AU650022B2

AU650022B2 - Improvements in display means

Info

Publication number: AU650022B2
Application number: AU80165/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Barry Cook
Original assignee: AD LIB INTERNATIONAL Pty Ltd
Current assignee: AD-LIB INTERNATIONAL PTY Ltd
Priority date: 1990-07-04
Filing date: 1991-07-04
Publication date: 1994-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-04
Also published as: AU8016591A

Description

P/00/01i1 ReguLation 3.2 rO2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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The present invention relates, in general terms, to improvements in display means, and relates more particularly, but not exclusively, to an improved means for use in what is commonly known in these times as point-of-sale advertising.

Nowadays, and for purposes of the advertising of a multitude of products, usage is being made on an ever-increasing scale of units or fixtures which are adapted to be located on or within a permanent wall structure, such units or fixtures having means associated therewith for receiving and retaining advertising material, and furthermore for receiving and retaining additional means, :I0 such as hangers or other form of display means, for actually disposing thereon for purposes of visual inspection the products on sale or offered for sale. In one especially preferred arrangement a display unit can have removably disposed therewithin, in appropriately-shaped apertures, a plurality of extrusions of any desired shape adapted to receive and releasably retain hanging fixtures or the like.

Such prior art arrangements have been found to suffer from the disadvantage of not readily lending themselves to change, a drawback of some importance taking X. into account the variety of products available and the on-going need to continually up-grade, or indeed actually change, products on sale to meet changing consumer demands.

*o0 *In this regard, in accordance with established practices supermarkets, department stores or the like sales outlets (regardless of their actual size) have adopted the procedure of utilising with display stands, being free-standing arrangements, display walls, being in effect permanent wall structures of a building or the like having separate display means adapted to be associated therewith in any known manner, or alternatively permanent walls adapted to directly receive and retain, for purposes of advertising and display, suitable material. It should be understood, therefore, that the present invention is intended to be equally -2suitable for use in all such situations or contexts.

The present invention seeks to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a form of extrusion for location within a wall or other display unit which will allow for subsequent changes, even after assembly, of that wall or display unit whereby to cater for different products, different advertising material, etc.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, a means allowing for replaceable and/or releasable mounting of advertising material and/or products for display relative to a wall, display stand or the like structure, said wall, display stand or the like structure including a plurality of shaped slots or apertures disposed therewithin in a predetermined pattern or array, said means including: an extrusion adapted to be mounted within the or each slot or aperture, the or each extrusion having a main body portion of a cross-sectional shape substantially complementary to the shape of the or each said slot or aperture, wherein the or each said extrusion further includes at least one elongate web portion adapted to protrude beyond the surface of said wall, display stand or the like structure, the or each said

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web portion having a lip or flange projecting substantially normally from each free end thereof, the arrangement being such that opposed lips of adjacent extrusions define, with said S wall, display stand or the like structure, a space for receiving and releasably retaining therein said advertising material and/or products.

•In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical 2 effect there shall now be described in detail preferred embodiments oo S oo:• wereere -3of a display unit in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates a typical extrusion currently in use in the advertising industry or field, disposed within a complementary-shaped aperture of a wall, advertising stand or the like; Figs. 2 and 3 are views, similar to Fig. 1, of an extrusion in o a 0*

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0*S* oe o 0 o E o 3aaccordance with the invention; Figs. 4 and 5 are views of the extrusions of Figs. 2 and 3, again in place on or in relation to a display wall, stand, board or the like, having associated therewith and held in place relative thereto advertising or display material of any given type, constructed of plastics material, cardboard or whatever; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an array of extrusions in accordance with the invention.

As illustrated in the drawings, in accordance with known practices in the advertising field there will be provided an arrangement, generally designated 1, adapted for use in the display of advertising material and/or products for sale. In an especially preferred embodiment such an arrangement 1 will be in the form of a wall 2, or the like fixture, having a plurality of shaped apertures 3 disposed therewithin. It must be realised that the actual shape, and indeed the number, of the apertures 3 does not constitute part of the invention, with such being capable of being varied to suit differing use requirements. It should also be realised that, whilst in a preferred embodiment the wall 2 will be S* a permanent part of an existing building structure, it could alternatively be in the form of a semi-permanent, or even movable, structure, In the preferred embodiments illustrated the apertures 3 extend substantially longitudinally of the S*Z wall 2. It must be understood, however, that a feature or display wall or advertising stand may be constructed for use in any suitable manner, with apertures 3 extending in effectively any direction to suit different use requirements. In especially preferred embodiments, as illustrated, the or each aperture will be of an undercut type or configuration, for reasons to be explained hereinafter.

In accordance with the invention there is provided, to be located in any known manner within the or each aperture 3, an extrusion 4 of a substantially -4complementary shape (when viewed in cross-section) to the or each undercut aperture 3 formed in the wall 2. In an especially preferred embodiment the or each extrusion 4 is adapted to be located within the corresponding aperture 3 in a pressure-fit type manner, and to be releasable therefrom only pursuant to a sliding motion in the longitudinal direction of said slot 3. The extrusions 4 themselves may be constructed of any suitable material, for example metal, plastics material or otherwise. As illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6 the or each extrusion 4 includes, at each free end thereof (when viewed in cross-section) a protruding web portion 5 and a dependent or extending lip member or flange, generally 18" designated 6. The function of the web member 5 and lip member or flange 6 will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, each web 5 and associated lip member S. 6 is adapted, in use, to extend beyond the wall 2 and to thereby create, with the surface of the wall 2, a space generally designated as 7. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, point-of-sale advertising material 8 of any given type can be appropriately 0:oo:* disposed between adjacent extrusions 4. Such advertising material 8 can be readily removed and replaced as desired, thereby affording increased flexibility for the advertising wall, display unit or the like. In a practical vein replacement of the advertising material allows for the whole appearance of an established area to be transformed in terms of colour, look, design, etc.

The extrusions 4 themselves also allow for the location therewithin, in a releasable manner, of means (not shown) for the actual display of products being sold. Such means could take the form of hooks, hangers or the like.

Whilst the prior art arrangements, of the type illustrated for example in Fig. 1, have proven to be popular, they generally do not possess the ability, or capability, of allowing a completed extruded wall or advertising fixture to be changed,on demand and to suit varying market requirements, once actually assembled. The present applicant's arrangement, however, affords remarkable flexibility of use, allowing in effect the whole appearance colour, look, style, etc. to be transformed as required and desired.

It should be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of the arrangement in accordance with the present invention and that variations and modifications would be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the ensuing claims.

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Claims

1. A means allowing for replaceable and/or releasable mounting of advertising material and/or products for display relative to a wall, display stand or the like structure, said wall, display stand or the like structure including a plurality of shaped slots or apertures disposed therewithin in a predetermined pattern or array, said means including: an extrusion adapted to be mounted within the or each slot or aperture, the or each extrusion having a main body portion of a cross-sectional shape substantially complementary to the shape of the or each said slot or aperture, wherein the or each said extrusion further includes at least one elongate web portion adapted to protrude beyond the surface of said wall, display stand or the like structure, the or each said web portion having a lip or flange projecting substantially normally from each free end thereof, the arrangement being such that opposed lips of adjacent extrusions define, with said wall, display stand or the like structure, a space for receiving and releasably retaining therein said advertising material and/or products. SO

2. The mounting means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slots or apertures in said 0909 wall, display stand or the like structure are of an undercut type, being adapted to slidably *fee receive said extrusions. O S

3. The mounting means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each said slot or aperture and the or each said extrusion is substantially C-shaped in cross-section.

4. The mounting means as claimed in cl ;m 2 or claim 3, wherein the or each extrusion 2P includes two spaced-apart web portions and associated lips or flanges, the arrangement being o such that means for displaying products for sale, including hangers, hooks or the like, are S adapted in use to be disposed within said extrusions.

5. The mounting means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said wall, display stand or the like structure is a permanent wall of a building, said wall having a plurality of said slots or apertures extending substantially transversely thereof and spaced- 0 F apart by predetermined distances.

6. The mounting means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each said extrusion is of a plastics material.

7. The mounting means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the or each said extrusion is of a metallic material.

8. A means for replaceably or releasably mounting advertising material and/or products for display relative to a wall, display stand or the like structure, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 5th day of March 1994. AD-LIB INTERNATIONAL PTY. LTD. By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIF a o.. *e 0o a. e.s a* J: goe ABSTRACT A means is provided for replaceably and/or releasably mounting advertising material and/or products for display, the means including a wall structure having a plurality of shaped slots or apertures disposed therewithin in a predetermined pattern or array, with an extrusion of a substantially complimentary cross-sectional shape to the or each said slot or aperture then being adapted to be mounted within the or each slot or aperture with the or each extrusion further including at least one elongate web portion adapted to protrude beyond the wall the or each said web portion having at least one lip or flange extending substantially laterally from the free se end thereof. 0 0 -9-