Supports: racks – Shelf type – Knockdown
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2001-04-24
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Shelf type
Knockdown
C108S107000, C108S144110, C108S147120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220464
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to display stands for merchandising products; and more particularly, to a display stand assembly made by joining together a plurality of display stand modules.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Display stands are typically used to store and display product in both refrigerated and non-refrigerated environments. Such display stands usually comprise a base, a plurality of vertical support members or posts extending upwardly from the base, and a top supported by the posts. A plurality of shelves are commonly supported by the vertical posts in any number of ways. Such display stands or shelving units are usually rectangular, and the shelves adapted to be used with the display stands are rectangular as well.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,016,765 and 3,788,242 disclose such display stands. In each of the display stands disclosed in these patents, a generally rectangular base has four members extending upwardly from the base, which members are used to support vertically oriented posts. Generally rectangular shelves may be supported by the posts at the desired heights. Similarly, the tops of each of the display stands disclosed in these patents have four members which are turned downwardly and inserted into the posts at the top of the display stand.
Each of the display stands disclosed in these patents is self-standing and is not adapted to be joined with other display stands in order to create a larger display stand. If more product is to be displayed, a second display stand must be purchased and placed adjacent to the first display stand. The display stands lack structure which would enable multiple display stands to be joined together to create a larger display stand or assembly.
In addition, such display stands are of a fixed width, length and height which cannot be modified or changed. Thus, if a merchant desires to display additional product above or beside the display stand, an additional display stand must be purchased and placed on top of or beside the existing display stand. Thus, the merchant has to pay for two or more display stands. Furthermore, if an additional display stand is placed on top of an existing display stand, the upper display stand may be unstable and may fall off the lower display stand.
Thus, a display stand which is modular in nature so that different modules may be secured to one another to create the desired structure is needed. With such a structure, modules may be placed on top of one another or connected to each other lengthwise or widthwise in order to create the desired display stand assembly.
Therefore it has been one objective of the present invention to provide a display stand module which may be quickly and easily joined to other display stand modules in order to create an attractive and useful display stand assembly.
It has further been an objective of the present invention to provide a display stand module which may be assembled from a limited number of similar components, reducing the cost of manufacturing.
It has been a further objective of the present invention to provide a display stand module which may be joined with other display stand modules in order to create a display stand assembly specifically configured for a unique environment.
Still another objective of the invention has been to create a multiple module display stand which utilizes components of one module as a common component of an adjacent module so that the total number of components in a multiple module display stand is minimized with a corresponding cost reduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention of this application which accomplishes these objectives comprises a display stand assembly having of a plurality of display stand modules joined to one another. Each display stand module comprises a lower base or spanner having a pair of spanner members generally bisecting each other medially, e.g., X-shaped, an upper base or spanner having a pair of spanner members generally bisecting each other medially, e.g., X-shaped, vertical posts or uprights extending between spanner end portions of the upper and lower spanners, a bracket attached to each spanner end portion connecting the vertical post to the spanner, and a stabilizing wedge member sandwiched between each bracket and each vertical upright.
Each vertical upright of the present invention extends from and between respective end portions of spanner members of the upper and lower spanners. Each of the vertical uprights is slotted along its length so that shelves may be supported from the vertical uprights at desired heights by support means locked into engagement with the slots. One type of support means used in accordance with the present invention is a sheet metal clip which is inserted into a slot of a vertical upright and secured into an adjacent slot to position the clip at a predetermined vertical height. The clip is secured around a single segment or clover which partially defines adjacent slots in the vertical upright. The shelves are lowered downwardly into engagement with plural clips secured at a desired height on opposing vertical uprights so that the shelf rests on the clips. The shelves may be vertically adjusted as necessary by moving each clip to a desired height.
In use, a plurality of display stand modules are joined together to form a display stand assembly, each successive display stand module attached to a preceding display stand module by the same method that the first display stand module was erected. That is, a second display stand module may be joined to a first display stand module by connecting second upper and lower spanners to uprights common to the first display stand module. Because each upright has a plurality of clovers, each upright may receive and hold multiple spanner ends of multiple upper or lower spanners.
Therefore, the present invention allows the creation of numerous different configurations of display stand assemblies with the use of a relatively few number of interchangeable parts. According to the practice of the invention, relatively few parts are needed to assemble a display stand module and join a plurality of display stand modules together to create a display stand assembly. Therefore the number of molds or fixtures necessary to make parts is reduced and if parts are lost or stolen, additional parts can be easily obtained. Additionally, no hardware such as screws, nuts or bolts is needed to assemble a display stand module or the display stand assembly according to the practice of the invention. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the drawings.
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Battaglia Joseph M.
Bustos Rafael T.
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
Harris Erica B.
L&P Property Management Company
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
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