GB2427300A

GB2427300A - Display stand with trays

Info

Publication number: GB2427300A
Application number: GB0512508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joanne Margaret Offord; Nicholas Andrew Kirby
Original assignee: BOX MART Ltd
Current assignee: BOX MART Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-18
Filing date: 2005-06-18
Publication date: 2006-12-20
Also published as: GB0512508D0

Abstract

A display stand 10 which is assemblable from a flat pack kit of parts comprising a plurality of blanks of sheet material includes a frame 14 and a plurality of trays 12 for receiving products. The trays 12 are supported on the frame 14 and the frame 14 and the trays 12 are configured such that when the display stand 10 is assembled, at least an upper one of the trays 12 is prevented from moving upwards as well as downwards relative to the frame 14.

Description

I

Display stand The invention relates to a dipIay stand, and to a kit of parts for assembling to form a display stand. The invention particularly relates to display stands which are provided in flat pack form for assembly by an end user.

A range of display stands are currently available for displaying products at temporary locations, particularly at point of sale locations. The stands are used to promote a particular product or to create an impulse purchase at the point of sale. A wide range of products from chocolate bars to motor components are sold from such stands. The display stands are often made of cardboard or other relatively inexpensive materials.

Existing display stands tend to be specifically designed for a particular product. Their shape and surface decoration Would be specific to that product.

Because each design of stand is customised, these display stands are generally expensive to design and manufacture, and can often only be produced at a realistic price if very significant numbers of display stands are required. Further, known display stands can be weak or unstable in construction, making them unsuitable for heavy or fragile products.

According to the invention there is provided a display stand which is assemblable from a flat pack kit of parts comprising a plurality of blanks of sheet material, the display stand comprising a frame and a plurality of trays for receiving products, the trays being supported on the frame, and the frame and the trays being configured such that when the display stand is assembled, at least an upper one of the trays is prevented from moving upwards as well as downwards relative to the frame.

Where the terms "upwards", "downwards", "upright", "horizontal" or other terms indicating direction are used, they refer to the situation when the display stand is assembled and orientated for normal use.

The frame may include a plurality of legs which are generally upright in use and a plurality of support struts extending between the legs, for supporting the trays in a substantially horizontal orientation. The support struts may be arranged in layers, each layer comprising supports struts on the same vertical level, the support struts extending between adjacent legs. Each layer of support struts may support one tray. Each support strut may include a part which lies in a generally upright plane in the assembled frame and which is joined to or merges into its adjacent support struts and a part which is bent so as to lie in a generally horizontal plane, to provide support for the tray.

The frame may include four legs and three layers of support struts.

The upper tray may be prevented from moving upwards relative to the frame by stop arrangements provided on one or more of the legs. At least two of the legs may include a stop arrangements at their upper ends which interact with the upper tray to prevent it moving upwards relative to the legs. All the legs may include such stop arrangements. The stop arrangements may comprise a part of the sheet material of the leg which is folded in such,a way that it holds the upper tray in position. The part of the sheet material may be folded into interaction with the upper tray. The part of the sheet material may include a lock portion which slides into a slot in the upper tray and which resists being removed from the slot.

Each tray may include a substantially flat base and an upstanding wall around a perimeter of the base, the wall preventing products positioned on the base from falling off. The wall may be formed by bending and folding an outer part of the sheet material of the tray blank. The wall may be held in place relative to the base by dagger lock parts which enter slots in the base.

The display stand may also include a central pillar which in use passes through at least one of the trays, providing further support for the trays. The central pillar may pass through all of the trays. The trays and the pillar may be configured such that relative movement between the central pillar and the trays is prevented.

The upper tray may be prevented from moving relative to the frame by interaction of the tray with the central pillar. The central pillar may comprise a plurality of central pillar members which together form the central pillar. The central pillar members may include complementary shaped parts on their tops and bottoms respectively so that the top of one central pillar member may interlock with the bottom of an adjacent pillar member. The central pillar members and the trays may be shaped such that the trays are wedged between adjacent central pillar members, thus preventing the trays from moving relative to the central pillar members. Preferably a part of a central pillar member passes through each tray and interlocks with a complementary part of an adjacent pillar member to retain the tray in place.

The display stand may further include a header for location above the upper tray, for displaying promotional information. The header may be mounted on the central pillar. The height of the header may be adjustable by moving the header up and down on the central pillar. The header may be retained in a selected position on the central pillar by frictional engagement between the central pillar and the header.

The central pillar may include an upper pillar member which extends above the upper tray and on which the header may be supported. The height of the header may be adjustable by moving the header up and down on the upper pillar member.

The display stand may further include a base support for providing additional support for the lowest tray. The base support may be located below the lowest tray which may be partially supported thereon. The base support may include walls of sheet material which interlock to become stable with the sheet material of the walls lying in upright planes.

According to the invention there is also provided a flat pack kit of parts comprising a plurality of blanks of sheet material for assembly into a display stand according to any of the preceding paragraphs.

The sheet material may be cardboard, preferably corrugated cardboard. The blanks may be foldable along score lines to form components of the display stand. The blanks may include flaps which are locatable in complementary slots in the same or another blank to create a robust component and/or to retain respective components in place relative to one another in the assembled display stand.

The frame may preferably be assembled from the flat pack kit without the need for any tools.

The kit of parts may include a blank for making into the frame, and blanks for making into each tray. The kit of parts may also include a blank for making into the central pillar or a plurality of blanks for making into the pillar members.

The kit of parts may further include a blank for making into the base support, and a blank for making into the header.

An embodiment of the invention will be described for the purpose of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1A is a diagrammatic perspective view of an assembled display stand, with Fig lB and 1C showing parts of Fig IA in detail; Fig 2 is a plan view of a blank for forming a main body of the display stand of Fig 1A; Fig 3 is a plan view of a blank for forming a tray of the display stand; Fig 4 is a plan view of a blank for forming a tray insert of the display stand; Fig 5 is a plan view of a blank for forming a central pillar member of the display stand; Fig 6 is a plan view of a blank for forming a base tray support of the display stand; and Fig 7 is a plan view of a blank for forming a header of the display stand; Referring to fig. 1A, an assembled display stand 10 includes three trays 12 supported on a frame 14. The display stand also includes a central pillar 16 which provides additional support for the trays, and a header 18 which is supported on top of the central pillar 16.

Referring also to fig 1B, the trays 12 of the display stand 10 provide flat surfaces for displaying products. Each tray 12 is octagonal in plan view, including an octagonal base 20 and a wall 22 extending around the perimeter of the base to prevent products falling off the tray. The wall 22 is about 5 to cm high. The trays 12 are made of a robust corrugated cardboard material about 3mm thick.

The frame 14 includes four elongate legs 24 which are upright in use and which are positioned generally at four corners of the display stand 10. Each leg 24 includes a right angled bend such that the pillar is L shaped in plan.

The legs 24 are joined to one another by support struts 26 which extend between adjacent pillars. Each support strut includes a part 28 which lies in a generally upright plane in the assembled frame and which merges into its adjacent support struts and a further part (not visible in Fig IA) which is bent so as to lie in a generally horizontal plane, to form a shelf to provide support for a tray 12. The support struts 26 are arranged in layers, with each layer of support struts supporting one tray 12.

In the illustrated example there are three layers of support struts lower, middle and upper layers 32, 34 and 36 positioned near the base, middle and top of the frame respectively.

Referring to Fig 1C, the frame and the trays are configured such that the uppermost tray is prevented from moving upwards as well as downwards relative to the frame. In this illustrated embodiment, the middle and base trays are also prevented from moving relative to the frame.

The legs 24 include stop arrangements 40 at their upper ends which interact with the upper tray 12 to prevent it moving upwards relative to the legs 24.

This prevents someone knocking the tray and potentially dislodging products located on the tray. Particularly where the products are glass bottles such as those containing alcoholic beverages, such dislodging of products is extremely undesirable.

The stop arrangements 40 include part of the material of the leg which is folded into interaction with the upper tray 12. Each stop arrangement 40 includes a flap 42 which locates in a slot in the tray. The flap is provided with a dagger-lock shaped portion (not visible in Fig IC) to resist it being removed once it is in the slot.

The central pillar 16 is also configured to prevent unwanted movement of the trays. Referring to Figs IA and 1B, the central pillar 16 is made up of three central pillar members 16A, 16B and 160 which fit together to form the pillar.

Each central pillar member is the same, and the central pillar members are shaped to include complementary parts at their tops and bottoms so that adjacent pillar members may interlock. As shown in Fig 1 C, the bottoms of the pillar members include tabs 44, which are of complementary shape to recesses (not shown) in the bottoms of the pillar members.

The tabs 44 in the pillar members pass through slots 46 in the bases 20 of the trays. Therefore the interlocking pillar members also retain the trays in place, preventing vertical movement of the trays.

The fact that the pillar members 16A, 16B and 16C are all the same shape prevents incorrect assembly.

The header 18 is supported on the uppermost central pillar member 16C. The header 18 includes two generally flat surfaces 47 for displaying advertising and promotional material relating to the products to be displayed on the stand.

The display stand 10 is assembled from a kit of parts in the form of blanks of sheet material, being flat sheets of corrugated cardboard about 2 to 5 mm thick. The display stand can thereby be transported in "flat pack" form before being assembled. The pack includes the following blanks: The frame - a blank 50 for the frame is shown in fig 2. The blank includes elongate parts 52 which form three of the legs 24 in the assembled display stand. Three of these elongate parts are provided with score lines 54 to allow folding into the L shaped configuration. The fourth leg in the assembled frame is made up by joining area A to area B with adhesive.

At the tops of the legs, the tabs 44 which form part of the stop arrangements are visible. The tabs 44 include lock portions 55 which enter slots in the base of the upper tray, to retain the stop arrangements in place and prevent any upwards movement of the tray.

The frame blank further includes cross parts 56 which form the support struts 26 in the assembled display stand. These cross parts include flaps 58 which may be folded through 90 degrees relative to the remainder of the cross part to form a shelf in the assembled stand on which the trays rest.

The trays - a blank 60 for one of the trays 12 is illustrated in fig 3. The blank includes a central area 62 which forms the base 20 of the tray 12 in the assembled display stand. The central area 62 includes four straight slots 46 extending through the blank, for receiving the tabs 44 of the central pillar members 16A, 16B and 16C as explained above. The blank 60 further includes four rectangular flaps 64 and four extended flaps 66 which together form the walls 22 of the assembled tray. All the flaps 64, 66 include score lines 68 denoting the position where the flaps should be folded to form the wall of the tray. All the flaps also include small tabs 70 which fit into complementary slots 72 in the central area 62 to retain the flaps in their folded positions to form the upright wall.

Each extended flap 66 includes two separate side tabs 74 and 76 extending from each side of the flap 66, connected to a central part 78 of the flap 66 by score lines 80. In use these tabs 74, 76 slot into spaces between the adjacent folded layers of the rectangular flaps 64, thereby forming a strong frictional engagement between the various parts and retaining the walls firmly in place at the perimeter of the tray.

A tray insert - referring to fig 4 each tray is also provided with a tray insert 82 to increase the strength of the base 20 of the tray. The insert for the upper tray is shown in fig. 4. The blank for the tray insert consists of two octagonal shaped parts 84 joined by a fold line 86. In use the blank is folded over at the fold line to form a double thickness insert. The use of two octagonal parts joined together in this way prevents a user accidentally only including a single thickness insert and compromising the strength of the tray. The tray insert includes slots 88 which are aligned in use with the slots 46 in the base of the trays. The tray insert also includes small cut-out parts 90 which accommodate the tabs 44 forming part of the stop arrangements 40 of the frame. The cutout parts 90 are aligned with some of the slots 72 in the base of the tray.

The central pillar members - referring to fig 5 there is illustrated a blank 92 for a single one of the central pillar members 16A, 16B and 16C. The blank includes four elongate parts 94 separated from one another by fold lines 96.

At one end of each elongate part 94 there is a dagger-lock part 98 which is slightly wedge shaped overall but which includes a step 100 where the part widens suddenly to form a dagger-lock re-entrant portion. At the opposite end of each elongate part there is a cut out part 102 of generally complementary shape to the dagger- lock part 98.

To assemble the pillar member the area A is attached (for example with adhesive) to the area B to form a pillar which is square in cross section.

When the display stand is assembled, the dagger-lock parts 98 of the pillar members 16A, 16B and 16C pass through the slots 46 in the bases 20 of the trays 12 and interlock with the complementary cut-out parts 102 to retain the trays 12 in place relative to the central pillar 16.

The base tray support - referring to fig 6 a blank 104 for the base tray support comprise four identical separate wall members 106 each being elongate and generally rectangular. Each wall member 106 includes two slots 108 positioned approximately a quarter to a third of the way along the wall member. Each slot includes a narrow inner part 110 and a funnel shaped outer part 112. To assemble the base tray support, two of the wall members are stood on their long edges 114 adjacent but separate from each other, with the funnel shaped outer parts 112 of their slots 108 facing upwards. The other two wall members are then positioned adjacent but separate from each other, at 90 degrees to the first wall members in a "noughts and crosses" configuration, with the respective slots on the wall members interlocking. This forms a robust base on which the bottom tray may be supported.

The header - referring to fig. 7 a blank 116 for the header includes two panels 118 separated by a fold line 120 and two base parts 122 attached to one of the panels by fold lines 124. Each base part 122 includes a tab 126 extending therefrom. The bottom part 122 includes further tabs 128 which may be bent about fold lines 130 to leave a hole in the bottom part when the header is assembled.

Two flaps 134 are attached to the other panel by fold lines 136. A slot 138 passes through the blank in the region of this fold line 136. To assemble the header, the blank is folded about the fold lines and the tabs 126 are inserted into the slots 138. The assembled header may be positioned on the uppermost pillar member 16C, the pillar member 16C entering the hole in the base part of the header. The header is adjustable in height when attached to the pillar member 16C by means of friction between the pillar member 16C and the flaps 128.

To assemble the display stand 10 from the flat pack kit of parts, each individual blank is assembled as described previously. The whole display stand may be fitted together by inserting the base tray support into the bottom of the frame 14 and placing the lower tray 12 in place at the base of the frame 14, supported on the flaps 58 of the lower support strut 26 and the tray insert 82. The lower central pillar member 16A is then placed in an upright position within the frame 14, and the middle tray 12 is then be placed in position, being supported by the flaps 58 of the support strut 26 and by the lower pillar member 16A. The next central pillar member 16B may then be fitted into place above the lower pillar member 16A, wedging the middle tray 12 in position.

The same procedure is adopted for the upper tray 12 and in this case the stop arrangements 40 of the legs 24 are folded over and into engagement with the upper tray 12 to keep that tray in place, the tabs 44 fitting into the slots 90 in the tray insert.

There is thus provided a display stand for use at temporary locations, which may be easily assembled without specialist equipment or knowledge. The display stand of the preferred embodiment is robust enough to receive fragile and/or heavy products such as drinks bottles. The fact that the upper tray cannot move upwards relative to the frame ensures that the tray cannot be accidentally knocked out of place, for example, by someone standing up and catching the tray with their elbow.

The display stand may be personalised to display a retailer's message or brand. The main body of the unit can be purchased from bulk stock and alternative header designs printed. Alternatively the main body may be printed with a retailer's chosen design.

The illustrated display stand may accommodate 60 to 72 bottles of wine with good visibility of the product and easy access for the consumer to pick a product for purchase.

Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the frame could have three legs, or more than four legs. There could be more or less than three trays, and the shapes of the various components may be altered.

The upper tray could be prevented from moving upwards relative to the frame by means other than that described above.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A display stand which is assemblable from a flat pack kit of parts comprising a plurality of blanks of sheet material, the display stand comprising a frame and a plurality of trays for receiving products, the trays being supported on the frame, and the frame and the trays being configured such that when the display stand is assembled, at least an upper one of the trays is prevented from moving upwards as well as downwards relative to the frame.

2. A display stand according to claim 1 wherein the frame includes a plurality of legs which are generally upright in use and a plurality of support struts extending between the legs, for supporting the trays in a substantially horizontal orientation.

3. A display stand according to claim 2 wherein the support struts are arranged in layers, each layer comprising supports struts on the same vertical level, the support struts extending between adjacent legs.

4. A display stand according to claim 3 wherein each layer of support struts supports one tray.

5. A display stand according to claim 4 wherein each support strut includes a part which lies in a generally upright plane in the assembled frame and which is joined to or merges into its adjacent support struts and a part which is bent so as to lie in a generally horizontal plane, to provide support for the tray.

6. A display stand according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein the frame includes four legs and three layers of support struts.

7. A display stand according to any of claims 2 to 6 wherein the upper tray is prevented from moving upwards relative to the frame by stop arrangements provided on one or more of the legs.

8. A display stand according to claim 7 wherein at least two of the legs include stop arrangements at their upper ends which interact with the upper tray to prevent it moving upwards relative to the legs.

9. A display stand according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the stop arrangements comprise a part of the sheet material of the leg which is folded in such a way that it holds the upper tray in position.

10. A display stand according to claim 9 wherein the part of the sheet material is folded into interaction with the upper tray.

11. A display stand according to claim 10 wherein the part of the sheet material includes a lock portion which slides into a slot in the upper tray and which resists being removed from the slot.

12. A display stand according to any preceding claim wherein each tray includes a substantially flat base and an upstanding wall around a perimeter of the base, the wall preventing products positioned on the base from falling off.

13. A display stand according to claim 12 wherein the wall is formed by bending and folding an outer part of the sheet material of the tray blank.

14. A display stand according to claim 13 wherein the wall is held in place relative to the base by dagger lock parts which enter slots in the base.

15. A display stand according to any preceding claim wherein the display stand includes a central pillar which in use passes through at least one of the trays, providing further support for the trays.

16. A display stand according to claim 15 wherein the central pillar passes through all of the trays.

17. A display stand according to claim 16 wherein the trays and the pillar are configured such that relative movement between the central pillar and the trays is prevented.

18. A display stand according to any of claims 15 to 17 wherein the upper tray is prevented from moving relative to the frame by interaction of the tray with the central pillar.

19. A display stand according to any of claims 15 to 18 wherein the central pillar comprises a plurality of central pillar members which together form the central pillar.

20. A display stand according to claim 19 wherein the central pillar members include complementary shaped parts on their tops and bottoms respectively so that the top of one central pillar member may interlock with the bottom of an adjacent pillar member.

21. A display stand according to claim 20 wherein the central pillar members and the trays are shaped such that the trays are wedged between adjacent central pillar members, thus preventing the trays from moving relative to the central pillar members.

22. A display stand according to claim 21 wherein a part of a central pillar member passes through each tray and interlocks with a complementary part of an adjacent pillar member to retain the tray. in place.

23. A display stand according to any of claims 15 to 22 wherein the display stand includes a header for location above the upper tray, for displaying promotional information.

24. A display stand according to claim 23 wherein the header is mounted on the central pillar, and the height of the header is adjustable by moving the header up and down on the central pillar.

25. A display stand according to claim 24 wherein the header is retained in a selected position on the central pillar by frictional engagement between the central pillar and the header.

26. A display stand according to any of claims 23 to 25 wherein the central pillar includes an upper pillar member which extends above the upper tray and on which the header may be supported, the height of the header being adjustable by moving the header up and down on the upper pillar member.

27. A display stand according to any preceding claim wherein the display stand further includes a base support for providing additional support for the lowest tray, the base support being located below the lowest tray which may be partially supported thereon.

28. A display stand according to claim 27 wherein the base support includes walls of sheet material which interlock to become stable with the sheet material of the walls lying in upright planes.

29. A flat pack kit of parts comprising a plurality of blanks of sheet material for assembly into a display stand according to any preceding claim.

30. A kit of parts according to claim 29 wherein the sheet material is corrugated cardboard.

31. A kit of parts according to claim 29 or claim 30 wherein the blanks are foldable along score lines to form components of the display stand.

32. A kit of parts according to any of claims 29 to 31 wherein the blanks include flaps which are locatable in complementary slots in the same or another blank to create a robust component and/or to retain respective components in place relative to one another in the assembled display stand.

33. A kit of parts according to any of claims 29 to 31, the kit being configured to be assemblable from the flat pack kit without the need for any tools.

34. A kit of parts according to any of claims 29 to 33 wherein the kit of parts includes a blank for making into the frame, blanks for making into each tray, a blank for making into the central pillar or a plurality of blanks for making into the pillar members, a blank for making into the base support, and a blank for making into the header.

35. A display stand substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

36. A kit of parts substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

37. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.