EP1051935A1

EP1051935A1 - Rotable display device

Info

Publication number: EP1051935A1
Application number: EP00201695A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mathias Anthonius Maria Stoots
Original assignee: Stegeman BV
Current assignee: Stegeman BV
Priority date: 1999-05-12
Filing date: 2000-05-11
Publication date: 2000-11-15
Also published as: NO20002441L; NO20002441D0; NL1012060C2

Abstract

A rotatable display device, in particular for displaying products in a store, comprising a frame (2,3) and at least one support (8) rotatable with respect to this frame. The support is freely rotatable about an axis (6), which, in the active position of the rotatable display device, is inclined at an angle of 1 to 20°, more in particular of 2 to 10°, and is preferably 3 to 5° with respect to a vertical (7). There is thus obtained a self rotating rotatable display device, the support of which will always assume a position in which the greatest weight is always directed to the same side. At an even weight distribution the support will remain at a standstill.

Description

The present invention relates to a rotatable display device, in particular for displaying products in a store, comprising a frame and at least one support rotatable with respect to this frame.
Such a rotatable display device is for hanging products thereon, for instance sausages, either directly or in a package. When consumers take products from the rotatable display device, this will in principle be done rather arbitrarily, with the result that, when a rotatable display device is, for instance, half empty, the products still hanging thereon will not always be arranged so that next consumers can easily see them. To increase sales, it is desirable that, even when a rotatable display device is half empty, the products still hanging thereon are always directed forward as much as possible, that is to say toward consumer passing by.
It is therefore an object of the invention to design the rotatable display device so that the products hanging thereon are always directed toward the consumer as much as possible.
According to the invention this object is achieved if the rotatable display device, as defined in the opening paragraph, is characterized in that the support is freely rotatable about an axis, which, in the active position of the rotatable display device, is inclined at an angle of 1 to 20°, more in particular of 2 to 10°, and is preferably 3 to 5° with respect to a vertical. There is thus obtained a self-rotating rotatable display device, the support of which will always assume such a position that the greatest weight hanging thereon is always at the lowest point. If the weight distribution of the products hanging on the rotatable display device is circularly even, then the rotatable display device will remain at a standstill. If, for instance on the front side, i.e. the side facing the consumer, products are removed, then the rotatable display device will rotate by itself to a position in which the products still hanging on the rotatable display device come to hang on the front side again.
In a concrete embodiment the frame is provided with a shaft portion, the axis of which is inclined at the above angle with respect to the vertical, about which shaft portion the support is rotatable. To make the rotatable display device universally applicable, the shaft portion is attached to or forms part of a further structural member provided with means for enabling the rotatable display device to be fixedly installed.
In a first embodiment the further structural member is formed by a shaft portion, substantially extending in the horizontal direction, which is provided with engaging means for enabling the rotatable display device to be hung on an edge- or bar-shaped body, store display, or the like. Depending on the nature of the products and the place where the rotatable display device is installed, it may be advantageous if in this embodiment the rotatable display device is substantially adjustable in the horizontal direction.
In a second embodiment the further structural member is formed by a stand. Here, too, it may be advantageous for the same reasons as in the first embodiment if the rotatable display device is adjustable for height.
To enable the products to be hung easily, the support may be provided with at least substantially radially projecting elements. In a special embodiment the support may be formed by a plate-shaped body, on which the above elements are mounted so as to be evenly distributed over the circumferential direction of the plate-shaped body. The shape of the radially projecting elements is not important, but will of course be selected so that the products to be hung thereon are displayed so as to radiate a sales-expanding effect.
The invention will now be discussed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the rotatable display device according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a similar embodiment as in Fig. 1, except that here the radially projecting elements have another shape; and
Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the rotatable display device according to the invention.
In the figures similar parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the frame is formed by a structural member consisting of a shaft portion 2, substantially extending in the horizontal direction, with engaging means 3 at one end to enable the rotatable display device to be secured to a bar or upright edge piece 4, which may form part of a store display. Provided at the other end of the shaft portion 2 is a bent shaft portion 5. This shaft portion 5 is bent so that, when the rotatable display device is hung on the bar 4, the axis 6 of this shaft portion 5 is inclined at an angle α to the vertical 7. This angle α has, in the active position of the rotatable display device, a value in the interval of 1 to 20°, more in particular of 2 to 10°, and is preferably about 3 to 5°. Freely rotatable about the shaft portion 5 is a support 8. This support is built up of a plate-shaped body 9, on which substantially radially projecting elements 10 are mounted so as to be evenly distributed over the circumferential direction of the plate-shaped body 9. In Fig. 1 these elements 10 are bow-shaped, while in Fig. 2 they are formed by rods bent upward at the free ends.
In the embodiment of Fig. 3 the frame consists of a structural member in the form of a stand 11. In this stand a shaft with a slightly bent end portion, formed by the shaft portion 5, is movable forward and backward and securable in the stand by means of a wing screw 12. Here, too, the axis of a shaft portion 5 is inclined at an angle α with respect to a vertical, while, in the active position of the rotatable display device, the angle α can assume the same values as in the first exemplary embodiment. The support 8 is designed in the same way as in Fig. 2.
As a result of the inclined position of the shaft portion 5 with respect to a vertical there is obtained a self-rotating rotatable display device, the support of which is rotatable in a plane which, in the active position of the rotatable display device, is inclined at an angle α to a horizontal plane. At an circularly even weight distribution the rotatable display device will remain at a standstill, while at an uneven weight distribution the support will rotate to a position in which the greatest weight will come to lie at the lowest point of the circle described.
The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein with reference to the drawings, but comprises all kinds of modifications thereof, of course as far as falling within the scope of protection of the appended claims. In particular, it is pointed out that besides the stand and the supporting structure from Figs. 1 and 2 all kinds of other supporting structures are possible, in which any engaging means will be adapted to the places of attachment and similar possibilities.

Claims

A rotatable display device, in particular for displaying products in a store, comprising a frame and at least one support rotatable with respect to this frame, characterized in that the support is freely rotatable about an axis, which, in the active position of the rotatable display device, is inclined at an angle of 1 to 20°, more in particular of 2 to 10°, and is preferably 3 to 5° with respect to a vertical.
A rotatable display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame is provided with a shaft portion, the axis of which is inclined at the above angle with respect to the vertical, about which shaft portion the support is rotatable.
A rotatable display device according to claim 2, characterized in that the shaft portion is attached to or forms part of a further structural member provided with means for enabling the rotatable display device to be fixedly installed.
A rotatable display device according to claim 3, characterized in that the further structural member is formed by a shaft portion, substantially extending in the horizontal direction, which is provided with engaging means for enabling the rotatable display device to be hung on an edge- or bar-shaped body, store display, or the like.
A rotatable display device according to claim 4, characterized in that it is substantially adjustable in the horizontal direction.
A rotatable display device according to claim 3, characterized in that the further structural member is formed by a stand.
A rotatable display device according to claim 6, characterized in that it is adjustable for height.
A rotatable display device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support is provided with at least substantially radially projecting elements.
A rotatable display device according to claim 8, characterized in that the support is formed by a plate-shaped body, on which the above elements are mounted so as to be evenly distributed over the circumferential direction of the plate-shaped body.