AU5945300A - Modular display and container for products - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: Modular Display and Container for Products The following statement is a fuill description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: MODULAR DISPLAY AND CONTAINER FOR PRODUCTS Field of the Invention Prior Art The instant invention relates with containers in general, and more particularly, to a modular display and container for products.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple way for displaying and containing a variety of products such as, for example, lollypops, permitting easy identification S"of the products and being at hand of consumers.

Therefore, an object of the invention is a novel arrangement formed by modular members which may be stacked in different ways, thus resulting in an arrangement for displaying and containing a plurality of products, keeping 4*4* them at hand for the user.

Further, the fact that the display and container .arrangement, being modular, allows assembling it as per different shapes which may be modified according to the desire or need of the supplier, is an additional feature of the invention.

Several arrangements are already known for displaying and storing different products, such as pens, pencils and lollipops.

Argentine patent No. 233,468, claiming the priority of a Spanish application, refers to "A container display for lollypops" which comprises a lower cylindrical container for holding candy and characterizes the conical cover which is perforated at the outside, the sticks of lollypops being vertically inserted into the holes. A particular feature is the inner structure of the holes which is initially cylindrical and then followed by an inverted frustoconical shape the smaller diameter of which corresponds with that of the stick in order that the latter remains fitted into the hole. Also, it discloses the elliptical shape of the cover holes.

Argentine Industrial Models Nos. 13755 and 13757 refer to 'Display Devices" consisting in bodies having .'"parallelepiped, frustoconical and cylindrical shapes, with their upper surfaces perforated by five drill holes regularly distributed in a cross shape.

oe Argentine Industrial Model No. 39,282 also discloses a 'Display". It comprises a tubular core which at the middle region includes a beveled edge dish from which a plurality of quadrangular radial brackets project angularly.

Corresponding pairs of inverted V shaped segments project from the remaining spaces, forming a frustoconical grid the annular base of which has U-shaped angular radial brackets the sides of which are curved inwardly and have a height decreasing towards the grid. In said dish there are separating columns of functional character.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The modular container display of the invention has a unique shape, its manufacture is easy and its cost low.

This arrangement may be placed on counters so that consumers may select and take the products contained therein.

Therefore, the arrangement of the invention is characterized by a first member comprised by a head crowning the arrangement, at least a second modular intermediate member and a third optional member comprised by a container body which may be added as a constructive alternative.

:..Essentially, each modular intermediate member is comprised by an annular short body, in which a cylindrical :laminar core of large diameter is included, which raises from its annular base, along an inclined plane, forming a oo o narrow frustoconical portion bearing a series of small rectangular windows distributed as a crown which are evenly separated from each other. The wall forming the body projects from the crown of windows, in a cylindrical way passing the height of the inner core. Then it turns outwardly forming a frustoconical crown having a rounded annular corner from which it descends to a level lower than that corresponding to the central core, from which an undulated laminar portion, formed by a plurality of semicircular undulations projects outwardly, such undulations being separated by corresponding small radius semicircular depressions, the base being reached by means of a cylindrical skirt provided with a plurality of rectangular notches the upper portion of which has semicircular shape, being their width the same as that of the mentioned windows, both mating coaxially with the small radius depressions.

A constructive alternative for the intermediate module, derived from the above embodiment, has at its lower portion an outer peripheral stepped recess, provided with an upper wing with an angularly inclined radial generatrix, wherein the wing annular surface has its angular slope under the plane containing its lower edge, a plurality of housings for lollypop sticks being evenly distributed, such housings being comprised by radial channels ending in an inner crown of tubular portions.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be hereinbelow described, as a non-limiting example, in oe •connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective front scheme of a preferred embodiment of the display arrangement of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing one of the intermediate modules of the instant invention; Figure 3 is an upper plan view of one of the intermediate modular members bearing lollypops; Figure 4 is a cross section of the invention bearing lollypops. One of the intermediate modules is shown separately.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of another alternative of the complete modular member.

Figure 6 is an upper plan view of the display arrangement of figure 5 bearing lollypops.

Figure 7 is a perspective of an assembly formed by elements of figure 5, without the container constituting the third component of the instant invention.

Figure 8 is a simple constructive alternative using the three modular elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the drawings, the arrangement of *the invention is comprised by three parts, a first part comprised by the cover or upper head, formed by a dome 1 ~having a pair of opposite concavities 2 for handling purposes, the dome fitting, through a lower annular shoulder 3, on a second intermediate modular part, which is comprised by an annular body 4 of reduced height, the annular body having a large diameter cylindrical laminar core 5, raising from its annular base, as per an inclined plane, forming a narrow conical portion 6 carrying a series of small rectangular windows 7 distributed as a crown, evenly spaced between each other and being flanked by corresponding ribs 8 for stiffening the body.

As from the series of windows, the wall forming the module raises in a cylindrical form passing the height of the inner core, then turning outwardly thus forming a frustoconical ridge 9 having a rounded annular edge, from which it descends towards a lower level 10 to that corresponding to the central cover, from which an undulated laminar portion projects, such portion being formed by a plurality of large semicircular undulations 11 separated by corresponding semicircular small radius depressions 12, the base being reached by means of a cylindrical skirt 13 provided with a plurality of rectangular notches 14 the upper portion of which has a semicircular shape the width of which is the same as that of the mentioned windows 7, ooo to Iboth coaxially mating with the small radius depressions 12 and other rectangular openings 15 mating with the bottom of the peripheral throat 16 defined by the undulated laminar strip and the outer contour of the crown portion. Said throat 16 is crossed at a point by a radial stop partition 17.

The third modular part is a conventional container 18.

The alternative embodiment of figures 5, 6 and 7 uses the same head 1 placed over one or more modular intermediate parts, which in this case has a peripheral wing 19 the radial generatrix of which forms an angle with respect to the horizontal plane the slope of which is directed towards the axis of the part, such that its outer peripheral circumference is raised with respect to its inner circumference.

At the annular inclined plane of wing 19, there is a plurality of radial channels 20, ending in a crown of blind tubular portions 21. Inside the latter, the sticks of lollypops A are inserted.

Each module defined by the second part is completed by a hollow cylindrical body 22 ending with a lower diameter stepped edge 23 as means for insertion into another modular member.

''"The third part is a container 18 of conventional type, shown as a cylindrical container, which may receive the 0 insertion portion formed by the cited stepped edge 23.

*Figure 6 shows the way in which lollypops A are accommodated into each intermediate member. They are placed staggered for obtaining a better distribution.

Figure 7 shows a plurality of modules stacked one over the other to form a column covered by the head 1. The .100 amount of stacked modules may be varied without problems.

Figure 8 shows an embodiment of the invention comprised by a display and container for products, such as lollypops, comprised by head 1, several layers of simple intermediate modular members 24 and the container 18 bearing lollypops A. Modular members 24 have a larger angular inclination of the cited wing, approaching to that of the undulated strip 11, 12.

8 Functional and operative relationship of the parts of the arrangement of the invention and the result thereof follow.

The display is formed adding the desired amount of modular members, then inserting into the spaces thereof the sticks of lollypops A. The arrangement, as desired, may be completed by head 1 for finishing the arrangement.

Concavities 2 may contain, as desired, information on the products or their trademark.

In order to obtain the complete display arrangement, modules should be merely mounted on the container 18 and the products contained therein could be seen through its wall. In this case, the arrangement could be provided with the head or be kept without head for free access to the interior of container 18.

The invention has been described in connection with an o *o exemplary embodiment thereof; modifications and alternatives apparent to one skilled in the art being contemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention which is only limited by the appended claims.

Claims (4)

1. 2.Modular display as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate modular part has an outer peripheral stepped *recess at its lower portion, while said means for holding 0lollypops are comprised by an upper wing of angularly inclined radial generatrix wherein the annular surface of *0the wing has its angular slope directed under the plane containing its lower edge, at the annular wing of which a plurality of housings for lollypop sticks is evenly distributed, such housings being comprised by radial channels ending at an inner crown of tubular portions.
2. 3.Modular display as claimed in claims 1 and 2, comprising a first cover module, at least a second intermediate module and a third container module.
3. 4.Modular display as claimed in claim 1 and following claims, comprising at least a second intermediate module and a third container module. display as claimed in claim 1 and following claims, including at least more than one second intermediate module. 11
4. 6. Modular display as hereinbefore described with reference to the example and drawings. ARCOR S.A.I.C. By their Patent Attorneys PIPERS Date: 15 September, 2000