Supports: racks – Special article – Stacked articles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-27
2002-01-22
Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Stacked articles
C211S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06340091
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product display. In particular, the present invention relates to a display and dispensing rack for stacked products incorporating side-mounted accessory display apparatus.
The sale of consumable hardware products to consumers often requires a large number of the products to be available on the shelf at one time for purchase. This allows the consumer to readily obtain the products without having to wait for the retailer to re-stock the shelves with the products as they are sold. By keeping the shelf products available, the consumer may be adequately reminded to purchase the product with minimum overhead cost to the retailer.
Often, point-of-purchase displays are used to display products in retail areas having limited shelf space. For example, such displays may be used to dispense and display magazines, candies or pegboard items to consumers adjacent limited-space cash register lines. Because retail space in these areas is at a premium, the ability to keep these areas stacked with products in an efficient fashion is important for the sales success of the product.
The organization and efficient display of consumer products are greatly affected by the shape of the product container. For example, products such as caulk, sealant or powdered marking chalk often come in many varieties and colors. These products are typically sold in elongated cylindrically shaped containers. However, the product containers are not often displayed on a shelf in the horizontal position because the product will easily roll off the shelf. In the vertical position, the containers are highly unstable, and the labels on the containers are not easily visible.
Specialized display crates or boxes are sometimes used to hold these items, but it may be difficult to display necessary accessory items sufficiently close to the product display. For example, caulking tools and caulking guns may not be able to be displayed sufficiently close to the caulk containers so that a consumer may not be reminded to purchase these associated accessories along with the product. Similarly, various chalk marking tools and reels might not be displayed sufficiently close to the chalk container or vice versa, in order to encourage the consumer to purchase both items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to alleviate the above shortcomings and in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an improved product display and dispensing rack is provided which allows for the merchandising of a plurality of products and accessories to these products. In particular, a rack is provided that includes an elongated body having a top end and a bottom end. The body defines at least one vertically oriented interior chute that is adapted to hold a plurality of vertically stacked products. A generally flat signage panel is mounted on at least one outside portion of the body, and an accessory display support means is also attached to the body to support an elongated accessory product display along an outside of the body.
In another aspect of the present invention, a merchandise rack for displaying and dispensing a plurality of products is provided, which includes an elongated body defining at least one vertically oriented interior chute. The chute includes a top end and a bottom end and is adapted to hold a plurality of vertically stacked products. A retrieval tray is mounted adjacent the bottom end of the chute for receiving the stacked products for simplified removal from the display by the purchaser. In order to display accessory products to the stacked products, at least one elongated accessory product display strip extends vertically along an outside of the chute.
The accessory product display strip may include a plurality of hooks to display various packaged or unpackaged products. The strip is removable from the rack and may be pivotable relative thereto.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a merchandise display rack for displaying and dispensing a plurality of cylindrically shaped first products and a plurality of packaged second products is provided. The rack includes an elongated body having a generally rectangular shape and a top end and a bottom end. The body defines a first vertically oriented interior chute and a second vertically oriented interior chute generally parallel to the first chute. The chutes each have a top end and a bottom end and are configured to hold the plurality of the first products. The first products may be arranged in a first stack within the first chute and a second stack within the second chute. A first retrieval tray is mounted adjacent a bottom end of the body to receive the first products emptying from the first chute and to guide the products forward of the first chute to facilitate removal from the display. The products are urged toward a front of the tray by the weight of the first stack of products in the chute. A similar tray structure is mounted below the bottom end of the body and generally parallel to the first retrieval tray for receiving and urging products from the second chute. At least a first eyelet is mounted near the top end of the body and a second eyelet is mounted near the bottom end of the body. A strip including a plurality of the second products is mounted to through the eyelets and is pivotable along an axis extending through the eyelets.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The invention, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Lake Kristen Leanne
Peters Charles J.
Romeo Derek Joseph
American Tool Companies, Inc.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Gilson
Novosad Jennifer E.
Redman Jerry
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