Supports – Brackets – Specially mounted or attached
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-04
2001-07-10
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Specially mounted or attached
C248S205100, C040S657000, C040S622000, C040S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257536
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for removably attaching display items to a substrate, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for removably attaching a display item to a substrate using slotted pegs attached to an attachment system that allows the attachment system to fit securely against the substrate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Display systems are commonplace in every store. Display systems, such as eyeglass display systems, come in various forms, including a wall display embodiment. The wall display will generally have an acrylic or other clear polymer based wall and a plurality of nosepiece units attached to the wall for allowing an eyepiece to straddle each nosepiece. The nosepiece is typically attached to the wall by an adhesive. In another example, removable nosepiece units are used that include a hook on the attachment portion of the nosepiece for fitting into a slot formed in the wall.
Current display attachment systems are made of either a rigid plastic or a metal alloy which have very little elasticity. These rigid plastic or metal alloy attachment systems cannot accommodate an oversized or undersized hole in the substrate. These rigid systems also cannot accommodate a hole that was bored on a skewed angle. Variations in hole sizes in the substrate are typically caused by variation in tooling sizes. What is needed is a display attachment system that can accommodate a variety of sizes of peg-receiving holes.
Applicant is aware of the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No.
Issued
Inventor
Title
2,123,081
2/8/37
Sadenwater
FASTENING FOR
TENON-JOINTS
2,139,244
7/3/38
Nauert
REFRIGERATOR
2,939,731
2/1/57
Fry
CONTROL SHAFT
3,089,269
3/3/60
McKiernan
PEGBOARD SIGN
3,154,281
2/20/62
Frank
HOLDER FOR
ELECTRONIC
COMPONENTS
3,229,944
1/18/66
Everburg
DISPLAY FIXTURE
4,196,691
4/8/80
Imazeki
MANUALLY
ROTATABLE CONTROL
OR SELECTOR KNOB
MEMBER
5,673,887
10/7/97
Hollingsworth
FASTENER FOR
et al
HOLDING OBJECTS TO
A PERFORATED WALL
5,678,794
10/21/97
Kump
ADJUSTABLE LENGTH
PEGBOARD SIGN
HOLDER
Sadenwater, U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,081, teaches a fastening method using tenon joints, the tenon joints having a longitudinal slit extending from a free end of a tenon to a point just beyond a shoulder of the tenon.
Nauert, U.S. Pat. No.2,139,244, teaches an improved cooling unit for refrigerators having one or more baffle plates secured thereon in such a manner that each baffle plate is quickly mounted on and easily removed from the cooling unit shell.
Fry, U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,731, teaches a generally cylindrical control shaft for use with a suitable electrical control mechanism. The control shaft comprises segmental portions that are divided by a slot, separated and spaced apart in order to provide a tight antiback lash connection with a control knob.
McKiernan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,269, teaches a three dimensional display sign having a mounting board and indicia-forming elements that may be quickly and easily mounted on or removed from the board. The mounting board comprises a pegboard having a plurality of evenly distributed socket openings for receiving plug members that are permanently anchored to the indicia forming elements.
Frank, U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,281, teaches an electronic components holding device that is attachable to a panel by an integral shank having a frusto-conical head. The shank and head have a pair of diametrical slots formed through a shank axis resulting in four barbed prongs. The shank holder utilizes inherent material properties of resilience, deformation, and recovery for locking the device to a panel having holes for receiving the prongs.
Everburg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,944, teaches a display fixture particularly adapted for displaying spectacle frames or the like articles in merchandising exhibits. The fixture includes a mounting plate, a spectacle receiving tray, and a support bracket interconnecting the plate and tray. The mounting plate includes a circumferentially grooved lug integrally formed with the plate and extending rearwardly. The mounting plate is intended to be connected to a wall or merchandising display panel through pegboard like openings by inserting the grooved lugs through the openings and securing with retaining clips. Everburg also discloses a tray for holding eyeglasses. Everburg further discloses forming the pegs with an acrylic plastic or other thermoplastic.
Imazeki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,691 teaches a manually rotatable control assembly having a selector knob member adapted to be connected to an operating shaft of an electrical or electronic device. The operating shaft is longitudinally slotted and fastly coupled with a locking hole formed in the knob member.
Hollingsworth, U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,887, teaches a fastener for holding objects to a perforated wall. The fastener has three portions: a first portion for securing an object against movement relative to the fastener, a second portion connected to the first portion for passing into the hole in the wall and extending to the rear wall surface, and a third portion passable through the hole and after passing through the hole, extending radially outward from the periphery of the hole. The third portion offers resistance to removal of the fastener from the hole in a rear-to-front direction. Many embodiments of the fastener are disclosed.
Kump, U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,794, teaches a variable length sign holder attachable to a pegboard and a plate and a stub extending from the plate for insertion into a hole on the pegboard. The stub comprises a longitudinal shaft and spaced ribs that extend radically outward therefrom. Kump further disclose forming the pegs with an acrylic plastic or other thermoplastic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved attachment system that is removably attachable to a substrate. The substrate has holes or openings of nonuniform sizes due to variations in the manufacturing process. The attachment system has a face plate to which display items are attached and a pair of slotted round pegs are fixedly attached to the back of the face plate. The slots form half-round bars which have sufficient flexibility to change the dimensions of the peg and frictionally engage a surface of the holes or openings. The slotted pegs allow the invented attachment system to accommodate a variety of peg-receiving holes or opening. In particular, the slotted pegs may be compressed to snugly conform to the diameter of the peg-receiving hole. The invention also provides greater stability to display items than traditional attachment systems because the pegs extend through the substrate and out the other side.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved attachment system for removably attaching display items to a substrate.
Another, more particular object of this invention is to provide a display attachment system for use with a substrate having holes of nonuniform diameters due to variations in the manufacturing process.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved attachment system having attachment pegs of different lengths.
Another, more particular object of this invention is to provide an improved attachment system that is removably attachable to a substrate and has attachment pegs of lengths greater than the depth of the substrate to provide increased stability.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2123081 (1938-07-01), Sadenwater
patent: 2139244 (1938-07-01), Nauert
patent: 2939731 (1960-06-01), Fry
patent: 3089269 (1963-05-01), McKiernan
patent: 3154281 (1964-10-01), Frank
patent: 3229944 (1966-01-01), Everburg
patent: 3319917 (1967-05-01), Bilodeau
patent: 4196691 (1980-04-01), Imazeki
patent: 4539766 (1985-09-01), Fast
patent: 4694596 (1987-09-01), Fast
patent: 5260726 (1993-11-01), Nyman
patent: 5673887 (1997-10-01), Hollingsworth
patent: 5678794 (1997-10-01), Kump
patent: 5906283 (1999-05-01), Kump et al.
Braun Leslie A.
Dougherty & Clements LLP
Marsh Steven
LandOfFree
Merchandise display device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Merchandise display device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Merchandise display device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2497705