GB2167518A - Display and sales stand - Google Patents

Abstract

A display stand has a lower circular or other plate and a like upper plate centrally supported at in such a manner as to permit relative displacement of the plates. A central support 3 interconnects the two plates and at least one end of the support has a splined internal projection 9 which is received in a splined socket 5 at a selected angular orientation. The support 3 may also have a twist connection along its length to provide further rotary adjustment of the upper plate. The splined connector 4 has an arcuate portion 11 which bears on the centre C of the respective plate when under load. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display and sales stand This invention relates to display and sales stands of the type which are placed on a counter or like point of sale to give special prominence to an article of merchandise displayed thereon. These may be used in any trade which has the need to display articles for selection by purchasers (e.g. haberdashers, hardware) but are usually used in the food retail trade for display of cooked or raw foodstuffs and especially of cuts of meat or meat products.

Display stands of this nature may be rectangular or other trays (e.g. circular discs) supported on a number of legs above the general counter level.

Hitherto, they have had the same appearance wherever used, which can be a disadvantage since individual shops or stalls possess widely different counter shapes and sizes, and need different display stands accordingly.

The present invention sets out to provide a display and sale stand of the type referred to having a base member and an upper member interconnected to such a manner that they can be moved to, and relatively immobilised at, different selected relative configurations.

In a broad aspect the invention provides a form of an interconnection between a base structure member, of whatever shape and an upper structure member capable of supporting a load under gravity, the interconnection comprising (a) an elongate member having, at one end at least, a laterally projecting cylindrical externally splined protrusion for internally splined socket) and an end surface formed as an arc of a circle, concentric with the protrusion and (b) a complementary internally splined socket (or externally splined protrusion respectively) fixed to a structure member, for accommodating and immobilising the protrusion at a selected orientation and at a distance from the structure member such that whatever the orientation the arcuate end surface (a) lies at a clearance with the upper structure under load-free conditions so as to facilitate adjustment but (b) contacts the upper structure member under load conditions to improve the support characteristics.

The structure member can be a plate, bowl, dish or irregular shape. Preferably, the point of contact of the arcuate end surface is such as to bear under load in the central region of the structure member i.e. the centre of gravity and/or the apparent visual centre.

In one example the invention consists in a display stand for a gravity load comprising an upper and a lower planar member fixed one to each end of an adjustment support member at locations within the periphery of the respective planar member, the support and interconnection being such (a) either or both planar members can be adjusted to and held at any of a range of angles of its plane in relation to a notional line connecting to two fixing locations and (b) at any such adjustment under load conditions only the respective ends of the support member each contact a planar member at a generally central location.

As an optional feature the planar members can be adjusted to and held at any of a range of relative orientations around the said notional line as a centre of rotation.

The interconnection preferably includes an inter nally splined cylindrical socket with its axis running parallel to the planar member and an externally splined cylindrical connection (preferably on the support member) which can be placed in the socket, at any one of a number of orientations thereto, and be thereby immobilised.

The support member conveniently has its ends rounded as arcs of a circle concentric with that of the adjacent cylindrical connection, at a distance therefrom such that whatever the adjustment the rounded ends bear on the planar members as a support under load conditions only at its central region (typically as close to its centre as can be achieved, so as to improve stability) but possess a clearance with the planar members at other times.

The support member is preferably an integral, generally cylindrical one-piece moulding. However, if desired it can possibly posses a tight twist-joint, at one end of intermediate its ends, so that one end can be angularly displaced relative to the other.

The planar member itself is usually a round display plate. The notional axial line along the centre of such a tube passes through, or near, the centre of such a plate in each case.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which shows one form of display stand by way of example only. In these drawings: Figures 1a, 1b and ic show a general view of possible configurations of display stand.

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of a possible interconnection between a plate and a central support, both on initial assembly and for selective adjustment in use.

Figure 3 shows a section on ll-ll of Figure 2, and Figure 4 shows diagrammtically a rim ornamentation member for a garnish surround fitted to a plate.

Figure la shows a display stand with a lower circular plate 1 and a like upper plate 2, centrally supported at 3 so as to be parallel to the first plate and with the support 3 orthogonal to each plate.

The invention provides not only the configuration of Figure la but also that of Figure 1b, i.e. with plates parallel and support 3 at the same angle (other than 90 ) to each plate, the angle being taken along a common section line axial to support 3. This gives an inclined, stepped, display configuration. If desired, the top plate 2 can be differently tilted fore-and-aft, with respect to the support, from the bottom plate 1 (not shown). Figure ic shows a further possible mode of use of a variant form of the invention in which the top plate is tilted to one side as well as "pushed back".

An example of one type of interconnection envisaged to provide selection of such displacement and tilts as shown in Figure 2 in exploded view.

Figure 2 shows separate parts prior to initial assembly; those parts bracketed together are, on assembly, permanently fixed to one another, and (as described in more detail below, the remaining assembly) is selective during use. Alternatively, the parts bracketed together can be made up initially as integral one-piece polymer mouldings.

The interconnection as shown has four parts, namely a support tube 3, to be fixed to the Lshaped connector 4; and the socket 5 to be fixed to socket holder 6. All are typically made of synthetic polymer. The nature of the polymer should be such as permits both ready formation of splines during moulding and easy adjustment of splines, without "cold-welding" or binding in actual use.

Thus, polyolefin or polyvinylchloride, polymers are preferable and acrylic polymers are undesirable in this context.

The support tube as shown is a simple tube circular in cross-section, open at its end. However, an alternative embodiment provides a tube with integral protrusions and splines at each end.

If the integral structure is not utilized the connector as shown comprises an elongate plug 7 with chamfered lead-surface 7a which is fitted within the open end of tube 3, the end of which then abuts shoulder 8 and is adhered or more preferably welded thereto e.g. by solvent, heat or ultrasonic welding to provide suitable strength under load conditions. The other end of the L-shape is a splined cylindrical projection 9, the splines 10 on which are shown enlarged for clarity of representation. The underside of the L-shaped connector 4 is rounded at 11, to a generally circular contour in cross-section having its radius concentric with that of projection 9. When first assembled (i.e. not under load) it does not quite contact the underlying plate but when the design load e.g. the displayed foodstuff is added contact is made to stabilise the construction.The connector 4 is shown as hollow; it could of course be solid but in practice a polymer-saving hollow construction is of adequate strength.

The socket 5 has a through cylindrical hole 12 with splines 13 complentary to the splined 10, and a lowermost projecting block 14.

Socket holder 6 is a projecting integral polymer frame into which block 14 may be adhered but is more preferably welded, as described above, during initial assembly, a locating rib 15 being provided to ensure that the rounded portion 11 of the connector 4, on such assembly, is in a position to contact the centre C of bottom plate 1, however oriented in relation to the socket, after a load is applied.

It will be apparent from Figure 2 that in use the connector 4 can be placed at any desired angular orientation in the socket 6 and be held in this orientation by the engagement of splines 10 and 13 and that a like connection 3, 4, 5, 6 on the other tube end (not shown) and underside of the top plate can be oriented independently. There is thus at each a movement capability shown by arrow B, whereby the various configurations of Figures 1a, 1b or others, can be taken up.

It will be noted that even if the tube slants, the effective transfer of the weight still passes through the centre point C of the bottom plate 1, since under load the rounded portion 11 bears on this centre point Moreover, the bottom plate 1 and upper plate 2 can both be used for display: the absence of side supports facilitates this.

Another feature benefiting from the absence of side supports is shown in Fiure 4. The plate 2 (for example) typically has a formed rim 16 so as to locate and confine an inset or inner platter of paper, card, textile, polymer, etc Since this rim is unobstructed, an extrusion 17 of semi-rigid polymer possibly of a configured or roughened surface can be clipped all round or part-way round the plate, to receive a "garnish" member e.g. a polymer strip with protruding moulded polymer garnish leaves.

Moreover, price tickets, labels, advertising material etc can be held under the extrusion or in groove 18.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. Thus, a combination of more than two plates can be utilised by a variation of the shape of the tubes. The tubes and/or interconnections can permit of lateral extension, e.g. a modular unit can be provided from which a display framework can be built up. A ball-and-socket joint may be used instead of the two "tubular" joints shown. Both of these may be splined; alternatively both may be tightly-fitting twist joints, optionally with additional immobilising means e.g. wing nuts.

Tubes may be provided of different lengths, or may be extendable e.g. telescopic. The plates need not be round, but can be square, polygonal, elliptical or irregular. They can be dished or bowl shaped within the scope of the invention.

A particular valuable additional feature is the use of a transparent cover on the top plate e.g. to serve as a "sampler" display in a supermarket.

Another possible modification achieves the relative orientation shown in Figure 1c. This is done by allowing the tube 3 and socket 7 to be a tight twist fit but not permanently adhered. If this is done, relative rotation fo the two parts 3 and 7 in accordance with arrow A allows the upper plate to be inclined to one side or other relatively to the bottom plate.

Claims (8)

1. An interconnection between a base structure member, of whatever shape and an upper structure member capable of supporting a load under gravity, the interconnection comprising (a) an elongate member having, at one end at least, a lat -erally projecting cylindrical externally splined protrusion (or internally splined socket) and an end surface formed as an arc of a circle, concentric with the protrusion and (b) a complementary internally splined socket (or externally splined protrusion respectively) fixed to a structure member, for accommodating and immobilising the protrusion at a selected orientation and at a distance from the structure member such that whatever the orientation the arcuate end surface (a) lies at a clearance with the upper structure under load-free conditions so as to facilitate adjustment but (d) contacts the upper structure member under load conditions to improve the support characteristics.

2. An interconnection as claimed in claim 1 in which the point of contact of the arcuate end surface is such as to bear under load in the central region of the structure member i.e. the centre of gravity and/the apparent visual centre.

3. A display stand for a gravity load comprising an upper and a lower planar member fixed one to each end of an adjustment support member at locations within the periphery of the respective planar member, the support and interconnection being such (a) either or both planar members can be adjusted to and held at any of a range of angles of its plane in relation to a notional line connecting the two fixing locations and (b) at any such adjustment under load conditions only the respective ends of the support member each contact a planar member at generally central location.

4. A display stand as claimed in claim 3 in which the planar members can be adjusted to and held at any of a range of relative orientations around the said notional line as a centre of rotation.

5. A display stand as claimed in claim 3 or 4 in which interconnection includes an internally splined cylindrical socket with its axis running parallel to the planar member and an externally splined cylindrical connection which can be placed in the socket, at any one of a number of orientations thereto, and be thereby immobilised.

6. A display stand as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5 in which the support member has its ends rounded as arcs of a circle concentric with that of the adjacent cylindrical connection, at a distance therefrom such that whatever the adjustment the rounded ends bear on the planar members as a support under load conditions only at its central region but possess a clearance with the planar members at other times.

7. A display stand as claimed in claim 3, 4, 5 or 6 in which possesses a tight twist-joint, at one end or intermediate its ends, so that one end can be angularly displaced relative to the other.

8. A display stand as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7 in which the planar member is a rounded display plate.