Supports: racks – Specially mounted – Wall or window
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2002-08-13
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Specially mounted
Wall or window
C211S105100, C211S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431374
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed toward a display unit. The invention is more particularly directed toward a display unit of the type having one or more arms from which a plurality of articles to be displayed are hung.
The invention is also directed toward a display stand. The display stand is of the type having two or more support posts on a base for holding display units for supporting articles to be displayed and for supporting accessories.
The invention is further directed toward the combination of the display stand and the display unit
BACKGROUND ART
Known display units employ at least one arm that is mounted to extend horizontally from a vertical support such as a wall. The arm normally extends transversely to the wall. The articles to be displayed are all hung from their top end on the arm one behind the other. The arrangement however makes it difficult to determine how many articles are on the arm making inventory control difficult, particularly when there is another arm adjacent and parallel to the one arm. The arrangement also displays only one article at a time and if the articles differ, such as to color, it is difficult for the consumer to see the different colors. Further, with only the article at the front fully displayed, the known display unit does not provide a very attractive display.
It is also known to provide a display unit where one arm angles downwardly from a vertical support such as a wall, the arm extending transverse from the wall. The one arm has spaced apart stops on its top surface along its length to hold articles on the arm in spaced apart relation. This display unit vertically staggers the articles held making inventory control easier, and displaying more of the articles. However the display unit still does not display much of the articles and is not too attractive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a display unit that displays the articles in a more attractive manner. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a display unit that makes inventory control easier. It is a further purpose of the present invention to display more of each of the articles carried on the unit making it easier for the consumer to make a choice. It is a further purpose to provide a basic, novel, display unit, two or more of which can be combined in various ways to provide larger display units to display articles in different settings in more attractive ways.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a display unit having a single, straight, leg. The leg is in the form of a rigid bar and has a plurality of parallel hanger arms extending therefrom. The hanger arms extend in the same direction from one side of the leg, are equally spaced apart, and are parallel to each other. The hanger arms extend at an angle &phgr; to the side of the leg section. This angle &phgr; can be a right angle but preferably is an acute angle and more preferably is 45°. Each hanger arm has at least one article carrying member extending transversely therefrom for carrying at least one generally flat article generally parallel to the arm. The hanger arms on the display unit can be detachably mounted on the leg so that their size and/or number can be changed and so that the spacing between the hanger arms can be changed.
In one embodiment, the display unit has a base at one end of the leg that comprises a short bar. The base is attached at one end to the end of the leg and extends parallel to the hanger arms. The base extends from the bar in the same direction as the hanger arms. The leg is attached to the base in a such a manner so that when the base is horizontal with a long side facing front, the leg extends outwardly at an angle &bgr; to the base, which angle is complementary to the angle &phgr; at which the hanger arms extend from the leg. The leg also extends downwardly at an angle to the base when viewed from the front. If the leg is attached to the left side of the base when viewed from the front the leg normally extends outwardly and downwardly to the left. If the leg is attached to the right side of the base when viewed from the front, the leg normally extends outwardly and downwardly to the right. You therefore can have left or right handed, single-leg, display units.
The single-leg display unit is normally mounted on a flat vertical surface via the base with the base flat against the surface and horizontal. The display unit displays the articles in both vertically and laterally stepped relationship. Thus the unit displays the top portion and a side portion of each article on the unit. The arrangement makes it easier to see the colors and/or styles of the articles displayed. It also makes it easier to see how many articles are left on display. The staggered display makes it easier for the storekeeper to restock the display unit. And the staggered display presents the articles more attractively and thus more likely to sell.
The single-leg display unit could also be mounted in an inner corner, with the base mounted on one wall surface forming the corner, the leg extending across the corner at an angle to have its bottom end contact, or even be attached, to the other wall surface forming the corner.
While the single-leg display unit has been described with the base extending in the same direction as the hanger arms and parallel to them, the base could also extend in the opposite direction to the hanger arms but still be parallel to them.
In another embodiment, the base could be aligned with the leg but bent relative to the leg to extend vertically down instead of horizontally. The bent base can be mounted on a vertical post to mount the display unit on a post.
A number of single-leg display units can be employed in various combinations to provide different shapes of larger display units that display articles in attractive groupings in the same staggered relationship as displayed by a single-leg display unit. For example, a left hand, single-leg, display unit can be combined with a right hand, single-leg, display unit to form a diverging, two-leg, display unit. The two bases of the two, single-leg display units can be combined into one common base for the two-leg display unit. In this diverging, two-leg, display unit the two legs lie in the same plane, are spaced from each other, and diverge from each other, extending downwardly and outwardly from the common base when it is horizontal. The hanger arms on the two legs extend inwardly toward each other. This display unit is again normally mounted by its common base on a flat vertical surface with the base flat against the surface and horizontal. In another example, one right hand, single-leg display unit can be combined with a second left hand, single-leg display unit in back-to-back relationship, the hanger arms on both legs extending away from each other and at an angle to each other. Preferably, in this two-leg, back-to-back, display unit, the two single legs are combined into one common leg with the hanger arms on opposite sides extending in opposite directions from each other. This display unit, provided the angle &bgr; is 135°, can be mounted on an outer corner with one base on one wall surface forming the corner and the other base on the other wall surface forming the corner.
The diverging two-leg, display unit can be combined with a second diverging two-leg display unit to from a four-leg display unit provided the angle &bgr; is 135°. The adjacent legs of the two, two-leg units are joined together by suitable means with the bases of the two units at right angles to each other. This four-leg display unit is mounted to a wall surface by the other two legs which are aligned. Two such four-leg display units, each the same size, could be combined to extend about, and be mounted on, a square support. This is provided the base of each unit is as long as the width of the support. The two-leg, back-to-back, display unit can be mounted with the bases, or a common base, within a vertical tubular support post that is mounted on a stand. The multiple-leg
Stodola Daniel P.
Tran Khoa
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