Rack for supporting abrasive discs or the like

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6176377
  • Patent Number
    6,176,377
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, August 18, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 23, 2001
    23 years ago
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.
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