IES990435A2 - A display unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention describes a display unit having at least one partially transparent or translucent shelf mountable in front of a backing plate to the unit. A light source is provided, separate from the shelf, for shining light through the transparent portion of the shelf, the light source being located behind the backing plate, with the backing plate adapted to allow light from the light source to pass through the portion of the shelf. <Figure 5>

Description

Background to the invention It is well known in the retail sale of goods that the marketer of specific products tries to attract potential customers to the specific goods on display. Such point of [purchase advertising incorporates many different modes including amongst others: advertising banners, specifically designed shelving and specifically illuminated shelving.

With regard to the latter approach, i.e. the use of illuminated shelving on which he products are stocked, various approaches have been adopted. One approach is escribed in British patent application GB 2263627 A which illustrates a display system hieh houses a multiplicity of shelves within upstanding portions. The upper ends of the upstanding portions incorporate a cover which may carry a lighting unit suitable to 20 illuminate and cast light upon the products displayed on the shelves below.

An alternative lighting arrangement is described in European patent application EP 0441354 which also describes a display system housing a multiplicity of shelf units. In this application the use of a lighting arrangement at the end of specific shelf units is 25 described. This lighting arrangement is utilised to illuminate products on the shelf immediately below the lighting arrangement.

Both these arrangements are specifically suited to illuminate the products on the shelves, they do not light the actual shelves. With the industrial lighting that is commonplace in retail outlets such lighting arrangements are not very noticeable and do not serve to effectively utilise the shelf as a point of purchase advertising point; i.e. the customer’s attention is not drawn specifically to the shelf and as such to the product IE990435 contained within the shelf One recent attempt to illuminate the shelf in an alternative manner is to actually illuminate the shelf itself. By mounting light emitting diodes (LEDs) of varying colour and strength within the actual shelf construction it is possible to make the shelf appear as a luminescing structure. This has been found to be an effective and attractive arrangement but due to the cost of constructing the shelves with the LEDs incorporated within the arrangement and also the necessity to change the entire shelf in cases where the LEDs break or an alternative colour is required this internally illuminated shelf has not been as popular as would otherwise have been thought.

Object of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a display unit which incorporates internally illuminating shelf structures but which does not utilise light sources mounted within the shelf.

Summary of the invention Accordingly the invention provides a display unit having: at least one partially transparent or translucent shelf mounted in front of a backing plate, a light source separate from the shelf for shining light through the transparent or translucent portion of the shelf, wherein the light source is located behind the backing plate, and the backing plate is adapted to allow light from the light source to pass through a portion of the shelf.

The backing plate preferably defines at least one aperture of suitable dimension within the backing plate to facilitate the mounting of the shelf within the backing plate such that the rear edge of the shelf mounted within the backing plate is illuminated by the light source.

IE990435 Alternatively at least portion of the backing plate is manufactured from a translucent or transparent material such that light may pass through said portion and onto the shelf mounted on the opposing side of the backing plate from the light source.

The unit preferably further comprises filter means positioned between the light source and the shelf wherein said filter means filters the light passing from the light source so as to alter the characteristics of the light incident on the shelf.

The shelf or filter means may be adapted to modulate or filter the light that passes through the shelf such that the entire front portion of the shelf unit is not illuminated. Such modulation may be used to display specific images on the front edge portion of the shelf.

The shelf is preferably adapted for displaying products for sale.

The invention also provides a display stand incorporating a display unit having: at least one partially transparent or translucent shelf mounted in front of a backing plate and adapted for displaying products, a light source separate from the shelf for shining light through the transparent or translucent portion of the shelf, wherein the remote light source is located behind the backing plate to the shelf and the backing plate is adapted to allow light from the light source to pass through a portion of the shelf.

Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a view from the front of a display unit according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view from the front and side of the display unit of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view from the rear of the display unit of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an alternative view from the rear of the display unit of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a view from the side of the display unit, and IE990435 Figure 6 is a perspective view from the front and side of a display stand incorporating the display unit of Figure 1.

Detailed description of the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a display unit 1 according to the present invention. In this embodiment the unit 1 comprises eight product support structures or shelves 2, each of which is mounted on a backing plate 3. In this illustration the shelves are L-shaped and are angularly mounted about a centrally positioned clock 4, but the clock and number, shape and actual configuration of the individual shelves is immaterial and may be altered according to personal preference and application.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the display unit of Figure 1, showing the shelves and backing plate from the right hand side of the unit. The shelves are preferably manufactured from a transparent or translucent material, suitably a plastic or synthetic resin material such as the acrylic resin material sold under the trade mark “Perspex”.

Each shelf has a front edge portion 5 which may be polished. The shelves are mounted into the backing plate or board 3, such that when viewed from the rear, as seen in Figure 3, the rear edge portion 6 of each shelf may be seen. An L-shaped slot corresponding to each shelf is cut through the backing plate (or is moulded therein). As such each shelf is mounted into and through the slot in the backing plate 3. In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the backing plate may have transparent or translucent material of a dimension corresponding to the dimension of the shelf that requires illumination, mounted within the backing plate, such that light incident from a light source will pass through the transparent or translucent portion of the backing plate and will be incident on the shelf.

In such embodiments the shelf may be affixed or mounted on the face of the backing plate opposing the side face at which the light source is located.

Figure 4 is a further view from the rear of the backing plate 3. In this embodiment the rear edge portions 6 of each protruding shelf have been covered with a filter 7 which in this embodiment is a coloured tape. Although it is shown in this illustration as covering each of the individual rear edges 6 with the filter, it will be appreciated by those skilled in IE990435 the art that in specific circumstances one or more filters may be omitted or alternatively the type and colour of each filter may be customised for the specific shelf, or one filter may be applied across the whole of the backing plate 3.

Figure 5 is a view from the side of the display unit 1 together with a light source 8 which is positioned on the opposing side of the backing plate 3 from the main portion of the shelf 2. In this embodiment the light source 8 is a fluorescent tube which is mounted 9 on a backing board 10, but once again any one of a variety of light source may be used. When the light source 8 is illuminated it will shine light incident on the rear edge portion 6 of each shelf 2, which depending on the presence of a filter 7 or not will have its characteristics altered by the properties of the light filter. For example if a red filter is utilised all the white light that is incident on the red filter will be absorbed except the red component and as such the rear portion 6 of the shelf will be illuminated by red light. In an alternative embodiment, not shown, where for example only red light is required to be incident on the rear edge portion 6 of the shelf, the white light source may be replaced by a red light source and the filters may be omitted.

By using transparent or translucent material for the shelf construction any light that is incident on the rear edge portion 6 of the shelf will pass through the entire shelf and will be seen out the front edge portion 5. Although a portion of the light will illuminate the main body of the shelf, through refraction processes as it propagates though the shelf material, the main portion of the light will pass straight through and will be visible through the front edge portion 5. The advantage of polishing the front edge portion is that this quality will not be affected or dulled by edge defects on the shelf material. Although hereinbefore discussed with reference to the passage of all the light that is incident on the rear edge portion of the shelf through to the front edge portion it is possible that by filtering the light specifically, or by placing specific filters on, or in, the shelf unit it is possible to modulate which portion of the front edge is illuminated and which portion is not. Using such techniques it is possible to use the light to spell or display specific messages on the front edge of the shelf unit.

IE990435 Figure 6 shows a display unit 1 of the present invention incorporated within a display stand 20. In this illustration the display unit 1 only forms part of the shelf system of the stand 20, and conventional shelves 21 are also used for displaying products The words “comprises/comprising” and the words “having/including” when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

IE990435

Claims (5)

Claims

1. A display unit having: a) at least one partially transparent or translucent shelf mounted in front of a 5 backing plate, b) a light source separate from the shelf for shining light through the transparent or translucent portion of the shelf, wherein the light source is located behind the backing plate, and the backing plate is adapted to allow light from the light source to pass through a portion of the shelf. o

2. The display unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the backing plate defines at least one aperture of suitable dimension within the backing plate to facilitate the mounting of the shelf within the backing plate such that the rear edge of the shelf mounted within the backing plate is illuminated by the light source.

3. The display unit as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising filter means positioned between the light source and the shelf wherein said filter means filters the light passing from the light source so as to alter the characteristics of the light incident on the shelf.

4. The display unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 wherein at least portion of the backing plate is manufactured from a translucent or transparent material such that light may pass through said portion and onto the shelf mounted on the opposing side of the backing plate from the light source.

5. A display unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and or as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.