Supports: racks – Special article – Receptacle support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-07-10
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Receptacle support
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257423
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to display systems for caskets, which is useful for displaying caskets both prior to selection, e.g., in a showroom prior to purchase, and in actual use, e.g., in a viewing room and/or during a funeral or memorial service.
Various casket display devices are known in the art. One such device, a casket display rack or support, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,768, issued May 24, 1960 (“the '768 patent”). The '768 patent discloses a two-tiered casket display rack having a rigid C-shaped frame-like structure for display of two caskets, on which a first casket is supported above a second, and which includes a dolly on which the lower casket is supported and lay tongs for sliding the lower casket out from under the upper casket for display and opening. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,017, issued Apr. 11, 1995 (“the '017 patent”), discloses a two-tiered casket display rack and a structure having a back wall and two wing walls arranged perpendicularly to the back wall, the three walls forming an alcove for display of the caskets. The casket display devices of both the '768 patent and the '017 patent are useful only in the showroom display of caskets available for selection prior to purchase and actual use in the viewing and funeral services, not for use in displaying the deceased during a viewing and funeral services.
A simple casket cylinder or pedestal design, including a stabilizer device therefor, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,169, issued Mar. 30, 1993 (“the '169 patent”). The '169 patent describes two slotted, interlocking plastic sheets, joined together at right angles by interlocking the slots to form a cylinder or pedestal for supporting a casket, and a stabilizer to maintain the sheets in a right-angle relationship. This creates a simple and easy-transport casket-supporting device, but does not otherwise provide an enhanced display for the viewing and funeral services. Another relatively simple cylinder or pedestal device for supporting a casket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 257,183, issued Sep. 30, 1980 (“the '183 patent”). As with the '169 patent, the '183 patent does not include an enhanced display for the viewing and funeral services.
None of the previously known casket display systems provide a casket display system having a bier comprising cylinders for supporting the casket and a back wall attached to and mounted upon the cylinders by a supporting device in which the cylinders support the supporting device, all of which is easily transportable and amenable to quick assembly and disassembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a display system for a casket, both for a casket displayed prior to selection, e.g., in a showroom prior to purchase, and for a casket in actual use, e.g., in a viewing room and/or during a funeral or memorial service. The casket display system of the present invention is easy to assemble in a short period of time and the component parts are lightweight enough for a single human to be able to lift and move about for assembly. The assembled casket display system is strong and sturdy and gives the appearance of stability and mass, and when the component parts are packaged in an assembly kit, it is easily transportable. The casket display system of the present invention comprises a back wall panel, a plurality of casket-supporting cylinders, and at least one supporting member, in which each supporting member is supported by at least one of the cylinders and provides support for the back wall panel. Preferably the back wall is completely supported by the supporting members, and requires no additional provision of support. Each supporting member may be attached to two of the cylinders. Preferably each supporting member is attached to one cylinder, and the cylinder to which the supporting member is attached is connected by a connecting member to a second cylinder. The cylinders may be interconnected by the connecting member, to provide enhanced support to the back wall supporting member and stability to the entire casket display system.
One object of the present invention is to provide for the display of a deceased human body in a casket supported by an easy-to-assemble plurality of cylinders, which includes a back wall upon which items, such as signs relating to the casket when offered for sale or various memorabilia relating to the deceased person, may be displayed. In addition to the back wall, one or more side or wing walls may be mounted on the ends of the back wall for display of additional items and to form an alcove about the casket.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a casket display system which may be easily assembled, easily disassembled and easily transported, and which is lightweight yet stable. The components of the casket display system are all preferably lightweight. Thus, the cylinders are preferably tubular and made of a lightweight material such as wood, fiberwood or a polymer, and which may be corrugated or solid. The back wall panel is preferably hinged so that it can be collapsed accordion-style into a smaller size for ease and convenience of transport. If wing wall sections are employed, these are removable, and preferably are hingedly removable. The supporting members are preferably formed from a lightweight tubular steel material, but may also be formed from another lightweight tubular material, or from a lightweight, flat strip-like material or a solid rod-like material. Such alternative materials may include, without limitation, steel, other metals, and polymeric materials with or without fiber reinforcement.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a casket display system which is tastefully designed and coordinated, and in which the exact design, colors, surface texture and particular memorabilia used may be easily changed and customized for each use of the casket display system. Thus, for example, each cylinder may be provided with a removable sleeve as its outer covering, rather than having a single permanently applied and attached outer surface. The removable sleeve allows the appearance of the cylinders to be changed to match that of the casket which rests upon the cylinders. The cylinders thus may preferably have an outer shell appearing as a wood grain, fabric or metallic surface. As another example of the possible variations in using this casket display system, the outer covering of the back panel and any wing panels may be changed to provide various differently colored backdrops for the casket, and the color of the backdrop may thus be selected to match or coordinate with the colors of the casket or its appointments.
A further object of this invention is to provide an assembly kit for a casket display system, in which all of the components of the casket display system are provided in an easily transportable size, and in which the components of the casket display system are easily assembled by a single human in a short time. dr
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective drawing of one embodiment of a casket display system in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2
is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of a casket display system in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 3
is a is a perspective view of a cylinder and an outer shell in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 4
is a is a perspective view of another embodiment of a cylinder in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of a bier formed by four cylinders and connecting members, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of a bier formed by four cylinders and connecting members, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of a bier formed by four cylinders and a connecting member, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8
is a cross-sectional view of a supporting member inserted into a receiving
Kellogg Douglas E.
Riga Dennis J.
Chin-Shue Alvin
Purol Sarah
Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher LLP
The York Group, Inc.
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