Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING A SAMPLE OF A PRODUCT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
(01) The invention relates to the display of product samples.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(02) Retail locations typically use display systems to display samples of
products being
sold to advertise a current price of a product, enable users to find a
product, identify a
product, and/or for other purposes. A typical display system may include a
display unit, to
which a sample of a product is fastened. With conventional display units,
securely fastening
the sample to the display unit may generally require an involved process, such
as, for
example, drilling holes into the display unit so that the sample can be
attached to the display
unit with fasteners.
(03) Once, the sample is fastened to the display unit, the display unit is
then mounted at the
retail location. The location at which the display unit is mounted may be
determined to
advertise a current price for the product, enable consumers to determine a
location of the
product, and/or identify the product. For example, the display unit may be
mounted over a
bin containing the product that corresponds to the sample fastened to the
display unit, to
enable consumers to find the product. However, conventional display systems
may not
facilitate interchangeability between display units by enabling the display
units to be
removably mounted at (and removed from) predetermined locations.
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SUMMARY
(04) One aspect of the invention relates to a system for exhibiting a sample
of a product.
The system comprises a rail and a display unit. The rail extends from a first
end to a second
end, and includes at least one display unit engaging portion. The display unit
can be
removably mounted on the rail, and has a display surface, formed on the front
of the display
unit, on which the sample of the product can be mounted. The display unit also
has at least
one rail engaging portion, the at least one rail engaging portion being
removably engagable
with the at least one display unit engaging portion. The display unit can be
removably
mounted on the rail directly at a predetermined location between the first end
and the second
end of the rail through a snap-fit connection between the at least one rail
engaging portion
and the at least one display unit engaging portion.
(05) Another aspect of the invention relates to a display unit for exhibiting
a sample of a
product, the display unit having a front side, a rear side, an upper end, and
a lower end,
wherein the rear side of the display unit is removably mountable on a rail.
The display unit
comprises at least one rail engaging portion and a sample mounting member. The
at least one
rail engaging portion is removably engagable with the rail, and is formed such
that the
display unit can be removably mounted on the rail directly at a predetermined
location on the
rail, without sliding the display unit along the rail to the predetermined
location. The sample
mounting member has a front surface exposed to the front side of the display
unit and a rear
surface exposed to the rear side of the display unit. The sample mounting
member is adapted
such that the sample of the product can be mounted to the front surface of the
sample
mounting member by one or more fasteners that pass through the sample mounting
member.
(06) Another aspect of the invention relates to a system for exhibiting a
sample of a
product. The system comprises a rail, a first display unit, a second display
unit, a display
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unit, a first rail engaging portion, and a second rail engaging portion. The
first display unit
engaging portion is provided on the rail. The second display unit engaging
portion is
provided on the rail. The display unit is formed from a resilient plastic
material. The first
rail engaging portion is provided on the display unit, and is removably
engagable with the
first display unit engaging portion such that the display unit can pivot,
relative to the rail,
about the engagement between the first rail engaging portion and the first
display unit
engaging portion. The second rail engaging portion is provided on the display
unit such that
pivoting the display unit about the engagement between the first rail engaging
portion and the
first display unit engaging portion brings the second rail engaging portion
into contact with
the second display unit engaging portion so that the second rail engaging
portion is resiliently
flexed so as to be moved into releasably locking relationship with the second
display unit
engaging portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS
(07) The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described
in
conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate and not to
limit the invention,
wherein like designations denote like elements, and in which:
(08) FIG. I shows a system for exhibiting samples of products, in accordance
with various
embodiments of the present invention.
(09) FIG. 2a shows a side view of the system for exhibiting samples of
products, in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
(10) FIG. 2b shows a side view of the system for exhibiting samples of
products, in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
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(11) FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the system for exhibiting samples
of products,
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
(12) FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a rail, in accordance with one
embodiment of
the present invention.
(13) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a display unit, in accordance with
one
embodiment of the present invention.
(14) FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the display unit, in accordance
with one
embodiment of the present invention.
(15) FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of the display unit, in accordance with
one
embodiment of the present invention.
(16) FIG. 8a shows an isometric back view of the display unit, in accordance
with one
embodiment of the present invention.
(17) FIG. 8b shows a front view of the display unit, in accordance with one
embodiment of
the present invention.
(18) FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the system for exhibiting a
sample, in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(19) The present invention relates to a marketing system for hardware products
at the store
level, and more particularly, relates to a display structure for exhibiting
samples of products.
(20) The invention describes a rail and display unit assembly that may be
placed at various
convenient locations in the store. Further, a plurality of display units may
be mounted on the
rail. At least one sample of a product is mounted on each display unit of the
plurality of
display units. The number of display units and the dimensions of each display
unit may vary
according to the size of the respective samples.
(21) FIG. I shows a system 100 for exhibiting samples of products, in
accordance with
various embodiments of the present invention. The system 100 includes a rail
102 and a
plurality of display units 104. The rail 102 extends from a first end 106 to a
second end 108.
The display units 104 include a first display unit 104a, a second display unit
104b, and a third
display unit 104c. Further there exists a vacant location 105 between the
second display unit
104b and the third display unit 104c. In an embodiment, the rail 102 and the
display units 104
are made from a resilient plastic material. Examples of the resilient plastic
material may
include, but are not limited to, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Thermoplastic
Elastomers, and the
like.
(22) In an embodiment, the rail 102 is mounted on a structure such as a shelf
in a store. In
another embodiment, the assembly is mounted on an overhang of the store. Each
display unit
of the display units 104 may be removably mounted on the rail 102 at a pre-
determined
location between the first end 106 and the second end 108. A pre-determined
location may be
assigned to each display unit of the display units 104, based on various
factors such as the
dimensions of each display unit, the type of sample that each display unit
exhibits or the
order of the placement of each display unit. In one embodiment of the present
invention,
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some or all of the display units 104 are mounted on the rail 102 at pre-
determined locations
that are adjacent to one or more bins containing products. The display units
104 display
samples 110 of the products contained in the bins.
(23) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 further includes a
plurality of
samples 110. The samples 110 include a first sample I IOa, a second sample
110b, and a third
sample 1 l Oc. Examples of the samples 110 that may be exhibited on the
display units 104
include, but are not limited to, hardware elements such as metal handles and
spanners.
(24) In one embodiment of the present invention, the first sample 110a is
mounted on the
first display unit 104a, the second sample 110b is mounted on the second
display unit 104b,
and the third sample 1 l Oc is mounted on the third display unit 104c.
(25) In an embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of each display unit
104 are
decided based on the size of the respective sample 110 exhibited. In the
embodiment shown
in FIG. 1, the size of the sample 1 l0a is equal to that of the sample 110b.
Hence, the
dimensions of the display unit 104a are equal to that of the display unit
104b. However, the
dimensions of the display unit 104c are greater than that of the display unit
104b, since the
size of the sample 1 lOc is greater than the size of the sample I IOb. In
other embodiments, the
dimensions of each display unit 104 are decided based on other considerations.
For example,
the dimensions of the display units104 may depend on the size of the rail 102,
the sizes of
bins containing products that correspond to samples 110, and other
considerations.
(26) FIG. 2a shows a side view of a system 200, for exhibiting samples of
products, in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system 200
includes a rail
202, and a display unit 204. The display unit 204 includes a first rail
engaging portion 212,
and a second rail engaging portion 214.
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(27) The display unit 204 may be engaged to the rai1202 by using the first
rail engaging
portion 212 and the second rail engaging portion 214. In FIG. 2a the display
unit 204 is
engaged to the rail 202 at the first rail engaging portion 212. The first rail
engaging portion
212 is engaged to the upper edge of the rail 202. The engagement pivots the
display unit 204
to the rai1202, in a manner that enables the second rail engaging portion 214
to come in
contact with the lower edge of the rail 202 and releasably lock the display
unit 204 to the rail
202 in a snap-fit connection. More particularly, as the second rail engaging
portion 214
contacts the lower edge of rail 202, the second rail engaging portion 214 is
resiliently flexed
so as to be moved into releasably locking relationship with the rail 202.
(28) FIG. 2b shows a side view of the system 200 in accordance with one
embodiment of
the present invention. FIG. 2b illustrates the system 200 when the display
unit 204 is
engaged to the rail 202 by using the first rail engaging portion 212 and the
second rail
engaging portion 214. The first rail engaging portion 212 is engaged to the
upper edge of the
rail 202, and the second rail engaging portion is engaged to the lower edge of
the rail 202.
(29) FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a system 300, for exhibiting
samples of
products, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The
system 300
includes a rail 302 and a display unit 304. The display unit 304 includes a
first rail engaging
portion 312 and a second rail engaging portion 314. The second rail engaging
portion 314
includes a cam surface 320. The rail 302 includes a face 315, a first display
unit engaging
portion 316, and a second display unit engaging portion 318. The cam surface
320 is
designed so as to provide a grip such that a person can apply pressure on the
cam surface
using a thumb.
(30) The first rail engaging portion 312 is removably engagable with the first
display unit
engaging portion 316, so that the display unit 304 can pivot, relative to the
rail 302, around
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the engagement between the first rail engaging portion 312 and the first
display unit engaging
portion 316. Pivoting the display unit 304 brings the second rail engaging
portion 314 in
contact with the second display unit engaging portion 318. In an embodiment,
the display unit
304 is made of a resilient plastic material, so that when the second rail
engaging portion 314
contacts the second display unit engaging portion 318, the second rail
engaging portion 314 is
resiliently flexed to enable the cam surface 320 to clear the second display
unit engaging
portion 318. As the cam surface 320 clears the second display unit engaging
portion 318, the
second rail engaging 314 resiliently moves back to an unflexed position,
thereby placing the
cam surface 320 in contact with the second display unit engaging portion 318.
The contact
between the cam surface 320 and the second display unit engaging portion 318
provides a
releasable locking relationship between the second rail engaging portion 314
and the second
display unit engaging portion 318.
(31) FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the rail 302, in accordance with
one
embodiment of the present invention. The rail 302 further includes a rear
surface 422 and a
base 424. The face 315 includes an upper edge 426 and a lower edge 428. The
first display
unit engaging portion 316 is located proximate to the upper edge 426 and the
second display
unit engaging portion 318 is located proximate to the lower edge 428. The
first display unit
engaging portion 316 includes a groove 430. In an embodiment, the groove 430
is behind the
upper edge 426. The second display unit engaging portion 318 includes a
protrusion 432. In
an embodiment, the protrusion 432 is located below the base 424. Further,
there may exist a
structure (designated A in FIG. 4) between the base 424 and the protrusion 432
in order to
provide additional strength and durability to the rail 302. The groove 430 and
the protrusion
432 run through the rai1302 from the first end 106 to the second end 108.
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(32) In an embodiment, the rear surface 422 is placed approximately vertically
on a
structure such as a shelf or an overhang, and the face 315 is built at an
angle 'a', with respect
to the rear surface 422. The angle a may be decided subjectively. For example,
in one
embodiment, angle a is approximately between 30 and 40 . The base 424 may be
used to rest
the rai1302 on a suitable part of the structure and may be affixed using
various mechanical
means of attachment known in the art including bolting, fastening, and the
like. In one
embodiment, the attachment may be carried out by means of an adhesive bonding.
(33) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the display unit 304, in
accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention. The display unit 304 includes a front
side 534, a rear
side 536, an upper end 538, and a lower end 540. The front side 534 includes a
display
surface 542. Further, the first rail engaging portion 312 includes a tab 544,
while the second
rail engaging portion 314 includes the cam surface 320. In an embodiment, the
tab 544 is
removably engagable with the groove 430. Similarly, the cam surface 320 is
removably
engagable with the protrusion 432. Moreover, the rear side 536 rests firmly on
face 315 of
rail 302.
(34) Written indicia may be provided on the display surface 542, to provide
information
about the sample that is mounted on the display unit 304. In an embodiment,
the display
surface 542 is a solid surface, which extends from the front side 534 to the
rear side 536.
(35) In one embodiment, a preprinted label may be affixed at the top of the
display surface
542. The preprinted label can include fastener markings, where fasteners may
be drilled to
enable the sample 110 to be mounted on the display unit 304. Holes may be
drilled through
the fastener markings on the preprinted label before the sample 110 is mounted
on the display
unit 304. When the sample 110 is to be mounted on the display unit 304, the
sample 110 is
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superimposed over the holes. Thereafter the fasteners are driven into the
holes in the display
surface 542 to secure the sample 110 to the display unit 304.
(36) In an embodiment, the display surface 542 is a thin surface. For example,
in one
embodiment, the thickness of the display surface 542 is approximately between
5 millimeters
and 10 millimeters. Since the display surface 542 is a thin surface, the
sample may be
fastened without pre-drilled holes. Fasteners may be drilled into the display
surface 542 by
the application of a requisite force that can be achieved by means of, for
example,
hammering.
(37) In one embodiment, the display surface 542 is a mesh surface, which can
be, for
example, a flexible netting of fine wire. The netting creates mesh openings
between the
wires. This enables the sample 110 to be fastened without pre-drilling holes,
since the flexible
netting allows fasteners to be fixed though the mesh openings.
(38) FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the display unit 304, in
accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention. The display unit 304 includes a display
surface 542
and a corrugated back surface 648. In an embodiment, the display surface 542
is a thin solid
surface. Further, the corrugated back surface 648 is a surface with
approximately parallel and
alternating ridges and grooves. Therefore, the corrugated back surface 648
engages the
fastener rigidly once the fastener penetrates the display surface 542. The
corrugation in the
corrugated back surface 648 lies approximately throughout the length of the
display surface
542.
(39) In one embodiment, the display surface 542 is replaced by a sample
mounting
member (not shown in the figure). The sample mounting member includes a front
surface and
a rear surface. The front surface is exposed to the front side 534 and the
rear surface is
exposed to the rear side 536 of the display unit 304. In an embodiment, the
front surface is
CA 02566623 2006-10-25
either a solid surface or a mesh surface. It may be apparent to a person
skilled in the art that
the method of mounting the sample 110 on the front surface is similar to the
method of
mounting the sample on the display surface 542 as described with reference to
FIG. 5.
(40) In one embodiment, the front surface is a thin surface and the rear
surface is a
corrugated surface. Herein the attachment of the sample to the sample mounting
member is
achieved when the fasteners are guided through the front surface by
application of a requisite
force. It may be noted that the corrugated surface helps to engage the
fasteners better, once
guided through the front surface. Further, the mode of mounting the sample on
the front
surface is similar to the mode of mounting the sample on the display surface
542 as described
with reference to FIG. 6.
(41) FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of a display unit 704, in accordance with
one
embodiment of the present invention. The display unit 704 includes a first
opening 750, a
second opening 752, and a third opening 754. The display unit 704 also
includes a first tab
744a, a second tab 744b, and a cam surface 720.
(42) In one embodiment, the first tab 744a and the second tab 744b are engaged
with
groove 430 of the first display unit engaging portion 316 and the cam surface
720 is engaged
with protrusion 432 of the second display unit engaging portion 318. In one
embodiment, the
openings 750, 752, and 754 are engaged with protrusions (not shown) extending
from the rail
302.
(43) FIG. 8a shows an isometric back view of a display unit 804, in accordance
with one
embodiment of the present invention. The display unit 804 also includes a
first tab 844a, a
second tab 844b, and a cam surface 820. Further, the display unit 804 also
includes a first
opening 850, a second opening 852, a third opening 854, and display surface
856. The
display surface 856 is a mesh surface, which can be, for example, a flexible
netting of fine
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wires. The netting creates openings between the fme wires. As described with
reference to
FIG. 5, the flexible netting enables the sample 110 to be fastened on display
unit 856 without
pre-drilling holes.
(44) FIG. 8b shows a front view of the display unit 804, in accordance with
one
embodiment of the present invention. When the sample 110 is to be mounted on
the display
unit 804, the sample 110 is superimposed over the mesh openings. Thereafter,
fasteners are
driven into the openings between the wires in the display surface 856 to
secure the sample
110 to the display unit 804.
(45) FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a system 900 for exhibiting a
sample 910, in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system includes
the rai1302,
the display unit 304, a plurality of fasteners 958, a plurality of nut-bolt
arrangements 960 and
a shelf 962.
(46) The base 424 is used to rest the rail 302 on a suitable horizontal
surface of the shelf
962. The rail 302 is rested so as to place the rear surface 422 approximately
parallel to a
structure 964. In an embodiment, the structure 964 is a vertical wall or
barrier. Moreover, the
rail 302 is affixed to the shelf 962 using the nut-bolt arrangements 960. It
should be apparent
to any known mechanism suitable for affixing the rai1302 to the shelf 962 may
be used.
(47) The display unit 304 is mounted on the rail 302 as explained earlier with
reference to
FIG. 2, i.e., the first rail engaging portion 312 is engaged to the first
display unit engaging
portion 316 and the second rail engaging portion 314 is engaged to the second
display unit
engaging portion 318.
(48) Further, the sample 910, which in an embodiment is a metal handle, is
mounted on the
display unit 304 as follows: The sample 910 is placed rigidly on the display
surface 542 and
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the fasteners 958 are driven through the flat ends of sample 910. The
corrugated back surface
648 engages the fasteners 958 rigidly once they penetrate the display surface
542.
(49) Various embodiments of the system allow the display of samples of
products such as
hardware elements. The system provides the flexibility to remove or add any
number of
display units mounted on a rail of the system. In addition, the system also
provides the
flexibility to change the order in which the samples are displayed since the
display units are
removably engaged with the rail.
(50) Furthermore, the system allows simple and flexible attachment of a sample
on a
display unit since the display surface of a display unit may be a mesh
surface. Alternatively,
the display surface may be a thin solid surface with the display unit
including a corrugated
back surface.
(51) Various embodiments of the invention also allow easy identification of
the sample
mounted on a display unit. In one embodiment, the display unit includes
written indicia
provided on the display surface which enable labeling of the mounted sample.
(52) One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of the system
shown in
the figures and described above are exemplary only and not intended to be
limiting. It is
within the scope of the invention to provide any known rail and display unit
with any or all of
the features of the present invention. For example, a display unit constructed
according to the
principles of the present invention can be applied to any known display
structure.
(53) The features of the rail including the resilient plastic construction,
the shape of the
rail, the angle a, the geometry of the cross-section of the rail, and the
method of engaging a
display unit can be used separately or in combination on any existing rail
model. In one
embodiment, the face of the rail is not formed as a solid surface, but
includes openings
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therein. In one embodiment, the face of the rail is not formed as a solid
surface, but includes
openings therein.
(54) Similarly, the geometry of the cross-section of the display unit, the
method of
mounting the sample, and the methods of engaging fasteners can be used on any
existing
display structure.
(55) It can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that it is within the
scope of the present
invention to apply the teachings presented herein to construct a system for
exhibiting samples
of products, that can display samples of a wide range of sizes and that it is
not intended to
limit the invention to the embodiments or to the specific measurements or
ranges of
measurements presented herein.
(56) It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been
fully and
effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing
specific
embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the
functional
and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change
without departure
from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications
encompassed within
the spirit and scope of the following claims.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described,
it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only.
Numerous
modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will be
apparent to those
skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention, as described in
the claims.
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