Supports: racks – Shelf type – Knockdown
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2002-05-28
Cohen, Curtis A. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Shelf type
Knockdown
C211S135000, C248S174000, C108S117000, C108S115000, C312S259000, C206S045220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06394290
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a display stand for point-of-purchase display in the advertising industry. In particular, the display stand is made from corrugated paper board, is collapsible or foldable, has foldable shelves and is useful for supporting books, magazines and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Foldable, corrugated display stands have been used widely in the advertising and retail businesses for displaying announcements and merchandise for sale to consumers. Foldable corrugated display stands provide easy storage. Such display stands are also portable, inexpensive to manufacture, but difficult to assemble. Users of these types of display stands are constantly looking for improved stands that are simple and fast to assemble, without sacrificing the weight-bearing strength of the stand.
One major problem with corrugated cardboard display stands is that the shelves or the whole display stand collapses with time due to the weight of the merchandise being displayed. Specifically, collapsing of the display stand is due primarily to the mechanisms by which the display stands are assembled from a folded state to a weight-bearing position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,493,424; 4,723,664; 5,315,936; 5,366,100; 5,628,523; and reissued U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,668 disclose various types of constructions for making foldable paper board display stands. However, it is known in the art that the commercially available display stands covered by these patent suffer from the problems mentioned above.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,668 discloses a foldable display stand which is self-erectable and sturdy. The U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,668 patent discloses that the portions or panels which support the stand as well as the shelves in the erect position, are held together by “an endless elastic element,” i.e., a rubber band. However, this type of display stand is known to collapse with time because of the unreliable support mechanism used to erect the stand.
It is known in the art that there are disadvantages with assembled display stands using elastic elements to hold or join cardboard panels together. Specifically, the elastic expands while the stand is weight bearing, thereby losing its strength, causing the shelves to cave in and sag. Moreover, the elastic breaks easily while in use, because elastic is subject to drying out and breaking especially if the stand is warehoused for any length of time prior to use, thereby causing the display stand to collapse.
Since conventional display stand constructions allow for sagging of the shelves and bulging of the display stand with time while in a weight-bearing position, there is a need to improve the mechanisms by which corrugated display stands can be made more durable and stable while displaying the articles. Thus, the present invention provides a foldable display stand made out of corrugated board which is an improved product over the art. The present display stand is more durable and stable, and overcomes the weight-bearing problems of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display stand for use in point-of-purchase display in the advertising industry. In particular, the display stand is inexpensive to manufacture by using a simple construction from a single sheet of corrugated paper board. The display stand is useful for displaying books, magazines and the like. The display stand of the invention is an improved product over the prior art display stands in that the shelves for supporting the articles to be displayed, such as books and magazines, have a support and securing means which prevent the, shelves as well as the display stand from bulging or sagging after repeated and extended use. The securing means is preferably a plastic hook affixed to the display stand with pop rivets or eyelets; Affixing the hook by any other means such as hot melt glue is subject to failure. The display stand of the invention is, therefore, more stable and durable, and it is easily assembled from its folded position.
The display stand of the invention is substantially rectangular in shape when assembled, and is manufactured from a single sheet of corrugated paper board. In one embodiment of the invention, the display stand comprises a body and one or more shelves for displaying articles. In this embodiment of the invention, each shelf of the display stand may comprise one or more pockets. In a preferred embodiment, the display stand comprises two shelves and two pockets for displaying books or magazines at the top portion of the display stand. The display stand further comprises a front panel, a back panel and two side panels in its fully assembled or erect position. In this embodiment of the invention, the rear panel is integrally attached to two side panels laterally, forming an edge at the junction at an angle of approximately 90 degrees. The side panels extend to the front of the display and are continuous or connected to a front panel at a perpendicular angle to form a rectangular box-like structure. The two side panels are separated from each other by the width of the back panel when the display stand is fully erected. The top edges of the two side panels are cut in the shape of a step with the lower step starting at the front end of the display stand, and the highest point of the side panels attached to the back panel.
The shelves of the display unit are formed from an extended and foldable portion of the front panel, and a foldable portion of the back panel. The stand is also provided with shelf securing means for connecting the side panels and the shelves, which provide added stability to the display stand while weight-bearing.
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Clemence Jack E.
Walsh Thomas F.
Abington Litho and Display Co., Inc.
Cohen Curtis A.
Skadden, Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP
Tran Khoa
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