Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MODULAR SHELF SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to modular shelf system, more particularly,
relates to a
modular shelf system for displaying retail products to consumers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Selves for displaying products can be divided into several sections. For
example, in
selves for displaying retails products to consumers in retail stores, one
divided section is used for
displaying one brand products or one category products, and another divided
section is used for
displaying another brand products or another category products. In such
selves, it is expected to
adjust the width of each section according to sales circumstances. For
example, the width of one
section of a certain product/brand may be expected to be broadened only for
its sales promotion
period. In another example, the width of a section for products/brands having
larger sales
volumes may be expected to be broadened, while the width of a section for
products/brands
having reduced sales volumes may be expected to be narrowed.
There is a need for such display selves which have an easy configuration to
change width
of sections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a modular shelf system comprising: at
least one shelf
board defined between a first side end, a second side end, a front end, and a
rear end, and having
an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface, and having a space
to display
products on the upwardly facing surface; and at least one middle side wall
which is configured to
divide the space to display products between the first and second side end of
the shelf board,
wherein the middle side wall has at least one slit which is configured to
accept the shelf board,
and wherein the middle wall is configured to move laterally while accepting
the shelf board
through the slit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and
the
manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself
will be better
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understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the
invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the modular shelf system of
the present
invention; and
Fig. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a middle side wall used in the
modular shelf
system of Fig. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall
understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and
use of the product
displays, the product display kits, and the methods disclosed herein. One or
more examples of
these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those of
ordinary skill in the
art will understand that the product displays, the product display kits, and
the methods
specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are
non-limiting
exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the various embodiments of the
present invention
is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in
connection with one
exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other exemplary
embodiments.
Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope
of the present
invention.
SHELF SYSTEM
The modular shelf system of the present invention comprises: at least one
shelf board
defined between a first side end, a second side end, a front end, and a rear
end, and having an
upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface, and having a space to
display
products on the upwardly facing surface; and at least one middle side wall
which is configured to
divide the space to display products between the first and second side end of
the shelf board,
wherein the middle side wall has at least one slit which is configured to
accept the shelf board,
and wherein the middle wall is configured to move laterally while accepting
the shelf board
through the slit.
The modular shelf system can further comprise at least one of the followings:
one or two
end side walls; a rear wall; a base shelf board; a signing element; and a
lighting element.
SHELF BOARD
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The modular shelf system of the present invention comprises at least one shelf
board.
The shelf boards of the present invention are those defined between a first
side end, a second side
end, a front end, and a rear end, and having an upwardly facing surface and a
downwardly facing
surface, and having a space to display products on the upwardly facing
surface.
When the modular shelf system comprises two or more shelf boards, each shelf
board can
have a same or different size, i.e., the width between the first and second
side ends, the depth
between the front and rear ends, and/or the height between the upwardly facing
and downwardly
facing surfaces.
The one shelf board can be one piece. Alternatively, the one shelf board can
comprise
two or more pieces, for example, for at least one of the following purposes:
so that the shelf board can change its size, i.e., the width, the depth,
and/or the height; and
so that the shelf board can easily connect with other elements such as signing
elements and
lighting elements.
The piece can be configured to be detachably connected with at least one
another piece,
in order to form one shelf board. The connection means can be anything known
in the art, for
example, tabs and tab receivers wherein the tabs can be interlocked with,
engaged with, press-fit
and/or snap-fit with the tab receivers.
Embodiment based on drawing
For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig.1, the modular shelf system of the
present
invention comprises four shelf boards (First shelf board 1.1, Second shelf
board 1.2, Third shelf
board 1.3, and Fourth shelf board 1.4). Each shelf board is defined between a
first side end, a
second side end, a front end, and a rear end, and having an upwardly facing
surface and a
downwardly facing surface, and having a space to display products on the
upwardly facing
surface. As an example, First shelf board's First side end 1.1.1, Second side
end 1.1.2, Front end
1.1.3, and Rear end 1.1.4 are specifically shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment
shown in Fig. 1,
each shelf board has the same width between the first and second side ends. In
this embodiment,
while not clearly shown in Fig. 1, First shelf board 1.1 has a slightly lower
height between the
upwardly facing and downwardly facing surfaces, compared to heights of Second,
Third, Fourth
shelf boards (1.2, 1.3, and 1.4) which have the same height. In this
embodiment shown in Fig. 1,
each shelf board has different depth between the front and rear ends, such
that a lower shelf
board has a deeper depth. In this embodiment shown in Fig.1, each shelf board
comprises three
pieces to change the width between the first and second side ends of the shelf
board, while
border lines between the pieces are not shown in Fig. 1. While also not shown
in Fig. 1, the
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middle and side pieces are configured such that the middle piece is detachably
connected with
two side pieces, by connection means of tabs and tab receivers wherein the
tabs are press-fit with
the tab receivers.
MIDDLE SIDE WALL
The modular shelf system of the present invention comprises at least one
middle side
wall. The middle side wall is configured to divide the space to display
products between the first
and second side end of the shelf board. The middle side wall has at least one
slit which is
configured to accept the shelf board. The middle wall is configured to move
laterally while
accepting the shelf board through the slit.
The middle side wall is defined by a top end, a bottom end, front end, rear
end, first side
surface and second side surface. One of such ends can smoothly connect to
another end.
The slit is formed between the front end and the rear end. The slit can be
formed as
follows:
so that the middle side wall can have a closed front end and an open rear end,
wherein the slit has
an opening edge at the rear end which is preferred for easiness to assemble
and/or move;
so that the middle side wall can have a open front end and a closed rear end,
wherein the slit has
an opening edge at the front end; or
so that the middle side wall can have a closed front end and a closed rear
end, wherein the slit
has no opening edge.
It is preferred for the middle side wall to have slits such that the number of
the slits
corresponding to the number of the shelf broads. Each slit can have a same or
different size, i.e.,
height which approximately corresponds to the height of the shelf board, width
which
approximately corresponds to the width of the middle side wall, and /or depth
which
approximately correspond to the depth of the shelf board.
When the modular shelf system comprises two or more middle side wall, each
middle
side wall can have a same or different size, i.e., the height between the top
and bottom ends, the
width between the first and second side surface, and/or the depth between the
front and rear ends.
The one middle side wall can be one piece. Alternatively, the one middle side
wall can
comprise two or more pieces, for example, for at least one of the following
purposes:
so that the slit can be formed by these pieces in an assembled configuration;
so that the middle side wall can change its size such as height, width, and/or
depth;
so that the middle side wall can change the number of slits; and
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so that the middle side wall can change the size of slits such as height,
width, and/or depth.
The piece can be configured to be detachably connected with at least one
another piece,
in order to form one middle side wall. The connection means can be anything
known in the art.
The middle side and the shelf board can be configured to be detachably
connected each
5 other. The connection means can be anything known in the art.
Embodiment based on drawing
For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig.1, the modular shelf system of the
present
invention comprises five Middle side walls 2. The middle side wall is
configured to move
laterally while accepting the shelf boards through the slit. The slits can be
seen more clearly in
Fig. 2.
As shown in Fig. 1, each Middle side wall 2 is configured to divide the space
to display
products between the first and second side end of the shelf board. In the
embodiment shown in
Fig. 1, the display space is divided into six sections by five Middle side
walls 2. The Middle
side wall is defined by a top end, a bottom end, front end, rear end, first
side surface and second
side surface. As an example, Middle side wall's Top end 2.1, Bottom end 2.2,
Front end 2.3,
Rear end 2.4 are specifically shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, as shown in
Fig. 2, Front end
2.3 smoothly connects to Top end 2.1. In this embodiment, all middle side
walls have the same
size.
In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, each middle side wall has four slits
corresponding to four shelf boards, and the slit being configured to accept
the shelf board. Such
four slits are shown in Fig. 2 as First slit 2.5.1, Second slit 2.5.2, Third
slit 2.5.3, Fourth slit 2.5.4.
In this embodiment, each Middle side wall 2 has the closed front end and the
open rear end
wherein the slit has an opening edge at the rear end. In this embodiment,
First slit 2.5.1 has a
slightly lower height, and has an enlarged front end portion for accepting a
signing element
which is explained later, while Second, Third and Fourth slits (2.5.2, 2.5.3,
and 2.5.4) have a
same height which is higher than that of First slit 2.5.1. In this embodiment,
the slits have
different depth, i.e., lower slits have deeper depths, corresponding to shelf
board's depths. In
this embodiment, the width of all slits is same. Further, in this embodiment,
each middle side
wall comprises one piece.
BASE SHELF BOARD
The modular shelf system of the present invention preferably further comprises
a base
shelf board. The base shelf board is defined by a first side end, a second
side end, a front end,
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and a rear end, and having an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing
surface, and
preferably having a space to display products on the upwardly facing surface.
The base shelf
board is preferably that can stably accept the weights of all other parts of
the modular shelf
system, including the weights of products displayed on the shelf board.
The base shelf board can have a variety of sizes, i.e., the width between the
first and
second side ends, the depth between the front and rear ends, and/or the height
between the
upwardly facing surface and either of downwardly facing surface or floor on
which the modular
shelf system is placed.
The base shelf board can be one piece. Alternatively, the base shelf board can
comprise
two or more pieces, for example, for at least one of the following purposes:
so that the base shelf board can change its size, i.e., the width, the depth,
and/or the height;
so that the base shelf board can further comprises other elements such as
signing elements and
lighting elements.
The piece can be configured to be detachably connected with at least one
another piece,
in order to form one base shelf board. The connection means can be anything
known in the art,
for example, tabs and tab receivers wherein the tabs can be interlocked with,
engaged with,
press-fit and/or snap-fit with the tab receivers.
The base shelf board and the middle side wall can be configured to detachably
connect
each other. By this connection, the middle side wall can be located in an
approximately fixed
position and/or can be supported by, at least partially, the base shelf board.
The connection
means can be anything known in the art, for example, tabs and tab receivers
wherein the tabs can
be interlocked with, engaged with, press-fit and/or snap-fit with the tab
receivers.
Embodiment based on drawing
For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the modular shelf system of
the present
invention comprises Base shelf board 3. The Base shelf board 3 is defined by a
first side end, a
second side end, a front end, and a rear end, and having an upwardly facing
surface and a
downwardly facing surface, and having a space to display products on the
upwardly facing
surface. In this embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the Base shelf board 3 has the
same width as that
of the shelf boards, and a deeper depth than those of the shelf boards. In
this embodiment shown
in Fig.1, the Base shelf board 3 comprises three pieces to change the width
between the first and
second side ends of the base shelf board, while border lines between the
pieces are not shown in
Fig. 1. While also not shown in Fig. 1, the middle and side pieces are
configured such that the
middle piece is detachably connected with two side pieces, by connection means
of tabs and tab
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receivers wherein the tabs are press-fit with the tab receivers. In the
embodiment shown in Fig.
1, the base shelf board and each middle side wall are connected each other by
the connection
means of tabs and tab receivers wherein the tabs are press-fit with the tab
receivers.
END SIDE WALL
The modular shelf system of the present invention preferably further comprises
one or
two end side walls. Preferably, the end side walls do not have any slit, the
slit allowing the walls
to move laterally while accepting the shelf board through.
The end side wall is defined by a top end, a bottom end, front end, rear end,
first side
surface and second side surface. One of such ends can smoothly connect to
another end.
When the modular shelf system comprises two end side walls, each end side wall
can
have a same or different size, i.e., the height between the top and bottom
ends, the width between
the first and second side surface, and/or the depth between the front and rear
ends.
The end side wall can be one piece. The end side wall can comprise two or more
pieces,
for example, for at least one of the following purposes:
so that the middle side wall can change the size of slits such as height,
width, and/or depth.
The piece can be configured to be detachably connected with at least one
another piece,
in order to form one end side wall. The connection means can be anything known
in the art, for
example, tabs and tab receivers wherein the tabs can be interlocked with,
engaged with, press-fit
and/or snap-fit with the tab receivers.
The end side wall and the shelf board can be configured to be detachably
connected each
other. The connection means can be anything known in the art, for example,
tabs and tab
receivers wherein the tabs can be interlocked with, engaged with, press-fit
and/or snap-fit with
the tab receivers. By this connection, the shelf board can be supported by, at
least partially, the
end side wall.
The end side wall and the base shelf board, if present, can be configured to
be detachably
connected each other. The connection means can be anything known in the art,
for example, tabs
and tab receivers wherein the tabs can be interlocked with, engaged with,
press-fit and/or snap-fit
with the tab receivers. By this connection, the end side wall can be supported
by, at least
partially, the base shelf board.
Embodiment based on drawing
For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig.1, the modular shelf system of the
present
invention comprises two End side walls 4. The End side wall 4 is defined by a
top end, a bottom
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end, front end, rear end, first side surface and second side surface. In this
embodiment shown in
Fig.1, the front end smoothly connects to the top end.
In the embodiment, the two End side walls 4 have the same size, and also have
approximately same sizes as those of the Middle side walls 2. In this
embodiment, each End side
wall 4 comprises one piece.
In this embodiment, the End side walls 4 are not connected with the Shelf
boards (1.1,
1.2, 1.3, and 1.4) or with the Base shelf board 3.
REAR WALL
The modular shelf system of the present invention preferably further comprises
a rear
wall.
The rear wall is defined by a first end, a second end, a top end, a bottom
end, a front side
surface and a rear side surface.
The rear wall can have any size as long as meeting the purpose of the present
invention,
i.e., width between the first and second ends, height between the top and
bottom ends, and/or
depth between the front and rear side surfaces.
The rear wall can be one piece. Alternatively, the rear wall can comprise two
or more
pieces, for example, for at least one of the following purposes:
so that the rear wall can change the size of slits such as height, width,
and/or depth.
The piece can be configured to be detachably connected with at least one
another piece,
in order to form one rear wall. The connection means can be anything known in
the art.
The rear wall and the shelf board can be configured to be detachably connected
each
other. The connection means can be anything known in the art, for example,
brackets and screws
wherein the bracket can be screwed to the shelf board and to the rear all. By
this connection, the
shelf board can be supported by, at least partially, the rear wall.
The rear wall and the middle side wall can configured to be detachably
connected each
other. The connection means can be anything known in the art. By this
connection, the middle
side wall can be supported by, at least partially, the rear wall.
The rear wall and the base shelf board, if present, can be configured to be
detachably
connected each other. The connection means can be anything known in the art,
for example, tabs
and tab receivers wherein the tabs can be interlocked with, engaged with,
press-fit and/or snap-fit
with the tab receivers. By this connection, the rear wall can be supported by,
at least partially,
the base shelf board.
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The rear wall and the end side wall, if present, can be configured to be
detachably
connected each other. The connection means can be anything known in the art,
for example,
brackets and screws wherein the bracket can be screwed to the end side wall
and to the rear all,
or screws only. By this connection, the rear wall and end side wall can be
supported, at least
partially, each other.
Embodiment based on drawing
For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig.1, the modular shelf system of the
present
invention comprises Rear wall 5. The Rear wall is defined by a first end, a
second end, a top end,
a bottom end, a front side surface and a rear side surface.
The Rear wall 5 has an approximately same width as those of the Shelf boards
(1.1, 1.2,
1.3, and 1.4) and Base shelf board 3, and an approximately same height as
those of the Middle
side walls 2 and End walls 4.
The Rear wall 5 comprises three pieces to change the width between the first
and second
side ends of the rear wall, such that the rear wall has an approximately same
width as that of the
shelf boards, while border lines between the pieces are not shown in Fig. 1.
While also not
shown in Fig. 1, the middle and side pieces are configured such that the
middle piece is
detachably connected with two side pieces, by connection means of tabs and tab
receivers
wherein the tabs are press-fit with the tab receivers. In this embodiment,
while not shown in
Fig.1, the Rear wall 5 is detachably connected with each Shelf board (1.1,
1.2. 1.3, and 1.4) by
the connection means of brackets and screws wherein the brackets are screwed
to the shelf board
and to the rear all, and with the Base shelf board 3 by the connection means
of tabs and tab
receivers wherein the tabs are press-fit with the tab receivers. In this
embodiment, while not
shown in Fig.1, the Rear wall 5 is also detachably connected with the two End
side walls 4 by
the connection means of brackets and screws wherein the brackets are screwed
to the end side
wall and to the rear all.
SIGNING ELEMENT/LIGHTING ELEMENT
The modular shelf system of the present invention may further contain a
singing element.
Such signing elements can be figured to display any information relating to
the displayed
products, for example, product's brand, source, logo and/or price. The signing
elements can
contain a monitor to air advertisements and/or demonstrate benefits of the
product.
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The singing element can be configured to detachably or non-detachably connect
with
other parts of the modular shelf system, for example, the shelf board and rear
wall, by any
known connection means.
The modular shelf system of the present invention may further contain a
lighting element.
5 Such lighting elements can be figured to illuminate any parts of the
modular shelf system
including the displayed products.
The lighting element can be configured to detachably or non-detachably connect
with
other parts of the modular shelf system, for example, the shelf board and rear
wall, by any
known connection means.
10 Embodiment based on drawing
For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig.1, the modular shelf system of the
present
invention comprises First signing element 6.1, Second signing element 6.2, and
Third signing
element 6.3, and First Lighting element 7.1.
In this embodiment, the First signing element 6.1 is, for example, that for
showing a
brand name and accommodating the First lighting element 7.1 inside, and they
are connected
with the Rear wall 5 by any known connection means.
In this embodiment, the Second singing element 6.2 is, for example, that for
showing
brand image and/or equity, and it is connected with the Rear wall 5 by any
known connection
means.
In this embodiment, the Third signing element 6.3 is, for example, that for
showing
product prices and/or product benefits.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly
limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise
specified, each such
dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range
surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is
intended to mean
"about 40 mm".
Any documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in
relevant part,
incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be
construed as an
admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the
extent that any meaning
or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or
definition of the
term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition
assigned to the term in
this written document shall govern.
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While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
