CA2345512A1 - Strip merchandiser product display assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A display assembly including integral double-ended product support hooks adapted to be engaged in selected apertures of one or two elongated strip merchandisers for carrying large quantities of products. An adapter is provided to enable the display assembly to be suspended in a balanced manner from a prior art hanging bracket and a modified hanger arm is disclosed which can carry the display device without the interventions of the adapter.

Description

STRIP MERCHANDISER PRODUCT DISPLAY ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a display device, and relates more particularly to a strip merchandiser product display assembly for suspending large quantities of product from a support surface such as the front edge of a generally horizontally extending product support shelf in a manner that the products are visibly presented to customers passing in both directions along an aisle between rows of parallel shelves such as may be found in a supermarket or the like.

2. Description of Related ATt Small products, such as packages of snack foods, e.g., potaxo chips or pretzels, or blister packs of batteries, one-drop room deodorizers and the like, are commonly displayed forwardly of the front edge of a horizontally extending shelf in a store such as a supermarket, the shelves themselves being used to support other producxs. In some instances, such products are suspended in overlapping fashion on hook-like members such as J-hooks or the like or, in partially overlapping fashion on elongated clips strips as shown in Fast U.S. Patent No. 4,476,983, or other forms of strip merchandisers such as seen, for example, in Fast U.S. Patent Nos. 4,483,502, 4,546,943, 4,718,627 and Gebka U.S. Patent No. 5,553,721, the subject matter of each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The strip merchandisers of the prior art are effective in encouraging customers to make impulse purchases but, unfortunately, are generally designed to carry only small quantities of product.
As a result, it is necessary for the merchandiser to constantly monitor such displays and freque~ly ~ 02345512 2001-04-26 , , restock the same in order to ensure that product is available to the passing consumer. Both the inventory control and restocking processes are labor-intensive, time-consuming and, obviously, expensive.
Such prior art strip merchandisers are generally lightweight with the product support hooks being commonly integrally formed with the strip to minimize manufacturing costs and simplicity in use. In view of the nature of such devices, particularly the plurality of integral support hooks each of which is adapted to carry only a single product, simply manufacturing the strips from heavy duty stock will not significantly increase the quantity and/or weight of the products to be displayed.
Commonly, when large quantities or heavy weight products are to be displayed, they are supported on forwardly extending metal hooks mounted at one end on a perforated board or other such vertically extending support surface. While such an approach is acceptable for certain marketing situations, it is less than satisfactory for presenting impulse merchandise to a consumer intent on purchasing other products from the shelves on a supermarket or the like.
Shea, in U.S. Patent No. 5,957,422, has proposed one form of strip merchandiser which has been reinforced to carry increased volumes and weights of relatively small impulse merchandise, and which is adapted to be suspended in a freely swinging manner from various support surfaces, including perforated boards and product shelving. The Shea strip merchandiser is constructed of a corrugated plastic material or the like defining internal voids adapted to receive upturned ends on individual product support hooks engaged in selected apertures on opposite sides of the strip.
While the Shea strip merchandiser is capable of supporting additional product, the need for providing a reinforced spacing between separate elements to receive the upturned ends on individual hooks entering from two sides requires additional space and significantly increases both the ~ 02345512 2001-04-26 manufacturing and assembly costs. In the absence of the reinforcing corrugations of the Shea preferred construction, there would be inadequate internal space to receive the mounting portions of opposed hooks at the same level. Vertically staggering the hooks tends to unbalance the load, possibly causing the freely swinging strips to twist or spin in a manner causing product to be disengaged from the hooks.
In addition to the increased manufacturing cost associated with the preferred Shea strip merchandiser construction, the need to engage individual hook members on both sides, and to ensure that the hooks and products are positioned in a balanced fashion, is time consuming. The increased manufacturing and labor costs at least partially offset the economic advantages gained in the ability of the Shea strip merchandisers to support more product than the less expensive strip merchandisers previously available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a strip merchandiser capable of supporting large quantities of product which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and to use at the store level, requiring fewer components and less time to assemble. Thus, with the strip merchandiser of this imrention, the assembly of the components into relatively permanent display devices is easy to accomplish by inexperienced stock personnel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a highly versatile strip merchandiser which, once assembled, can be used over and over again and, with simple manipulation, can be modified to receive products of different configuration, dimensions and weight. Consistent therewith, the preferred embodiment of display device according to the instant inventive concepts is adapted for use with a single strip merchandiser element for relatively light-weight products, or reinforced with a second strip merchandiser element in the event more or heavier products are to be displayed.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a product display assembly comprising double-ended support hooks which can be passed through one or a pair of relatively rigid strip merchandisers depending upon the volume and weight of product to be displayed thereon to ensure even loading of the display device and minimize the number of components to be inventoried.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a product display device adapted for use with a prior art hanger arm which includes a pair of upstanding hooks on each side of its central axis by virtue of a flexible, hour-glass-shaped saddle member engaged through an aperture on one or more strip merchandisers, with openings on the end portions of the saddle member engaged over the pairs of hooks on the sides of the Banger arm to thereby balance the load carried by the strip merchandiser and minimize undue twisting and tension on the hanger arm.
Alternatively, the product display device of this invention can be suspended from a unique hanger arm with wrap-around support hooks having convex or V-shaped strip merchandiser carrying portions aligned with its central axis to thereby balance the load without the need for the saddle member adapter.
Further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is an elevational view of a strip merchandiser element according to the instant . inventive concepts.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of one embodiment of a double-ended product support member for use with the strip merchandiser element of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the product support member of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a left end elevational view of the product support member of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a right end elevational view thereof.
Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the mounting section of the product support member of Figure 3.
Figure 7 is an assembly view, partially in cross-section and partially broken away, illustrating the manner in which a multiplicity of product support members as seen in Figure 2 are attached to a strip merchandiser element as seen in Figure 1, with the attachment of one such product support member in progress being shown in dotted lines.
Figure 8 is an enlarged elevational view similar to Figure 6, but showing the mounting section of a second and preferred embodiment of product support member according to this invention adapted to be selectively attached to one or two strip merchandiser elements.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary view, partially in cross-section, showing a product support member having a mounting portion as seen in Figure 8 attached to a single strip merchandiser element.
Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, but showing the product support member attached to two strip merchandiser elements.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a prior art hanger arm adapted to be secured at one end to the front edge of a product merchandise shelf and to vertically suspend one or more strip merchandisers in spaced relationship to the product support shelf.
Figure 12 is a top elevational view of the prior art hanger arm of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a front elevational view thereof.
Figure 14 is a top plan view of an adapter for suspending one or more strip merchandiser elements from the prior art hanger arm shown in Figures 11-13.
Figure 15 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a product display assembly according to this invention suspended from the prior art hanger arm seen in Figures 11-13 with the aid of the adapter of Figure 14, blister packs of product being shown on opposite hooks of one of the double-ended product support members for illustrative purposes.
Figure 16 is a side elevational view of a modified hanger arm designed to suspend a display assembly according to this invention without the need for the adapter of Figure 14.
Figure 17 is a top plan view of the hanger arm of Figure 16.
Figure 18 is a front elevational- view thereof.
Figure 19 is a view similar to Figure 1 S, but showing a display assembly according to this invention suspended from a hanger arm of the type seen in Figures 16-18.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1, an elongated strip merchandiser element forming part of a product display assembly according to the instant inventive concepts is designated generally by the reference numeral 20. The strip merchandiser element 20 is formed of a relatively rigid material such as plastic or pressed wood, although other suitable materials may be substituted therefor.

~ 02345512 2001-04-26 -. _ ... ~..
The specific dimensions of the strip merchandiser element 20 are not critical, although it is evident that the element is elongated, its length being many times its width, and it width being many times its thickness.
The strip merchandiser element 20 includes an upper end 22, a lower end 24, opposed faces 26, 28 and a longitudinal axis designated generally by the reference numeral 30.
Support means, in the illustrated embodiment being shown as a pair of spaced apertures 32, 34, are provided to enable the display assembly of this invention to be suspended with its longitudinal axis 30 extending generally vertically. While the apertures 32, 34 are one form of support means adapted, for example, to be engaged over a pair of spaced hooks on a hanger arm carried by the front edge of a product support shelf in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter, it will be understood that the details of the support means on the strip merchandiser element are not important to the instant inventive concepts, and those with ordinary skill in the art could readily design an alternate form of support. In fact, when suspending a product display assembly according to this invention from one form of hanger arm available in the prior art, an adapter is provided which bypasses the apertures 32, 34 as also described below.
The strip merchandiser element 20 includes a plurality of through-apertures 35 longitudinally spaced from each other along the axis 30. Each aperture 35 is non-circular, preferably generally rectangular as illustrated, or square, to cooperate with complementary-shaped mounting portions of double-ended hooks according to this invention to preclude rotation in use as discussed below. The number of apertures 35 will obviously be dependent on the length of the strip merchandiser element 20 and the spacing between the apertures may depend on the type of product to be supported thereby.

As noted, the display assembly of this invention fiuther includes a plurality of double-ended hooks or product support members, one embodiment of which is seen at 40 in Figures 2-6. The product support members 40 are molded of any suitable material such as nylon or polypropylene.
Each product support member 40 includes a central mounting section 42, shown enlarged in Figure 6, and integral, oppositely-extending, hook members 44, 46 including support arms 48, 50 upwardly inclined from their proximal end portions 49, 51 with stop elements 52, 54 at their free distal ends to retain products on the hook members.
The mounting section 42 of each of the product support members 40 includes a central portion 56 of a configuration complementary to the apertures 35, shown as rectangular, and dimensioned to be slidingly received through the apertures 35. A flange 58 is formed on one side of the central portion 56 which is larger than at least part of the apertures 35 to preclude passage through the apertures.
At least one stop member, and preferably a pair of stop members 60, 61, are integrally formed on the other side of the central portion 56 from the flange 58. The stop members can take various configurations so long as they can pass through the strip merchandiser element apertures 35 during engage~t of a product support member 40, with portions larger than at least a part of the apertures after engagement to preclude accidental disengagement.
A preferred construction of stop member, however, is illustrated and includes an edge portion integrally molded into proximal end portions 49 of one of the hook members 44 to form resilient "living hinges" 62, 63. Integral wing elements 64, 65 are normally biased so as to extend outwardly from the living hinges 62, 63, respectively, to a first position shown as spaced from said central portion 56. The wing elements 64, 65 are collapsible during assembly of the product display to a second position where they are received in pockets 66, 67 to enable the same to pass through an aperture 35.
With reference now to Figure 7, it will be seen how the product support members 40 are selectively engaged in the apertures 35 of a strip merchandiser element 20.
More specifically, the hook member 44 of a product support member 40 is passed through the aperture 35 until the wing members 64, 65 are collapsed to their second position about their respective living hinges 62, 63 into the pockets 66, 67 so they can also pass through the aperture. Ultimately, the flange 58 engages the fiice 28 of the strip merchandiser element 20 and the wing members 64, 65 spring back to their first position to securely engage the product support member 40.
Since the central portion 56 of the mounting section 42 of the product support members 40 and the apertures 3 S are non-circular, rotation of the product support members 40 in the apertures 35 is precluded when the mounting section 42 is slid into position. The enlarged nature of the flange 58 and the expanded wing members 64, 65 relative to the apertures 35, precludes accidentally withdrawing a product support member 40 from an aperture 3 5. With the wing members 64, 65 collapsed under pressure into the pockets 66, 67, the mounting section 42 can be slid free of the apertures 35 as seen in dotted lines in Figure 7. The product support member 40 can then be engaged in a different aperture, if desired, depending upon the configuration, size or weight the products to be carried on the hook members 44, 46. Obviously, it is not necessary for a product support member 40 to be engaged in each of the apertures 3 5 in a strip merchandiser 20 to use the display apparatus of the instant invention.
A modified and preferred embodiment of the product support members of this invention is illustrated in Figures 8-10, with parts similar to the earlier embodiment being identified by the same reference numeral followed by the suffix "a". The principal distinction in this embodiment resides in the mounting section 42a of the product support members 40a, which is adapted to be selectively attached to a single strip merchandiser element 20a, or a pair of strip merchandiser elements 20a and 20a'. For that purpose, the mounting section 42a includes a pair of central portions 56a and 56a' separated by a central flange 58a, with stop members 60a, 61 a and 60a', 61 a' on opposite sides of the central portions 56a, 56a', respectively.
With the modified mounting section 42a of the embodiment seen in Figures 8-10, individual product support members 40a can be selectively attached to a single strip merchandiser element 20a if the anticipated load of product is not particularly great as seen in Figure 9. Alternatively, to carry more or heavier products, a second strip merchandiser element 20a' can be engaged from the opposite side over the hook members 46a as seen iri Figure 10 to increase the strength of the display assembly, with no need to inventory additional components.
The support arms 48a, SOa shown in Figures 9 and 10 have been provided with small spaced protuberaaces 45 along their length adapted to retain products carried thereon spaced from each other. Obviously, such an expedient can be incorporated into the product support members 40 of the embodiment of Figures 1-7, as well.
In order to support a product display assembly, according to this invention in a non-swinging manner forwardly of the front edge of a product support shell; a hanging bracket is generally used.
The aforementioned Shea '422 patent discloses several well known forms of hanging brackets.
Preferably, however, a plastic hanger arin ofthe type shown in Gebka U.S.
Patent No. 5,683,003, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, is utilized. Pertinent portions of the Gebka hanger arm are shown generally in Figures 11-13 and discussed herein to facilitate understanding the irneraction with a display assembly according to this invention. This prior art hanger arm, designated generally by the reference numeral 70 is adapted to be mounted on a generally horizontally extending shelf 72, portions of which are illustrated in Figure 15 as having a plurality of rows of apertures, the apertures of the first two such rows being designaxed as 73, 74, respectively. The shelf 72 generally includes a downwardly depending front edge portion which may be vertical as illustrated at 76, angled forwardly (not shown) and may include a standard C-channel (also not shown).
The hanger arm 70 is generally symmetrical about an elongated central axis 78 and includes a mourning portion covering approximately the rearward half of the device and a supporting portion covering approximately the forward half of the device. The mounting portion is adapted to removably secure the hanger arm 70 to the shelf 72 with the central axis 78 thereof perpendicular to the front edge 76 of the shelf 72.
The moue means may be a simple foot 79 and post 80 (seen in dotted lines). A
base 82 includes a flat lower surFace adapted to rest on the forward-most portion of the upper surface of the shelf 72 to prevent rocking of the hanger arm 70 from side-to-side. The foot 79, which is dimensioned to be received through one of the apertures 74 in the second row of apertures in the shelf 72, extends centrally from the rearward-most edge of the base 82 and is parallel to, and spaced below, the base by a shoulder (not seen) slightly larger than the thickness of the shelf 72 between its upper and kower siufaces, respectively. Thus, when the foot 79 is received through the aperture 74, the upper surface of the foot 79 engages against the lower surface of the shelf 72. The post 80 depends from the lower surface of the base 82 along the central axis 78 and is received in an aperture 73 in the first row of apertures in the shelf 72 to stabilize the hanger arm 70 and preclude the same from swiveling about the engagement of the foot 79 with its aperture 74.
If the front edge 76 of the shelf 28 includes a downwardly and outwardly extending front surface as discussed, the mounting portion of the hanger arm 70 may include a transition member 84 to rest thereoa The prior art hanger arm 70 may also be provided with an adapter as shown in Gebka U.S. Patent No. 5,678,699, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, to enable the same to be readily secured to a C-channel on the front edge of a product support shelf if desired.
The supporting portion of the prior art hanger arm 70 seen in Figures 11-13 includes an upstanding label holder 8b which is not particularly relevarn to the instant inventive concepts and, therefore, is not described in detail herein.
Further, however, this portion of the hanger arm 70 is provided with a pair of upstanding hooks 88, 88 and 90, 90 on each side of its central axis 78. A strip merchandiser element 20 according to this invention may be suspended from the prior art hanger arm 70 by engaging the mounting 32, 34 over the hooks 88, 88 or 90, 90. Obviously, in view of the double-ended nature of the hook members on the product support elements 40, both pairs of hooks 88, 88 and 90, 90 could not readily be used simultaneously to support different strip merchandiser elements as in the Gebka'003 or'699.patents. Moreover, if the mounting apertiues 32, 34 of a single strip merchandiser element 20 are engaged over one pair of hooks 88, 88 or 90, 90 and a large quantity of products are supported by the display assembly, undue torque may be provided on the hanger aim 70 since the supporting points for the hooks 88, 88 and 90, 90 are offset from the central axis 78 of the hanger , arm 70 To avoid this problem, a thin, flexible, hour-glass-shaped adapter or saddle member as seen at 95 in Figure 14 may be provided. The adapter 95 has widened opposed end portions 96, 98 each including a pair of laterally spaced apertures 100, 100 and 102, 102, respectively, with a narrowed central portion 104 intermediate the end portions 96, 98. The saddle member 95 may be folded upon itself and passed through an uppermost aperture 3 5 on a strip merchandiser 20 (or aligned apertures 3 Sa, 3 Sa' of two strip merchandisers 20a, 20a' if the product display assembly of Figure 10 is utilized) with the apertures 100, 100 and 102, 102 engaged, respectively, over the hooks 88, 88 and 90, 90 of the hanger arm 70 to thereby balance the load, seen as a plurality of blister-packed products 103, carried by the hook members of a product support member in Figure 15.
To avoid the need for the adapter 95, a modified form of hanger arm can be provided as seen in Figures 16-19. For all intents and purposes, the hanger arm of this embodiment can be substantially identical to the prior art hanger arm 70 and, therefore, like parts are shown by the same reference numerals, followed the su~x "a". For illustrative convenience, the hanger arm 70a does not include a label holder. Moreover, the mounting portion is formed of a plurality of integral elements, rathex than a solid base member and includes a pair of laterally spaced feet 79a avoiding the need for a post. These differences are not of importance to the instant inventive concepts. However, the improved hanger arm 70a of Figures 17-19 incorporates a single pair of "wrap-around" hooks 105, 105, each including a generally V-shaped strip merchandiser carrying portion 106, 106, aligned with the central axis 78a. When a strip merchandiser element 20 (or a pair of aligned strip merchandisers 20a, 20a') is suspended from the hanger arm 70a by engagement of the mounting apertures 32, 34 over the hook elements 105, 105, the load will then be balanced as seen in Figure Thus, it will now be recognized that there is provided herein a unique product display assembly which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, highly versatile in use, and capable of carrying large quantities of relatively heavy products in a unique manner.
Also provided is a novel adapter, enabling the display assembly of this invention to be supported in a balanced manner on a prior art hanger arm, as well as a modified hanger um designed to suspend a product display assembly according to this invention without the intervention of an adapter.
While preferred embodiments of the instant invention have been described and illustrated herein, it will be clear that variations of the details of construction which are specifically shows and described may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (35)

1. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
   A product display assembly comprising at least one elongated strip merchandiser element, each strip merchandiser element including upper and lower ends, opposed faces, and a longitudinal axis, support means at said upper end of each strip merchandiser element for suspending said strip merchandiser element with said longitudinal axis extending generally vertically, a plurality of apertures defined through each strip merchandiser element between said faces in spaced relationship along said longitudinal axis, and a plurality of product support members to be selectively attached to each strip merchandiser element, each of said product support members including a central mounting section to be engaged in one of said apertures, and an integral hook on each side of said mounting section, whereby one of said hook members extends outwardly from each face of each said strip merchandiser element when a product support member is engaged in one of said apertures.
2. 2. A product display assembly according to claim 1 wherein each strip merchandiser element is formed of a relatively rigid material.
3. A product display assembly according to claim 1 wherein said hooks of each product support member are mirror images of each other.
4. 4. A product display assembly according to claim 3 wherein each of said hooks includes a support arm having proximal and distal end portions, said proximal end portion being integral with said mounting section, and said distal end portion being freely extending.
5. 5. A product display assembly according to claim 4 wherein each of said apertures is of non-circular configuration, said mounting section of each of said product support members including a first central portion of a configuration complementary to said apertures and dimensioned to be slidingly received through one of said apertures, a flange on one side of said first central portion larger than at least a part of said aperture, and at least one stop member on the other side of said first central portion, said stop member being resilient and normally biased to a first portion wherein it is larger than at least a part of said aperture and collapsible to a second position wherein it is smaller than said aperture to enable the same to be slidingly received through said aperture, whereby a product support member can be attached to a strip merchandiser element by collapsing said stop member to said second position and passing one of said hooks and said collapsed stop member through a selected aperture until said flange engages a face of said strip merchandiser element, and then permitting said stop member to return to its first position to preclude accidental disengagement of said product support member from said strip merchandiser element.
6. 6. A product display assembly according to claim 5 wherein each of said stop members includes an edge portion integral with said proximal end portion of one of said hooks to form a resiliently biased living hinge, and a wing element normally extending outwardly from said living hinge to said first position in spaced relation to said first central portion, said wing element being collapsed about said living hinge to said second position as said hook is passed through an aperture and springing back to said first position after passing through said aperture to secure said product support member to said strip merchandiser element.
7. 7. A product display assembly according to claim 6 including a pocket defined in said proximal end portion of said hook, said living hinge being formed at one end of said pocket, and said wing element being received in said pocket in said second position of said stop member.
8. 8. A product display assembly according to claim 6 wherein said proximal end portion of said hook is an extension of said first central portion of said mounting section and has opposed sides, a stop member integrally formed on each side of said first central portion.
9. 9. A product display assembly according to claim 8 including a pocket defined in each of said sides of said proximal end portion of said hook, a living hinge formed at one end of each said pocket, and said wing elements being received in their respective pockets in said second positions of said stop members.
10. 10. A product display assembly according to claim 5 wherein said mounting section of each of said product support members further includes a second central portion on the side of said flange opposite to said first central portion, and at least one further resilient stop member on the other side of said second central portion of said mounting section.
    whereby a product support member can be attached to a second strip merchandiser element by collapsing said further stop member to said second position, passing the other of said hooks and said collapsed further stop member through a selected aperture in said second strip merchandiser element until said flange engages a face of said second strip merchandiser element, and then permitting said further stop member to return to its first position to preclude accidental disengagement of said product support member from said second strip merchandiser element.
11. 11. A product display assembly according to claim 10 wherein each of said stop members includes an edge portion integral with said proximal end portion of one of said hooks to form a resiliently biased living hinge, and a wing element normally extending outwardly from said living hinge to said first position in spaced relation to its respective central portion, said wing element being collapsed about said living hinges to said second position as each hook is passed through an aperture and springing back to said first position after passing through said aperture to secure said product support member to said strip merchandiser elements.
12. 12. A product display assembly according to claim 11 including a pocket defined in said proximal end portion of each said hook, said living hinge being formed at one end of said pocket, and said wing elements being received in their respective pockets in said second position of said stop members.
13. 13. A product display assembly according to claim 11 wherein said proximal end portions of said hooks are an extension of said central portions and have opposed sides, a stop member integrally formed on each side of each of said central portions.
14. 14. A product display assembly according to claim 13 including a pocket defined in each of said sides of said proximal end portion of each said hook, a living hinge formed at one end of each said pocket, and said wing elements being received in their respective pockets in said second positions of said stop members.
15. 15. A product display assembly according to claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a hanging bracket including mounting portions adapted to be secured to a fixed surface and strip merchandiser support portions spaced from said mounting portions for carrying said strip merchandiser elements.
16. 16. A product display assembly according to claim 15 wherein said fixed surface is an elongated front edge of a product support shelf.
17. 17. A product display assembly according to claim 15 wherein said strip merchandiser support portions of said hanging bracket include at least one pair of support hooks, and a pair of laterally spaced apertures defined through said upper end of each strip merchandiser element engageable over said support hooks.
18. 18. A product display assembly according to claim 17 wherein said hanging bracket includes a hanging arm having a vertically extending central axis when said hanging bracket is secured to said fixed surface, and said support hooks underlie said hanging arms, each of said support hooks including a generally V-shaped strip merchandiser carrying portion aligned with said central axis to thereby balance the load carried by said strip merchandisers.
19. 19. A product display assembly according to claim 15 wherein said strip merchandiser support portions of said hanging bracket include a hanging arm, a pair of support hooks on each side of said hanging arm, a saddle member comprising a flexible, generally hour-glass shaped, element including widened opposed end portions each including a pair of laterally spaced openings and a narrowed central portion intermediate said end portions, whereby one end portion of said saddle member can be folded on itself and passed through an uppermost aperture on each strip merchandiser element and said laterally spaced openings on each of said end portions of said saddle member can be engaged over one of said pairs of support hooks on said sides of said hanging arm to thereby balance the load carried by said strip merchandiser elements.
20. 20. A product display comprising, in combination, a fixed surface, a hanging bracket including mounting portions secured to said fixed surface, a hanging arm extending outwardly from said mounting portions, and strip merchandiser support portions, on said hanging arm spaced from said mounting portions, at least one elongated strip merchandiser element, each strip merchandiser element including upper and lower ends, opposed faces, and a longitudinal axis, support means at said upper end of each strip merchandiser element suspending said strip merchandiser element from said strip merchandiser support portions of said hanging arm with said longitudinal axis extending generally vertically, a plurality of apertures defined through each strip merchandiser element between its faces in spaced relationship along said longitudinal axis, and a plurality of product support members attached to each strip merchandiser element, each of said product support members including a central mounting section engaged in one of said apertures, and an integral hook on each side of said mounting section, one of said hook members of each product support member extending outwardly from each face of each strip merchandiser element.
21. 21. A product display according to claim 20, further including products carried on at least some of said hooks.
22. 22. A product display according to claim 20 wherein said fixed surface is an elongated front edge of a product support shelf.
23. 23. A product display according to claim 20 wherein said hooks of each product support members are mirror images of each other.
24. 24. A product display according to claim 23 wherein each of said hooks includes a support arm having proximal and distal end portions, said proximal end portion being integral with said mounting section and said distal end portion being freely extending.
25. 25. A product display according to claim 20 wherein each of said apertures is of non-circular configuration, said mounting section of each of said product support members including a first central portion of a configuration complementary to said apertures and dimensioned to be slidingly received through one of said apertures, a flange on one side of said first central portion larger than at least a part of said aperture, at least one stop member on the other side of said first central portion, said stop member precluding accidental disengagement of said product support member from said strip merchandiser element, but being collapsible to permit said product support member to be removed from said strip merchandiser element.
26. 26. A product display according to claim 25 wherein each of said stop members includes an edge portion integral with said proximal end portion of one of said hooks to form a resiliently biased living hinge, and a wing element normally extending outwardly from said living hinge to said first position in spaced relation to said first central portion, said wing element being collapsed about said living hinge to said second position as said hook is passed through an aperture and springing back to said first position after passing through said aperture to secure said product support member to said strip merchandiser element.
27. 27. A product display according to claim 26 including a pocket defined in said proximal end portion of said hook, said living hinge being formed at one end of said pocket, and said wing element being received in said pocket in said second position of said stop member.
28. 28. A product display according to claim 25 including first and second strip merchandiser elements suspended from said support means in side-by-side relationship with their apertures laterally aligned, said central section of each product support member including portions engaged in aligned apertures in both said first and second strip merchandiser elements.
29. 29. A product display according to claim 28 wherein said mounting section of each of said product support members further includes a second central portion on the side of said flange opposite to said first central portion, and at least one further stop member on the other side of said second central portion, said further stop member precluding accidental disengagement of said product support member from said second strip merchandiser element, but being collapsible to permit said product support member to be removed from said second strip merchandiser element.
30. 30. A product display according to claim 29 wherein said proximal end portion of said hook is an extension of said first central portion of said mounting section and has opposed sides, a stop member integrally formed on each side of said first central portion.
31. 31. A product display according to claim 30 including a pocket defined in each of said sides of said proximal end portion of said hook, a living hinge formed at one end of each said pocket, and said wing elements being received in their respective pockets in said second positions of said stop members.
32. 32. A product display according to claim 20 wherein said strip merchandiser support portions on said hanging arm include at least one pair of support hooks, and a pair of laterally spaced apertures defined through said upper end of each of said strip merchandiser elements engaged over said support hooks.
33. 33. A product display according to claim 32 wherein said hanging arm has a vertically extending central axis, said support hooks underlying said hanging arm, each of said support hooks including a generally V-shaped strip merchandiser carrying portion aligned with said central axis to thereby balance the load carried by said strip merchandiser elements.
34. 34. A product display according to claim 20 wherein said strip merchandiser support portions of said hanging bracket include a pair of support hooks on each side of said hanging arm, further including a saddle member comprising a flexible, generally hour-glass shaped, element including widened opposed end portions each including a pair of laterally spaced openings and a narrowed central portion intermediate said end portions, whereby, with one end portion of said saddle member folded on itself and passed through an uppermost aperture on each strip merchandiser element, said laterally spaced openings on each of said end portions of said saddle member are engaged over one of said pairs of support hooks on said sides of said hanging arm to thereby balance the load carried by said strip merchandiser elements.
35. 35. A product display according to claim 34 including first and second strip merchandiser elements suspended from said support means in side-by-side relationship with their apertures laterally aligned, said central section of each product support member including portions engaged in aligned apertures in both said first and second strip merchandiser elements.