FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to product displays, and more particularly to retail displays such as those used for small product packages, such as power wing displays.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Displays are widely used in retail stores or the like to display packaged items such as food, candy, DVDs, CDs, vitamin supplements, consumer packaged goods, toys, or the like for prospective customers to simply lift the goods from the display to drop into their shopping basket. Such point of purchase displays typically have many parts due to shelving requirements. Accordingly, construction of such displays is often complicated and time consuming. Thus, there is a need in the art for display cases with one or more shelves that is easy to assemble, while maintaining satisfactory aesthetics and rigidity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved display that is assembled from a knockdown. A knockdown refers to a flat, unassembled display that can be opened and folded to form the completed display.
Broadly, the invention provides a knockdown configured for assembly into a display having first, second, third and fourth side panels and at least one shelf. The knockdown has a first flat wall including the first and third side panels attached along a first fold line and lying in a first substantially same plane and a second flat wall including the second and fourth side panels attached along a second fold line and in a second substantially same plane with first and second corners whereat the first and second walls are attached to one another. At least one shelf, having a front edge and a back edge, is integrally attached at the front edge thereof to the first side panel and extends in the first substantially same plane. A plunger panel between the first and the second side panels has a front surface thereof adhesively attached to the at least one shelf adjacent its back edge. The knockdown may also have a second shelf attached to the first side panel. The plunger panel may be adhesively attached to the second shelf, and the plunger panel may be positioned to pull the second shelf into an approximately perpendicular position relative to the first side panel.
The invention also provides a display having multiple side panels attached to one another to form container sides. The side panels include a first, second, third and fourth side panel. The first and second side panels are attached to one another at a first folded corner, and the third and fourth side panels attached to one another at a second folded corner. The display has at least one shelf integrally attached to the first side panel, which extends from the first wall to the fourth wall. A plunger panel is adhesively attached to the at least one shelf. The plunger panel is positioned to pull the at least one shelf into an approximately perpendicular position relative to the first side panel when the container is assembled from the knockdown state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of two exemplary blanks for forming the display of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blanks of FIG. 2 illustrating a step of assembly;
FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the blanks of FIG. 2 illustrating a step of assembly;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the back side of a knockdown made in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which can be assembled into the container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the front side of the knockdown of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the knockdown of FIG. 5 in an initial opening position;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the knockdown of FIG. 5 transitioning from the initial opening position to the assembled display of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9A is an enlarged view of the area 9A shown in FIG. 9;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 1 showing a bracket used to mount the display of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 9 showing a handle of the display.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the drawings, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The following describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention particularly suited to function as what is known in the art as a power wing display. However, it should be understood, based on this disclosure, that the invention is not limited by the preferred embodiment described herein and the display may be adapted for other purposes.
Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a display 10 for displaying goods will be described. The display 10 has multiple side panels 12 attached to one another to form the display sides. In this particular example, the multiple panels include a first side panel 50 (the front panel), a second side panel 52, a third side panel 54, and fourth side panel 56 (the back panel). The side panels 12 are attached to one another at common corners: the first side panel 50 and the second side panel 52 are attached at a first corner 60; the second side panel 52 and the fourth side panel 56 are attached at a second corner 62; the third side panel 54 and the fourth side panel 56 are attached at a third corner 64; and, the first side panel 50 and the third side panel 54 are attached at a fourth corner 66. In the illustrated embodiment, the first side panel 50 includes a top panel 58 that extends beyond the upper edges of the other side panels 52, 54, 56. The top panel 58, as well as the side panels 12, may be used for the placement of signage, the extension being for aesthetic purposes.
The display 10 of the present invention has at least one shelf on which items can be displayed. In the illustrated embodiment, the display 10 has two shelves 40a, 40b, but the display 10 may have more or fewer. Each shelf 40 has a front edge 70 and a back edge 72 with a shelf panel 74 extending therebetween and an attachment portion 46 extending from the back edge 72. Preferably each shelf 40 also includes a locking tab 28 extending from the back edge 72. Optional retaining tabs 34 may be provided along the front edge 70 of the shelf 40 to help retain retail items on the shelf 40.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 9 and 9A, the attachment portion 46 of each shelf 40 is attached to a front outer face 204 of a plunger panel 22. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment portion 46 is attached through the use of an adhesive such as hot melt glue. The inner face or inside 206 of the plunger panel 22 rests against an inner face 206 of the fourth side panel 56 when the display 10 is in its finished form as shown in FIG. 1 and the locking tabs 28 fix the position of the plunger panel 22 relative to the fourth side panel 56.
Referencing the upper shelf 40a in FIGS. 9 and 9A, the plunger panel 22 has a cutout 26 through which the locking tab 28 of the shelf 40a extends to access a cutout 30 in the fourth side panel 56. The cutout 30 is positioned such that when the plunger panel 22 is moved to a position wherein the shelf panel 74 is in a desired position relative to the side panels 12, the cutout 26 is aligned with the cutout 30. The desired position is preferably with the shelf panel 74 perpendicular to the side panels 12, however, the shelf panel 74 may be otherwise oriented, for example, tilted toward the front edge. The cutout 30 is sized to securely receive the locking tab 28 whereby the plunger panel 22 and the shelf 40a are fixed in place. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower shelf 40b also includes a locking tab 28 which is fixedly received in a corresponding cutout 30. In some instances, a shelf may not include a locking tab and instead may only be secured to the plunger panel 22.
An illustrative knockdown 100 which may be assembled into the display 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2-8. Referring to FIG. 2, a tray piece blank 200 and a plunger panel blank 202 are assembled to form the knockdown 100 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which knockdown 100 can be opened into the display 10. The blanks 200, 202 are preferably die cut from a unitary sheet of corrugated paperboard, the illustrated embodiment using mottled white corrugated sheet having an outer face 204 with a white paper finish that is ideal for printing, and an unfinished kraft inner face 206. The tray piece blank 200 is oriented in FIG. 2 to show the inner face 206 of the blank 200. The plunger panel blank 202 is oriented in FIG. 2 to show the outer face 204 of the blank 202.
The exemplary tray piece blank 200 includes, as an integral unit, the first, second, third and fourth side panels 50, 52, 54, 56, as well as the shelves 40a, 40b. The tray piece blank 200 also includes a glue tab 68 integrally adjoined to the outside edge of the second side panel 52. The side panels 12 are separated by corner fold lines 44 impressed into the tray piece blank 200 where shown to act as a fold line to aid in folding and creating the first, second, third, and fourth corners 60, 62, 64, 66. The corner fold lines 44 are formed preferably with scores, however, it is understood that any suitable line of weakness may be used.
Each shelf 40 is formed by cut lines 38, an upper fold line 35 and lower fold lines 36. The shelf panel 74 is located between the top and bottom fold lines of each shelf 40. The attachment panel 46 of the shelf 40 is formed between the upper fold line 35 and an upper cut line 38. The locking tab 28 for each shelf 40 extends from the top of the shelf panel 74 and is formed by locking tab cut line 29. The cut lines 38 separate the shelves 40a, 40b from the first side panel 50 and, when the shelves 40a, 40b are folded along the fold lines 36, the retaining tabs 34, defined by cut lines 41, remain in the substantially same plane as the first side panel 50. Cut outs 42 located on the first side panel above the respective shelves 40a, 40b provide ease of set up when folding down the shelves 40a, 40b.
The tray piece blank 200 also may include folds and cuts to form handles. As shown in FIG. 2, handles 32 are formed on the upper portions of the second side panel 52 and the third side panel 54. The handles 32 are formed by a cut line 47 along the sides and bottom of the handle 32 and a fold score 49 along the top portion of the handle 32 as shown. While the handles 32 are shown on the upper portions of the second and third side panels 52, 54, they may also be placed in other locations of the display. Additionally, the number of handles placed on the display may be more or less than the two handles 32 depicted in the illustrated embodiment.
The fourth side panel 56 may have various cutouts. In the illustrated embodiment, two locking slots 25 are located in the upper region of the fourth side panel 56. The locking slots 25 may be utilized for rack mounting the display 10, which is explained in greater detail below. The fourth side panel 56 also includes the locking slots 30 sized to receive the locking tabs 28 when the display 10 is in its assembled form.
The plunger panel blank 202 includes two top cutouts 24 for receiving optional brackets 150 that can support the display unit 10. The top cutouts 24 align with the cutouts 25 on the fourth side panel 56 when the display is in its fished form 10. The plunger panel blank 202 also includes the two lower cutouts 26 to provide an opening through which the locking tabs 28 can extend into the locking slots 30 of the fourth side panel 56.
The blanks 200, 202 can be formed from any material suitable for use as a display, including corrugated board and chip board, e.g. mottled white corrugated board, kraft on the inner face 206 and white paper on the outer face 204. A single die cut piece of corrugated board is preferable for the illustrated embodiment. Any suitable type of score, creases, perforations, etc., may be used for the fold lines shown as known in the art.
With reference to FIGS. 2-5, an exemplary manner of assembling the knockdown 100 from the blanks 200, 202 is described. The blanks 200, 202 are readily assembled into the knockdown 100 by first attaching the plunger panel blank 202 to the tray piece blank 200. With particular reference to FIG. 3, adhesive, such as a hot melt glue, is applied to the inner face 206 of the tray piece blank 200 along the glue lines 76a, 76b at the attachment portion 46 of the shelves 40a, 40b. Five to six dots of glue are believed sufficient, but more or less can be used as needed. The plunger panel 202 is then placed onto the tray piece blank 200 for attachment thereto such that the outer face 204 of the plunger panel blank 202 rests on the inner face 206 of the tray piece blank 200. The two are aligned such that the locking tabs 28 of the shelves 40a, 40b are centered within the cutouts 26 of the plunger panel 22 so as to be capable of extending therethrough when folded. Alignment areas 77a, 77b on the plunger panel 22 align with the respective glue line 76a, 76b. In the illustrated assembly, the upper portion 106 of the plunger panel 22 extends above the tray piece blank 200 at this stage of assembly.
As shown in FIG. 4, the fourth side panel 56 (the back panel) is folded about corner 64 such that the inner face 206 of the fourth side panel 56 rests on the inner face 206 of the third side panel 54 and partially on the first side panel 50. To complete assembly of the knockdown 100, the second side panel 52 is attached to the fourth side panel 56. To do this, adhesive, such as hot melt glue, is applied along a longitudinal edge 78 on the outer face 204 of the fourth side panel 56. The second side panel 52 is then folded around corner 60 such that the inner face 206 of the glue tab 68 rests on the outer face 204 of the longitudinal edge 78 to form the completed knockdown 100 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The adhesive on the edge 78 contacting the glue tab 68 along an adhesive line 80.
The knockdown 100 that is opened and folded to form the display 10 is now described. The term “knockdown” refers to the flat unassembled assembly 100 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which is easily assembled into the cuboid-shaped display 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. Because they are generally flat, knockdowns can be conveniently bundled and shipped to the user who simply assembles the knockdown 100 into the display 10 to be loaded with goods. The knockdown 100 of the present invention automatically moves the shelves 40a, 40b into proper position for the displaying of goods as described below.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, knockdown 100 has a first flat wall 102 and a second flat wall 104 attached to each other at the first folded corner 60 and the second folded corner 64 as shown. These folded corners correspond to the same folded corners 60 and 64 of the display 10 shown in FIG. 1. The flat walls 102 and 104 include the side panels 12 that will form the final display 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the first flat wall 102 includes the first and third side panels 50, 54 attached in a substantially same plane. It is understood that “substantially same plane” does not mean exactly the same plane, but intended to mean generally flat although slight bending is possible depending on the materials and manufacturing process used Likewise, the second flat wall 104 includes the second and fourth side panels 52, 56 attached in a substantially same plane.
The knockdown 100 also includes the plunger panel 22 sandwiched between the first and second walls 102, 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the plunger panel 22 is located between the first side panel 50 and the second side panel 52, with the front side 108 of the plunger panel 22 adhesively attached to the back side of the first side panel 50. Specifically, the front side 108 of the plunger panel 22 is attached to the back of the attachment portions 46a, 46b of the shelves 40a, 40b. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the display 10 is in knockdown form, an upper portion 106 of the plunger panel 22 may extend beyond the top ends of the first and second walls 102, 104.
The shelves 40a, 40b are shown in their flat knockdown position, the shelf panel 74 of each shelf 40 being in the substantially same plane as the first side panel 50 to which they are attached. The shelves 40a, 40b are shown cut from the first side panel 50 at cut lines 38. Fold lines 36 are located at the bottom of each shelf 40; each fold line 36 becoming the front edge 70 of the shelf 40 when the display 10 is in its final form. The fold lines 36 and the cut lines 38 will facilitate the formation of the shelves 40a, 40b when the display 10 transitions from the knockdown 100 to the open position depicted in FIG. 1.
To assemble the knockdown 100 into the display 10, the two flat walls 102, 104 are pushed apart moving the first and third folded corners 60, 64 inwardly towards each other, folding the flat walls 102, 104 to form the corners 60, 62, 64, 66 of the display 10. In the initial open position as illustrated in FIG. 7, when the corners 60, 62, 64, 66 are first formed from the knockout 100, the shelves 40a, 40b are still flat and in the substantially same plane as the first side wall 50. With reference to FIG. 8, to form the shelves 40a, 40, the plunger panel 22 is pushed down, moving downwardly and towards the back of the display 10, and eventually is brought flush against the fourth side panel 56. As the plunger panel 22 moves down, the shelves 40a, 40b separate from the first side panel 50 at cut lines 38, and fold at fold lines 36. The locking tabs 28 of each shelf 40 extend through the cutouts 28 of the plunger panel 22 into the locking slots 30 located on the fourth side panel 56 to releasably lock the plunger panel 22, shelves 40a, 40b and the entire display 10 in place. The locking tabs 28 should be long enough to extend through the openings 26 of the plunger panel 22 into the slots 30. Once the display 10 is assembled, goods are added to the shelves for shipment to the retailer.
The display of the present invention may also include handles to enable easy transport. In the illustrated embodiment, handles 32 are formed on the upper portions of the second side panel 52 and the third side panel 54. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 12, the handles 32 are created with the cut line 47 along the sides and bottom of the handle 32 and scoring the top portion of the handle 32 to form a fold line 49, followed by folding the resultant piece of the respective side panel into the display 10. While the handles 32 are shown as being located on the upper portions of the second and third side panels 52, 54, it is understood that handles of various sizes could be placed at any location on the display to achieve a desired functionality.
The display of the present invention can be easily set up on the floor or mounted to a rack. FIG. 11 illustrates one way of rack mounting the display 10. When the display 10 is in the fully open position with the shelves in place, the top cut-outs 24 of the plunger panel 22 and the cutouts 25 of the fourth side panel 56 are aligned. The wide end 152 of an S-shaped bracket 150 is slid through the cut-outs 24, 25 and rotated so as to be secured to the display 10 and to allow the narrow end 154 of the S-shaped bracket 150 to create a downward facing opening 156. The downward faced opening 156 can then be attached to a rack (not shown) to securely mount the display 10. Any suitable bracket can be used.
While particular embodiments of the invention are described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure. Changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the illustrated embodiment shows two shelves formed within the display. Those skilled in the art readily recognize that the display may contain any number of shelves.
Patent Application
20130264923
