GB2138671A - Storage and display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Display apparatus comprising: a pair of mounting members (14, 15) that are mutually engageable to form a pole-mountable core, but which when disengaged, are each able to form a wall-mountable support; at least one extension member (16) interengageable with each of said mounting members in any one of a plurality of positions with respect thereto; a plurality of hook or peg members (20) for supporting the articles to be displayed, each hook or peg member being cooperable with any one of a plurality of locating means therefor provided on the or on each said extension member. Each mounting member is of generally parallelepiped or box-like configuration and has one side provided with a semi-circular recess for engagement of a pole when said mounting member is one of a pair that interengage to form a said pole-mountable core. Various preferred assemblages are described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvement in or relating to display apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for supporting and displaying articles, e.g. goods being offered for sale, hereinafter referred to as display apparatus.

In the past, such display apparatus has been designed specifically to be of one size, of one shape or configuration and, in general, of one particular form of mounting (i.e. either for wall mounting or for pole mounting). Such display apparatus, being made individually to specific requirements or in small numbers for each size, each shape and each form of mounting, is generally expensive and usually incapable of resiting, e.g. when a shop layout is altered.

It is therefore considered desirable to provide display apparatus whereby one or more of the aforesaid and/or other disadvantages may be overcome.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided display apparatus comprising: a mounting member for mounting display apparatus on a support; an extension member interengageable with the said mounting member in any one of a plurality of positions with respect thereto; and a plurality of hook or peg members for supporting the articles to be displayed, each hook or peg member being cooperable with any one of a plurality of locating means therefor provided on or by said extension member.

Preferably each hook or peg member is also cooperable with any one of a plurality of locating means therefor provided on or by said mounting member.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided display apparatus comprising: a pair of mounting members that are mutually engageable to form a pole-mountable core and, when disengaged, are each to form a wallmountable core; at least one extension member interengageable with each of said mounting members in any one of a plurality of positions with respect thereto; and a plurality of hook or peg members for supporting the articles to be displayed, each hook or peg member being cooperable with any one of a plurality of locating means therefor provided on the or on each said extension member.

Advantageously a plurality of further similar locating means may be provided on each of the said mounting members.

Preferably said locating means comprise a plurality of vertical slots open at their upper ends and with which depending fingers of said hook or peg members are cooperable.

Preferably the two mounting members of said pair are mutually engageable by slidingly cooperable, bayonet-like. coupling parts provided thereon.

Preferably the or each said extension member is interengageable with each mounting member by slidingly cooperable, bayonet-like, coupling parts provided thereon. Conveniently a detent locking member may be provided (optionally on each mounting member but preferably on the or each said extension member) to prevent unintended disengagement of the or each said extension member from a said mounting member.

Advantageously each mounting member is of generally parallelepiped or box-like configuration and has one side provided with a semi-circular recess for engagement of a pole when said mounting member is one of a pair that interengage to form a said pole-mountable core.

Preferably each side of the pole-mountable core is provided with means defining three said positions for the extension member or one of the extension members.

Preferably four said extension members are provided thereby to provide optionally and selectively.

(a) two separate wall-mountable cores each interengaged with two said extension members that extend in alignment with one another thereby to form a generally linear configuration, or (b) two separate wall-mountable cores each interengaged with two said extension members that extend parallel with one another thereby to form a U-like configuration, or (c) a pole-mountable core interengaged on each of two opposite sides with two said extension members in alignment with one another thereby to form an H-like configuration, or (d) a pole-mountable core interengaged with one said extension member on each of the core's four sides thereby to form a fylfot-like configuration.

It will be appreciated that the dimensions of each configuration (a) to (d) can be varied depending on the positions selected for interengagement of the extension members and the mounting members.

By way of non-limiting example, display apparatus embodying this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the exemplary display apparatus in one, H-like configuration; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective exploded view of parts of the apparatus shown in Fig 1; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the mode of interengagement of the parts in Fig 2:: Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the parts of Figs 2 and 3 mounted on a pole; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the exemplary display apparatus of Fig 1 in the same H-like configuration as Fig 1 but of different dimensions; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the exemplary display apparatus of Fig 1, utilizing all of the parts shown in Fig 1, but in another, fylfotlike configuration; Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the exemplary display apparatus of Fig 6 in the same fylfot-like configuration but of different dimensions; Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of the exemplary display apparatus of Figs 6 and 7 in the same fylfot-like configuration but of a dimension intermediate those of Figs 6 and 7; and Figures 9 and 10 are schematic perspective views of two similar exemplary display apparatuses, together utilizing all of the parts shown in Fig 1, but each in still another, linear-like configuration, the two display apparatuses being shown as having different dimensions.

The H-like configuration of the display apparatus 10 illustrated in Fig 1 is to be rotatably mounted on the pole 12 shown in Fig 4. The apparatus 10 comprises a rotator core 14 formed by the interengagement of two identical mounting members of bodies 15, and four identical extension members or wings 1 6 interengaged with the core 14. The wings 16, and the core 14, are provided with a plurality of equi-spaced, upwardly open-ended, vertical slots or square section bores 1 8. A plurality of hooks or pegs 20 are provided, each having one or more depending fingers 22 which can cooperate selectively with a corresponding number of adjacent bores 1 8.

The two bodies 15 which combine to form the rotator core 14 mounted on a pole 12 (see Figs 2, 3 and 4) are identical mouldings of a high-impact styrene or of ABS. Each is of substantially hollow box-like form having its two parallel side walls 23 half the width of the front wall 25. A semi-circular recess 24 is provided in the rear edge 26 of the top and bottom walls 27, 28 of each moulding. Each top wall 27 has an upstanding peg 29 and mating recess 31 at diametrically opposite locations along the rear edge 26 and each bottom wall 28 has a corresponding recess 39 and depending peg 41 vertically below peg 29 and recess 31 respectively.Four open-fronted, rectangularsection cavities 30 are provided at the corners of each box-like body 15, each corner cavity 30 having a rear wall 32 in alignment with the rear edges 26 of the top and bottom walls 27, 28. The upper two rear walls 32 of each body 1 5 are provided with apertures 33 of inverted keyholelike shape for a purpose to be described below. Ali four rear walls 32 of each body 1 5 are provided with square section apertures 34 from a side-edge of which tabs 36 extend rearwardly. Flanges 38 extend laterally in the same direction from the free ends of two tabs 36 that are located one above the other, each flange 38 extending partially across the associated rear wall aperture 34.

To assemble the rotator core 14, the two moulded bodies 1 5 are brought together with the four rearward tabs 36 of each body 1 5 being inserted through the four rear wall apertures 34 of the other body 15 until the rear walls 32 of one body 1 5 surfacially abut the rear walls 32 of the other body 1 5. The two bodies 15 are then moved laterally with respect to one another, as shown by arrows 35 in Fig 3, so that each of the two flanges 38 of one body 1 5 traps between itself and its associated rear wall 32 the corresponding rear wall 32 of the other body 1 5 and prevents separation of the two bodies in any direction orthogonal to this direction of lateral movement.It will be appreciated that upon executing this lateral movement, the sides 23 of the two bodies 1 5 become aligned with one another, and the semicircular recesses 24 of the two bodies form two aligned circular openings 42, one each in the composite upper and lower walls of the thus assembled rotator core 14.

The rotator core 14 can then be readily mounted on pole 12, the latter extending slidably through the aligned circular openings 42. Prior to such slidable mounting a horizontal position for the rotor core is provided by sliding a support disc 40 over the pole and retaining the disc 40 in a predetermined horizontal position by a spring clip 44 which is inserted through a transverse hole 45 in the pole and which resiliently grips the pole.

It will be appreciated that a plurality of a like rotator cores 14 can be mounted above one another on the same pole 12. If the cores 14 are to be rotatable independently of one another, further spring clips 44 and washers of discs 40 are provided between each pair of cores so that each core is separately supported by the pole 12.

Alterantively, to permit all the rotator cores 14 to be rotatable together as a single unit, the intermediate support means 40, 44 may be all omitted and the cores 14 allowed to rest one above the other with the depending peg 41 of an upper core engaged in the mating recess 31 of the lower core and with the upstanding peg 29 of the lower core engaged in the mating recess 39 of the upper core.

Each rotator core 14 is of substantially square plan outline, i.e. with each facd of equal width.

Midway between the top and bottom walls 26, 27 the front wall 25 of each body 1 5 is provided with two resilient fingers F50 directed oppositely towards the side edges and terminating in detent latch members F51, F52. Similarly, midway between the top and bottom walls 26, 27, the side walls 23 of each body 1 5 are each provided with a similar resilient finger 55 directed towards the front edge and terminating on the right side in a detent latch member R52 and on the left side in a detent latch member L51.Two horizontal rows, each of four rectangular apertures F61, F62, F63 and F64 are provided in the front wall 25 of each body 1 5, each row being equi-distant from the resilient fingers 50. Another two horizontal rows, each of five rectangular apertures F71, F72, F73, F74 and F75, are provided in the front wall 25 of each body 1 5 each row being equi-distant from the resilient fingers 50 and nearer them than the apertures F61-F64. The vertical defining edges of apertures F61-F64 in the front wall 25 are referenced similary but with the suffix a for lefthand edges and suffix b for right-hand edges. The vertical defining edges of apertures F72, F73 and F74, in front wall 25 are referenced similarly but with the suffix a for left-hand edges and suffixed for right-hand edges. The apertures F7 1 and F75 in front wall 25 are relatively narrow width slots.

The right-hand side wall 23 of each body 1 5 is provided similarly with apertures R61 and R62, slots R71, apertures R72, and aperture edges R73a whereas the left-hand side wall 23 of each body 1 5 is provided similarly with apertures L63 and L64, slots L75, apertures L74 and aperture edges L73b.

The four wings 1 6 are indentical mouldings symmetrical about a horizontal plane and made of high-impact styrene or of ABS. Each wing is provided mid-way between its upper and lower edges (where the bores 18 are located) with a row of three apertures 81,82,83. Each wing 16 is also moulded with eight rearwardly extending flanged tabs, arranged in two groups of four tabs 86-89, the flanges of the tabs being all directed in the same lateral direction. The two flanged tabs 86 are spaced equi-distant from the apertures 81-83 by the same spacing as apertures F6 1 -F64 from fingers 50.The remaining six flanged tabs are in two rows of three tabs 87, 88 and 89, the two rows being equi-distantly spaced from apertures 81-83 by the same spacing as apertures F71-F75 from fingers 50.

The arrangement is such that a wing 1 6 can be inter-engaged with a body 1 5 in surfacial contact with the body's left hand side wall (in any one of two positions to extend beyond the body's front wall) or in surfacial contact with the body's front wall (in any one of three positions to extend byond the body's left-hand side wall or in any one of three positions to extend beyond the body's right hand side wall) or in surfacial contact with the body's right-hand side wall (in any one of two positions to extend beyond the body's front wall).

For example, to provide for the wing's surfacial contact of the body's front wall 25 and to extend beyond the right-hand side wall 23, the wing 1 6 is orientated such that the flanges of the tabs 86-89 are directed leftwards and the following assembly operations performed.

For inter-engagement in a first such rightwards position, flanged tabs 86 are inserted through apertures F61 flanged tabs 87 and 88 are inserted together through long apertures F73, and flanged tabs 89 are aligned with the slots R7 1 in the right-hand side wall 23. The wing 1 6 is then moved leftwards relative to body 1 5 so that the flanged tabs 86 are engaged behind the edges F6 1 a of front wall 25, the flanged tabs 87 engage behind edges F73a, the flanged tabs 89 enter into the slots R71 in the right hand side wall, and the resilient detent latch member F51 engages in aperture 81 in a snap-in manner.Rightwards disengaging movement of the wing 16 relative to body 1 5 is thereafter prevented by latch member F51 and further leftward movement is prevented by the engaged tabs 86,87 and 89. To effect disengagement, the latch member 51 is pressed inwardly (i.e. rearwardly of the front wall) of body 1 5 against the resiliency of its finger 50 and the wing 1 6 is pulled rightwards and then forwards with respect to the body 1 5.

For inter-engagement of the wing 16 in a second rightwards position, flanged tabs 86 and 87 are inserted through apertures F63 and F74 respectively, flanged tabs 88 aligned with the side wall slots R71, and the wing 16 is then moved leftwards relative to body 1 5 so that the tabs 86 and 87 engage respectively behind edges F63a and F74a, the flanged tabs 88 enter into the slots R7 1 in the right-hand side wall 23 and the resilient detent latch member F51 engages in aperture 82.

For inter-engagement of the wing 1 6 in the third rightward position, flanged tabs 86 are inserted through apertures F63 the flanged tabs 87 aligned with side wall slots R71,and the wing moved leftwards relative to body 15 so that the two flanged tabs 86 engage behind edges F63a, the flanged tabs 87 enter into the slots R7 1 in the right-hand side wall 23, and the resilient latch member F51 engages in aperture 83.

Where the wing is to be in surfacial contact with the body's front wall but to extent beyond the left-hand wall, the wing 1 6 is inverted so as to be orientated such that the flanges of tabs 86-89 are directed rightwards and the following assembly operations performed.

For inter-engagement in a first leftward position the two flanged tabs 86 are inserted through apertures F64, flanged tabs 87 and 88 are inserted together through long apertures F73 and the flanged tabs 89 are aligned with the slots L75 in the left-hand side wall 23. The wing 16 is then moved rightwards with respect to body 1 5 so that the flanged tabs 86 engage behind edges F64b, the flanged tabs 87 engage behind edges F73b, the flanged tabs 89 enter into slots L75 in the lefthand side wall 23, and the resilient detent latch member F52 engages in aperture 81.Until depressed inwardly to provide for disengagement of the leftwards extending wing 1 6 and the body 15, the latch member 52 prevents inadvertent leftward movement of the wing 1 6 with respect to body 15, further rightwards movement of wing 1 6 with respect to body 15 being prevented by the engaged tabs 86, 87 and 89.

For inter-engagement of the leftwardsmounted wing in a second position, the flanged tabs 86 and 87 are inserted through apertures F62 and F72 respectively, the flanged tabs 88 are aligned with the slots L75 in the left-hand side wall 23, and the wing 16 is moved rightwards with respect to body 1 5 so that the flanged tabs 86 and 87 engage respectively behind edges F62b and F72b, the flanged tabs 88 enter into the slots L75 in the left-hand side wall of 23, and the resilient latch member F52 engages in aperture 82.

For inter-engagement of the wing 1 6 in a third ieftwards position with respect to body 15, the flanged tabs 86 are inserted through apertures F61 and the flanged tabs 87 aligned with the side wall slots L75. Then the wing is moved rightwards relative to body 1 5 so that the two flanged tabs 86 engage behind edges F61 b, the flanged tabs 87 enter into the slots L.75 in the left-hand side wall 23, and the resilient latch member F52 engages in aperture 83.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the or each of the said wings 1 6 is interengageable with each body 15 by sliding with respect to one another the cooperable, bayonet-like coupling parts provided thereon, and that a detent locking member is provided to prevent unintended disengagement of the wing 16 from a body 15.

Although the detent locking member is shown as provided on each body 15, it will be appreciated that it may alterantively be provided on each wing 16.

Furthermore it will be appreciated that, as long as neither is in a said first position, two wings 1 6 may be mounted on the front of face 25 of one body 15 in alignment with one another and extending respectively Ieftwards and rightwards of the body 1 5. Such a configuration is illustrated in Figs 1 and 9, (where the wings 1 6 are shown in respective said second positions), and in Figs 5 and 10 (where the wings 16 are shown in respective said third positions).

The "linear" configurations of Figs 9 and 10 each employ two wings 1 6 and a single body 15 which, instead of being pole-mounted, is to be mounted on a wall by hooking the body via the apertures 33 behind the heads of screws or nails (not shown) fixed to the wall. An alternative wallmounted arrangement (not shown) may provide a U-shaped configuration by mounting the two wings to the two opposite sidewalls 23 of a single wall-mounted body 1 5 instead of to the front wall 25 of that body.In such a U-shaped configuration, the interengagement is by means of the flanged tabs 88-89 in a similar manner to that described above save that the side wall apertures R61-R64 and R71-R75 (or L61-L64 and L71--L75, as the case may be are utilized correspondingly in place of the apertures F61-F64 and F71-F75 utilized when attaching a wing to a front wall 25, and also the front wall slots F7 1 and F75 are utlized correspondingly in place of the slots R7 1 and L75 that are utilized when a wing 16 is to be attached to the front wall 25.

Apart from the pole-mounted H-like configurations of Figs 1 and 5, a fylfot-like (or 'swastika'-like) configuration may be provided as shown in Figs 6, 7 and 8 by four wings 16 engaged one to each surface of the pole-mounted two-body rotatable core 14. In Fig 6 each wing 16 engages a surface 23 or 25 in said third position providing maximum lateral extension. In Fig 7 each wing engages a surface 23 or 25 in a said first position, providing minimum lateral extension.

In Fig 8 each wing engages surface 23 or 25 in a said second position providing an intermediate lateral extension. It will be noted that the innermost vertical edge 90 of each wing 16 is provided with laterally indented notches 91 to permit the unobstructed entry of flanged tabs 89 into slots 71 and/or 75 in the arrangement of Figure 7.

Asymmetric configurations may also be formed by combining parts of the above-described symmetric configurations and/or by varying their dimensions.

The hooks or pegs 20 may also be moulded of high-impact styrene or of ABS for engagement by their depending fingers 22 with selected bores 1 8 provided at both upper and lower edges of the wings 16 and/or of the body or bodies 15 (where the latter are not covered by wings 1 6 in their minimum extension, first positions).Several articles, e.g. in bubble-packs on apertured cards, may be hung from each hook or peg 20, and different types of article, e.g. of different width, may be hung adjacent to one another on the same display apparatus 1 0. In this way the display apparatus 10 can constitute a so-called "range merchandiser." It will be appreciated that an extremely wide range of configurations, each in a number of dimensions, can be created from a kit of parts comprising a body 15, at least one wing 16, and a plurality of hooks or pegs 20 or alternatively, from a combination of such kits or of such parts, these parts being convenient mouldings of plastics material necessitating a minimal number of moulds. If the pegs or hooks are of a conventional metal construction, the number of moulds required is no more than two.

Each wing 1 6 illustrated is provided with a flange-like protuberance 96 at its free end and it will be appreciated that a label, sign or advertising inscription may be provided on this protuberance to provide appropriate data, e.g. prices, or other information relating to the articles being displayed by the apparatus 10.

Claims (12)

1. Display Apparatus comprising: a mounting member for mounting the display apparatus on a support; an extension member interengageable with said mounting member in any one of a plurality of positions with respect thereto; and a plurality of hook or peg members for supporting the articles to be displayed, each hook or peg member being cooperable with any one of a plurality of location means therefor provided on or by said extension member.

2. Display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each hook or peg member is also cooperable with any one of a plurality of locating means therefor provided on or by said mounting member.

3. Display apparatus comprising a pair of mounting members that are mutually engageable to form a pole-mountable core and, when disengaged, are each to form a wall-mountable core; at least one extension member interengageable with each of said mounting members in any one of a plurality of positions with respect thereto; and a pluratlity of hook or peg members for supporting the articles to be displayed, each hook or peg member being cooperable with any one of a plurality of locating means therefor provided on the or on each said extension member.

4. Display apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein a plurality of further similar locating means may be provided on each of the said mounting members.

5. Display apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said locating means comprise a plurality of vertical slots open at their upper ends and with which depending fingers of said hook or peg members are cooperable.

6. Display apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, wherein the two mounting members of said pair are mutually engageable by slidingly cooperable, bayonet-like, coupling parts provided thereon.

7. Display apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 6, wherein the or each said extension member is interengagable with each mounting member by slidingly co-operable, bayonet-like, coupling parts provided thereon.

8. Display apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 7, wherein a detent locking member is provided to prevent unintended disengagement of the or each said extension member from a said mounting member.

9. Display apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 8, wherein each mounting member is of generally parallelepiped or box-like configuration and has one side provided with a semi-circular recess for engagement of a pole when said mounting member is one of a pair that interengage to form a said pole-mountable core.

10. Display apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 8, wherein each side of the polemountable core is provided with means defining three said positions for the extension member or one of the extension members.

11. Display apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 9, wherein four said extension members are provided thereby to provide optionally and selectively (a) two separate wall-mountable cores each interengaged with two said extension members that extend in alignment with one another thereby to form a generally linear configuration, or (b) two separate wall-mountable cores each interengaged with two said extension members that extend parallel with one another thereby to form a U-like configuration, or (c) a pole-mounted core interengaged on each of two opposite sides with two said extension members in alignment with one another thereby to form an H-like configuration, or (d) a pole-mountable core interengaged with one said extension member on each of the core's four sides thereby to form a fylfot-like configuration.

12. Display apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.