Information
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Patent Grant
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6176377
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Patent Number
6,176,377
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Date Filed
Wednesday, August 18, 199925 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, January 23, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
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Original Assignees
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Examiners
- Stodola; Daniel P.
- Novosad; Jennifer E.
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 211 411
- 211 706
- 211 45
- 211 50
- 211 4112
- 211 4118
- 211 8801
- 211 9001
- 206 454
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A rack for supporting at least one abrasive generally circular disc on a conventional display stand, wherein each disc has two faces and a continuous edge includes a pair of rack support rails which co-extend alongside one another in a spaced relation of a distance less than a diameter of the disc and at least one of the rails includes a raised ridge surface. When the disc is disposed such that its edge contacts the rails and the disc is supported by the rails, the disc is positionably retained by the ridge along a predetermined area of the rail.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of display racks. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the invention relates to a rack for supporting abrasive discs or the like on a conventional display stand.
2. Related Art
There exist a number of display stands for displaying abrasive discs, wheels, paper and the like. Most commonly, these goods are placed flat on a shelf in a stacked manner and slidably removed from the shelf. Another common method of displaying such goods is to attached the goods within a packaging material having a tab portion with an eyelet therein such that the goods hang on a peg board type stand.
Some of these goods, e.g., abrasive discs, are heavy and are relatively limited in number of units which can be horizontally displayed on a peg board type stand. Such goods can be stacked in large numbers on a shelf in a flat manner, this is not as preferred since the goods are not as easily viewed by the customer. Peg board type displays typically use a packaging to hold the goods, which adds further cost to product. Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved device for displaying such goods. In addition, it is desirable to provide a rack which improved aesthetic qualities for displaying such goods.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object to improve display racks.
It is another object to improve racks which display abrasive discs.
It is yet another object to provide a rack with improved functional and aesthetic characteristics.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a rack for supporting at least one abrasive generally circular disc on a conventional display stand. Each disc has two faces and a continuous edge. The rack includes a pair of rack support rails which co-extend alongside one another in a spaced relation, preferably parallel, of a distance less than a diameter of the disc.
At least one of the rails, and preferably both, includes a raised ridge surface. When the disc is disposed such that its edge contacts the rails and the disc is supported by the rails, the disc is positionably retained by the ridge along a predetermined area of the rail.
The rack further includes a front piece interconnecting a front end of each rail and a back piece interconnecting a back end of each said rail. A bottom piece is connected to said rack in a manner to extend below the rails a distance approximate a distance formed between a bottom of the rails and a lowermost point of the edge of the disc when seated on the rails such that the bottom piece further aids in supporting said disc. The rack bottom piece includes a raised ridge surface such that the disc is positionably retained by the raised ridge surface of the bottom piece along a predetermined area of the bottom piece.
Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon viewing the drawings and reading the detailed description hereafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is another perspective view of the present invention in use.
FIG. 3
is a side view of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, the rack of present invention is generally designated by the numeral
10
. The rack
10
is particularly useful for supporting at least one abrasive cutting disc
12
, and preferably several, which is displayed on a conventional display stand
14
using the rack
10
. The discs
12
are generally circular and each has two faces
16
and
18
and a continuous edge
20
.
The rack
10
includes a pair of rack support rails
22
which co-extend alongside one another in a parallel spaced relation of a distance less than a diameter D of the disc
12
. The rails
22
include a raised ridge surface
24
. When the disc
12
is disposed with its edge
20
contacting the rails
22
such that the disc
12
is supported by said rails, the disc is positionably retained by the raised ridge surface
24
along a predetermined area
26
of said rails
22
. Each rail
22
has the raised ridge surface
24
generally longitudinally positioned in a spiral manner about each rail
22
. As shown here, the rails
22
are made from a piece or rebar. However, it is contemplated by the inventor that other configurations can be employed to carry out the invention.
The rack
10
further includes a front piece
28
interconnecting a front end
30
of each rail
22
, and a back piece
32
interconnecting a back end
34
of each rail
22
. A bottom piece
36
interconnects the front piece
28
and the back piece
32
of the rack
10
. The front piece
28
, back piece
32
and bottom piece
36
are preferably integrally formed in a U-shaped manner out of diamond stamped floor.
The bottom piece
36
extends below the rails
22
a distance approximate a distance formed between a bottom
38
of the rails
22
and a lowermost point
40
of the edge
20
of the disc
12
when seated on the rails
22
such that the bottom piece
36
further aids in supporting the disc
12
.
The bottom piece
36
includes a raised ridged surface
42
such that the disc
12
is positionably retained by the raised ridged surface
42
along a predetermined area
44
of the bottom piece
36
.
The rack
10
includes means
46
for connecting the back piece
32
to the display stand S. The connecting means
46
includes eyelets formed in the back piece
32
of the rack
10
The above described embodiment is set forth by way of example and is not for the purpose of limiting the present invention. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that obvious modifications, derivations and variations can be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto should be read in their full scope including any such modifications, derivations and variations.
Claims
- 1. A rack for supporting at least one abrasive generally circular disc on a display stand, which includes:A) a front piece; B) a back piece; C) a bottom piece, a first end of which is connected to said front piece and a second end of which is connected to said back piece to form a generally U-shaped structure, said front piece, said back piece and said bottom piece having substantially the same width, said bottom piece exhibiting a plurality of raised edges extending transversely across said bottom piece; D) a pair of rack support rails connected to said front piece and to said back piece, said pair of rack support rails co-extending alongside one another in a spaced parallel relation, wherein at least one of said rails includes a raised continuous spiral ridge surface thereon; and E) means for connecting said rack to the display stand.
- 2. The rack of claim 1, which is further characterized such that each rail has a raised ridge surface.
- 3. The rack of claim 2, wherein each raised ridge surface is generally longitudinally positioned in a corresponding manner along said rail.
- 4. The rack of claim 3, wherein each rail is a piece of rebar.
- 5. The rack of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said rails is a piece of rebar.
- 6. The rack of claim 1 wherein said front piece, said back piece and said bottom piece are homogeneously formed in a generally U-shaped manner.
- 7. A display rack in combination with at least one abrasive generally circular disc which includes:a front piece a back piece a bottom piece, a first end of which is connected to said front piece and a second end of which is connected to said back piece to form a generally U-shaped structure, said front piece, said back piece and said bottom piece having substantially the same width, said bottom piece exhibiting a plurality of raised ridges extending transversly across said bottom piece; a pair of rack support rails connected to said front piece and to said back piece; said pair of rack support rails co-extending along side one another in a spaced parallel relation, wherein at least one of said rails includes a raised continuous spiral ridge surface thereon; means for connecting said rack to the display stand; and at least one abrasive generally circular disc disposed in said display rack.
US Referenced Citations (19)