US3285424A

US3285424A - Display devices

Info

Publication number: US3285424A
Application number: US421550A
Authority: US
Inventors: Byron C Emery
Original assignee: Harbor Ind Inc
Current assignee: Harbor Ind Inc
Priority date: 1964-12-28
Filing date: 1964-12-28
Publication date: 1966-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-15

Description

United States Patent 3,285,424 DISPLAY DEVICES Byron C. Emery, Grand Haven, Mich., assignor to Harbor Industries, Inc., Grand Haven, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,550 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-55) This invention relates to display devices, and more particularly, to dividers which are particularly well adapted for dividing display racks, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel divider for display racks and the like.

Another object is to enable display racks, and the like, to be divided in a novel and expeditious manner.

In display racks for greeting cards, and the like, it is common practice to display the cards in stacks, with the stacks disposed on their edges in long troughs or compartments, with the troughs or compartments divided into smaller compartments, in which the respective stacks of individual cards are disposed. In some such racks heretofore known in the art, the divisions separating the smaller compartments have been permanent However, such construction is undesirable because, for example, the widths of such compartments is then fixed, and the maximum width of card which may be displayed in such a rack may be no greater than the widest compartment in the rack. Also, with the compartment sizes fixed, space is often wasted in the display of such cards, because the compartments are often wider than is necessary to receive certain cards being displayed. Thus, it has been found desirable to construct card display racks, and the like, in such a manner that the width of the various compartrnents may be adjusted. It is an important object of the present invention to enable this to be accomplished in a novel and expeditious manner. I 7

'Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel divider for card display racks, and the like, which may be quickly and easily installed in and removed from such a rack, and which may be readily adjusted to various positions in such a racks.

Removable dividers for card display racks, and the like, have been heretofore known in the art. However, such dividers as have been heretofore known in the art have commonly had several inherent disadvantages such as, for example, requiring a different size divider for each different front-to-back depth of card rack compart ment; not effectively filling the compartment from iron-t to back, so that cards in the compartment may slip edgewise past the dividerinto another compartment; being difficult to install, remove, or adjust; or being complicated in. construction and operation, and the like. It is another object of the present invention to overcome such disadvantages. A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel divider of the aforementioned type wherein the parts thereof are so constituted and arranged that a single divider may be effectively used in compartments of several different depths.

Another object is to afford a novel divider of the aforementioned type which is automatically adjustable, in a novel and expeditious manner, to accommodate various depths of compartments in which it may be used. ,Yet another object. is to afford a novel divider of the aforementioned type which is practical and eflicient in operation, and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what Patented Nov. 15, 1966 I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a card display rack embodying dividers embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the dividers shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

In the drawings, a plurality of dividers 1, embodying the principles of the present invention, are shown mounted in a card display rack 2 to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The display rack 2 is substantially rectangular in shape, including a front wall 3 and a rear wall 4 disposed in upright, substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, with two oppositely disposed

side walls

5 and 6 extending between the front wall 3 and the rear wall 4 in substantially perpendicular relation thereto. Three

partition walls

7 and 8 and 9 'are disposed between the front wall 3 and the rear wall 4 in substantially parallel spaced relation thereto and to each other, FIGS. 1 and 3-5. The partition wall 7 is spaced rearwardly from the front wall 3, the walls Sand 7 affording the front and rear walls, respectively, of a trough or elongated compartrnent 10, FIGS. 1 and 5, which extends between the

side walls

5 and 6. The partition wall 8 is spaced rearwardly from the partition wall 7, the

walls

7 and 8 affording the front and rear walls, respectively, of a trough or elongated compartment 11, FIGS. 1 and 4, which extends between the

side walls

5 and 6. The partition wall 9 is disposed rearwardly of the partition wall 8, the

walls

8 and 9 affording the front and rear walls, respectively, of a trough of elongated compartment 12-,

- FIGS. land 3, which extends between the

side walls

5 and 6. The partition wall 9 is disposed forwardly ofthe rear wall 4, the

walls

9 and 4 affording thefront and rear walls, respectively,,of atrough "or elongated compart ment 13, FIG. 1, which extends between the side walls "5and6.

The compartments 10 13 are open at the top, and are closed at the bottom bysuitable bottom walls, not shown, in a manner well known in the art.

All of the clips 1, shown in FIG. I, are identical in construction, each embodying an elongated body portion polypropylene.

16 and rear portion 17, and defines the upper end of the slot 18.

The body member 14 may be made of any suitable flexible material, such as, for example, a suitable thermo plastic polymer or co-polymer such as polyethylene or The upper end portion 19 of the body member. ,14 affords a hinge connection between the front portion 16 and the rear portion 17, the

portions

16 and 17 being pivotable or flexible around the interconnection thereof afforded by the upper end portion'19 toward and away from each other to thereby close and narrow the slot 18, respectively, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

. The front edge portion 16 has a front edge 20 which, at its lower end portion, at least, is preferably convex outwardly, FIGS. 3-5. The front edge portion 16 also includes a rear edge 21, which curves downwardly and rearwardly from the upper end of the slot 18, and terminates at its lower end at the lower end 22 of the front edge portion 16, which is preferably rounded. The front edge portion 16 of the body member 14 is longer than the rear edge portion 17, and in its normal, unflexed position, curves downwardly and rearwardly in such a manner that the lower end 22 thereof terminates below the rear edge portion 17 in vertical alignment therewith,

I The rear edge portion 17 of the body member 16 embodies a convex outwardly front edge 23. The curva: tures of the rearedge 21 .of the front edge portion 16, and-of the front edge 23 of the rear edge portion 17 are such-that when the body member 14 is disposed in normal', unflexed position, FIGS. 2-4, the front and rear edges of the slot 18 flare outwardly away from each other from the upper end portion of the slot 18 to the lower end thereof. u 1 The clip may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, the aforementioned polypropylene or polyethylene, and embodies a substantially flat front wall 24, having a .reversely bent, downwardly extending flange 25 at the top thereof. The front wall 24 projects outwardly from the body member 14 in substantially perpendicular relation thereto, with the flange 25 projecting rearwardlyfrom thefront wall 24, and, preferably, with the rear face 26 of the front wall 24 disposed in uniplanar relation to the rear edge portion 17 of the body member 14. r i

. In the use of the divider 1, it may be moved vertically downwardly into a compartment of a card display rack, or the like, such as for example, the compartment 11, of the rack 2, FIGS. 1 and 4, into position wherein the body member. extends laterally between the front andrear walls of the compartment, and the clip 15 is hooked over the upper edge of'one of the aforementioned walls, such as, for example, the rear wall 8, in position to support the body member 14 in such position between the front and rear walls of the compartment.

The vparts of thedivider 1 are so constituted and arranged that it may be used in compartments having a variety of depths, from front to rear, while still affording all-effective divider for such compartments. Thus, for example, in a compartment having the maximum width for the particular size divider being used,'such as, for example, the compartment 11, FIG. 4, when the divider 1 is disposed in operative position'in. the compartment 11, with the clip 15 hooked over the upper edge of the rear partition wall 8, the rear edge of the divider 1 is disposed in engagement with' the front face of the partition wall 8, and the front edge 20 of the divider 1 is disposed in engagement with therear face of the partition wall 7; Thedepth of the compartment 11, from front to rear, is such that the aforementioned engagement of the divider 1 with the walls..7 and 8 is effected without flexing of .the front and

rear portions

16 and 17. of the divide-r toward each other.

However, the divider 1 also may be used in compartments, such as, for example, the compartment 10, FIG. 5,-having a lesserdepth than the compartment 11. In

, such use of the divider 1, it may be moved downwardly into the compartment 10 by flexing the front edge portion -.16 of the body member, 14 rearwardly toward the rear edgeportion 17, to thereby narrow the width of the "derql. Norma1ly,; suchflexing of the front edge portion 16 may be accomplished by pressing the divider v.1 downwardly between the

walls

3 and 7, the upper edge of the wall 3 engaging the lower portion of the convex front edge 20 of the divider 1 and riding upwardly therealong to cam the front edge portion 16 rearwardly to ward the rear edge 17. However, if desired, such flexing of the front edge portion 16 toward the rear edge portion 17 may be manually accomplished by the fingers or by the use of a suitable tool.

With the lower end portion of the front edge 20 of the divider 1 being convex in shape, the divider 1 may not only be readily installed in compartments of various widths, but may also be installed in compartments wherein the front and rear walls thereof terminate at various heights relative to each other. Thus, for example, the divider 1 may be mounted in a'compartment, such as a compartment 12, FIG. 3, which may be of the same width as the compartment 10, shown in FIG. 5, but wherein the wall 8 terminates below the upper edge of the wall 9 a greater distance than the upper edge of the wall 3 terminates below the upper edge of the wall 7. As illustrated in FIG. 3, under these conditions, the divider 1 may be inserted into the compartment 12 into position wherein the clip 15 is mounted on the upper edge of the rear wall 9 thereof, and the upper edge of the front wall 8 is disposed in abutting engagement with the lower end portion of the front edge 20 of the divide-r 1.

In all operative positions of the divider 1 wherein the front and rear edges thereof are disposed in abutting engagement'with respective ones of the front and rear walls of a card display rack compartment, the divider 1 affords effective blocking of all vertical planes between the front and rear of the compartment in such a manner that cards the rear edge portion 17 in such a manner as to insure such operation of the divider 1.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the dividers 1 are shown mounted on the rear walls of the compartments 10-13, with the body members 14 projecting forwardly therefrom, this is merely by way of illustration, and, not by way of limitation, and that, if desired, the divider 1 may be mounted on the front walls of the compartments 10-13, with the body member 14 projecting rearwardly therefrom, without departing from the purview of the present invention.

2 It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention affords a novel divider which may be quickly and easily installed in operative position on display racks for greeting cards, and thelike, and may also be quickly and easily removed therefrom.

In addition, it will-be seen that'the present invention affords a novel divider which may be quickly and easily adjusted to different positions on such a card rack.

Also, the present invention affords a novel divider which may be used on compartments of various front-to-rear depths in such display racks, so as to minimize. the number of different sizes of dividers which it is necessary to stock for display racks having compartments of various depths.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel andpractical divider for display racks,'and the like, which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described "the 'preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, andI therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details setforth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A divider for card display racks of the type having front and rear walls defining respective opposite sides of a compartment, said divider comprising (a) a body portion having (1) an =upper end, and

(2) a lower end, v I

(b) said body portion including two oppositely disposed lateral edge portions (1) hin'gedly' connected to each other at said upper end,-and; I

(2) projecting downwardly from said upper end 1 in spaced relationto each other, and

(c')'means on one of saidlateral edge portions for mounting'said body portion on an upper edge portion of one wall in downwardly extending position between walls'with said edge'portions disposed in abutting engagement with-adjacent walls, t I

(d) one of said edge portions projecting downwardly and horizontally into position vertically below the other of said edge portions.

2. A divider for card display racks of the type having front and rear walls defining respective opposite sides of a compartment, said divider comprising (a) a body portion having a front portion and a rear portion (1) hingedly connected together at their top edge portions,

(2) projecting downwardly from said top edge portions in horizontally spaced relation to each other, and

(3) rotatable toward and away from each other,

and

(b) means on one of said first-mentioned portions for removably supporting said body portion from one wall with (1) said rear portion disposed in abutting engagement with a rear wall, and

(2) said front portion disposed in abutting engagement with a front wall,

(c) said front and rear portions horizontally overlapping each other below said top edge portions.

3. A divider for display racks of the type for displaying stacks of flat articles, such as cards, in upstanding position on their edges between front and rear walls which define opposite sides of a compartment, said divider comprising (a) a body portion comprising (1) a rear edge portion,

(2) a front edge portion, and

(3) an intermediate portion extending between and operatively interconnecting the tops of said front and rear edge portions,

(b) a said front and rear portions (1) being spaced from each other at all points below said intermediate portion, and

(2) being pivotable on said intermediate portion forwardly and rearwardly relative to each other,

(e) one of said front and rear portions extending downwardly below the other of said front and rear portions into position vertically below said other portion, and

(d) means on one of said front and rear portions for supporting said body portion in a compartment from one wall with said rear portion engaging a rear wall and said front portion engaging a front wall.

4. A divider for display racks of the type for displaying stacks of flat articles, such as cards, in upstanding position on their edges between front and rear walls which define opposite sides of a compartment, said divider comprising (a) a substantially flat body portion comprising (1) a substantially vertically extending rear edge portion, (2). a substantially vertically extending front edge portion, and (3) an upper edge portion (a') extending between and operatively interconnecting the tops of said front and rear edge portions, and (-b) disposed in substantially uniplanar relation to said front and rear edge por tions,

' (b) one ofsaid front and rear portions having a convex edge portion remote from the other of said front and rear portions (c) a clip mounted on the edge portion of said other portion remote from said convex portion for removably mounting said divider on a top edge portion of one wall in position to extend downwardly into a compartment with V (1) said body portion disposed substantially perpendicular to said clip,

(2) said edge portion of said other portion disposed in engagement with the one wall, and (3) said convex edge portion disposed in engagement with another wall,

(d) said front and rear portions (1) being spaced from each other at all points below said upper edge portion and (2) being flexible on said upper edge portion forwardly and rearwardly relative to each other,

(e) one of said front and rear portions extending downwardly below the other of said front and rear portions into position vertically below said other portion.

5. A divider for display racks of the type for displaying stacks of flat articles, such as cards, in upstanding position on their edges between front and rear walls which define opposite sides of a compartment, said divider comprising (a) a substantially fiat body portion comprising (1) a substantially vertically extending rear edge portion, (2) a substantially vertically extending front edge portion, and (3) an upper edge portion (a') extending between and operatively in terconnecting the tops of said front and rear edge portions, and (b) disposed in substantially uniplanar relation to said front and rear edge portions,

(b) said front edge portion having a convex front edge remote from said rear edge portion,

(c) said rear edge portion having a substantially flat rear edge remote from said front end portion,

(cl) a clip mounted on said rear edge portion and extending along said rear edge in position to removably support said body portion from the upper edge portion of a rear wall with (1) said rear edge disposed in engagement with a rear Wall, and

(2) said convex front edge disposed in engagement with a front wall,

(e) said body portion having an elongated slot (1) extending downwardly and rearwardly from said upper edge portion, and

(2) separating said front edge portion from said rear edge portion,

(f) said front edge portion extending downwardly and rearwardly into position vertically below said rear edge portion and terminating forwardly of the vertical plane of said rear edge, and

(g) said front and rear edge portions being resiliently flexible on said upper edge portion toward and away from each other to narrow and widen said slot.

6. A divider as defined in claim 5, and in which said body portion and said clip are made of plastic material.

7. A display rack having a front wall and a rear wall defining opposite sides of a compartment in which flat (a) a divider for dividing said compartment and limiting the movement of cards in a stack in one direction in said compartment along said walls, (b) said divider comprising (1) a body member having oppositely disposed side edges, and

(2) a clip mounted along one of said side edges and hooked over one of said walls in position to support said body member in said compartment with (a) one'of said edges disposed in engagement with said one Wall, and' (b) the other of said side edges disposed in engagement with the other of said walls, (c) said body member having (1) a front portion,

(2) a rear portion, and (3) a downwardly opening slot separating said v, front and rear portions, r

(d) one of said portions extending downwardly below the other of said portions and terminating at its lower end in vertical alignment with said other por tion, and

(e) said front and rear portions of said body member being flexible toward ,and away from each other to close and open said slot. a

References Cited by the Examiner I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,869,732 1/1959 Ganz 1211-1s4 2,938,634 5/1960 Ganz -1 211-184 3,139,186 6/1964 George 211-55 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

20 W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

2. A DIVIDER FOR END CARD DISPLAY RACKS OF THE TYPE HAVING FRONT AND REAR WALLS DEFINING RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE SIDES OF A COMPARTMENT, SAID DRIVER COMPRISING (A) A BODY PORTION HAVING A FRONT PORTION AND A REAR PORTION (1) HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOGETHER AT THEIR TOP EDGE PORTIONS, (2) PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID TOP EDGE PORTIONS IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER, AND (3) ROTATABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, AND (B) MEANS ON ONE OF SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PORTIONS FOR REMOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID BODY PORTION FROM ONE WALL WITH (1) SAID REAR PORTION DISPOSED IN ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH A REAR WALL, AND (2) SAID FRONT PORTION DISPOSED IN ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH A FRONT WALL, (C) SAID FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS HORIZONTALLY OVERLAPPING EACH OTHER BELOW SAID TOP EDGE PORTIONS.