Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
- I -
MERCHANDISE DISPLAY SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
100011 This invention relates to merchandise display systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
100021 Merchandise display systems are commonly used in retail
environments. For
example, self-service shelving systems are provided in retail stores to stock
merchandise
for sale. Such shelving systems are designed to attract customers, to display
purchase
options, and to allow customers ready access to the merchandise for sale. This
both
allows the retailer to promote products preferentially, based on whatever
factors the
retailer considers to be relevant, and reduces labour costs because
merchandise selection
is immediately available to purchasers merely by visual inspection.
100031 One type of shelving system that is particularly popular in some
retail
environments, particularly those that sell merchandise in bulk, is known as a
"four post
rack", an example of which is illustrated in Figure 1. The rack 10 comprises
four comer
posts 12 each having a series of holes or slots extending longitudinally along
the post 12.
In heavy-duty applications, for example in lumber and hardware stores,
structural
members such as bridging bars 14 and side struts 16 are welded or otherwise
affixed to
the corner posts 12 to tie the posts 12 together into a unitary frame. Shelve
beams 18 are
affixed to the posts 12 by bolts, optionally supporting shelves 18a (shown in
phantom)
serving as merchandise storage surfaces and/or merchandise display surfaces.
100041 This arrangement works well for large articles, such as lumber and
plumbing
pipes, medium-sized appliances, boxes of bulk goods and many other types of
merchandise. However, for smaller merchandise a bin system is preferable,
allowing the
retailer to maintain an organized, visually intuitive and aesthetically
appealing
arrangement of merchandise while maximizing the use of shelf space (and
therefore floor
space), which is extremely important in an efficient retail environment.
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
-2-
100051 One of the difficulties associated with adapting shelf space to
smaller articles,
for example fasteners, hinges and other small hardware items, and myriad other
types of
vendible merchandise, is making the most efficient use of the prime self-
service space on
the rack, which is the lower portion of the rack, below eye level, where
customers can
clearly see the contents of the bins. The bins are conventionally placed on
the shelves 18,
but only along the front edges of the shelves 18 to so as to be visible to a
customer
standing in front of the rack 10. Further, with this arrangement the shelves
18 must be
spaced sufficiently from one another to preclude upper shelves 18 from
obscuring the
merchandise stowed on lower shelves 18. Since a standard four post rack
utilizes
prefabricated shelves18 that are necessarily sized to the depth of the rack 10
and therefore
can only be mounted horizontally, the shelves 18 must be spaced relatively far
apart,
which fails to take maximum advantage of the available floor space, i.e. the
footprint of
the rack 10.
100061 It would accordingly be beneficial to provide a merchandise display
system
capable of being mounted to a standard four post rack, but which allows the
shelves to be
spaced closer together in the prime self-service portion of the rack without
sacrificing the
visibility of the displayed merchandise to customers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00071 In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred
embodiment of
the invention,
10008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional four post rack.
100091 Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a system according to
the invention
for attachment to the rack of Figure 1.
[00101 Figure 3 is a perspective view of a right gable in the system of
Figure 2, the left
gable in the preferred embodiment being substantially a mirror image thereof.
[00111 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the right gable taken opposite
Figure 3.
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
-3-
100121 Figure 4A is an enlarged perspective view showing a mounting hook on
the
gable of Figure 3.
[0013] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a support beam in the system of
Figure 2.
100141 Figure 5A is an enlarged partial perspective view of the support
beam taken
from the right of Figure 5.
100151 Figure 5B is an enlarged end elevation of the support beam taken
from the left
of Figure 5.
10016] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a shelf for the system of Figure
2.
100171 Figure 7 is a side elevation of the shelf of Figure 6.
100181 Figure 8 is a perspective view of the gables affixed to the rack.
[0019] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the support beams mounted to the
gables.
[0020] Figure 10 a perspective view of the shelves mounted on the support
beams.
100211 Figure 11 is a perspective view of a product identifier shelf for
mounting over
the merchandise display shelves.
[0022] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the system of the invention
affixed to a rack
with extension gables.
[0023] Figure 13 is a perspective view of a removable puck for attachment
to the
gables for optional additional beam supports.
[0024] Figure 14 is a side elevation of the system of an embodiment of the
invention
having removable bins.
[0025] Figure 14A is an enlarged partial side elevation of the bin of
Figure 14.
[0026] Figure 15 is a perspective view of a shelf with integral beams.
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
-4-
100271 Figure 16 is a perspective view of a rack embodying the system of
the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The invention provides a system for displaying merchandise affixed
to a
conventional four post rack. The system can this be retrofitted to an existing
four post
rack or supplied with a four post rack for assembly.
100291 The present invention provides a merchandise display system for a
rack having
at least two corner posts defining a left end of the rack and two corner posts
defining a
right end of the rack, and a plurality of rack shelf support positions for
attaching a
plurality of shelves to the posts, comprising a left gable affixed to the left
end of the rack
and a right gable affixed to the right end of the rack, the left and right
gables providing a
plurality of associated pairs of front and rear display surface supports, each
pair of
display surface supports on the left gable being at substantially the same
height and depth
position as the associated pair of display surface supports on the right
gable, such that
when the gables are affixed to the rack at least some of the display surface
supports are in
positions different than the rack shelf support positions, and a plurality of
merchandise
supports mounted to the associated pairs of display surface supports, for
supporting the
merchandise.
100301 The present invention further provides a merchandise display system
comprising a rack having at least two corner posts defining a left end of the
rack and two
corner posts defining a right end of the rack, and a plurality of rack shelf
support
positions for attaching a plurality of shelves to the posts, a left gable
affixed to the left
end of the rack and a right gable affixed to the right end of the rack, the
left and right
gables providing a plurality of associated pairs of front and rear display
surface supports,
each pair of display surface supports on the left gable being at substantially
the same
height and depth position as the associated pair of display surface supports
on the right
gable, such that when the gables are affixed to the rack at least some of the
display
surface supports are in positions different than the rack shelf support
positions, and a
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
- 5 -
plurality of merchandise supports mounted to the associated pairs of display
surface
supports, for supporting the merchandise.
10031] The invention further provides a kit of parts for assembling a
merchandise
display system, comprising kit of parts for assembling a merchandise display
system,
comprising: a left gable for affixing to the left end of the rack and a right
gable for
affixing to the right end of the rack, the left and right gables providing a
plurality of
associated pairs of front and rear display surface supports, each pair of
display surface
supports on the left gable being at substantially the same height and depth
position as the
associated pair of display surface supports on the right gable, such that when
the gables
are affixed to the rack at least some of the display surface supports are in
positions
different than the rack shelf support positions, a plurality of merchandise
supports for
mounting to the associated pairs of display surface supports, for supporting
the
merchandise.
[00321 A prior art rack 10 to which the invention may be advantageously
applied is
illustrated in Figure 1, by way of non-limiting example. The rack 10 comprises
at least
two corner posts 12 defining a left end 10a of the rack and two corner posts
defining a
right end 10b of the rack. Each post 12 provides a plurality of rack shelf
support
positions, for example at 12' as illustrated, for attaching a plurality of
shelves (not
shown) to the posts 12, for example by bolts as is conventional. The posts 12
within each
end 10a, 10b may be joined by struts 14 for additional strength, and the ends
10a, 10b
may be joined together, for example by top rails 16 which are at a level above
the
merchandise so as not to interfere with the display or storage of merchandise
on the
shelves.
100331 An embodiment of a merchandise display system according to the
invention, for
attachment to a four post rack such as that illustrated in Figure 1, is
illustrated in Figure 2
(it will be noted that merchandise supporting shelves 50, illustrated in
Figure 6, have
been omitted from Figure 2 for clarity). The system according to the invention
comprises
a left gable 22a for affixing to the left end 10a of the rack 10 and a right
gable 22b for
affixing to the right end 10b of the rack 10. The gables 22a, 22b are formed
from a
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
- 6 -
sturdy, rigid material suitable for the maximum load that the shelves will
carry in use, for
example 11 gauge steel for heavy-duty applications such as hardware.
100341 Each gable 22a, 22b provides a plurality of associated pairs of
front and rear
display surface supports 24. As the left and right gables 22a, 22b are
substantially mirror
images of one another, the left gable 22a provides one of each pair of display
surface
supports 24 at substantially the same height and depth position as the gable
display
surface support 24 of the associated pair on the right gable 22b. For example,
as shown in
Figure 3, display surface supports 24a and 24b form a pair of display surface
supports 24
on the right gable 22b. The left gable 22a is substantially a mirror image of
the right
gable 22b, and thus provides an associated pair of display surface supports 24
for
supporting one or more merchandise supporting structures in a laterally
horizontal
orientation.
100351 The display surface supports 24 may for example be formed from 3/16"
steel
brackets, embedded in complementary slots 24a (best seen in gable 22b in
Figure 2)
stamped through the gables 22a and 22b and welded to the gables 22a, 22b at
the
appropriate positions, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, or otherwise suitably
affixed to the
gables 22a, 22b.
100361 The gables 22a, 22b are preferably mounted to the respective ends
10a, 10b of
the rack 10 by bolts, and are provided with openings in suitable positions for
this
purpose, distributed about the periphery of the gable 22a or 22b and
preferably in
alignment with rack shelf support positions on the posts 12. To facilitate
mounting the
gables 22a, 22b to the rack 10, a plurality of hook lances 28 (shown in detail
in Figure 4a)
may be punched out of a flange 26 disposed along the edge of each gable 22a,
22b. The
hook lances 28 are positioned such that when the gable 22a or 22b is placed
against the
rack for mounting, the flange 26 abuts the front face of the post 12, as can
be seen in
Figure 8, with the hook lances 28 in alignment with a series of slots disposed
in the front
face of the post 12. The gable 22a or 22b can then be hung on the front post
12 of the
respective end 10a or 10b of the rack 10, the hook lances 28 engaging the
slots in the post
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
-7-
12 to suspend the gable 22a or 22b in position while the installer bolts the
gable 22a or
22b to the rack 10.
[0037] Figure 8 illustrates the gables 22a, 22b affixed to the rack 10,
from which it can
be seen that when the gables 22a, 22b are affixed to the rack at least some of
the
associated pairs of display surface supports 24 are in positions different
than the rack
shelf support positions on the posts 12. In particular, the gables 22a, 22b
permit the
display surface supports 24 to be located at any intermediate position along
the depth
(front-to-back dimension) of the rack 10. This provides a number of
advantages,
including allowing for the support of shelves having disparate depths.
Moreover, as
shown in the embodiment illustrated, this allows at least some display surface
supports 24
to be disposed at different depth positions on the gable 22a or 22b; in this
fashion, even
where the merchandise supports all have the same depth dimension the front
edges of the
shelves increasingly recede toward the rear of the rack 10 as the height of
the shelf
increases. As can be seen in the assembled system illustrated in Figure 10,
this results in
increased visibility of the merchandise on each shelf to a customer standing
in front of
the rack 10 when viewing shelves that are disposed below eye level.
[0038] It will also be apparent that the front gable support 24a may be
disposed at a
lower level than the rear gable support 24b, as shown, so that the merchandise
supports,
described below, are tilted downwardly toward the front of the rack 10. This
also
improves visibility of the merchandise on each shelf to a customer standing in
front of the
rack 10, as illustrated in Figure 10.
100391 A plurality of merchandise supports are mounted to the associated
pairs of
display surface supports 24. In the embodiment shown the merchandise supports
comprise beams 40 supporting separate shelves 50, which in turn may support
bins 70.
However, the merchandise supports may comprise any combination of beams,
shelves
and bins supported by the display surface supports. Depending on the size and
type of
merchandise, particularly in the case of large items of merchandise, the
merchandise
supports may comprise only beams 40, providing a two-point support for each
large item,
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
- 8 -
and in this embodiment bins 70 or other suitable containers may be removably
mounted
to the beams 40 to hold the merchandise.
100401 The merchandise supports may thus comprise beams 40, shelves 50,
bins 70, or
any combination thereof For example, in the embodiment illustrated the
merchandise
supports comprise shelves 50 mounted on top of beams 40. However, it is also
possible to
form shelves 100 with integrated structures 102 that are supported on the
gable supports
24, eliminating the need for separate beams 40, as illustrated in Figure 15.
An advantage
to using beams 40 as support for separate shelves 50 is that identical beams
40 can be
easily manufactured, thus allowing the shelves to be of different types, for
example solid,
grill or screen configurations, to suit different types of merchandise.
However, the
invention includes embodiments in which the shelves are designed to be
supported by the
display surface supports 24.
100411 The invention further includes embodiments in which beams 40 are the
sole
merchandise supports, and in these embodiments the beams may be configured to
retain
merchandise, for example by providing an upstanding front lip to prevent
merchandise
from slipping forwardly off the supports. This embodiment may for example be
useful
where the merchandise consists of large boxes or crates, or other articles
that easily span
the distance between the front and rear display surface supports 24a, 24b.
100421 In the embodiment illustrated steel support beams 40 (illustrated in
Figures 5
and 5a) for mounting on associated pairs of display surface supports 24 each
comprise a
main body 42, which for example may for example be a steel tube having a
generally
rectangular cross-section. In the embodiment illustrated an upstanding shelf
retaining lip
44 is formed along one longitudinal edge of the top surface of the main body
42, to
restrain a shelf 50 against transverse movement when mounted. One face of the
beam 40
may provide a downwardly extending bin retaining lip 48, for reasons which are
described below, provided at each end with a notch 46 having a width
substantially equal
to the depth of the gable display surface support 24, which allows the ends of
the beam
40 to seat in display surface supports 24 with the bin retaining lip 48
extending between
the display surface supports 24.
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
-9-
100431 The beams 40 are thus mounted between the gables 22a, 22b, as shown
in
Figure 9. As noted above, the beams so installed can serve as merchandise
supports
without any additional structure, so long as the merchandise spans the
distance between
associated pairs of front and rear beams 40a, 40b. However, for greater
versatility the
merchandise supports further comprise shelves 50 mounted on each associated
pair of
front and rear support beams 40a, 40b. One suitable shelf 50, by way of non-
limiting
example, is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. The shelf is dimensioned to extend
substantially completely between the gables (although shorter shelf lengths
are possible
when the shelf 50 is mounted on beams 40).
[00441 The shelf 50 comprises a merchandise supporting surface 52, in the
embodiment
shown formed from a suitably strong steel grill or screen structure, however
the
merchandise supporting surface 52 may be composed of any suitable material,
solid or
otherwise. Welded or otherwise suitably affixed to the merchandise supporting
surface 52
is an optional rear merchandise retaining lip 56 extending upwardly for
preventing
merchandise from falling off the back of the shelf 50. The shelf 50 seats on
the beams 40
between the shelf retaining lips 44 of associated beams 40, as shown in Figure
10.
[00451 It can be seen from Figure 10 that in the embodiment illustrated
front beams 40a
and rear beam 40b within each associated pair of support beams 40 are disposed
at
different vertical levels, such that the merchandise supports are disposed at
a downward
incline toward the front of the rack 10, so that the shelves 50 tilt
downwardly toward the
front of the rack, increasing visibility to the customer. In this embodiment
the display
surface supports 24 are disposed at different depth positions on the gable 22a
and 22b
such that front edges of the mounted shelves 50 increasingly recede toward a
rear of the
rack 10 relative to lower shelves 50.
100461 Depending upon the type of merchandise, the merchandise supports may
further
comprise containers, for example bins 70, for mounting on the shelves 50, as
shown in
Figure 10. The bins 70 could alternatively be mounted directly on the beams
40.
However, for maximum versatility bins 70 are mounted on the shelves 50. In
some
embodiments the bins 70 are provided with notches 72 which are releasably
engaged by
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
- 10 -
the bin retaining lip 58 when the bin 70 is pulled out by a customer to view
its contents,
and can be maintained in that position while the customer is using the bin 70,
as in the
case of the bin 70' illustrated in Figure 10. This also has the advantage of
reducing the
labour cost of refilling the bins, which are readily accessible to store
personnel when
supported in the extended position of bin 70'.
[0047] In use, the gables 22a, 22b are hung from the posts 12 and securely
bolted to the
posts 12 as described above. In the embodiment illustrated beams 40 are then
mounted to
associated pairs of display surface supports 24, the shelf retaining lip 44 of
the front beam
40 being oriented toward the front of the rack 10 and the shelf retaining lip
44 of the rear
beam 40 being oriented toward the rear of the rack 10. The shelves 50 are
seated on the
beam bodies 42 and retained between the shelf retaining lips 44, and
optionally bolted or
otherwise affixed to the beams 40. Merchandise and/or bins 70 containing
merchandise
can then be placed on the shelves 50 for display. An example of the system of
the
invention assembled to a four post rack is illustrated in Figure 16, it being
appreciated
that some components illustrated therein are optional.
100481 The gables 22a, 22b may be formed to any desired height, depending
upon the
needs of the retailer. In some embodiments the gables 22a, 22b may be custom-
formed.
In other embodiments the gables 22a, 22b my be pre-formed to a standard
height, and
secondary gables 22c, 22d of any desired height may be mounted over the gables
22a,
22b, as shown in Figure 12. A tab 23 projecting from the bottom edge of each
secondary
gable 22c, 22d prevents lateral separation between the top edges of gables
22a, 22b and
the bottom edges of gables 22c, 22d, respectively. Interior faces of the
secondary gables
22c, 22d can be imprinted or overlaid with advertising or instructional
indicia. In the
embodiment illustrated the display surface supports 24 on the secondary gables
22c, 22d
are disposed directly above the highest pair of display surface supports 24 on
the gables
22a, 22b, since these shelves are above eye level and there is therefore no
advantage to
continuing the 'waterfall' configuration of the receding shelves in the gables
22a, 22b
below.
CA 02868584 2014-10-22
- 11 -
[00491 In some embodiments, at least one associated pair of beam supports
24 is
removably affixed to one or more gables 22a, 22b or 22c, 22d. For example, as
illustrated
in Figure 13 a puck 60 is provided with a base plate 61 having a projecting
gable
merchandise support 62. The gable merchandise support 62 is configures to
extend
through complementary slot 64 in the secondary gable 22d, and the base plate
is then
fastened to the secondary gable 22d by bolts or in any other suitable fashion
if a gable
merchandise support is desired at that position. Otherwise the gable
merchandise support
62 is omitted, avoiding the unsightly (and potentially interfering projection
where not
beam 40 or shelf 50 is mounted. This would facilitate, for example, mounting a
backboard imprinted with advertising or instructional indicia (not shown)
between beams
40b and 40c in Figure 12, or mounting lights 90 (shown in Figure 2) to the
beam 40c.
[00501 In some embodiments the top shelf, for example a "belly-beam" shelf
80 as
shown in Figure 11, may be provided for primarily aesthetic or informational
purposes.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 11 the shelf 80 comprises side panels
82 for
bolting (or otherwise affixing) the shelf 80 to the tops of the gables 22a,
22b; a top panel
84 which can optionally also serve as a merchandise support surface; and an
oblique front
panel 86 which may be imprinted or overlaid with advertising or instructional
indicia.
The belly-beam shelf 80 may rest directly on the gable brackets 24 without
requiring
beams 40 for support.
[00511 Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus
described in
detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
variations and
modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention
includes
all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
