RETAIL DISPLAY ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

The present arrangement includes a plurality of substantially identical thermoformed shelves, each constructed with a surface and four legs. Any two of the plurality of shelves are such that the four legs of any one shelf are constructed to mate with the four legs of any other shelf. Any two of the plurality of shelves are such that the surface of one shelf mates against the surface of another of any one of the shelves. The arrangement is constructed with at least two of the plurality of shelves are arranged leg to leg and at least two of the plurality of shelves are arranged surface to surface.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

This application relates to a retail display arrangement. More particularly, the present application relates a multi-part retail display arrangement using interchangeable thermoformed polymer components.

Description of Related Art

Existing multi-tiered retail displays units are designed to provide high visibility to retail products displayed thereon. These prior art displays are usually of a more permanent nature such as 360 degree multi-tiered product displays made from rigid injection molded plastic or otherwise using combinations of metal, wood, and glass. These types of display come with a significant cost, are heavy and bulky to ship, and require special handling if shipped assembled or even when shipped disassembled. These also have expensive tooling costs and are time consuming to produce them.

A second prior art option for retail display arrangements is to use a corrugated (cardboard/opaque) displays. With corrugated materials a large amount of product visibility is lost as typically two of the four sides need to be solid surfaces (for structural stability) and thus they do not provide 360 degree visibility or accessibility. These corrugated cardboard displays also tend to be shipped fully assembled, as they would otherwise require a training period to be able to assemble them successfully.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY

The present arrangement provides for a modular multi-part retail display arrangement that provides a full 360 degree view of and access to the products displayed thereon. The components of the display are thermoformed and constructed with vacuum tooling, preferably formed from thermoformed recycled PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic which commonly comes from recycled beverage bottles. This arrangement uses inexpensive vacuum form tooling with quick to market thermomanufacturing processes to provide a multi-tiered product display with stackable and easily interchangeable tiered shelving units. The entire arrangement may shipped in a small box and easily re-assembled to provide a 360 degree accessible tiered product shelf.

To this end the present arrangement includes a plurality of substantially identical thermoformed shelves, each constructed with a surface and four legs. Any two of the plurality of shelves are such that the four legs of any one shelf are constructed to mate with the four legs of any other shelf. Any two of the plurality of shelves are such that the surface of one shelf mates against the surface of another of any one of the shelves. The arrangement is constructed with at least two of the plurality of shelves are arranged leg to leg and at least two of the plurality of shelves are arranged surface to surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B show the display components in a shipping box and an exploded view of the box components and display components in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 2A-2D show a stabilization unit for the shipping box in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3C show the insertion of the stabilization unit back into the shipping box so that it can be used as the base for the display, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a first thermoformed display shelf being arranged on the shipping box, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a second display shelf inverted and rotated 180 degrees then placed on the first display shelf forming a first display level, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a third thermoformed display shelf being arranged on the first display level, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show successive thermoformed display levels being added to the assembly, in accordance with one embodiment; and

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a top display card being added to the top of the display arrangement, in accordance with one embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, a retail display arrangement 10 is provided in a condensed form in its own shipping box 12. Shipping box 12 doubles as both a shipping/storage box as well as a base for arrangement 10 as explained in more detail below.

FIGS. 2a-2d show a stabilization element 14 that is a multi-part interfitted support that forms a stability enhancement for box 12. As shown in FIGS. 3a-3c, once stabilization elements 14 are connected to one another in the shape of an “X”, they are re-inserted into box 12 and the lids of box 12 are closed to form the base for arrangement 10.

FIGS. 4a and 4b show a first thermoformed display shelf 16 having surface 20 and four legs 22 (as shown also in FIG. 1b). Surface 20 is shown in the figures as being flat, but it is understood that shelf surface 20 may be constructed in other shapes and/or with the inclusion of surface features to assist with product display.

In FIG. 4b, a first shelf 16 is placed surface 20 down, legs 22 up, on the top of box 12. In one arrangement, the corners of box 12 may have locking tabs 40 to secure shelf 16 thereon.

As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, a subsequent thermoformed shelf 16 is stacked on top of the first shelf 16, legs 22 down, to attach to legs 22 projecting upward from first shelf 16. As shown in FIG. 1b, each shelf 16 is essentially identical so to form a tier level of arrangement 10, two identical shelves are stacked, legs-to-legs. In one arrangement, as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, two of the four legs 22 of each shelf 16 have locking buttons or tabs 24 and the other two legs have a locking recess 26. In such a manner, the buttons 24 of two of the legs may be fit into corresponding recesses 26 on legs 22 of the opposing shelf 16. Because each shelf 16 is identical to the others, such tabs 24 and recesses 26 will line up correctly when shelves 16 are inverted relative to one another. The arrangement of FIGS. 5a and 5b shows a first completed shelf level.

To begin the next level of arrangement 10, as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, another shelf 16 is stacked, legs 22 up, surface 20 down, onto the surface 20 of previous shelf 16. In one embodiment, the surface of shelves 16 include one edge tab 30 and one edge recess on the opposite side of surface 20. As noted previously, shelves 16 are essentially identical so when inverted relative to one another to start the next tier, edge tab 30 of second shelf 16 will correspond to edge recesses 32 of third shelf 16 so as to stably retain third shelf 16.

FIGS. 7a and 7b show multiple tiers of shelves 16 arranged into the successive tiers of arrangement 10. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 7a cap elements 40 may be placed on the edge of uppermost shelf 16 for providing aesthetic effect (hiding the stacking edge of surface 20 of top shelf 16). FIGS. 8a and 8b also show multiple tiers of shelves 16 of arrangement 10 with a larger retail cap display 42, typically cardboard, that may be placed on the uppermost shelf 16 for added retail advertisement.

Such an arrangement as shown and described provides a retail display arrangement 10 that provides a full view of the products displayed thereon on surfaces 20 of shelves 16. The customer has 360 degree access to the products on shelves 16.

Shelves 16 of display arrangement 10 are preferably vacuum/thermoformed formed recycled PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic but other polymers may be used depending on cost, stability, weight, and transparency concerns. Arrangement 10 uses inexpensive vacuum form tooling with a quick to market manufacturing processes. Another advantage of display arrangement 10 is that all components are snap/lock and can all fit within and be installed on top of the same box 12.

The thermoformed shelves 16 are designed to snap together and interlock as noted above with the combination of two shelves 16 (above and below) creating display tiers. This is repeated for each tier of the display making arrangement 10 very easy to implement. The entire arrangement 10 system comes packed in a corrugated plastic box 12 that may also be used as a flood stand to elevate the bottom shelf for easier customer access. Once assembled cap 40 or advertisement display 42 is placed on the top, for example with the companies advertising information or a sign reflecting the contents of display 10. Banners (not shown) can be placed between each shelf to highlight the products or re-enforce the corporate sponsor.

Display arrangement 10 may be sized to accommodate a large variety of products, budgets, and the needs of both the marketing and sales departments. It can ship as a standard parcel via the USPC, UPS, or other carriers as standard overnight freight.

While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. An arrangement for product display, said arrangement comprising: a plurality of substantially identical thermoformed shelves, each constructed with a surface and four legs,wherein any two of said plurality of shelves are such that the four legs of any one shelf are constructed to mate with the four legs of any other shelf,wherein any two of said plurality of shelves are such that said surface of one shelf mates against said surface of another of any one of said shelves, andwherein said arrangement is constructed with at least two of said plurality of shelves are arranged leg to leg and at least two of said plurality of shelves are arranged surface to surface.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said surfaces of said shelves are flat.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shelves are thermoformed.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shelves made of recycled PET.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said arrangement further includes a shipping and storage box, said box including a stabilization element, such that said box with said stabilization unit form a base for said arrangement.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein two legs of each of said shelves includes a locking tab and wherein another two legs of a same shelf have two corresponding locking recesses, such that when a shelf of say plurality of shelves, is inverted and placed leg-to-leg against another of said shelves, the two locking tabs of one of said shelves fit into said locking recesses of said other shelf and vise-versa.