FR2793667A1 - Display unit for goods in shop comprises series of shelves centered on vertical wall using centering studs, and secured to wall using strips, and protrusion sliding in groove - Google Patents

Abstract

Display unit comprises vertical wall (100) having series of horizontal grooves (110-1 to 110-4) where shelves (200-1 to 200-4) are inserted. Shelves are centered using two centering studs (not shown), and are secured using strips, and protrusion sliding in groove (not shown) so that shelves cannot easily be removed from display unit. An Independent claim is also included for the display shelf.

Description

The present invention relates to a product display system intended to be installed in stores in which the products are offered for sale.

Such display systems are already known and reference may be made in particular to patent documents GB-A-2 284 345 and US-A-4 944 416. These display systems generally consist of vertical panels provided on at least one of their main face of horizontal grooves. In each groove, hooks may be accommodated which are integral with a presentation support, such as a shelf or a spindle, and which bear inside said groove to allow the positioning of said support.

The disadvantage of the display systems of the state of the art lies in the fact that mounting on the panel of a presentation medium, including a shelf, is carried out in two separate movements. In the first, the support is approaching a groove in which the said hook is housed. Then, in a second movement, the support is pivoted, so that it bears against the panel to be positioned. The second pivoting movement requires the removal of a superior presentation medium in order to mount the presentation medium just below. If one does not want to disassemble the upper presentation support, it nevertheless requires to have distances between two relatively high presentation media.

The object of the invention is to provide a display system that can obviate the problems mentioned above.

For this purpose, a display system according to the invention is characterized in that said or each presentation medium comprises centering means in one of said grooves and locking means provided to prevent the easy removal of said support when it is inserted into said groove.

Advantageously, said or each presentation support is mounted integral with an insert which comprises said centering means and said locking means. According to another characteristic of the present invention, said locking means consist of an elastic tongue provided with a first stop means designed to cooperate, when said presentation support is inserted in said groove, with a second means of locking. complementary stop of said first stop means, said tongue being resiliently urged upon insertion of said support into said groove and being at rest when said first and second stop means cooperate with each other. The tongue provided with the first stopping means is integral with said presentation medium [or each groove] and said second stopping means is present on each groove [respectively on said presentation medium]. Said first [or second] stop means is constituted by a protuberance and said second [respectively said first] stop means consists of a housing for said protuberance.

Said protrusion and said housing have respectively semi-cylindrical shapes complementary to each other or triangular sections complementary to each other.

Said centering means are advantageously constituted by at least one centering pin designed to be inserted without play in a groove.

According to another characteristic of the invention, a display system is characterized in that one or each main face of said panel consists of profiles which form said grooves and which are interconnected by skins, filling material filling space between the two main faces of said panel. Each section advantageously has a generally U-shaped section with at least one of the two lateral wings which has along its length said second stop means.

According to another characteristic of the invention, at least one profile comprises means for the electrical connection of one or more electrical appliances. For example, said electrical connection means consist of housings for electrical conductors respectively provided externally on the wings of said profiles, said conductors being connected to the terminals of a power supply, a presentation support or an insert for a support presentation having connectors provided to cooperate with said conductors when said presentation medium is inserted into said profile.

According to another characteristic of the invention, it comprises a support element consisting of a part intended to fit into a groove and another part designed to support at a distance from said panel a presentation support which would be inserted into a top groove. to the groove into which said first part is inserted.

According to another characteristic of the invention, it comprises sections consisting of two mutually parallel wings forming the lateral walls of two grooves respectively on the two faces of said panel, with at least one of the two side walls of each groove presenting along its entire length said second stop means.

According to another characteristic of the invention, it consists of a stack of profiles nested one on the other, each profile having two side walls forming part of the main faces of said panel, a lower wall forming with a lower profile the walls upper side of two grooves on the opposite sides of said panel and an upper wall forming with an upper profile the lower side walls of said two grooves.

According to another characteristic of the invention, it comprises a plate which is pierced with holes for the slightly forcing mounting of presentation supports, said plate being provided with said centering means in one of said grooves of said panel and said locking means, said plate having a step so that a bottom plate mounted on said panel is overlapped by said step an upper plate mounted on said panel. According to another characteristic of the invention, said presentation support is a pin whose end has a flat in one direction, if it is a pin for the product support and, in the other direction, if it is a pin for the support of a label, said plate alternately having a line of oblong holes in a direction intended to receive said pins with flat in said direction and a line of oblong holes in the other direction intended to receive said pins with flat in said other direction.

The present invention also relates to an accessory which is intended to equip a display system of the type which consists of a vertical panel provided on at least one of its main faces with at least one horizontal groove, said accessory being mounted by the intermediate of at least one groove of said panel.

According to the invention, said accessory is characterized in that it comprises centering means in said groove and locking means provided to prevent easy removal of said panel. Said locking means consist of an elastic tongue provided with a first stop means provided to cooperate, when said presentation medium is inserted into said groove, with a second stop means complementary to said first means and provided on a said walls of said groove.

According to an alternative embodiment, said locking means consist of a first stop means provided for cooperating, when said presentation medium is inserted into said groove, with a second stop means complementary to said first means of which is provided a elastic tongue provided on one of said walls of said groove.

Said first stop means consists of a protuberance provided to be housed in a housing constituting said second stop means. Said protrusion and said housing have respectively semicylindrical shapes complementary to each other or triangular sections complementary to each other. According to another characteristic of the invention, said centering means of said accessory consist of at least one centering pin provided to be inserted without play in said groove.

Said accessory is for example an insert intended to be fixed at the end or on the longitudinal edge of a presentation medium and to be inserted in a groove of a panel of said system.

It is for example a support element of a display system having a first portion to be inserted in a groove of said panel and a second portion for supporting at a distance from said panel a presentation medium which would be inserted in a groove above the groove wherein said first portion is inserted. It is for example a plate on which can be mounted product support pins or label holder.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the attached drawings, among which FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of a display system of the type of that of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an insert of a display system in a particular embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of a panel of a display system according to the present invention, showing a first embodiment of profiles forming the horizontal grooves of said panel, FIG. 4 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of a panel of a display system according to the present invention, showing a second embodiment of profiles forming the horizontal grooves of said panel, FIG. 5 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of a panel of a display system according to the present invention, showing a third embodiment of profiles forming the horizontal grooves of said panel and provided with means for an electrical connection, FIG. . 6 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of a display system according to the present invention, showing a support member for supporting a shelf with a relatively large width, FIG. 7 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of a panel of a display system according to the present invention, showing a fourth embodiment of profiles forming the horizontal grooves of said panel, FIG. 8 is a sectional view along a vertical plane of a panel of a display system according to the present invention formed from profiles, FIG. 9 is a front view and a sectional view of a display system according to the present invention showing an accessory consisting of a plate for receiving product or label support pins, and FIG. 10 is a front plan view and a top plan view of a pin to be mounted on a plate such as that shown in FIG. 9.

The display shown schematically in FIG. 1 consists essentially of a vertical panel 100 provided with horizontal grooves 110 to 1104 in which are respectively inserted the longitudinal edges of presentation supports, here constituted by shelves 200, to 2004. These longitudinal edges are provided with means (not represented) that prevent the easy removal of each shelf. These means are described below.

The shelves 200, 2004 are for example made of wood panels or glass whose thickness is substantially equal to the width of the grooves 1101 to 1104. The panel 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises said grooves <B> 1101 </ B> to I 104 on one of its faces, but it will be understood that it could have grooves on two opposite main faces.

In FIG. 2, there is shown a mounting system of a shelf 200 on a presentation panel 100 which uses an insert 300. The insert 300 has a first portion 310 with a groove 311 in which can be inserted slightly forcibly or in which is glued a presentation medium, including a shelf 200 or pin, etc. The insert 300 has a second portion 320 which consists of two centering pins 321 and 322 which are provided to be housed in a groove 110 of a panel <B> 100. </ B> The thickness of the pads 321 and 322 is substantially equal to the width of a groove 110 so as to be inserted into said groove 110 without play, that is to say, more exactly, with a small clearance. The part 320 further comprises, between the two centering studs 321 and 322, an elastic tongue 323 which has on its upper part a first stop means, constituted by a protrusion 324, which is intended to cooperate with a second stop means, here consisting of a housing or groove 111, which is provided with one of the faces of the groove 110. When an insert 300 is introduced into a groove 110, the centering studs 321 and 322 ensure the positioning of the insert in the groove <B> 110 . </ B> Tab 323 is initially slightly flexed and then returned to rest position when the first stop means cooperates with the second stop means, that is to say when the protrusion 324 is housed in the groove 111. This results in a locking of the insert 300 in the groove 110. The insert 300 further has a third central portion 330 which allows the portions 310 and 320 to be connected to each other.

Note that the insert 300 could have only one centering stud.

It will also be noted that, in another embodiment equivalent to that just described, the first stop means is a housing which is provided with an elastic tongue and which is provided for housing the second stop means, which is a protuberance provided with said groove 110.

Similarly, it will be understood that the resilient tongue provided with a first stop means could be incorporated in the groove 110 and that (insert 330 could include only the second stop means.

The centering stud (s) 321 and 322 constitute centering means of a presentation support of which they are integral and the tongue 323 and the first and second stop means 324 and 111 constitute locking means which make it possible to prevent easy removal of said presentation medium.

Note that these centering means and these locking means could be integrated in the longitudinal edge of a shelf 200 or in the end of a pin or other presentation medium. The insertion of a presentation support is in a movement perpendicular to the plane containing the panel 100, so that for the installation of a shelf 200, it is not necessary to disassemble the shelf 200 directly higher, as is the case in display systems of the state of the art.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the protrusion 324 has a half-cylinder shape extending over the entire width of the tongue 323. The groove 311 has a shape complementary to that of the protrusion 324. It is therefore also half-cylindrical in shape and extends over the entire length of the groove 110. In FIG. 3, the grooves 110 are obtained by means of profiles 400 provided with two wings 410 and 420 parallel to each other and connected by a core 430 so as to have a general shape of "U". The distance between the wings 410 and 420 is substantially equal to the thickness of a centering pin 321 or 322 of an insert 300. The walls 410, 420 and 430 form the groove 110 itself. The wings 410 and 420 comprise longitudinal recesses 411 and 421 which form grooves 111 on the walls of the main grooves 110.

In FIG. 3, the grooves 111 have a triangular shape with a wall perpendicular to the wings 410 and 420 and another wall inclined towards the core 430. The profile 400 further comprises at the inlet of the groove 110 end walls 440 which form with the walls 410 and 420 of the groove 110 rounded. Cross walls 450 are also provided on the profile 400.

On the right of FIG. 3, there is shown a section 400 in which is inserted an insert 300 according to that shown in FIG. 2, with the exception of the protrusion 324 which this time has a triangular shape (and not a half-cylinder shape) complementary to the shape of the recesses 411 or 421. In the groove 311 of the insert 300, is mounted the longitudinal edge of a shelf 200.

To form a panel such as that of FIG. 3, it is mounted on skins 120 and <B> 130, </ B> eg pre-lacquered sheet, profiles 400 between the transverse walls 450 and the front walls 440 and is injected between the two shells 120 and 130 , a filling material such as relatively high density polyurethane foam so as to ensure the mechanical strength of said panel 100.

Fig. 4 is an alternative embodiment of a profile 400 according to FIG. 3 whose recesses 41 <B> 1 </ B> have a rounded and non-triangular shape as in FIG. 3 so as to be able to receive an insert 300 with protuberance 324 of semi-cylindrical shape. In addition, in FIG. 5, the panel has profiles 400 only on one of its faces.

In FIG. 5, there is shown a section 500 which is provided for the connection of a presentation support 200 requiring an electrical connection. Like the profile 400, the profile 500 has two wings 510 and 520 and a core 530 so that the groove formed by these walls 510, 520 and 530 has a general shape of "U". The walls 510 and 520 respectively have recesses 511 and 521 to accommodate protrusions 724 of an insert 700, which have a shape complementary to that of the recesses 511 and 521. Note that in FIG. 5, the recesses 511 and 521 are semi-cylindrical in shape and it will be understood that they could be of triangular section like the profile 400 shown in FIG. 3. On each side of the wings 510 and 520, there are provided housing 560 and 570 for electrical conductors 610 and 620 respectively connected to the outputs of a power source (not shown), for example 220 volts or 12 volts. volts.

The insert 700 shown in FIG. 5 comprises, like the insert 300, three parts 710, 720 and 730. The central portion 730 has connectors 740 and 750 which are intended to come into contact with the conductors 610 and 620 in order to establish a electrical connection. Electrical wires 760 can connect the connectors 740 and 750 to a use (not shown), such as an electric lamp, a device mounted in operation (VCR, CD player, etc.). The portion 720 of the insert 700 is identical to the portion 320 of an insert 300 such as that shown in FIG. 2. As for the part 710 of the insert 700, it is identical to the part 310 of an insert 300 such as that shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 6, there is shown in its upper part a shelf 2001 mounted directly in a profile 400 without insert 300. This shelf also does not have, on its longitudinal edge, means such as centering studs and a tongue. Its thickness is substantially equal to the width of the groove 110 formed by the section 400 and is mounted slightly forcibly. This assembly is possible as the width of the shelf 200 is not too important making its overhang important.

In the lower part, it has been shown another shelf 2002 also mounted directly in a profile 400 without insert 300. The shelf 2002 is wider than the shelf 2001 so that it has a relatively large cantilever. Also shown in the lower part a support member 800 which consists of a first portion 810 adapted to fit into a section 400 with or without insert 300 (here, without the insert 300), a part 820 inclined relative to the <B> 810 </ B> portion and a portion 830 substantially perpendicular to the portion 810 and adapted to support the shelf 2002. The portion 830 has at its free end a wheelbase 831. The Element 820 makes it possible to prevent a shelf 200Z which is too wide from being cantilevered and thus to channel the bending force towards the panel 100 and this, via part 810. It will be noted that the part 810 has a stop 811 provided to bear against the panel 100. In FIG. 7, there is shown a section 900 whose walls 910 and 920 constitute the wings of two sections similar or identical to the profile 300 shown in FIG. 3. The profile 900 makes it possible to form grooves 110 on each side of a panel 100.

It will be understood that for the constitution of a panel 100, the profiles 900 are mounted between two parts of the skins 121, 122, 131, 132 respectively inserted at the ends of said section 900. Between each of these skins is injected a filler material, such as relatively high density polyurethane foam.

In FIG. 8 there is shown another embodiment of a profile according to the invention. This profile <B> 1000 </ B> is essentially of parallelepipedal shape with two side walls 1001 and 1002, an upper wall <B> 1003 </ B> having recesses 1004 and 1005 and a substantially parallelepipedal portion 1006 whose side walls 1007 and 1008 are streaked. I1 further comprises a bottom wall 1009 provided with recesses <B> 1010 </ B> and 1011 and two walls 1012 and 1013 which are perpendicular to the wall 1009 and which have on their faces opposite streaks.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the lower part of an upper profile 1000, I is engaged in the upper part of a lower profile 1001I. To do this, the walls 1012 and 1013 of the upper profile <B> 10001, </ B> cooperate with the upper walls 1007 and 1008 of the lower profile <B> 1000, </ B> so as to form two grooves 110. By elsewhere, the walls 1001 and 1002 form the side walls of the panel. Each profile 1000 may be filled with a filler material such as relatively high density polyurethane.

In FIG. 9, there is shown a panel 100 provided with three sections 400 extending horizontally along the width of said panel <B> 100. </ B> There is shown one of pins whose structure is that shown in FIG. 10. The pin 1210 of FIG. 10 consists of a rod, for example, of circular section, one end 121 <B> 1 </ B> is for example slightly curved. The other end of the pin 1210 is provided with a flat portion 1212 adapted to be housed in one of the holes 1110 of the support plate 1100.

In the holes 1120 can be housed pins 1220 which are identical to the pins 1210 with the exception of the flat which is turned 90 relative to the flat portion 1212 of the pin 1210 so as to be housed in one of the holes 1120 of the plate support 1100.

For example, the pins 1210 are intended to carry products themselves mounted on a cardboard having a hole through which said pin 1210 passes, while the pins 1220 are intended to support the label designating the product and possibly the price of the product supported by the upper l210 spindle. In FIG. 9, the support plate 1100 comprises at one end a portion 1130 intended to be housed in a profile 400 and whose structure is therefore identical to the portion 320 of an insert 300 such as that shown in FIG. 2. The support plate 1100 has its edges parallel to the portion 1130 having a step 1140 for the upper edge and a step 1150 for the lower edge. The steps 1140 and 1150 are complementary to one another so that a lower plate 1100 (referenced 1100bis in Fig. 9) overlaps by its step <B> 1 </ B> 140 the step 1150 d an upper plate 1100.

It will be understood that a plate is thus, on the one hand, secured to a panel 100 by its portion 1130 which is mounted in a section 400 and, on the other hand, held against the panel 100 by the support plate 1100.

Claims (1)

 CLAIMS I) Product display system of the type which consists of a vertical panel (l00) provided on at least one of its main faces with at least one horizontal groove (110) and at least one presentation support ( 200) adapted to be inserted into said one or more grooves (110), characterized in that said or each presentation support (200) is provided with centering means (321, 322) in one of said grooves (110) and locking means (323, 324, 111) provided to prevent easy removal of said support (200) when inserted into said groove (110). 2) display system according to claim 1, characterized in that said or each presentation medium (200) is mounted integral with an insert (300) which comprises said centering means (321, 322) and said locking means ( 323, 324, 111). 3) Display system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said locking means (323, 324, 111) consist of an elastic tongue (323) provided with a first stop means provided for cooperating, when said presentation medium (200) is inserted into said groove (l10), with second complementary stop means of said first stop means, said tongue (323) being resiliently biased upon insertion of said medium (200) in said groove (10) and being at rest when said first and second stop means cooperate with each other. 4) display system according to claim 3, characterized in that the tongue (323) provided with the first stop means is integral with said presentation support (200) [or each groove (1l0)] and in that said second stopping means is present on each groove (110) [respectively on said presentation medium (200)]. 5) display system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said first [or said second] stop means is constituted by a protrusion (324) and in that said second [respectively said first] means of stop comprises a housing (111) for said protuberance (324). 6) A display system according to claim 5, characterized in that said protuberance (324) and said housing (11) respectively have semicylindrical shapes complementary to each other. 7) display system according to claim 5, characterized in that said protuberance (324) and said housing (111) respectively have triangular sections complementary to each other. 8) Display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said centering means consist of at least one centering pin (321, 322) intended to be inserted without play in a groove (110). 9) display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or each main face of said panel (100) consists of sections (400, 500, 900, 1000) which form said grooves (110) and which are connected between them by skins (120, 130), a filling material filling the space between the two main faces of said panel (100). 10) display system according to claim 9, characterized in that each section (400, 500, 900, 1000) has a generally U-shaped section with at least one of the two side wings which has all its length said second stop means (111, 324). 11) display system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that at least one profile (500) comprises means for the electrical connection of one or more electrical appliances. 12) display system according to claim 11, characterized in that said electrical connection means consist of housings (560, 570) for electrical conductors (610, 620) respectively provided externally on the wings of said profiles (500), said conductors (610, 620) being connected to the terminals of a power source, a presentation medium (200) or an insert (300) for a presentation medium (200) having connectors (760) for cooperating with said conductors (610, 620) when said presentation medium (200) is inserted into said profile (500). 13) display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a support member (800) consisting of a portion (8l0) adapted to be inserted in a groove (l10) and another part (820). , 830) provided to support at a distance from said panel (100) a presentation medium (200) which would be inserted in a groove (l10) greater than the groove (110) in which said first portion (810) is inserted. 14) display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one profile (900) consisting of two wings (910, 920) parallel to each other forming the side walls of two grooves (110) respectively on the two faces of said panel (100), with at least one of the two side walls of each groove (110) which has along its length said second stop means (111, 324). 15) Display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists of a stack of profiles (1000) nested one on the other, each section (1000) having two side walls (1001 and 1002) forming a part of the main faces of said panel (100), a lower wall (1009) forming with a lower section the upper side walls of two grooves (110) on opposite sides of said panel (100) and an upper wall (100) forming with an upper profile the lower side walls of said two grooves (110). 16) A display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plate (1100) which is pierced with holes (1110) for the slightly forcing mounting of presentation media (1210, 1220), said plate ( 1100) being provided with said centering means (321, 322) in one of said grooves (110) of said panel (100) and said locking means (323, 324, 11l), said plate (1100) having a step (1140) provided so that a lower plate mounted on said panel is overlapped by said step an upper plate mounted on said panel. 17) display system according to claim 16, characterized in that said presentation medium is a pin (1210) whose end has a flat in one direction, if it is a pin (1210) for the a product carrier and, in the other direction, a spindle (1220) for supporting a label, said plate (1100) alternately having a line of oblong holes (1110) in one direction provided to receive said pins (1210) with flat in said direction and a line of oblong holes (l120) in the other direction for receiving said pins (1220) with flat in said other direction. 18) Accessory of a display system of the type which consists of a vertical panel (100) provided on at least one of its main faces with at least one horizontal groove (110), said accessory being intended to be mounted on said panel (100) via at least one groove (110) of said panel (100), characterized in that it comprises centering means in said groove and locking means provided to prevent its easy removal from said sign. 19) Accessory according to claim 18, characterized in that said locking means consist of an elastic tongue (323) provided with a first stop means (324, 111) provided to cooperate, when said presentation medium ( 200) is inserted into said groove (10), with second stop means complementary to said first means and provided on one of said walls of said groove (110). 20) Accessory according to claim 18, characterized in that said locking means consist of a first stop means provided to cooperate, when said presentation medium (200) is inserted into said groove (110), with a second complementary stop means of said first means which is provided with an elastic tongue (323) provided on one of said walls of said groove. 21) Accessory according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that said first stop means is constituted by a protrusion (324) provided to be housed in a housing (111) constituting said second stop means. 22) Accessory according to claim 21, characterized in that said protuberance (324) and said housing (1l1) respectively have semicylindrical shapes complementary to each other. 23) Accessory according to claim 21, characterized in that said protuberance (324) and said housing (111) respectively have triangular sections complementary to each other. 24) Accessory according to one of claims 18 to 23, characterized in that said centering means consist of at least one centering pin (321, 322) provided to be inserted without play in said groove (110). 25) Accessory according to one of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that it constitutes an insert (300) intended to be fixed to the end or on the longitudinal edge of a presentation medium (200) and to be inserted into a groove (110) of a panel (100) of said system. 26) Accessory according to one of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that it constitutes a support element (800) of a display system comprising a first portion (810) to be inserted into a groove (110) of said panel ( 100) and a second portion (820, 830) for supporting at a distance from said panel (100) a presentation medium that would be inserted into a groove greater than the groove in which said first portion is inserted. 27) Accessory according to one of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that it constitutes a plate (1100) on which can be mounted pins (1210, 1220) product support or label holder.