Supports: racks – Special article – Velocipede type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2001-10-16
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Velocipede type
C211S117000, C211S021000, C211S104000, C248S324000, C248S284100, C248S292110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302278
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bicycle display rack.
BACKGROUND
Commonly, in the retail business, floor space is necessary for providing an acceptable display of item for sale. In order to provide substantial floor space the items must be displayed not only in an attractive orderly manner but they also have to maintain a safe customer environment as well as providing accessibility to the items. A substantially effective way to organize the items is to provide shelving in which the items are placed. Shelving allows the items to be stored and displayed off the floor thereby providing the necessary floor space needed. Placing items on shelves may be found to be unsafe and inefficient since obtaining the items from the shelves could prove to be unsafe and difficult since an employee or such must raise his or her self to the level of the shelf to take down or put up the item(s).
Another way of maximising floor space is to raise the item(s) from the ground and hanging them from racks or hooks. Again the can prove to be difficult and unsafe in that, for the same reasons stated above, the employee has to reach up to the rack or hook to remove or replace the item(s).
Items can also be hung from the ceiling or walls but again could provide an unsafe environment and could prove to be difficult to access the item(s).
In view of the above examples, providing floor space in a retail outlet for bicycles is equally or perhaps more difficult. A first problem which may be caused by bicycles in the outlet is that there is generally a large number of bicycles on display since there are many different models, sizes and types of bicycles available. Also bicycles can be hard to display because bicycles need a stand in order to be in an upright or acceptable displaying position. Putting bicycles on shelves can be proved to be very difficult and unsafe because of the above reasons which provide bicycles with instability.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided a displaying apparatus comprising,
a frame;
a mount portion of the frame arranged to be coupled to a suitable support structure;
a linkage having a hanger such that articles can be coupled to the hanger and wherein the linkage is moveable between a first position for display and a second position for providing access to the hanger; and,
a retracting means for retracting the linkage from the second position to the first position.
Accordingly the apparatus is for displaying at least one bicycle such that the bicycle is mounted on the hanger.
Preferably the linkage is a four bar linkage wherein a first and second bar are pivotally coupled to the mount portion such that the bars have a common plane of rotation, the pivot is provided by a first and second hinge respectively.
Preferably a third bar, defining a coupler, is pivotally coupled to outer ends of the first and second bar relative to the first and second hinge by a first and second pivot respectively such that the ends are connected to and spaced apart on the coupler and wherein the hinges are spaced apart on the mount portion.
Preferably the coupler separates the ends of the bars such that a distance between the first and second pivot is less than a distance between the first and second hinge, the coupler has an extending arm in which the hanger is located at a furthermost outer end thereon relative to the coupler.
Conveniently the first hinge extends from the mount portion such that an axis of the first hinge is further away from the mount portion relative to an axis of the second hinge, wherein the axis of the first and second hinge is parallel, wherein the axis of the first and second pivots are parallel and are parallel to the axis of the first and second hinge and wherein the first bar is longer than the second bar.
Preferably the mount portion has a channel which has side walls that extend outwardly from the support structure, a bottom wall at the end of and connecting the side walls such that the channel has an enclosed space located therein and the space is elongate.
Conveniently the hinges are located on an outer side of the bottom wall.
Preferably the retraction means is located within the mount portion.
Preferably the retraction means is a cylinder and piston arrangement, the cylinder is arranged to force the piston outwards.
Preferably the retraction means is a cylinder and piston arrangement, the cylinder is arranged to force the piston outwards wherein movement of the piston is along a length of the channel, wherein an end of the piston is coupled to a guide which guides movement of the piston along and within the channel and wherein the guide has a pulley which rotates about an axis which is transverse to the orientation of the piston.
Conveniently the retraction means has a cable, wherein the cable is anchored to a side wall adjacent the cylinder and wherein the cable extends along one side of the cylinder and wraps around a portion of the pulley and wherein the cable extends along a respective side of the cylinder and then extends out of the channel through the bottom wall.
Conveniently a second pulley is located at a slot in which the cable engages such that the cable is guided by the second pulley out of the channel.
Preferably the cable is anchored to the first bar.
Preferably the cylinder and piston define a gas shock.
Preferably the outward force of the cylinder on the piston forces the cable to rotate the bar about the hinge towards the channel which thereby folds the linkage at the hinges and the pivots adjacent to the mount portion thereby defining the first position.
Preferably movement of the linkage from the first position to the second position lengthens a length of cable from the channel to the first bar and thereby retracts the piston within the cylinder.
Preferably the second position causes extension of the linkage and when fully extended the first and second pivots are over center such that the linkage is supported in the second position.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a combination of a bicycle and a display rack therefor, the bicycle comprising:
a frame and,
a plurality of wheels on the frame;
the rack comprising;
a frame;
a mount portion of the frame arranged to be coupled to a ceiling of a building;
a linkage having a hanger such that the bicycle can be coupled to the hanger and wherein the linkage is moveable between a first raised position for display and a second lowered position for providing access to the hanger; and,
a retracting means for retracting the linkage from the second position to the first position.
The present invention provides a display for bicycles and the like which provides a safe environment within a retail outlet and provides an employee with accessibility to item(s) on the display.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a display which can be raised and lowered providing accessibility to the item(s) on display which thereby provides a safe customer and employee environment along with maximizing floor space within the outlet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 580032 (1897-04-01), Bierbach
patent: 618394 (1899-01-01), Clark
patent: 5011239 (1991-04-01), Guerin
patent: 5183162 (1993-02-01), Ritzenthaler
patent: 5474189 (1995-12-01), Peterson
patent: 5662256 (1997-09-01), Bryan
patent: 5664687 (1997-09-01), Liatti
patent: 5882099 (1999-03-01), Salice
patent: 6082552 (2000-07-01), Pollock et al.
patent: 6095344 (2000-08-01), White
Battison Adrian D.
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
Williams Michael R.
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