout the figures, dividers may be arranged between the modular units 500 or on the sides of support deck 300 to separate and/or contain merchandise arranged on the support deck 300.
The following Clauses provide an exemplary configuration for the product display assembly described above.
Clause 1: A product display assembly including a frame, a support deck pivotally coupled to the frame, one or more support panels removably attached to the support deck and including an array of apertures formed therethrough, and one or more modular units configured to engage with the array of apertures of each of the one or more support panels.
Clause 2: The product display assembly of Clause 1, wherein the frame includes one or more attachment rails and each of the support panels includes a bottom side defining one or more attachment channels configured to engage with the one or more attachment rails.
Clause 3: The product display assembly of Clause 2, wherein the one or more attachment rails comprises two attachment rails that are arranged in an upper half of the frame and two attachment rails that are arranged in a lower half of the frame.
Clause 4: The product display assembly of Clause 1, wherein the one or more modular units includes a first modular unit having a tray frame that is couplable with the one or more support panels and configured to support a removable tray.
Clause 5: The product display assembly of Clause 1, wherein the one or more modular units includes a second modular unit having a top side and a bottom side, the top side including a plurality of cradles, and the bottom side configured to be engaged with the one or more support panels.
Clause 6: The product display assembly of Clause 1, wherein the one or more modular units includes a third modular unit having a body including a primary panel having a first outer side for supporting merchandise and a first inner side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels, and a secondary panel coupled to the primary panel, the secondary panel having a second outer side for supporting merchandise and a second outer side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels.
Clause 7: The product display assembly of Clause 6, wherein the third modular unit further includes a body slot in the primary panel of the body.
Clause 8: The product display assembly of Clause 7, wherein the third modular unit is operable to be arranged in a first orientation or a second orientation.
Clause 9: The product display assembly of Clause 8, wherein the third modular unit further comprises a guard configured to be selectively attached to the body slot.
Clause 10: A product display assembly including a frame, a support deck pivotally coupled to the frame, one or more support panels each removably attached to the support deck and including a slot disposed adjacent to a first end, and a locking mechanism including a bridge plate, a first wing pivotally coupled to a first side of the bridge plate, and a second wing pivotally coupled to a second side of the bridge plate, wherein one of the first wing or the second wing are engaged with the slot of the one or more support panels.
Clause 11: The product display assembly of Clause 10, wherein the first wing of the locking mechanism includes a tongue extending outwardly from a distal edge of the first wing and a tooth extending from the tongue in a direction parallel to the distal edge of the first wing.
Clause 12: The product display assembly of Clause 11, wherein the tongue is received in the slot of the one or more support panels and a portion of the one or more support panels is received in a gap defined between the tooth and the distal edge of the first wing.
Clause 13: The product display assembly of Clause 10, wherein the frame includes one or more attachment rails and each of the support panels includes a bottom side defining one or more attachment channels configured to engage with the one or more attachment rails.
Clause 14: The product display assembly of Clause 13, wherein (i) the one or more support panels each include a first end, a second end disposed at an opposite end from the first end, a top side, and a bottom side, and (ii) each support panel includes an array of apertures extending from the top side through the bottom side, at least one slot near the first end.
Clause 15: The product display assembly of Clause 10, further comprising a first modular unit having a tray frame that is couplable with the one or more support panels and configured to support a removable tray.
Clause 16: The product display assembly of Clause 10, further comprising a second modular unit having a top side and a bottom side, the top side including a plurality of cradles, and the bottom side configured to be engaged with the one or more support panels.
Clause 17: The product display assembly of Clause 10, further comprising a third modular unit having a body including a primary panel having a first outer side for supporting merchandise and a first inner side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels, and a secondary panel coupled to the primary panel, the secondary panel having a second outer side for supporting merchandise and a second outer side with one or more attachments for coupling the body to one of the one or more support panels.
Clause 18: The product display assembly of Clause 17, wherein the third modular unit further includes a body slot in the primary panel of the body.
Clause 19: The product display assembly of Clause 18, wherein the third modular unit is operable to be arranged in a first orientation or a second orientation.
Clause 20: A retail display system including a first product display assembly including a first frame and a first support deck pivotally coupled to the first frame and configured to move between a first orientation and a second orientation, a second product display assembly including a second frame and a second support deck pivotally coupled to the second frame and configured to move between the first orientation and the second orientation, and a locking mechanism including a first wing coupled to the first support deck and a second wing coupled to the second support deck, the locking mechanism configured to move between the first configuration and the second configuration with the first support deck and the second support deck.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, attached, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed herein could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.
The foregoing description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
Patent Application
20250213055
