GB2103081A - Display and support means for shoes - Google Patents

Abstract

A display and support means (10) for shoes comprises an upright central body (11) having a hook (17) by which it can be hung from a support rail, a pair of branches (23) at the base of the body extending in opposite directions and a pair of upwardly extending support elements (12, 13) in the form of loops broadening out from stems (22) attached to the branches (23). A pair of shoes can be placed on the respective support elements (12, 13) for the pre-sale transport, storage, display and purchase. The body (10) has a central portion (16) to receive indicia such as price or size indication. Instead of the hook a T bar may be provided for receipt in a track of a display fitment and a loop or aperture (18) may be provided to receive a rod of a support rack. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display and support means for shoes This invention relates to a display and support means for shoes and other footwear. For convenience of description, all footwear will hereinafter be referred to generically as "shoes".

The marketing of shoes in the United Kingdom has been carried out largely through specialist retail shops in which a customer is often able to see only a selection of the stock on display. The customer's choice of shoes depends largely on the ability of an assistant to remember and locate all the shoes of a particular type and size from a stockroom in which they are stored in boxes.

Certain chain stores have shoe departments in which all the shoes are available on open shelves for inspection but this arrangement requires a great deal of space.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display and support means for shoes enabling them to be more readily displayed for sale or in stockrooms.

According to the invention there is provided a display and support means for shoes comprising a body having a pair of generally upwardly extending support elements, each adapted to be received within and to support a shoe, and an attachment means disposed above and approximately mid-way between the centres of gravity of the support elements in use.

A pair of shoes may therefore be placed on the respective support elements and the loaded support means may be hung up by the attachment means.

Preferably, the attachment means comprises a hook adapted to be hung on a rail. Alternatively, it may comprise a loop or an aperture in the body adapted to receive a rod of a support rack. In a further possible modification, it may comprise a T bar adapted to be received in a track of a display fitment.

The support elements may each comprise a rigid loop of a suitable size to be received in a shoe.

Alternatively, they may comprise generally planar tongues.

In a further alternative, they may comprise shaped shoe trees.

In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises an upright central member, the upper end portion of which carries the attachment means. The support elements may be provided respectively on a pair of branches extending in opposed directions from the lower end portion of the body.

Alternatively, the support elements may be disposed side-by-side with the body extending upwardly alongside one of the support elements.

The body may include a planar surface adapted to receive indicia, for example on a printed label.

The support means may be made as a one piece moulding in a synthetic plastics material.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a display and support means embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a support means of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The drawings illustrates a display and support means generally indicated at 10, which comprises a body 11 and a pair of upwardly extending support elements generally indicated at 12 and 1 3. The body 11 also carries an attachment means 14.

In use, the support elements 12 and 1 3 receive a pair of shoes (not shown) which are disposed, toes uppermost, over the support elements. The attachment means 14 is then used to attach the loaded support means 10 to a suitable fixture.

The display and support means 10 can therefore beused throughout a number of stages in the distribution and marketing of a pair of shoes and also after purchase. For example, immediately after the shoes are manufactured, they can be placed on the display and support means, hung on suitable racks and distributed through the wholesale and retail stages to for example a specialist shoe retailer. The display and support means can then be used to display the shoes to the sales staff so that the appropriate syles, colours and sizes can be seen more readily in a stockroom.

Alternatively, if the shoes are to be sold through a chain store outlet, the support means 10 can be used to display the shoes direct to the customer to make a selection. It is intended that the customer to make a selection. It is intended that the customer, when purchasing the shoes, will also be given the support means 10 which could then be used to store the shoes when not in use.

Turning from the manner in which the display and support means 10 is intended to be used, to its construction, the embodiment shown in the drawings is made as a one-piece moulding in synthetic plastics material. The body ills elongate generally rectangular as shown, having a pair of stiffening portions 1 5 extending along the respective sides and a planar central portion 16.

This planar central portion is designed to receive indicia, which indicate details of the particular shoes to be carried on the support means 10, for example the manufacturer's name, the material from the shoes are made, the size, style and price.

Conveniently, these details are applied on a label (not shown) which can be stuck to the planar central portion 1 6 of the body 11.

The attachment means 14 is in the form of a large diameter hook 1 7 which is of a size such that it can be hooked round a normal wardrobe rail or onto a similarly sized rail of a shop fitment.

Alternatively, or in addition, other forms of attachment means could be provided. In the drawings, there is shown a small aperture 1 8 at the top of the body 11, which can receive a rod of a display fitment. Alternatively, a T-shaped bar could be provided which can be inserted into a suitably shaped slotted rail of a display fitment.

This type of arrangement may be preferred for reasons of security for example.

the support elements 12 and 1 3 in the example shown comprise oppositely disposed loops 1 9 and 20 having broad upper ends which are capable of being inserted into the toes of the shoes to be carried. The loops 1 9 and 20 are sized so that the toes will not be stretched or distorted but will be reasonably firmly located to avoid the shoes becoming displaced from the support means 11.

The lower ends of the loops 19 and 20 taper inwardly at 21 towards the body 1 The loops merge into upright stems 22. The stems 22 in turn lead into generally horizontal branches 23 extending from the foot of the main body 11.

Throughout the support means, the crosssection of the plastics is kept to a minimum consistent with sufficient strength and rigidity and, for this reason, a generally U-shaped or dog bone cross-section is preferred. A stiffening rib 24 of thicker cross-section is, however, provided to support and strengthen the branches 23 which are subjected to leverage when the support means is in use supporting a pair of shoes.

It is preferred that the loops 1 9 and 20 are asymmetrical and disposed directly above the stems 22 as shown, partly for ease of manufacture and partly to ensure that the heels of the shoes carried on the loops 1 9 and 20 can hang freely in the free space below the loops.

It is possible to modify the display and support means 10 by providing alternative forms of support element, for example by providing generally planar tongues (not shown) instead of the loops 1 9 and 20. It is possible to provide shaped shoe tree formations as a further alternative.

It will be appreciated that the body 11 need not necessarily be disposed between the support elements 12 and 13. It could be alongside the support elements which could be disposed sideby-side. However, in this case, the attachment means needs to be displaced laterally with respect to the body so as to be disposed above and generally mid-way between the centres of gravity of the support elements 12 and 1 3. This configuration ensures that the shoes can be hung up in a stable condition.

Although shoes can be put on and taken off the display and support means by verticai displacement, it is possible, for security reasons, to render the shoes captive by for example enclosing them in a transparent plastic bag secured about the display and support means.

Claims (13)

Claims

1. A display and support means for shoes comprising a body having a pair of generally upwardly extending support elements, each adapted to be received within and to support a shoe, and an attachment means disposed above and approximately mid-way between the centres of gravity of the support elements in use.

2. A support means accordingto Claim 1 wherein the attachment means comprises a hook adapted to be hung on a rail.

3. A support means according to Claim 1 wherein the attachment means comprises a loop or aperture adapted to receive a rod of a support rack.

4. A support means according to Claim 1 wherein the attachment means comprises a T bar adapted to be received in a track of a display fitment.

5. A support means according to any preceding claim wherein the support elements each comprise a rigid loop of suitable size to be received in a shoe.

6. A support means according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the support elements each comprise a generally planar tongue.

7. A support means according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the support elements each comprise shaped shoes trees.

8. A support means according to any preceding claim wherein the body comprises an upright central member, the upper end portion of which carries the attachment means.

9. A support means according to Claim 8 wherein the support elements are provided on a pair of branches extending in opposed directions from the lower end portion of the body.

1 0. A support means according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the support elements are disposed side-by-side with the body extending upwardly in use alongside one of the support elements.

11. A support means according to any preceding claim wherein the body includes a generally planar surface adapted to receive indicia, such as a label.

1 2. A support means according to any preceding claim and made as a one-piece moulding in a synthetic plastics material.

13. A display and support means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1 4. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.