GB2407480A

GB2407480A - Display unit with sliding shelves

Info

Publication number: GB2407480A
Application number: GB0325366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen James Pointon
Original assignee: SCA Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: SCA Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2003-10-30
Filing date: 2003-10-30
Publication date: 2005-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2023-10-30
Also published as: GB2407480B; GB0325366D0

Abstract

A display unit comprises a body 2 which is formed at least in part from cardboard or other foldable sheet material and which has a pair of spaced apart side walls 4, 6. A shelf 10 is mounted to extend between the side walls 4, 6, the shelf 10 having a pair of runners 46 extending along its respective edges, which cooperate with runners 22 provided on the side walls 22 to allow the shelf 10 to be slidably mounted in the unit.

Description

81866.364

DISPLAY UNITS

The present invention relates to display units and shelving for use therewith, and in particular to point of sale displays.

Various types of point of sale display units are known. Typically they comprise a main body which is made from corrugated cardboard or other foldable sheet material and which has spaced apart side walls and a rear wall with shelves being mounted between these walls. Typically the shelves are mounted through clips which are located in an upstanding lip provided at the front of the shelf.

The present invention seeks to provide an display with a novel shelf mounting system.

From a first aspect, the present invention provides a display unit comprising a display body formed at least in part from cardboard or other foldable sheet material and having a pair of spaced apart side walls, and a shelf mounted to extend between the side walls, the shelf having a pair of runners provided on its respective edges which cooperate with runners provided on the side walls to allow the shelf to be slidably mounted in the unit.

Thus in accordance with the invention a shelf having runners arranged along its opposed edges is slidably supported on runners provided in the side walls of the display unit.

The invention also extends to a shelf for use with a unit in accordance with the invention, so from a second aspect, the present invention provides a shelf for use in a display unit, said shelf comprising a planar body portion and having runner means provided at opposed edges of the planar body portion for slidably mounting the shelf in a display unit. 2 -

Preferably the shelf unit comprises a body made from a sheet of cardboard or similar foldable sheet material which is cut to an appropriate shape.

In the preferred embodiment, the shelf runner comprises a first section which is mounted to an edge of the shelf body and a second section which projects from the shelf body for engagement with a runner provided in the unit wall.

Preferably the first section of the runner comprises a slot which engages over the edge of the shelf.

Preferably the shelf body comprises a recess spaced rearwardly from its leading edge which accommodates the runner.

A skin may be provided on one or both faces of the shelf body for decorative or other purposes.

In the preferred embodiment, a skin member is wrapped around the lower and upper faces of the shelf body and around its leading edge. This provides a neat leading edge appearance.

Furthermore, the skin may cover at least partially, and preferably substantially completely, the runner so that the runner is not visible in the mounted shelf. In some embodiments, however, it is preferable to leave a rear part of the runner exposed to facilitate its alignment with the unit runner during assembly of the unit.

The skin may be of the same material as the main shelf body or may be of a different, for example less rigid, material such as paper.

The shelf may be provided with locking means to lock the shelf in position.

The locking means may comprise, for example, a locking tab which extends from the shelf for engagement with a locking aperture provided in the display unit.

The locking tab may be formed in either or both of the shelf body or skin, or may be a completely separate - 3 element.

The display unit is provided with complementary runners to receive the runners of the shelf.

In a preferred embodiment, the unit side walls are each constituted by a pair of overlapping walls, the unit runner being trapped between the side wall walls and extending through an aperture in the inwardly facing wall thereof. This hides the runner member from view in the final product.

Preferably the unit runner is generally T-shaped with the head of the T being trapped between the unit walls.

Preferably the unit runner is provided with a locating section which engages in the aperture of the unit wall so as to locate the runner in the wall.

Preferably the runners extend over a substantial depth of the unit and shelf so as to distribute the load more evenly into the unit body.

Preferably the runners are of moulded plastics.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a partially assembled display unit in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows the insertion of a shelf in the unit of the present invention; Figure 3 shows an initial stage in the manufacture of a shelf of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a subsequent stage in its manufacture; Figure 5 shows a shelf in accordance with the invention ready for insertion into a display unit; Figure 6 shows mounting of the display unit runners; Figure 7 shows the profile of the shelf runner; and Figure 8 shows the profile of the display unit runner. - 4 -

With reference to Figure 1, a point of sale display unit comprises a body 2 having a pair of side walls 4,6 and a rear wall 8 joining the side walls 4,6. A plurality of planar shelves 10 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) is mounted between the side walls 4,6.

The display unit body 2 is a one-piece construction of corrugated cardboard or the like, and each side wall 4,6 of the body 2 is formed from two panels 12,14 joined together about a fold line 16, as shown in Figure 6.

The panel 14 which will be innermost in the erected body 2 is provided with a plurality of slots 18 through which will project the mating formation 20 of a runner 22. As can be seen from Figures 6 and 8, the runner 22 is generally T- shaped having a planar part 24 which is joined to the mating formation 20 by a locating formation 26. The locating formation 26 is sized so as to locate snugly in the apertures 18 thereby locating the runner 22 in the side walls 12,14.

The wall 28 of the planar section 24 facing the mating formation 22 is glued to the back of the panel 14, the panel 14 then being folded about the hinge line 16 and adhered to the other panel 12 to produce the side wall 4,6.

Turning now to Figures 2 to 5, each shelf 10 is of a multi-part construction. The main body 40 of the shelf 10 is provided by a corrugated cardboard sheet in which the flute direction preferably extends across the sheet 40. Each side 42 of the sheet 40 is provided with a recess 44 which receives a moulded plastics runner 46.

The runner 46 has a first section 48 which engages over and is glued to the edge region 50 of the shelf body 40 and a second section 52 which mates with the runner 22 provided in the display unit body.

Once the runners have been glued in position on the edge of the shelf body 40 (as shown in Figure 4), a skin 48 may be attached to the shelf body 40 for decorative or other purposes.

The skin 48 is preferably a sheet of paper, paperboard, cardboard or similar flexible sheet material and preferably it extends over both the top and bottom surfaces 50,52 of the shelf body 40 and around the leading edge 54 of the shelf body 40. It also covers the runners 46, although as shown in Figure 5 the skin 48 may have a cut out 56 adjacent the rear 58 of the runners 56 to facilitate alignment and mounting the shelves 10 in the unit body 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5 for example, the skin 48 may be provided with a locking tab 62 which extends through a locking slot 64 provided in the rear wall 8 of the unit body 2. The tab can have a fold line 66 (Figure 5) to facilitate it being folded over once the shelf 10 is in position.

It will be appreciated that the above description

relates to preferred embodiments of the invention only and that modifications may be made to the arrangements disclosed without departing rom the scope of the invention. For example the unit and shelf can be made from other materials such as sheet plastics material.

Also, the locking means may be provided on the unit body rather than the shelf.

Furthermore, while it is preferred that the shelves of the invention are substantially planar, the invention does not preclude shelves which have, for example, one or more peripheral lips or the like, for example at the front of the shelf to retain product.

Also, it should be noted that the display unit body two may be made in more than one piece. - 6

Claims

Claims 1. A shelf for use with a point of sale display unit said shelf

comprising a planar body portion and having runners provided at opposed edges of the body portion for slidably mounting the shelf in a display unit.
2. A shelf as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shelf comprises a body made from a sheet of cardboard or similar foldable sheet material which is cut to an appropriate shape.
3. A shelf as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the shelf runner comprises a first section which is mounted to an edge of the shelf body and a second section which projects from the shelf body for engagement with a runner provided in the display unit wall.
4. A shelf as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first section of the runner comprises a slot which engages over the edge of the shelf body.
5. A shelf as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the shelf body comprises a recess spaced rearwardly from its leading edge which accommodates the runner.
6. A shelf as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a skin provided on one or both faces of the shelf body.
7. A shelf as claimed in claim 7 wherein a skin member is wrapped around the lower and upper faces of the shelf body and around its leading edge.
8. A shelf as claimed in claim 6 wherein the skin covers at least partially, and preferably substantially completely, the runner.
9. A shelf as claimed in claim 8 wherein a rear part of the runner exposed.
10. A shelf as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the skin is of a different material to the shelf body.
11. A shelf as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising locking means to lock the shelf in position.
12. A shelf as claimed in claim 11 wherein the locking means comprises a locking tab which extends from the shelf.
13. A display unit comprising a display body formed at least in part from cardboard or other foldable sheet material and having a pair of spaced apart side walls, and a shelf mounted to extend between the side walls, the shelf being a shelf as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shelf runners cooperate with runners provided on the side walls to allow the shelf to be slidably mounted in the unit.
14. A display unit as claimed in claim 13 wherein the unit side walls are each constituted by a pair of overlapping walls, the unit runner being trapped between the side wall walls and extending through an aperture in the inwardly facing wall thereof.
15. A display unit as claimed in claim 14 wherein the unit runner is generally T-shaped with the head of the T being trapped between the unit walls.
16. A display unit as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein the unit runner is provided with a locating section which engages in the aperture of the unit wall so as to locate the runner in the wall. - 8 -
17. A display unit as claimed in any of claims 13 to 16 wherein the runners extend over a substantial depth of the unit.
18. A display unit or shelf as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the runners are of moulded plastics.
19. A display unit comprising a display body formed at least in part from cardboard or other foldable sheet material and having a pair of spaced apart side walls, and a shelf mounted to extend between the side walls, the shelf having a pair of runners extending along its respective edges which cooperate with runners provided on the side walls to allow the shelf to be slidably mounted in the unit.