Supports: racks – Specially mounted – Wall or window
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-01
2001-05-22
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Specially mounted
Wall or window
C211S059100, C211S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234330
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to point-of-purchase product holders that display merchandise. More particularly, it relates to a configurable, V-shaped, upright product merchandiser that increases the space available for displaying merchandise without interfering with other shelved products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Businesses use a wide variety of devices to display and market products to consumers. One ubiquitous way of displaying products in a retail environment involves the use of a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending display shelves. A common marketing strategy, generally referred to as cross-merchandising, is to display synergistically related items together (e.g. cake mixes and birthday cake candles; flashlights and batteries; tooth paste and tooth brushes, and the like). For obvious reasons, it is not an efficient utilization of scarce, and thus valuable, shelf space, nor an effective marketing strategy, to place, for instance, birthday candles at the end of fifteen to twenty feet of cake mixes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,346,166 and 5,683,003 generally disclose strip merchandiser hanger assemblies that display merchandise in front of a horizontal shelving unit. For example, the disclosed strip merchandiser hanger assemblies can be used to display birthday cake candles directly in front of cake mixes, rather than adjacent to the cake mixes. The disclosed hanger assemblies are adapted to support generally opposite facing plastic strip merchandisers at any location along the horizontal shelving unit. The plastic strip merchandisers each include uniformly spaced tabs, or triple-finger locking mechanisms that releasably grip the displayed merchandise.
One clear problem with these known strip merchandiser hangers is that the associated plastic strip merchandisers cannot be conveniently and cost-effectively configured or reconfigured, if at all, to support different types of merchandise. That is, no single strip merchandiser can support different products such as large products, small products, heavy products, and/or light-weight products, etc. (e.g. blister packs of different sized batteries) at the same time.
Accordingly, it is considered desirable to provide a new and improved upright product merchandiser that overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an upright product merchandiser that increases the space available for displaying products such as cross-merchandised products without interfering with shelved products.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a product merchandiser frame includes a first elongate rung, and a second elongate rung spaced from the first elongate rung. The first and second elongate rungs extend generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the product merchandiser. A plurality of V-shaped rungs are spaced apart from each other and extend generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the product merchandiser. Each V-shaped rung include a first leg and a second leg that diverge from an apex. The first leg of each V-shaped rung is joined to the first elongate rung, and the second leg of each V-shaped rung is joined to the second elongate rung The first legs of the V-shaped rungs cooperate with the first elongate rung to define a first side of the product merchandiser, and the second legs of the V-shaped rungs cooperate with the second elongate rung to define a second side of the product merchandiser. The first and second legs of the V-shaped rungs are each adapted to removably support an associated hanger for holding merchandise.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a product merchandiser includes a frame with a first rung, and a second rung spaced from the first rung. The first and second rungs extend generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the product merchandiser. A plurality of third rungs are spaced apart from each other, and each extend generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the product merchandiser. Each third rung has a first leg and a second leg, the first leg being joined to the first rung and the second leg being joined to the second rung. At least one support clip is adapted to selectively engage the first and second rungs, and engage with an associated mounting clip of an associated shelving unit.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a product merchandising system that is secured to a shelving unit for displaying products is disclosed. The product merchandising system includes a frame including a first rung, and a second rung spaced from the first rung. The first and second rungs extend generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the frame. A plurality of third rungs are spaced apart from each other with each extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the frame. Each third rung has a first leg and a second leg. The first leg is joined to the first rung and the second leg is joined to the second rung. At least one support clip selectively engages with the first and second rungs. At least one mounting clip secures the frame to the support surface. The at least one support clip is selectively supported by the at least one mounting clip.
One advantage of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved upright product merchandiser that is configurable and reconfigurable.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright product merchandiser that is sturdy and can accommodate a large amount of the same type or different types of merchandise, even heavy merchandise, in a small amount of space.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright product merchandiser that incorporates a plurality of movable hooks for configuring and reconfiguring the merchandiser.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright product merchandiser that can be positioned and repositioned horizontally and vertically relative to a shelving system.
A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright product merchandiser that can easily accommodate products of varying sizes.
Yet a further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright product merchandiser that can be easily assembled and disassembled without the need for tools.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.
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Fasteners For Retail, Inc.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
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