GB2333693A

GB2333693A - Detachable display mounting for shelving units

Info

Publication number: GB2333693A
Application number: GB9901762A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Ian Parker
Original assignee: PPE Ltd
Current assignee: PPE Ltd
Priority date: 1998-01-28
Filing date: 1999-01-27
Publication date: 1999-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2019-01-27
Also published as: GB9901762D0; GB9801737D0; GB2333693B

Abstract

A display mounting 10 for use with a shelving unit includes an elongate member 12 for placement laterally of the unit. A pair of support members 58,60 for display material engage at one of several selectable positions with the elongate member and have slots (70, Figs 7c,8c) for mounting the display material. Anchors 28 mount the elongate member to the unit, each anchor including a disc 38 which engages in a groove (26, Fig 4) of the member and supports a pivotally adjustable arm 30. Each arm carries two magnetic feet 48 slidably adjustable using a thumbscrew mechanism 52,54 and by which the whole structure is releasably attached to the shelving unit. The arms and their support (42) may include lugs (37) and corresponding holes (46) to allow pivoting to one of several pre-set angles (Figs 5,6). Construction may be all plastics except for the magnets.

Description

Display Mounting The present invention relates to a display mounting, particularly but not exclusively to a display mounting for use in a supermarket.

Supermarkets commonly augment their shelving units with display cards, to indicate promotional lines or special offers. Those display cards can be fixed to the top of a shelving unit, using a bracket anchored to the rear of the unit. However, it has been found that the brackets used in the past have either been unstable, or complicated and difficult to install.

It is an object of the invention to provide a display mounting which is capable of supporting a display card stably, and which is of sufficiently simple construction that a shop worker can install and adjust the mounting quickly and easily.

The present invention provides a display mounting for presenting a display feature, the display mounting comprising an elongate member for placement laterally of a display unit; at least one support member for supporting a display feature in use, the support member being adapted to engage the elongate member in at least one position, and at least one anchor member for anchoring the elongate member with respect to the display unit in use, one end of the anchor member being adapted to be releasably mounted on the display unit and the other end of the anchor member being adapted to anchor the elongate member in at least one angular orientation.

The elongate member preferably includes a longitudinal channel, and the anchor member preferably includes a projection engageable captively in the channel for longitudinal movement of the anchor member relative to the elongate member.

In that way, the position of an anchor rnember along the length of the elongate member can be selected by the user for stability, ease of assembly and aesthetics.

Where several anchor members are provided, they are preferably spaced equidistantly along the elongate member.

Preferably, the or each anchor member includes a foot releasably engageable with a surface of a display cabinet in use. The foot may include magnetic means. Commonly, display shelves in supermarkets are made of steel, and are therefore suitable for magnetic fixing. In the case that a display shelf is made of stainless steel, or some other non-magnetic material, a steel plate may be fastened to the display shelf by adhesive, and the magnetic feet of the anchor member of the present invention can then be fixed onto that steel plate.

The support member is engageable with respect to the elongate member, preferably at any one of a plurality of predetermined locations. In that way, the position of a display card, relative to a display shelf on which the mounting is placed in use, may be selected by the user.

The end of the or each anchor member which is adapted to anchor the elongate member is preferably articulated about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the elongate member. In that way, the inclination of the elongate member from the vertical may be selected by the user.

The display mounting according to the present invention makes it possible for an elongate member to be placed along the length of a display cabinet in a supermarket, which can be several metres in length, and for support upstanding members be installed at locations chosen by the user.

In accordance with the present invention, two support members may be provided, each support member including a channel for receiving an edge of a display card in use, and the channels of said supporting members being opposed.

In that way, a display card may be supported in the mounting by slotting between two opposed channels.

Further aspects and advantages of the invention will be recognised from the following description of specific embodiments of a display mounting, in accordance with the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from the rear and one side of a display mounting; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mounting of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the mounting of in Figure 1, demonstrating the adjustability of the mounting; Figure 4 is a cross-section of an elongate bar of the mounting of Figure 1; Figure 5a is a side elevation of a head of the mounting of Figure 1; Figure 5b is a rear elevation of the head of Figure 5a; Figure 6a is a side elevation of an anchor bar of the mounting of Figure 1; Figure 6b is a front elevation of the anchor bar of Figure 6a; Figure 7a is a front elevation of a first design of support member of the mounting of Figure 1; Figure 7b is a side elevation of the support member of Figure 7a; Figure 7c is a plan view of the support member of Figure 7a; Figure 8a is a front elevation of a second design of support member of the mounting of Figure 1; Figure 8b is a side elevation of the support member in Figure 8a; Figure 8c is a plan of the support member of Figure 8a; Figure 9a is a sectional perspective view of the mounting of Figure 1 and including a base support bar; Figure 9b is a cross-section of the base support bar illustrated in Figure 9a; Figure 9c is a side elevation of the mounting of Figure 9a; and Figure 10 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an anchor member and associated foot.

Referring in particular to Figure 1, a display mounting 10 comprises an elongate bar 12 intended to run the full length of a display shelving unit or display cabinet of a supermarket.

The elongate bar is most preferably of a plastics material, or aluminium, selected for its light weight and strength. The bar 12 may be an extrusion.

As most clearly illustrated in Figure 4, the bar 12 has a cross sectional shape comprising a central flange 14 which in use is upstanding, at the top and bottom edges of which are lateral flanges 16, 18 extending in both directions. The flanges 14, 16, 18 render the cross section generally I-shaped. Two ribs 20,22 extend along the centre line of the central flange, on one side of the flange, hereinafter referred to as the front of the bar 1-2. Each rib 20, 22 has a transverse portion 21, 23, the transverse portions facing each other so as to form a channel 24 for the insertion and retention of another member therein.

The portions of the lateral flanges 16, 18 which extend to the front side of the bar 12 each have two ribs extending along the length of the bar, and turned in to face the opposite lateral flange. These ribs together are capable of retaining a shielding strip (not shown) therebetween for covering sections of the front of the bar when not in use.

The portions of the lateral flanges 16, 18 extending to the rear side of the bar 12 each have a flange 25 directed inwardly towards the opposite lateral flange and parallel with the central flange 14, thereby defining opposite channels 26.

The mounting further includes two anchors 28, of similar construction, although illustrated in Figure 1 as mirror images.

Each anchor 28 includes an anchor bar 30, comprising a strip of plastics material as shown in Figure 6a. The anchor bar 30 is elongate, having two parallel edges, with one square end 32 and one semicircular end 34. A circular through hole 36 is provided at the centre of the semicircle tracing the semicircular end 34. Two lugs 37 are provided on one side of the anchor bar 30, adjacent the edge thereof, and at positions diametrically opposed about the hole 36.

The anchor 28 further comprises an anchor head 38 engaged with the anchor bar 30. The anchor head 38 is best illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b. The anchor head 38 comprises a circular portion 40, the circular portion 40 having diameter corresponding to the distance between the lateral flanges 16, 18. In that way, the circular portion 40 can be inserted behind the flanges 25 into the channels 26, to hold the anchor head 38 captive with respect to the elongate bar 12.

The anchor head 38 further comprises a generally semicircular flange 42 which extends perpendicularly from the centre of the circular portion 40. A through hole 44 is located at the centre of the semicircle defining the edge of the semicircular flange 42.

Moreover, the semicircular flange 42 has a series of pairs of diametrically opposed through holes 46, at the same radial distance from the hole 44 as the lugs 37 are from the hole 36. In that way, the anchor bar 30 and the anchor head 38 can interengage in one of several ways, according to the angle at which the elongate bar is desired to be presented.

The semicircular flange 42 and the anchor bar 30 can be retained together by means of a screw passing through each of the holes 36, 44, held by a wing nut.

Two magnetic feet 48 are clamped about the anchor bar 30, the feet being directed downwardly towards a surface to which the feet are to be attached. Each foot 48 is attached to the anchor bar 30 by means of a clamping bracket 50, the position of which and the distance of the foot 48 from the anchor bar 30 can be adjusted by means of a threaded bolt 52 and two thumb wheels 54. The use of thumb wheels 54 for adjustment purposes is preferred because tightening and loosening can be achieved without the use of hand tools.

Optionally, and as illustrated in one of the anchor bars in Figure 1, a spirit level 56 may be incorporated into the anchor bar 30 so that the mounting is placed on a cabinet in a level manner.

The mounting 10 further includes two uprights 58, 60 as illustrated. The first upright 58 is illustrated in more detail in Figures 7a to 7c. It consists of an elongate rectangular strip 62 of plastics material, most suitably formed by an injection moulding process. As shown in Figure 7c, a rib 64 perpendicular to the rectangular strip 62 extends longitudinally along the centre line of the strip 62. The rib 64 has two parallel flanges 66, 68, each extending either side of the rib 64 and one of which being located at the end of the rib 64 distal the strip 62.

In that way, the flanges define a channel 70 either side of the rib 64. At one end of the upright 58, the channels are closed by a lateral end flange 72. The channels 70 are each capable of receiving the edge of a display card, the bottom edge of the card resting against the lateral end flange 72.

The upright 58 also includes a series of parallel lateral flanges 74, perpendicular to the rib 64, spaced apart by a distance equal to the height of the elongate bar 12. The elongate bar can be located between a pair of those lateral flanges 74, thereby ensuring that the upright 58 is located perpendicular to the elongate member 12.

Halfway between each pair of lateral flanges 74, and at each edge of the strip 62, a slot 76 extends inwardly of the strip from the edge to a point substantially halfway to the rib 64. The slot 76 is generally parallel with the lateral flanges 74. A hexagonal or square headed bolt 78 can be lid into the channel 24 of the elongate bar 12, with the threaded portion protruding through a slot 76. The upright 5 8 can then be held in place by means of a thumb wheel 80.

The second upright 60 is of similar construction to the first, except that it consists of a single sided upright, with one channel 70. The features of the second type of upright 60 corresponding to those of the first are given the same reference numerals as are assigned to the features ofthe first upright 58. The second type of upright is particularly suitable in cases where a display card is to be mounted without another display card adjacent thereto.

Figures 9a to 9c illustrate a further feature which can be used in certain circumstances, for example when fixing to the top of a display unit upright without impeding any shelf brackets already in position. At the bottom end of the upright 58, 60, adjacent the end flange 72, a base support bar 82 can be fixed to the upright. The base support bar has upstanding flanges 84 to define a channel 86 corresponding to the channel 70 of the upright. The base support bar has an aperture 88 corresponding to an aperture 90 in the upright, and a plastic clip 92 can be passed through the two apertures to fix the base support bar against the upright in a lateral manner. It will be appreciated that the base support bar is similarly attached to another upright at its other end to provide a generally horizontal base support.

The base support bar can be used optionally to provide additional support to a display card along its lower edge. However, it will be appreciated that it is only an optional feature.

An alternative embodiment of an anchor member and associated foot is shown in Figure 10.

The anchor bar 130 is similar to the anchor bar 30 shown in Figure 1.

The anchor bar 130 is provided on each of its upper and lower narrow faces with an array of teeth 132, which serve as a visual indicator of the position of the bar within the foot.

The foot shown generally at 148 comprises a spaced part of opposed channel members 134, 136 attached to each other by two parallel adjustable rods 138, (only one visible). The length of the rods 138 and hence the spacing between the channel members 134, 136, can be adjusted by means of a thumb screw 140.

The foot 148 is attached to the anchor bar 130 by means of a clamping bracket 150 secured to a plate 152 mounted on the channel member 134, which can be adjusted in a similar manner to the anchor bar and feet of the embodiment described in Figure 1.

The foot 148 is designed to be inserted within a hollow upright support of the display unit (not shown) on which it is to be mounted, the channel members 134, 136 engaging the inner wall of the upright support, and any necessary adjustment to the spacing being made by appropriate adjustment of the adjustable rods 138.

It will be understood that all of the above described components can be constructed of plastics material, with the exception of the magnetic feet. That means that if the mounting were ever to become dislodged from the display cabinet on which it had been installed, and to topple onto a customer or member of staff, it would not be heavy enough as to be likely to injure that person.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A display mounting for presenting a display feature, the display mounting comprising an elongate member for placement laterally of a display unit; at least one support member for supporting a display feature in use, the support member being adapted to engage the elongate member in at least one position, and at least one anchor member for anchoring the elongate member with respect to the display unit in use, one end of the anchor member being adapted to be releasably mounted on the display unit and the other end of the anchor member being adapted to anchor the elongate member in at least one angular orientation.
2. A display mounting as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the elongate member includes a longitudinal channel and the at least one anchor member includes a projection engageable captively in the longitudinal channel.
3. A display mounting as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that it comprises a plurality of anchor members.
4. A display mounting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the at least one anchor member includes a foot releasably engageable with a surface of a display cabinet.
5. A display mounting as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that the foot includes magnetic means.
6. A display mounting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the support member is adapted to engage the elongate member in any one of a plurality of predetermined positions.
7. A display mounting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the end of the at least one anchor member which is adapted to anchor the elongate member is articulated about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the elongate member.
8. A display mounting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that it comprises two support members.
9 A display mounting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the elongate member is of aluminium or a plastics material.
10. A display mounting substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.