Supports: racks – Knockdown
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-05
2001-03-27
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Knockdown
C211S162000, C248S224610, C248S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206212
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a display unit for enabling the display of merchandise, and more particularly to a display unit for attachment to a column or an end of a shelving unit. Such a display unit is often referred to in the art as a “sidekick unit”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As a result of the construction and layout of some stores, there are often columns in the aisles. These columns are solid and may be either round, rectangular or square. In view of the presence of the columns in the aisles, shoppers often unintentionally bump into them or unintentionally bump their shopping carts or baby strollers into them. This has the potential to cause injury to the shoppers or damage to the shopping carts or strollers.
Furthermore, although the columns in the aisles are viewed by the people walking in the aisle, there is no satisfactory display for attachment to such columns and thus prime display sites are not being utilized to their fullest potential.
In addition, in stores having display units having rows of running shelves, a sidekick unit is often placed at the end of each row. A prior art sidekick unit is generally U-shaped having a rear wall and opposed sides and items for sale are placed on the rear wall, and possibly sides as well, of the sidekick unit. One problem with conventional sidekick units is that they are made of metal and therefore, the sides are easily damaged when a shopping cart is pushed into the sides. This damage is often permanent and cannot be corrected without extensive work. Therefore, once damaged, metal sidekick units are usually replaced.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display unit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display unit which is attachable to columns which might be located in aisles of stores.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sidekick display unit for placement at the ends of running shelving units.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved display unit which is not as easily damaged as prior art display units thereby avoiding the need to continually replace the display unit.
In view of achieving these objects and others, the display unit in accordance with the invention comprises two substantially identical, generally L-shaped plastic frame members arranged such that a slot of one frame member is in alignment with a slot of the other frame member, and a plastic panel secured in the slots of the frame members to thereby form an assembly of the frame members and panel which is attachable to a structure or substrate in the store, such as a column or running shelving unit. The panel provides a merchandise display substrate, e.g., it includes horizontal grooves or slots into which display hooks may be mounted so that merchandise may be placed on the hooks. The panel has opposed edges, each being situated in the slot of a respective frame member and secured in connection therewith.
An important aspect of the invention is that the frame members are made of plastic so as to provide the frame members with some rigidity yet maintain some resiliency in the event that a person bumps into the frame members or bumps their shopping cart or stroller into the frame members. As such, the frame members would yield to the force of the person or shopping cart upon impact but once the person or shopping cart is moved out of contact with the frame member, the frame member would return to its original form (unless the force of the person or shopping cart were sufficient to break the frame member). Damage to the frame members is thus minimized. By contrast, in prior art metal display units, impact of a shopping cart into the frame usually causes the frame to bend and the metal does not return to its original form. The actual types of plastic would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of display and/or readily ascertainable without undue experimentation. Other materials which exhibit the same properties, i.e., overall rigidity coupled with resiliency, could also be used in accordance with the invention without deviating from the scope and spirit thereof.
The display unit includes mounting means for attaching the assembly to the structure in the store, which may be a fixed column in an aisle of the store, a running shelving unit or any other fixed or movable support substrate in the store. In one particular non-limiting embodiment, the mounting means comprises two metal brackets attached to the rear surfaces of the frame members and metal hook members attachable to the substrate in the store. The hook members each define an upwardly facing slot into which a respective bracket is positioned and each hook member is positioned at the same distance from another as the distance between the brackets on the assembly. The brackets are preferably arranged one proximate a top of the assembly and the other proximate a bottom of the assembly. The assembly is thus easily positionable on the substrate by lifting the assembly so that the brackets are situated over the slots in the hook members and then lowering the assembly until the brackets are engaged in the slots in the hook members. In a similar manner, the display unit is easily removable from the substrate by lifting the assembly upward so that the brackets are removed from engagement with the hook members and then away from the substrate. To secure the brackets to the rear surfaces of the frame members, the frame members each include a slot formed in a projection on the rear surface, the slots being in alignment with each other, and each bracket has an edge situated in the slot on the rear surface of each frame member. Attachment means, e.g., screws, nails, adhesive, are provided for fixedly attaching each bracket to the frame members.
To increase awareness of the merchandise being displayed on the display unit to shoppers which do not have a line of sight to the merchandise or cannot view the merchandise, one or more of the frame members preferably includes a pair of opposed projections extending from an outer surface. Each projection defines a slot adapted to receive an edge of display, sales or promotional literature, i.e., the literature is slid into the slots from an end of the assembly. This literature would ideally be related to the merchandise being displayed.
A display unit in accordance with the invention may, in the alternative, comprise a generally U-shaped assembly made entirely of plastic and including a flat panel having means for enabling the display of merchandise, and mounting means for attaching said assembly to a substrate. The mounting means may comprise at least one bracket attached to the assembly and having a flat portion, and at least one hook member attachable to the substrate and defining a slot. Each bracket and respective hook member(s) is arranged such that the bracket is positionable in the slot of the respective hook member(s). In one form, each bracket includes a flat central portion for enabling attachment of the assembly to a flat substrate. In another form, each bracket includes a curved portion for enabling attachment of the assembly to a curved substrate. The assembly preferably includes first and second generally L-shaped frame members, each defining a slot, whereby the frame members are arranged such that the slots of the frame members are in alignment with one another. The panel has edges situated in the slots of the frame members.
In a method for optimizing an exposed column in a store for sales purposes, a generally U-shaped plastic assembly having a rear panel is mounted to the column and the panel is provided with means for displaying merchandise. The assembly includes first and second substantially identical, generally L-shaped plastic frame members, each defining a slot, and the assembly is preferably constructed by arranging the frame members such that the slots of the frame members are in alignment with each other and the edges
Design Display Group Inc.
Harris Erica B
Steinberg & Raskin, P.C.
Stodola Daniel P.
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