US3650408A

US3650408A - Display apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3650408A
Application number: US863844A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Fisher; Milton W Herzog
Original assignee: GOODMAN AND SONS Inc H
Current assignee: H GOODMAN AND SONS Inc; GOODMAN AND SONS Inc H
Priority date: 1969-10-06
Filing date: 1969-10-06
Publication date: 1972-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-21

Abstract

Display apparatus here includes vertical supports carrying plural horizontal channels. There are display carriers easily assembled to the channels and individually adjustable along the channels. Each display carrier includes a mounting plate and a rod for supporting merchandise or for acting with another rod for supporting a display card. The channel has in-turned lips, the upper lip being wider than the lower lip, and the mounting plate of the display carrier is of the proper width to be tucked under the upper lip, swung against the wall of the channel between the lips and shifted into the groove formed between the bottom lip and the wall of the channel, then being captive behind the upper lip. The lips extend from the rear of the channel, so that the wall of the channel has an unobstructed front appearance, and it can be used for signs, etc. The rods of the display carriers extend from the plates at the rear of the channel, across the top or bottom edge of the channel, to the display space in front of the channel.

Description

United States Patent Fisher et al.

[ 1 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] DISPLAY APPARATUS [73] Assignee: H. Goodman & Sons, Inc., Kearny, NJ. [22] Filed: Oct. 6, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 863,844

Primary ExaminerNile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney-Paul S. Martin [57] ABSTRACT Display apparatus here includes vertical supports carrying plural horizontal channels. There are display carriers easily assembled to the channels and individually adjustable along the channels. Each display carrier includes a mounting plate and a rod for supporting merchandise or for acting with another rod for supporting a display card. The channel has in-tumed lips, the upper lip being wider than the lower lip, and the mounting plate of the display carrier is of the proper width to be tucked under the upper lip, swung against the wall of the channel between the lips and shifted into the groove formed between the bottom lip and the wall of the channel, then being captive behind the upper lip. The lips extend from the rear of the channel, so that the wall of the channel has an unobstructed front appearance, and it can be used for signs, etc. The rods of the display carriers extend from the plates at the rear of the channel, across the top or bottom edge of the channel, to the display space in front of the channel.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I 5y ,7 1H;

DISPLAY APPARATUS The present invention relates to display apparatus such as that commonly used in retail stores, both for merchandise and for signs used with the merchandise.

Of particular interest in connection with the present invention is the type of merchandise .that is carried on a card and hung from a supporting rod. For that reason, the disclosure appearing below is drawn particularly to this kind of merchandise. However, it will be readily apparent that the invention has broader application to other forms of displays for merchandise, and for signs.

Display apparatus for merchandise as it is used in retail stores should be easily assembled, and it should be adjustable to accommodate changes in the display from time to time, and

' to accommodate a variety of different sizes of packages in any one display. Accordingly, one'object of this invention resides in the provision of display apparatus that is attractive in appearance and is easily assembled and easily adjustable, and which provides for efficient utilization of space in displaying a large amount of merchandise. A feature of the novel display apparatus involves means for supporting signs in attractive relationship to the merchandise without unduly occupying space that should be conserved for the merchandise.

The foregoing objects are achieved in the illustrative apparatus which is shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below. The illustrative apparatus includes a form of widely used upright steel channels having slots for receiving support brackets. In the illustrative apparatus, a number of horizontal channels are supported at various heights on the upright channels. Each horizontal channel includes a horizontally elongated panel in a vertical plane and elongated lips extending along the top and bottom margins of the panel. The lips are turned in at the rear of the panel. The front of the horizontal channel thus presents an unbroken surface that is neat in appearance, easily kept clean, and usable as a sign-bearing surface. The horizontal channels provide adjustable support for carriers that display merchandise and signs in the space in front of these channels.

Each display carrier includes a support plate or the equivalent whose bottom edge is received in a horizontal lower groove formed by the lower lip and the front panel of the horizontal channel. Each display carrier also includes a display part extending from the rear of the support plate and around either the top or bottom margin of the horizontal channel and forward into the display space. The forward extending part tends to press the support plate against the back surface of the panel. The upper lip that depends from the upper margin of the horizontally elongated panel is wide enough to prevent appreciable rearward pivotal motion of the support plate about its lower edge as a fulcrum. This might happen in case the forward extending part of the display carrier is disturbed as when merchandise is being applied or removed.

The upper edge of the plate is received in an upper groove at the rear of the horizontal channel. The upper groove is formed where the upper lip joins the front panel of the channel. This groove is made deep enough so that, when a support plate of a display unit or carrier is lifted into this groove, the lower edge of the support plate can be moved across the top edge of the lower lip of the channel. When a display carrier is to be mounted on a horizontal channel, the upper edge of its support plate is tucked into the upper groove of the channel and the lower edge of the support plate is moved across the lower lip and against the rear surface of the panel. Then the plate is moved downward until its lower edge is supported in the lower groove of the channel. Removal of a display carrier from a channel is easily done, by first lifting the plate into the upper groove and then moving the lower edge of the plate away from the panel and across the top edge of the lower lip.

When assembled to a channel, the support plate of a dislay carrier provides extremely stable support for the display part. However, the display carrier as a whole is easily adjusted along the channel to any desired position. Furthermore, additional display carriers having support plates can be mounted in like manner at other locations along the channel.

In a preferred form, the display portion or part of the display carrier is in the form of a downward-and-forward sloping rod having an upward hook at the front end of the rod. Such a rod is useful as a gravity-feed support for hanging merchandise. Merchandise of this kind commonly has a support card, and there is a hole through the card near the upper edge for penetration by the rod. Two or more display carriers can be used for supporting an elongated sign. The forward-extending parts of such display carriers can be made long enough so that the sign is supported at a display planedefined by the front packages carried by gravity-feed rods elsewhere in the display assembly. Plural channels can be used with an appropriate complement of display carriers, some for supporting merchandise and other channels can be used for supporting signs, and in some cases both signs and merchandise can be carried by a common channel.

The nature of the invention and its further features of novelty and advantages will become more fully apparent from a consideration of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is the front view of a merchandise display embodying various features of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a horizontal cross section of one of the vertical posts or store channels bf the display assembly in FIG. 1, drawn to much larger scale;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of the display apparatus of FIG. 1 as viewed at the plane 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a lateral view, partly'in cross section of a sign display carrier in the assembly in FIG. 2, drawn to much larger scale;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views like FIG. 3, illustrating carriers for displaying merchandise inthe assembly in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating the manner of assembly of the display carriers of FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, with one of the support channels;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front view of one of the channels of FIGS. 1 and 2, drawn to larger scale than in FIGS. 3-5, together with a support bracket; and

FIG. 8 is a lateral view of the parts shown in FIG. 7, portions being broken away and shown in cross section for clarity. Referring now to the drawings, vertical posts or store channels 10 are suitably anchored in a vertical position in any conventional manner. Horizontal channels 12 are secured to the upright channels 10 by means of brackets 14 at each end of each channel 12. Three different forms of display carrier are included in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2, including carriers 16a (also shown in FIG. 3), carriers 16b (also shown in FIG. 4), and carriers 16c (also shown in FIG. 5).

Each channel 12 has a pair of in-turned

lips

18 and 20 that extend integrally from the top and bottom margins of what may be called the front panel 22 of the channel. Lip 18 is wider than lip 20 for purposes that will be clear below in the discussion of FIG. 6.

As seen in FIG. 1A, upright post or channel 10 has two vertical rows of slots 24 that are formed to receive and interlock with hooks 26 (FIG. 8) of brackets 14, at any desired height along post 10. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, each support bracket 14 includes a side portion 28 that extends integrally at right angles to the body portion 30 of such bracket. Body portion 30 is slidably received in channel 12. The top and bottom edges of body portion 30 slide in top and bottom grooves, formed where lip 18 is connected to panel 22, and where lip 20 is joined to panel 22. A dimple 32 is formed in the front panel 22 of each channel near each end thereof, and a longitudinal slot 34 is formed in each body portion 30 of each bracket. Bracket 14 is slidable along channel 12 to positions limited by engagement of dimple 32 with one end of slot 34. Bracket 14 can accordingly be shifted to a projected position with the side-plate portion 28 spaced a limited distance from the end of the channel. Side-plate portion 28 can also be shifted to any position literally behind channel 12. This latter adjustment is made possible by cutouts 36 and 38 in side-plate portion 28 which accommodate

lips

18 and 20 when the whole bracket is shifted to a position wholly, behind panel Some some installations make this adjustment necessary, as for example where upright channel 10 at the right of FIG. 1 is screwed to a wall near the corner of a display room. Channels 12 may be required to extend across and beyond such an upright 10, and channels 12 can then be cut to the required length. Hooks 26 (FIG. 8) can be made integral with one end of channel 12, but for versatility of the whole assembly, there should be an adjustable bracket 14 at least at one end of each channel 12.

Bracket 14 does not form an obstruction that would break up the front surface of panel 22 of each channel. The bracket is received in the inside rear surface of the channel, the side of the channel at which the upperand

lower lips

18 and 20 are disposed. Accordingly, the front of each panel 22 is not obstructed by brackets 14. in some instances, uprights 10 are carried by a pedestal (not shown). Where bracket 14 is located at the end of channel 12, detent 32 cooperates with the end of slot 34 to prevent the bracket from being pulled out of the end of the channel. This gives the assurance that the bracket will continue to support channel 12 even if the upright 10 in which bracket 14 is hooked should be jostled.

Each of the three

display carriers

16a, 16b and 16c includes a plate 40a, 40b, or 401:, shown as being rectangular. Display carrier 16a has a rod 42 secured to the back surface of plate 40a extending downward and forward to an upright portion 42b. Rod 42 includes a portion 42a that extends upward from plate 40 and around the upper margin of channel 12. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of display carriers 16a are used to support a card 44 at the front of which there is a sign, illustration, or other display material.

Display carrier 16b includes a plate 40b to the rear of which there is attached (as by welding) a metal rod 46 including a portion 46a that curves around the upper margin of channel 12. Rod 46 extends downward and forward to an upward hook portion 46b. Another, similar, display carrier 16c is shown in F IG. 5, including a metal plate 40c to the rear of which there is attached (as by welding) a metal rod 48 having a curved portion 48a that extends around the lower margin of channel 12. Rod 48 slopes downward and forward to the hook 48b at its forward extremity.

As seen particularly in FIG. 2, display carriers 16b and 16c which have short hooks 46b and 48b are utilized effectively for supporting packages P and P. The packages carried by any one downward-and-forward sloping rod include a backing card and a transparent blister that contains and effectively displays the merchandise. Plural display packages are carried on a single downward-and-forward sloping rod 16b or 160 and are gravity-fed toward the front hooks of those display carriers. By appropriate choice of length of display carriers, the front package on each of the display carriers can be disposed at a common vertical display plane which also includes the sign 44.

The form of display carrier 160 shown in FIG. is of distinct advantage, in that the packages carried thereby are supported with their upper edges below the channel 12 that carries these display carriers. As a result, the unobstructed front face 22 of the channel is unbroken by any securing means for the carriers 16c, and is free for use as a sign display area as for prices. In any event, the front of channel 12 that supports a series of display carriers of the form shown in FIG. 5 presents a neat, uncluttered appearance when display carriers 16c are used.

Display carriers 16b and 16c can be used on a common channel 12 to support different sizes of packages P and P. Carriers 16b are particularly useful where a channel 12 is at the top of posts and the packages are to be supported as high as possible, for full use of the space.

Notably, the display carriers 16b and 16c can be used in any combinations on any number of horizontal support channels, and can be freely positioned at any point along those channels that may be required for orderly distribution of the displayed merchandise. Moreover, each

display carrier

16a, 16b, and 16c, is very easily installed and removed.

In FIG. 6, the top-to-bottom dimension A of plate 40 is seen to be small enough to fit dimension B between the upper edge of the lower lip 20 of channel 12 and the upper groove of channel 12 formed by upper lip 18 and front panel 22. Because of this relationship, plate 40 can be tilted as shown in FIG. 6 and lifted against the upper groove of channel 12, and then swung forward to its dotted-line position until the plate bears against the inside or back surface of panel 22. Thereafter, plate 40 is moved downward so that its lower edge is received in the groove formed between lower lip 20 and front panel 22 of the channel. The upper lip 18 is made wide enough so that dimension C is less than the height of plate 40. Accordingly, a plate that rests in the lower groove cannot tilt far rearward about its bottom edge. Actually, there is no tendency of the plate to tilt rearward about its bottom edge because the natural weight of each display carrier (both alone and when loaded with merchandise) has a strong tendency to tilt the plate forward about its bottom edge so as to bear against the inside back surface of the channel. However, the inclusion of lip 18 provides a measure of stability in resisting accidental removal of a display carrier when an article is being removed carelessly. Moreover, the use of both

lips

18 and 20 strengthens and stiffens the channel.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the merchandise display rods 16b and 16c slope downward toward a front vertical plane containing the foremost packages P and P and sign 44. The same channel that supports sign carriers 16a also supports merchandise carriers 16c at the top of the display. In other arrangements, the form of display carrier in FIG. 4 could also be used in a channel that carries sign-supporting display carriers 16a. Other channels I 2 are secured to posts 10 at suitable levels by brackets 14, and create an attractive display assembly that utilizes available space efficiently. As indicated above, display carrier 16c has distinct advantages. It is especially useful when the front surface of horizontal channel 12 is to be used as a sign support, e.g., to display price signs. Display carriers 16b also have notable advantages, explained partially above. An important advantage of carriers 16b is in utilizing the available volume for display of merchandise efiiciently. When the front face of a channel 12 is not used for bearing prices or other signs, the volume in front of that channel 12 is available as merchandise display space. That space can be utilized for hanging merchandise on display carriers 16b.

The

individual carriers

16a, 16b, and 16c are easily shifted along a supporting channel 12 to desired locations, and these carriers can readily be added and removed as desired. They are securely supported by the channels, and yet there is no need for a right fit or matching dimensions, nor are tools needed in setting up the display assembly.

The foregoing represents exemplary forms of construction illustrating various features of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will be able readily to introduce variations and to devise varied applications of the novel features, and therefore the invention should be construed broadly in accordance with its full spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:

l. A display assembly, including a horizontally elongated support channel having a panel portion disposed in a generally vertical plane and forming the front of the channel and said support channel having top and bottom elongated lips extending toward each other from the longitudinal margins of said panel portion at the rear of the channel, a display carrier having a display portion disposed at the front of said channel and extending rearward across one of the margins of said channel to the rear thereof, said display carrier including mounting means cooperable with said channel at the rear thereof for securely but separably supporting the display carrier, and means supporting the channel with the front thereof and the display carriers exposed to view.

2. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said supporting means includes support brackets for said channel spaced apart along the length of the channel and assembled to said channel at the rear thereof and between said lips.

3. A display assembly, including a horizontally elongated support channel having a panel portion disposed in a generally vertical plane and said support channel having top and bottom elongated lips extending toward each other from the longitudinal margins of said panel portion at the rear thereof, and a display carrier having a display portion disposed at the front of said channel and extending rearward across one of the margins of said channel to the rear thereof, said display carrier including mounting means cooperable with said channel at the rear thereof for securely but separably supporting the display carrier, said top lip being wider than said bottom lip and said mounting means of the display carrier comprising a mounting plate wider than the space between the edge of said top lip and the groove formed by the junction of said panel portion and the bottom lip but narrower than the space between the edge of the bottom lip and the groove formed by the junction of said panel portion and said top lip.

4. A display assembly in accordance with claim 3, wherein said display carrier extends from said mounting plate at the rear of said channel and across the upper margin of the channel.

5. A display assembly in accordance with claim 3, wherein said display carrier extends from said mounting plate at the rear of said channel and across the lower margin of the channel, thereby preserving an unobstructed front view of the channel.

6. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display portion of said display carrier is a downward and forward sloping rod having a merchandise-retaining hook at the forward end of said rod.

7. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including a plurality of said display carriers, said display carriers being mutually separated along the length of said channel, and a sign supported forward of said channel by said display portions thereof.

8. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including plural channels as aforesaid and plural display carriers as aforesaid separably secured to each of said channels, certain ones of said carriers comprising forward extending rods and having sign-supporting formations at a forward display plane, and additional ones of said display carriers having forward and downward sloping merchandise display rods terminating with hooks approximately at said display plane and spaced from said sign-supporting formations.

9. A display assembly, including a support channel having a horizontally elongated vertically disposed panel portion and having elongated lips of unequal widths turned inward toward each other from the longitudinal margins of the panel portion, the wider one of said turned-in lips extending along the top of the channel and the narrower one of said lips extending along the bottom of the channel, and plural display carriers including a support part and a display part carried thereby, the top and bottom edges of the support part being farther apart than the space between the lower edge of said top lip and the bottom of the groove formed by said in-turned bottom lip and said panel portion, and the top and bottom edges of the support part being closer together than the space between the upper edge of said lower lip and the top of the groove formed by said top lip and said panel portion, so that a display carrier can be readily assembled to, and removed from, the channel.

10. A display assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein said display part of each display carrier extends from said support part at one side of said support channel across an edge of the channel and to the opposite side of the channel, whereby the turned-in lips of the channel are disposed at the side of the channel remote from the display space identified with said display part.

11. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including plural horizontally elongated channels each being formed and disposed as aforesaid, said plural channels being disposed at respectively different heights, and a plurality of display carriers on said channels, the display portion of at least one of said display carriers extending across the upper margin of the supportin channel thereof and the display portion of at least one of sai display carriers extending across the lower margin of the supporting channel thereof.

Claims

1. A display assembly, including a horizontally elongated support channel having a panel portion disposed in a generally vertical plane and forming the front of the channel and said support channel having top and bottom elongated lips extending toward each other from the longitudinal margins of said panel portion at the rear of the channel, a display carrier having a display portion disposed at the front of said channel and extending rearward across one of the margins of said channel to the rear thereof, said display carrier including mounting means cooperable with said channel at the rear thereof for securely but separably supporting the display carrier, and means supporting the channel with the front thereof and the display carriers exposed to view.

11. A display assembly in accordance with claim 1, including plural horizontally elongated channels each being formed and disposed as aforesaid, said plural channels being disposed at respectively different heights, and a plurality of display carriers on said channels, the display portion of at least one of said display carriers extending across the upper margin of the supporting channel thereof and the display portion of at least one of said display carriers extending across the lower margin of the supporting channel thereof.