Patent Application
20070241070
The present invention relates to merchandising systems, and more particularly, to a wall mounted merchandising system for displaying on a wall, merchandise, such as tools and/or tool accoutrements, and is capable of being mounted, in customizable configurations, to all types of walls, including but not limited to, perforated walls and slatted walls.
Merchandising displays are widely employed for point-of-sale mounting and displaying of consumer products. Frequently, merchandising displays utilize slatted walls (slatwall) or perforated panel board (pegboard) as a wall support and hooks and hangers of various sizes and configurations to suspend or otherwise mount the displayed merchandise.
Some displays further employ labels on slatwall or pegboard or on special hangers to provide information about the merchandise. Many of these displays, however, do not provide an attractive background for the displayed product and do not provide a safe and stable structure for mounting heavier products.
In today's highly competitive marketplace where rival manufactures contend for market share of similarly classified goods, it has become increasingly important to find ways to distinguish one manufacturer's products from the rest of the field. One common approach is the use of eye-catching merchandising display systems that overlay the existing wall structure at a given store. However, one of the disadvantages that manufacturers face when designing merchandising systems is that wall structures vary from store to store; for example, the width of the slats of a slatwall can vary as can the vertical and/or horizontal distances between the perforations in a pegboard style wall. These variations make it difficult and expensive for manufacturers to configure merchandising systems because it forces them to design custom systems that work with each encountered wall configuration or retrofit older, less eye-catching display systems to display their products in a satisfactory and marketing savvy manner.
In view of the above, several prior art merchandising systems have been devised to address the abovementioned issues; however, these systems employ a complex system of bracketing hardware and paneling that are expensive to manufacture and time consuming to assemble and disassemble. Furthermore, these systems are dimensionally inflexible in that they do not offer the store-owner or manufacturer the convenient flexibility to control the amount of space allotted to a particular product or group of products in both the vertical and horizontal directions, as the systems take up a set amount of space and/or are difficult to make size adjustments to.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a merchandising display system that can mount to a wide range of existing in-store wall configurations including, but not limited to, slatwall and perforated wall configurations, is eye-catching and appealing to the consumer in such a way as to showcase and distinguish the displayed merchandise, is simple to assemble, disassemble and make size adjustments to, and is strong enough to safely and securely mount heavier goods. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the above-described drawbacks and/or disadvantages of the prior art while satisfying one or more of the aforementioned needs.
The merchandising system herein described comprises an arrangement of one or more display modules. Each display module defines a front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, a plurality of apertures or perforations extending between the front and rear surfaces, and a peripheral edge extending rearwardly about the periphery of each display module. The peripheral edge includes a top peripheral edge plane, a bottom peripheral edge plane opposite the top plane, and two opposing side peripheral edge planes, wherein each of the planes is substantially perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces.
Furthermore, each display module includes at least one mounting bracket securing member for securing a mounting bracket described in further detail below. Each mounting bracket securing member includes a plurality of substantially parallel locking tabs defined by a portion of the front and rear surfaces of the display module. Each locking tab is moveable between a locking position and an unlocking position and is biased towards the locking position, in which case the locking tabs are substantially flush with the front surface when in the locking position. Each mounting bracket securing member further includes a plurality of substantially parallel hook-like members that outwardly project from the rear surface. Each hook-like member has a receiving slot for receiving a portion of the mounting bracket.
To provide information about a particular displayed product, the merchandising system further includes at least one optional non-apertured display header. Each display header defines a substantially flat front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, and a peripheral wall extending rearwardly about the periphery of each display header. The peripheral wall includes a top peripheral wall plane, a bottom peripheral wall plane opposite the top plane, and two opposing side peripheral wall planes, wherein each peripheral wall plane is substantially perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces.
To connect the display modules and display headers, each display module and header employs at least one male connecting member and at least one female connecting member.
Each connecting member is defined by at least one of the peripheral edge planes and and/or at least one of the peripheral wall planes, and the at least one female connecting member is defined by at least one of the peripheral edge planes and/or at least one of the peripheral wall planes. The male and female connecting members interlock to connect at least one of (i) adjacent peripheral edge planes of adjacent display modules, (ii) adjacent peripheral wall planes of adjacent display headers and (iii) one adjacent peripheral edge plane of a display module and one adjacent peripheral wall plane of a display header.
To mount the merchandising system to a wall, for example, to a slatwall or pegboard style perforated wall, the system includes at least one universal mounting bracket that defines a substantially linear horizontal portion (or wire) and at least one prong. The horizontal portion is inserted into the receiving slots of the hook-like members of each mounting bracket securing member and locked into place against the rear surface by the locking tabs. The at least one prong extends upwardly and outwardly from the horizontal portion and defines an upper L-shaped portion and a lower L-shaped portion. The upper L-shaped portion is configured for insertion between any two slats of a slatted wall and configured for insertion into at least one aperture of a perforated wall so that the merchandising system can be mounted to both slatted and perforated walls. The lower L-shaped portion is configured to rest against the slatted or perforated wall to support the merchandising system.
Once assembled, the merchandising system is completely customizable and can take on numerous configurations depending on the user's needs. For example, the system could comprise: a single display module, a column of two or more vertically aligned display modules, a row of two or more horizontally aligned display modules, a combination of columns and rows of vertically and horizontally aligned display modules, a random configuration of two or more non-vertically and/or non-horizontally aligned display modules, diagonally positioned display modules and/or any combination of the above. Additionally, the merchandising system take on configurations that are currently known or that later become known. Furthermore, if desired, at least one or more non-apertured display headers can be integrated at any location into any one of the aforementioned merchandising system configurations. In one embodiment, the merchandising system includes at least one column of display modules that includes two or more adjacent vertically aligned modules, each module attached to the other by way of at least one male connecting member in combination with at least one female connecting member. If more than one column is desired, each adjacent column is abutted to the other and secured by way of at least one connector tab in combination with at least one recessed edge, and each column includes at least one universal mounting bracket attached thereto for mounting the respective column to the wall. Additionally, at least one display header can be integrated at any location in the column, that is, a display header can be connected at the top of the column, at the bottom of the column or in between any two display modules to provide information where desired.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.
a is front perspective view of a display module of the merchandising system of
b is a rear perspective view of a display module of the merchandising system of
a is a front perspective view of a display header of the merchandising system of
b is a rear perspective view of a display header of the merchandising system of
a is a rear perspective view of an unassembled column of display modules and display headers according to an embodiment of the merchandising system of
b is a rear perspective view of an assembled column of display modules and display headers according to an embodiment of the merchandising system of
a is a front perspective view of a universal mounting bracket of the merchandising system of
b is a rear perspective view of a universal mounting bracket of the merchandising system of
a is a perspective view of the universal mounting bracket of
b is a perspective view of the universal mounting bracket of
c is a perspective view of the universal mounting bracket of
Referring to
Each display module 20 further includes at least one mounting bracket securing member 40 (
To provide information about the displayed product, the merchandising system 10 incorporates at least one optional non-apertured display header 50 as shown in
To connect display modules 20 and display headers 50, each display module 20 and display header 50 employs at least one male connecting member 56 and at least one female connecting member 58. Each male and female connecting member is defined by at least one of the peripheral edge planes 32, 34, 36, 38 of a display module 20 and at least one of the peripheral wall planes 62, 64, 66, 68 of a display header. The male and female connecting members 56, 58 interlock to connect adjacent peripheral edge planes 32, 24, 26, 38 of adjacent display modules 20, adjacent peripheral wall planes 62, 64, 66, 68 of adjacent display headers 50, and/or one adjacent peripheral edge plane of a display module 20 and one adjacent peripheral wall plane of a display header 50.
In one embodiment of the merchandising system 10, two male connecting member 56 are defined by the top peripheral edge plane 32 of each display module 20 and top peripheral wall plane 62 of each display header 50, and two female connecting members 58 are defined by the bottom peripheral edge plane 34 of each display module 20 and the bottom peripheral wall plane 64 of each display header 50. The display module and display header connecting members 56, 58 are similar in size and shape so that any male connecting member 56 of a display module 20 is capable of interlocking with any female connecting member 58 of a display module 20 or display header 50 and vice versa. In a further embodiment, at least one male connecting member 56 is a male dovetail and at least one female connecting member 58 is a female dovetail, the male and female dovetails forming a dovetail joint to fixedly secure adjacent display modules 20, adjacent display headers 50, and/or at least one adjacent display header 50 and at least one adjacent display module 20.
To mount the merchandising system 10 to a wall, for example, to a slatwall 12 or peg-board (perforated) style wall 16, the system 10 includes at least one universal mounting bracket 70 that comprises a substantially linear horizontal portion and a plurality (two or more) of axially spaced prongs 74, as shown in
Drawing attention to
Once mounted to a wall, the position of each column 6 can be adjusted laterally (positioned) up to at least 1.5 inches or more in either the left or right direction with respect to the attached mounting bracket 70 and vice versa. This movement provides flexibility when assembling and positioning the merchandising system 10 to accommodate the dimensional variations in wall structures at different locations where the merchandising system 10 is used. To facilitate the lateral movement (positioning) and add structural integrity to the display modules 20, the inner stabilizing fins 25 extend from the bottom peripheral edge plane 24 to a point between the bottom peripheral edge plane 24 and the top peripheral edge plane 22, so that a gap 47 is provided between the stabilizer fins 25 and the hook-like members 44. The gap 47 allows for the insertion of the mounting bracket 70 and allows for the lateral movement of the column of display modules 6 with respect to the mounting bracket 70. To limit the amount of lateral movement and provide additional structural rigidity to the display modules 20, the outer stabilizing fins 29 extend completely from the bottom peripheral edge plane 34 to the top peripheral edge plane 32 of the display modules 20 and are laterally spaced away from the outermost hook-like members 45 towards the peripheral edge 30. It should be noted that the spacing between the peripheral edge 30, hook-like members 44, 45 and stabilizer fins 25, 29 can be altered to increase or decrease the amount of available lateral movement (adjustment).
To further stabilize a column 6 of display modules 20 (with or without optional display headers 50), each display module 20 and display header 50 further include at least one recessed edge 90 and at least one lock hook 92, as shown in
Having thus described the merchandising system 10 above, attention will now be given to an example of at least one method of assembling the merchandising system 10. To begin assembly, the individual display modules 20 are attached in a vertical column 6 via the male and female connecting members 56, 58 and locked together via the lock hooks 92, which engage corresponding recessed edges 90, as shown in
After the mounting brackets 70 are in place, the column 6 is attached to the mounting bracket 70 such that the mounting bracket receiving members 40 receive the horizontal portion 72 of the mounting brackets (
As previously noted, the merchandising system is completely customizable and flexible in that it can take on numerous configurations depending on the user's needs. For example, the system could comprise: a single display module, a column of two or more vertically aligned display modules, a row of two or more horizontally aligned display modules, a combination of columns and rows of vertically and horizontally aligned display modules, a random configuration of two or more non-vertically and/or non-horizontally aligned display modules, diagonally positioned display modules and/or any combination of the above. In addition, the merchandising system take on configurations that are currently known or that later become known.
While the merchandising system 10 has been described in detail above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof of the apparatus and method of assembling the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
