GB2264804A

GB2264804A - Display/merchandising assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2264804A
Application number: GB9222269A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Adlem
Original assignee: Burrows Bew & Moore Ltd
Current assignee: Burrows Bew & Moore Ltd
Priority date: 1992-10-23
Filing date: 1992-10-23
Publication date: 1993-09-08
Also published as: GB9222269D0

Abstract

A display device (10) has a front face (16) for presenting advertising material and/or displaying goods for sale to customers; and a rear face (18) which provides means (22) for checking the validity of money, cheques and cards. Thus a sales assistant can discreetly check payment tendered. The device may be mounted on top of a till. Alternatively, the device may comprise display shelves on its front face. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY/MERCHANDISING ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a display/merchandising assembly, and particularly to such an assembly which facilitates the discreet verification of bank notes or other articles.

There is an increasing problem faced by shop keepers, bar staff and others, due to the prevalence of forged bank notes and the like (e.g. forged, tampered with and/or stolen credit cards). It is desirable for staff to be able to check such items. But this should in general not be done conspicuously, lest customers should be offended.

Thus the invention provides a display device for mounting at point of sale or other convenient location (e.g. on or adjacent a counter, bar or till), the device having a customer display side which is intended to be viewed by customers, and a rear side; there being article checking means provided at or adjacent the rear side.

The customer display side may bear advertising material. It may constitute a display stand, possibly being adapted to store and dispense articles for sale.

The article checking means may comprise a source of illumination (visible light and/or other forms of radiation e.g. ultra-violet radiation) and/or magnifying means and/or means for displaying relevant information, such as lists of stolen or forged items or data about bank notes. For checking a banknote, there may be marks indicating the correct sizes, and/or an illuminated panel for passing visible light through a note for checking for a watermark and a metallic thread, and/or a UV source which may be arranged to direct light at the surface of the note which is being examined.

In one type of embodiment, the display device is adapted to be mounted on top of a till. In another aspect the invention provides an assembly of a till with a display device mounted thereon.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cash register bearing a display device according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view on a larger scale of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment or device; and Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the second embodiment.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a display device 10 in the form of a plastics casing defining a prism whose cross-section is a trapezium. Thus there is a horizontal top face 12.

There are trapezium-shaped end faces 14 and there are large sloping front and rear faces 16,18. The faces are mainly of opaque plastics material. The front face 16 bears advertising indicia. Internal lighting may enhance the display. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the device 10 is dimensioned so as to sit neatly on top of a standard cash register or till 20, with the front face 16 facing away from the keys, and thus towards the normal direction of customer approach. The rear face 18 as shown in Fig.

2, includes an illuminated forgery detection panel 22.

This is a panel that is arranged to be illuminated by light from within the device. There may be lines 24 indicating the sizes of genuine bank notes. There may be a switch 26 for controlling the illumination to the panel 22. It may be possible to cause the panel to emit visible light and/or ultraviolet light.

Whereas the device is shown in Fig. 1 as mounted on top of a till, it could also be free-standing on a bar or counter.

Figs. 3 and 4 show another style of device 30. This has a body that is open to the front, and provides a display area for articles for sale. Thus there are shelves 32 and display portions 34 for advertising material, and there may be illumination for the goods, e.g. carried by a forwardly projecting arm portion 35.

At the rear, the arm portion 35 has a rearwardly facing surface 36. This provides article verification means, substantially as described in relation to the first embodiment.

Such a device is well adapted to being mounted on a retailers counter. A customer will regard it merely as a normal display of goods, so that the retailer can very discreetly check the validity of bank notes and other items. Not only is this useful from the point of view of the retailer, but it is advantageous for the manufacturer of the displayed items, since the nature of the display will encourage the retailer to have the display on the counter, near a till.

Claims

1. A display device for mounting at point of sale, having a front side which is a customer display side having means for displaying articles and/or indicia, and a rear side at which is provide a checking station which provides means for checking currency notes and/or cheques and/or cards.

2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein the checking station provides a source of visible light and/or other radiation.

3. A display device according to claim 2 wherein the checking station provides an illuminatable panel for use in passing radiation through a currency note.

4. A display device according to any preceding claim wherein the checking station provides a panel marked to show sizes of authentic currency notes.

5. A display device according to any preceding claim which constitutes a display stand for holding articles and displaying them at the display side.

6. A display device according to claim 5 which is adapted to store articles and dispense them at the display side.

7. A display device according to claim 6 having a pair of side walls and a rear wall, a plurality of shelves spanning the side walls and accessible from the front; and a portion extending forwardly from an upper region of the rear wall and bearing lighting means for illuminating articles on the shelves.

8. A display device according to any preceding claim which is adapted to mounted on a till.

9. A display device substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A till assembly comprising a till and a display device according to claim 8 mounted thereon.