IES20000447A2 - A display stand - Google Patents

Abstract

A display stand (50) for displaying flowers in a retail outlet has two or more ground-engaging modular L-shaped supports (2) interconnected by cross members. A display rail assembly (4) is mounted in an inclined portion on the supports (2) between an upright support post (7) and a base member (6) of the support (2). Each display rail assembly (4) has a plurality of spaced-apart horizontal rails (10) upon which one or more display shelves (52) are adjustably mounted. Hangers (54) may be mounted on the support posts (7) above the shelves (52) for suspending hanging baskets of flowers on the display stand (50).

Description

“A Display Stand11 Introduction This invention relates to a modular merchandising display stand, and in particular to a display stand for displaying plants and flowers in retail outlets.

Statements of Invention According to the invention, there is provided a display stand for displaying plants and flowers for sale in a retail outlet, the display stand comprising:15 a pair of spaced-apart L-shaped supports, each having a ground engaging horizontal base member with an upright support post upstanding at a rear end of the base member, the support post being of box section material and having a plurality of vertically spaced-apart slots in a front face of the support post, said support posts being interconnected by upper and lower cross members extending between upper and lower ends respectively of the support posts, a product display rail assembly mounted between the support posts and the base members, said display rail assembly comprising a number of spaced-apart horizontal rails mounted between a pair of end bars, a connector being provided at an upper end of each end bar for releasable locking engagement with the slots in the front face of the support posts, a lower end of each end bar resting on an associated base member intermediate the ends of the base member to support the display rail assembly in an inclined position, and one or more shelves being releasably mounted on the rails of the display rail assembly. - 2 IE000447 In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of the display stands are mounted edge to edge and back to back to form a double-sided display stand with semi-circular display rail assemblies at each end to form a gondola-type display stand.

In a further embodiment, the support posts extend upwardly above the display rail assembly to form a support for a hanger which is releasably engageable with the support posts for suspending hanging containers therefrom.

In another embodiment, each shelf comprises a horizontal base panel with an upturned peripheral rim to form a water retaining tray with mounting brackets at each end of the shelf for mounting the shelf on the display rail assembly or between support posts, and the hanger comprises a pair of elongated rods interconnected by semicircular hoops with mounting brackets for releasable engagement with slots in the support posts.

Detailed Description of the invention The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a modular merchandising display stand according to the invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the display stand; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another merchandising display stand according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a further display stand according to a third embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the display stand shown in Fig. 4; - 3 IE000447 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a number of the display stands of Fig. 4, shown in use; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a shelf unit for use with any of the display stands; Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of the shelf unit of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a hanger for use with the display stands; Rg. 10 is a plan view of the hangers shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an end elevational view of the hanger shown in Rg. 9; and Rg. 12 is a perspective view of a bucket holder for use with the merchandising display stands.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is illustrated a modular merchandising display stand according to the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The display stand 1 has two or more ground-engaging modular L-shaped supports 2 interconnected by cross members 3 and supporting therebetween a product display rail assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 4, for supporting flowers and plants generally for display as will be described later.

Each of the supports 2 comprises a tubular base member 6 of box section steel with an upright support post 7 upstanding at a rear end of the base member 6. Each support post 7 is of tubular box-section steel. A plurality of vertically spaced-apart slots 8 are provided in a front face of each support post 7.

A pair of the supports 2 are interconnected by cross members 3, comprising, in this case, upper and lower cross members 3 mounted between upper and lower ends respectively of the support posts 7. Each cross member 3 is of box-section steel - 4 IE000447 material. At both outer ends of each cross member 3, a mounting bracket 20 is provided which is engageable with complementary slots 21 in a side wall 22 of the support post 7 as is best seen in Fig. 3. Upon assembly, each mounting bracket 20 is simply inserted into the associated slot 21 and moved downwardly to releasably lock the mounting brackets 20 in engagement with the slot 21. Thus, an individual display stand 1, as shown in Fig. 1, or a composite display stand 30, as shown in Fig. 3, can be readily, easily and quickly assembled.

The display rail assembly 4 is mounted in an inclined position between the support posts 7 and the base members 6. The display rail assembly 4 has a number of horizontal rails 10 mounted between a pair of inclined end bars 11. Each end bar 11 has an upper end with a connector 14 for engagement within the slots 8 of a support post 7 for secure releasable attachment of the upper end 12 of each end bar 11 to the support posts 7. A lower end 15 of each end bar 11 rests upon an upper face 16 of an associated base member 6 intermediate the ends of the base member 6. It will be noted that the display rail assembly 4 is thus supported in an inclined position between the support posts 7 and base members 6. Thus shelving can be mounted in a staggered arrangement on the display rail assembly 4.

A back panel 18 may optionally be mounted between the support posts 7. The back panel 18 is retained against the front faces of the support posts 7 by the upper ends 12 of the end bars 11 with lower outer edges 19 of the panel 18 resting upon the upper faces 16 of the base members 6. It will be appreciated that any suitable back panel 8, such as wooden sheeting, may be provided and they are readily easily changed if desired to alter the effect of the display stand 1. Further, advertising indicia may be applied to a front face of the back panel 18 if desired.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown another merchandising display stand according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 30. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case, a number of the display stands 1 have been interconnected to form a larger display stand 30 which is arranged in the form of a merchandising gondola unit Essentially four of the display units 1, described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, have been incorporated into the display stand 30. Two such display units are mounted end to end - 5 IE000447 with a common central support post 7 with two of such twin units being mounted back to back to provide the gondola type display stand 30.

At each end of the display stand 30, semi-circular end units 32 are provided with curved rails 34 extending between inclined end bars 35 and 36 which engage opposite sides of abutting support posts 7 to securely retain the two twin units back to back. This arrangement essentially provides endless rails 10, 34 extending about the display stand 30. A bump rail 38 is provided at a bottom of the display unit 30 mounted on the base members 6.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, there is shown another display unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 50. Parte similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case, the support posts 7 have been elongated upwardly extending well above the inclined display rail assembly 4.

A plurality of the display stands 50 are shown mounted side by side in Fig. 6 to form a modular display assembly. In this case, as previously described with reference to Fig. 3, a common support post 7 is shared between adjacent modular display stands 50.

Also shown in Fig. 6 are shelving units 52 for mounting on the display rail assembly 4 of the display stand 50 and the previously described display stands 1, 30 and also a hanger 55 which is supported above the shelves 52 on the support posts 7 for suspending hanging baskets and the like on the display stand 50.

Referring to Fig. 7 and 8, each shelf 52 comprises a base panel 53 with an upstanding peripheral rim 54 to form a water retaining tray upon which potted plants can be stood for display. Mounting brackets 56 are provided at each end of the shelf 52. Each mounting bracket 56 has a pair of spaced-apart slots 57, 58 for engaging with a pair of spaced-apart rails 10 on a display rail assembly 4 to mount the shelf 52 in a horizontal position on the display rail assembly 4. It will be noted that each shelf 52 can be easily and quickly adjusted up or down and positioned as desired on the display rail assembly 4.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 11, the hanger 55 comprises a pair of elongated rods 60 - 6 IE000447 interconnected by a number of semi-circular hoops 61. Hoops 61 at each end of the hanger 55 carry mounting brackets 63 for releasable engagement within the slots 8 of the support posts 7. Thus, as shown in Fig. 6, the hanger 55 can be mounted between a pair of support posts 7 above the shelving 52 for supporting hanging baskets or hanging potted plants on the display stand 50, each plant pot or basket being suspended from the rail 60.

Referring now to Fig. 12, there is shown a bucket support indicated generally by the reference numeral 70. The bucket support 70 comprises a circular hoop 72 for reception of a bucket, the hoop 72 being mounted on a cranked support arm 73. Channel brackets 74,75 are mounted at each end of the arm 73 for engagement with associated spaced-apart rails 10 on the display rail assembly 4 of one of the support stands 1,30,50. A rest arm 76 projects outwardly from the lower bracket 75 beneath the hoop 72 having an outer end 77 which terminates centrally beneath the hoop 72 so that a bottom of a bucket mounted within the hoop 72 will rest against the outer end of the arm 76. Thus, a bucket can be supported in an inclined position to display bunches of freshly cut flowers for retail on the support stands 1,30,50.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be 0 varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

IE000447

Claims (5)

1. A display stand for displaying plants and flowers for sale in a retail outlet, the display stand comprising:a pair of spaced-apart L-shaped supports, each having a ground engaging horizontal base member with an upright support post upstanding at a rear end of the base member, the support post being of box section material and having a plurality of vertically spaced-apart slots in a front face of the support post, said support posts being interconnected by upper and lower cross members extending between upper and lower ends respectively of the support posts, a product display rail assembly mounted between the support posts and the base members, said display rail assembly comprising a number of spaced-apart horizontal rails mounted between a pair of end bars, a connector being provided at an upper end of each end bar for releasable locking engagement with the slots in the front face of the support posts, a lower end of each end bar resting on an associated base member intermediate the ends of the base member to support the display rail assembly in an inclined position, and one or more shelves being releasably mounted on the rails of the display rail assembly.

2. A display stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of the display stands are mounted edge to edge and back to back to form a double-sided display stand with semi-circular display rail assemblies at each end to form a gondolatype display stand. IE000447 - 8

3. A display stand as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support posts extend upwardly above the display rail assembly to form a support for a hanger which is releasably engageable with the support posts for suspending hanging containers therefrom.

4. A display stand as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each shelf comprises a horizontal base panel with an upturned peripheral rim to form a water retaining tray with mounting brackets at each end of the shelf for mounting the shelf on the display rail assembly or between support posts, and 10 the hanger comprises a pair of elongated rods interconnected by semi-circular hoops with mounting brackets for releasable engagement with slots in the support posts.

5. A display stand substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 15 accompanying drawings.