Retail Display Stand

Abstract

A new retail display stand is particularly useful for retailing cosmetics. Product holders are mounted in interchangeable cases that are removably connected to a mounting rack. The cases are stacked on top of each other, and mounted side-by-side on the rack. Mating recesses and projections are shown on the top and bottom of each case to help prevent stacked cases from moving laterally with respect to each other. A forwardly-facing display surface on the front face of the case has a raised rim and a resiliently-mounted transparent overlay sheet that holds a thin, replaceable information sheet in position. A pull-out panel on the bottom of the cases that can be used to hold information about the products.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to retail display stands and more particularly to display stands suitable for selling cosmetics.

Cosmetic products come in a variety of shapes and sizes. This has several consequences. First, the different sizes tend to create a jumbled appearance in the aisle. Second, the different configurations and arrangements of the stands used to display the products make it difficult or time consuming to re-organize the product facings. Thus, in turn, makes effective merchandising more difficult.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The applicants have developed a new retail display stand that is believed to be particularly useful for retailing cosmetics. The new display stand successfully incorporates a modular approach that enables retailers to create a more attractive, organized aisle and to facilitate the rearrangement or re-organization of product facings. This, in turn, enables the retailer to do more effective merchandising.

The new display stand uses product holders that are mounted in interchangeable cases. The cases are removably connected to a mounting rack. The mounting rack has at least one display side, a base, and rows of mounts that are each recessed rearwardly from lower mounts. The cases are stacked on top of each other, and mounted side-by-side on the rack. Each case has a rigid, substantially planar top, a rigid bottom, and at least one connecting wall that keeps the top and the bottom spaced apart. An open front face on each case enables purchasers to see and access the products that are held in the case.

Many options are possible. For example, the mounting rack can have back-to-back display sides, each side having rows of mounts. Rows of mounts can also be provided on the return module that crosses the end between two back-to-back display sides.

Mating recesses and projections can be provided on the top and bottom of each case to help prevent stacked cases from moving laterally with respect to each other.

There is flexibility in how the individual cases are arranged. For example, in some instances, a product holder in a case may have a floor that slopes forwardly and downwardly, so that products near the front face of the case are held at a lower elevation than products further back in the case. This can be used, for example, to help feed products like eye shadows toward the front of the display without the need for moving parts. In other situations, for example in cases that hold thin, elongated products like pencils or lipsticks, it may be preferred for the floor to slope the other way, so that purchasers can more easily see information on the ends of the products.

The cases can also be arranged to hold product information or signage. For example, a forwardly-facing display surface can be provided on the front face, extending downwardly from a front edge of the top of the case. A raised rim around the display surface and a resiliently-mounted transparent overlay sheet can be used to help to hold a thin, replaceable information sheet in position against the display surface. The sheet can have one edge that is fixed to the case. A notched portion on the sheet can be used to obtain a grip on the sheet so that it can be pulled back to provide access to the display surface, allowing the retailer to change the information displayed on the display surface.

A pull-out panel can be provided on the bottom of a case and pulled forwardly from a concealed position to an exposed position in front of a forwardly-projecting lower front section on the case. This panel can be used to hold UPC information or other information about products that are held in the case. For example, product dividers in a case can extend rearwardly into the case to create rows for different products, and information about each respective product can be provided in a position on the pull-out panel that is aligned with the row that contains that particular product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an arrangement of cases that can be used to create a retail display stand that uses the invention.

FIGS. 2-4 are front, top, and side views of the arrangement of cases seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a mounting rack that can be used in the arrangement seen in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are front and side views of the mounting rack seen in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a mounting rack.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a retail display stand that has one possible return module that connects back-to-back sides of the display stand.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of interchangeable cases being attached to a mounting rack.

FIG. 11 is a detail side view of a connection between a case and the mounting rack.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are exploded perspective views of a case without a product holder installed.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective views of two types of product holders that can be installed in a case.

FIGS. 16-21 are perspective views of interchangeable cases holding different types of product holders.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged, perspective view of an exposed position of a panel on an interchangeable case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures show an example of a new retail display stand. The stand 10 that is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 has a mounting rack 12 (FIGS. 4-8) and a plurality of interchangeable cases 14. In these figures, product holders within the cases are not shown. The product holders can vary, and are described in more detail below. In the example seen in FIGS. 1-4, the display stand is set on a table 16, and carries an illuminated sign 18. Other arrangements can also be used.

The Mounting Rack

The mounting rack 12 that is seen FIGS. 5-7 has a display side 20, a base 22, and rows of mounts 24. Each will be discussed in turn.

The display side 20 is a side of the rack 12 on which the interchangeable cases 14 can be attached. Here, the display side includes parallel mounting arms 26 that all lie on a plane that is angled upwardly and backwardly. The illustrated mounting arms are made of metal and are about 2″ wide, and are spaced about 10″ apart. A tie rod 28 connects the top of the mounting arms, helping to maintain the desired spacing and to provide rigidity. Other materials, spacings, and arrangements could also be used. One example of an alternative arrangement is seen in FIG. 8, where the mounting arms 26′ are taller and an intermediate tie rod 28′ is used to provide more rigidity and strength.

The base 22 supports the mounting arms 26. The base illustrated in FIGS. 5-7 is made of thin metal plate, has a front edge 32 that is connected to the base of each mounting arm, and is about 9″ wide. Optional legs 34 (FIGS. 5 and 7) extend from the base to an upper portion of some of the mounting arms. Again, other materials, spacings, and arrangements could also be used. For example, the mounting arms could be made of wire or tubes. In the example seen in FIG. 8, the mounting arms connect to a central portion of the base 22′, rather than to the front edge of that base.

The illustrated mounts 24 are fixed to the mounting arms 26 and arranged in rows that are each recessed rearwardly from lower mounts. Although it is not always necessary, each row shown in the illustrated examples has one mount on each mounting arm. Here, a lowermost row of mounts is positioned just above the base 20, and an uppermost row of mounts is positioned just below the upper end of the mounting arms. Each illustrated mount is made of a 2-inch-wide bent metal plate that is hook shaped, having a ½-inch to 1-inch long horizontal part 36 (see FIG. 11) and a ¼-inch to 1-inch tall upright part 38. The particular dimensions shown here are designed to correspond with dimensions of the cases 14 that are described in more detail below. Other arrangements and sizes are also possible.

Multiple racks 12 can be used together to provide larger displays. The display stand 10 seen in FIGS. 1-4, for example, is nineteen cases wide. Rather than using a single rack with nineteen mounting arms 26 (which may be awkward to transport), the illustrated display stand can be built using racks with seven mounting arms on each side of a rack with five mounting arms, or (for example) using racks with five mounting arms on each side of a rack with nine mounting arms. If desired, clips or connectors on the sides of the racks can be used to hold adjacent racks together.

The display stand 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 has opposed display sides 20 (see FIG. 4), with product facings on each side. Separate racks 12 can be positioned back-to-back to achieve this. Again, if desired, clips or connectors can be used to hold the racks together. Alternatively, a two-sided rack can be used.

A return module can be used with the illustrated display stand. From a purely functional standpoint, the preferred return module might be made by stacking a series of interchangeable cases in a straight vertical wall that extends at right angles to the primary display sides 20, covering the open end seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. Such a return module could be built using cases similar to those described below, arranged so that they stack vertically.

The arrangement seen in FIG. 9, on the other hand, is an alternative, ornamental arrangement for the return module. The curved, vertically recessed arrangement of this return module 39 requires the use of multiple cases of different sizes, and thus does not provide all of the advantages of the invention described below. It is, however, aesthetically pleasing.

The Interchangeable Cases

Each of the illustrated interchangeable cases 14 on the primary display sides 20 has a product holder 40 that is mounted within a cube module 42. These parts will be discussed in more detail below. As seen in FIG. 1, the cases are stacked on top of each other, mounted side-by-side. As seen in FIG. 10, the cases 14 are connected to the mounts 24 on the rack 12. It is not essential that all of the cases on the rack be interchangeable. Some could be different sizes or configurations, and some could be fixed in place. However, providing at least some interchangeable cases on the main display sides may be adequate to provide the advantages of the invention.

The Cube Modules

The cube module 42 is common to all the disclosed interchangeable cases 14 on the primary display sides 20 of the stand 10 seen in FIGS. 1-4. It is possible to make interchangeable cases using more than one type of cube module for the cases, but using a single case for all the modules on the primary display sides may provide cost efficiency. The illustrated cube module is made of ⅛ inch thick plastic, and is 10 inches wide and 8 inches tall. It has a front face that slopes rearwardly, so the top is approximately 6½ inches deep while the bottom is approximately 9 inches deep.

The cube module 42 illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 has a rigid, substantially planar top 50, a rigid, extended bottom 52, and two side walls 54. It also has a back 55 the top and bottom need only be large enough to permit the cube modules to be stacked on top of each other, and the side walls need only be structured to keep the top and bottom spaced apart. The top, side walls, and back of the illustrated cube are each made of a single thickness of ⅛-inch-thick plastic. Other materials and arrangements could be used. The illustrated front edges of the sides of cube module are stepped purely for aesthetic purposes. From a functionality standpoint, it is believed that the most efficient and practical arrangement would be to use linear front edges on the sides of the cube modules, as seen in FIG. 18.

To assist with alignment and to help prevent the stacked cases 14 from sliding laterally, the illustrated cube module 42 has mating recesses and projections on the top 50 and the bottom 52. In the illustrated embodiment, the recesses are in the form of four holes 56 on the top and the projections are in the form of four bump-ons 58 on the bottom. The illustrated bump-ons are glued to the bottom, and have a diameter of approximately ⅜ of an inch and a height of approximately ⅛ of an inch. They are spaced approximately 7 inches apart from side to side, and about 4 inches apart from front to back. Other arrangements and spacing can also be used. The holes 56 on the top have corresponding sizes and spacing, so that the bump-ons 58 on one case fit within the holes on an adjoining case, helping to keep the cases aligned. In some situations, a single recess and projection on each cube module might be sufficient.

In the illustrated arrangement, the forward-most holes 56 and bump-ons 58 are each located approximately 1½ inches from the front edges of the top 50 and the bottom 52. This vertical offset causes each stacked case 14 to be recessed approximately 2½ inches rearwardly from the case below it. Preferably, the amount of recess for cases used in the primary display sides is between 1 and 4 inches per 8 inches of case height, forming an angle of between 65 and 85 degrees with respect to the horizontal. For cases used on a vertical return module, this offset could be eliminated, or a second, alternative set of holes could be provided.

The illustrated cube modules 42 each have a mounting aperture 60 in the back of 55. The illustrated back extends vertically from side to side and from the top to the bottom of the cube. In this example, the mounting aperture is a rectangular opening through the back that is approximately 2¼ inches wide and 1⅞ inches high: just large enough to fit over the upright part 38 of the mount 24. The lower edge of the illustrated aperture is positioned approximately one inch above the bottom of the cube module. Other arrangements and positions are also possible. For example, other parts of the back of the cube module could be open, or multiple apertures could be provided. The position of the aperture could be moved, or a hook or a clip could be used rather than a through opening. The illustrated arrangement is useful because it allows the cube modules to be easily removed from the rack 12 without the need to access to the back of the cube module.

When a case 14 built from one of the illustrated cube modules 42 is hung on the rack 12, the rear lower edge of the cube module abuts the mounting arm 26, and gravity tend to pull the case forward until the back 62 of the case contacts the inner side of the upright part 28 of the mount 20. Thus, the case might be supported in a horizontal position even when an underlying case is removed.

The Product Holders

The product holders can vary from case to case. To fit within the illustrated cube modules 42, the product holders 40, 42 seen in FIGS. 14 and 15 are each 9¾ inches wide. The illustrated product holders can be made of clear acrylic, of plastic similar to the plastic used for the cases, or from a variety of comparable materials. Some of these product holders have sloping tops 70 and rectangular side sections 72 that do not extend all the way to the bottom of the back of the cube module. This may conserve materials, reducing cost and weight.

Preferably, each product holder is designed to hold a specific kind of cosmetic. For example, the product holders 40, 42 seen in FIGS. 13 and 14 have nine vertical dividers 76 that are spaced approximately ⅞ of an inch apart, and a floor 78 that slopes rearwardly down. These holders are specifically designed to hold tubes of mascara, which sometimes have written information on the bottom of the tube. A similar arrangement can be used for tubes of lipstick. The slope of the illustrated floor allows customers to see this information more easily. In the product holder 42 seen in FIG. 15, the dividers 76 and the side sections 72 are recessed approximately one inch from the lower front edge of the product holder. An approximately 2-inch high opening between the floor 78 of the product holder and the bottom of the cube module 42 can be used for a variety of purposes, such as storing product testers.

The product holder 80 seen in FIG. 16 is designed to hold pencils. It is made of ⅛ inch thick white acrylic, and, like the mascara product holders, has vertical dividers 76 and a floor 78 that slopes rearwardly down. Different manufacturers may use differently-sized cases for their pencils, and the illustrated product holder has a customized tester panel 82 that includes product holes 84 that can be specifically sized to a specific brand of products to be carried in that particular case 14. Here, sets of the holes 84 are arranged vertically above one another, one set of holes for each row of products formed by the vertical dividers.

The product holder 90 seen in FIG. 17 is designed to hold products 92 that are packaged on cardboard cards that have a straight bottom edge and a hole on the top that allows the product to be suspended from a hook. Some blushes are packaged this way. The product holder has a horizontal, vacuum-formed base 94. The illustrated base has lateral ribs 96 between which the base of a carded product can be inserted, enabling the product to be held between the ribs in an upright position. Product dividers 98 can be used to separate rows of different products.

The product holder 100 seen in FIG. 18 is designed to hold products like pressed powders. It has a sloped front tester panel 102 in front of a set of product bins 104 that are separated by dividers 76. Each product bin may include a backer 106.

The product holder 110 seen in FIG. 19 is designed for use with nail polish. This product holder has a horizontal base 112 and approximately 1-inch-high dividers 114 that extend from the front of the holder to the back of the holder, and can be used to separate different products. As with the other product holders, other arrangements can also be used. For example, a floor that is sloped rearwardly up can help to feed products to the front of the case 14 and help customers to read product information on the top of the stored products. A stepped front fence 114, which can be customized to a particular brand, can be used to help prevent products from accidentally spilling from the case. The number of dividers 114 can also be varied.

The product holders 120, 130 seen in FIGS. 19 and 20 have product bins 124 that are positioned above (or behind) a vacuum-formed tray 124 that is designed to hold product samples. The bins are separated by dividers 128 so that each bin is arranged directly above (or behind) a distinct position in the tray where a sample of the product can be stored. The product holder seen in FIG. 19 is designed for use with a specific brand of lip gloss that is sold in an irregular package. The product holder seen in FIG. 20 can be used to hold packages 122 of eye shadows.

The interchangeable cases that carry these product holders are easy to make and provide practical access to a wide variety of different kinds of cosmetics. No moving parts are needed.

Display Surface

The illustrated cases 14 are adapted to provide information on a forwardly-facing display surface 130 on the front of the case. In the cases seen in FIG. 22, the display surface is between 1 and 3 inches high and extends downwardly from the front edge of the top 50 of the cube module 42 and all the way across the front of the case from side to side. Other arrangements are possible.

A thin, replaceable information sheet 136 that bears product indicia can be positioned on the display surface 130. For example, a printed paper sheet that bears (for example) the manufacture's name, promotional text, or a price, etc., can be placed over the display surface.

A transparent overlay sheet 140 can be used to hold the replaceable information sheet 136 in place. The illustrated overlay sheet extends over the display surface 130 and has one edge that is fixed to the case. In this example, the sheet is made of 0.020 inch thick folded-over piece of transparent, flexible plastic that is adhered to the display surface, leaving the lower, folded edge 142 effectively fixed to the case 14. In use, this connected edge of the sheet and a raised rim 144 that extends around three sides of the display surface help to hold the information sheet to the display surface.

When desired, three unconnected edges 146 of the overlay sheet 140 can be resiliently pulled back from the display surface 130, permitting access to the replaceable information sheet 136. A notched portion 148 on the overlay sheet that is spaced from the raised rim 144 and from the edge 142 can be used to obtain a grip on the overlay sheet when it is covering the display surface. In this case, the notched portion is on an upper corner of the overlay sheet; other arrangements can also be used. When the overlay sheet is released, it resiliently returns to covering the display surface, again holding the information sheet in position against the display surface.

Pull-Out Panel

The bottom 52 of the illustrated cube module 42 has been specially designed to accommodate a pull-out panel 150. As seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, the bottom is formed of two spaced sheets 152 that form a pocket for the pull-out panel. The sheets are spaced about ⅛ inch apart, the approximate thickness of the pull-out panel. The pull-out panel can be made of, for example, 0.0050 PET G or similar material. In the illustrated example, a 1 inch by ¾ inch centering block 154 is glued between the two spaced sheets, passing through a 1.2 inch by 4⅕ inch slot 156 in the pull-out panel. The block, which is spaced approximately 4¾ inches from the back edge of the bottom 52, helps to maintain an appropriate the spacing between the sheets 152, prevents the pull-out panel 150 from being removed, and helps to maintain alignment of the panel when it is pulled out.

With this arrangement, the pull-out panel 150 can be pulled forwardly from a concealed position to an exposed position in front of the front of the case 14. The illustrated panel has a small upwardly-angled finger grip 160 that facilitates this.

Product-specific materials, such as UPC information, can be mounted on the panel 150. In the illustrated example, the information can be positioned on the panel in alignment with an associated row of products. For example, in a case such as the one seen in FIG. 20, six different pieces of information (such as product color) can be provided on the panel, each piece of information being associated with, and positioned directly beneath, an associated row of products. For example, UPC information about a product stored in the first row of the case 120 might be positioned on the left-hand side of the pull-out tray, so that when the panel is pulled forwardly that information appears directly beneath the row that contains that particular product. In this way, the pull-out panel can be used for a variety of purposes, such as providing stocking information, offering color samples, etc.

This description of various embodiments of the invention has been provided for illustrative purposes. Revisions or modifications may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the invention. The full scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A retail display stand that has: a mounting rack that has at least one display side, a base, and rows of mounts that are each recessed rearwardly from lower mounts; anda plurality of interchangeable cases that are stacked on top of each other, mounted side-by-side, and connected to the mounts on the rack;and in which each of the interchangeable cases has: a product holder that holds retail products;a rigid, substantially planar top;a rigid bottom;at least one connecting wall that keeps the top and the bottom spaced apart; anda front face through which the products held by the product holder are seen and accessed by purchasers in a retail environment.

2. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which a plurality of the interchangeable cases also have a mating recess and projection on the top and bottom that help prevent stacked cases from moving laterally with respect to each other.

3. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which at least some of the interchangeable cases also have: a forwardly-facing display surface on the front face;a thin, replaceable information sheet that bears product indicia and is positioned on the display surface;a transparent overlay sheet that extends over the display surface, can be resiliently pulled back from the display surface to improve access to the display surface, and, when released, helps to hold the information sheet in position against the display surface.

4. A retail display stand as recited in claim 3, in which, in at least some of the interchangeable cases: the overlay sheet has one edge that is fixed to the case and multiple unconnected edges that can be resiliently pulled back from the display surface;the display surface has multiple sides that are covered by the unconnected edges of the overlay sheet when the overlay sheet is released;a raised rim extends around the sides of the display surface that are covered by the unconnected edges of the overlay sheet and protects those edges; andthe overlay sheet also has a notched portion that is spaced from the raised rim and from the fixed edge and can be used to obtain a grip on the overlay sheet when it is covering the display surface.

5. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which at least one of the interchangeable cases also has: a panel that can be pulled forwardly from a concealed position to an exposed position in front of the front face;product dividers on the product holder that extend rearwardly into the case and create rows of products; andproduct-specific information on the panel, each piece of product-specific information being positioned in alignment with an associated row of products.

6. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which at least one of the interchangeable cases also has: a panel that can be pulled forwardly from a concealed position to an exposed position in front of the front face;product dividers on the product holder that extend rearwardly into the case and create rows of products; andUPC information on the panel, each piece of UPC information being positioned in alignment with an associated row of products.

7. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which the display stand has multiple adjoining mounting racks that each have at least one display side, a base, and rows of mounts that are each recessed rearwardly from lower mounts.

8. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which the display stand has a second set of interchangeable cases that are stacked vertically on top of each other across an open end of opposed display sides.

9. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which the display stand has a second set of interchangeable cases that are positioned in a straight line across an open end of opposed display sides.

10. A retail display stand as recited in claim 1, in which: at least one of the interchangeable cases has a product holder that has a base with lateral ribs, anda carded cosmetic product is held between the ribs in an upright position.

11. A retail display stand that has: a mounting rack with at least one display side, a base, and rows of mounts that are each recessed rearwardly from lower mounts;a plurality of interchangeable cases that are stacked on top of each other, mounted side-by-side, and connected to the mounts on the rack;and in which each of the interchangeable cases has: a product holder that holds retail products;a rigid, substantially planar top;a rigid bottom;at least one connecting wall that keeps the top and bottom spaced apart;a front face through which the products held by the product holder are seen and accessed by purchasers in a retail environment;a mating recess and projection on the top and bottom that help prevent stacked cases from moving laterally with respect to each other; anda panel that can be pulled forwardly from a concealed position to an exposed position in front of the front face.

12. A retail display stand as recited in claim 11, in which at least some of the interchangeable cases have: a forwardly-facing display surface on the front face that extends downwardly from a front edge of the top of the case;a floor on the product holder that slopes forwardly and downwardly, resulting in products near the front face being held at a lower elevation than products further back in the product holder.

13. A retail display stand as recited in claim 11, in which at least some of the interchangeable cases have: a forwardly-facing display surface on the front face that extends downwardly from a front edge of the top of the case.

14. A retail display stand as recited in claim 11, in which at least some of the interchangeable cases have: a panel mounted to the bottom of the case that can be pulled forwardly from a concealed position to an exposed position in front of the front face.

15. A retail display stand that has: a mounting rack that has two opposed display sides, a base, and rows of mounts;a first set of interchangeable cases that are stacked on top of each other, on each of the display sides, mounted side-by-side, and connected to the mounts on the rack;a second set of interchangeable cases that are stacked vertically on top of each other, mounted side-by-side, in a straight line across an open end of the opposed display sides;and in which each of the interchangeable cases has: a product holder that holds retail products;a rigid, substantially planar top;a rigid bottom;at least one connecting wall that keeps the top and the bottom spaced apart; anda front face through which the products held by the product holder are seen and accessed by purchasers in a retail environment