U.S. patent application number 09/833127 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-17 for merchandise display tray with spring-loaded pusher plate.
Invention is credited to Marihugh, Daniel W..
Application Number | 20020148794 09/833127 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25263504 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020148794 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Marihugh, Daniel W. |
October 17, 2002 |
Merchandise display tray with spring-loaded pusher plate
Abstract
An apparatus for displaying a plurality of merchandise packages
is provided. The apparatus comprises a substantially horizontal
lower surface, a substantially vertical front plate portion
connected to the lower surface, and a substantially vertical rear
plate portion connected to the lower surface. The front plate
portion has at least one dimension substantially smaller than a
corresponding dimension of each merchandise package. A
substantially vertical pusher plate is slidably mounted to the
lower surface and a resilient member attached to the tray, the
resilient member being adapted to urge the pusher surface toward
the front plate portion.
Inventors: |
Marihugh, Daniel W.;
(Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARSHALL, GERSTEIN & BORUN
6300 SEARS TOWER
233 SOUTH WACKER
CHICAGO
IL
60606-6357
US
|
Family ID: |
25263504 |
Appl. No.: |
09/833127 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/59.3 ;
211/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 1/126 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/59.3 ;
211/51 |
International
Class: |
A47F 001/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for displaying a plurality of merchandise packages,
the apparatus comprising: a substantially horizontal lower surface;
a substantially vertical front plate portion connected to the lower
surface, the front plate portion having at least one dimension
substantially smaller than a corresponding dimension of each
merchandise package; a substantially vertical rear plate portion
connected to the lower surface; a substantially vertical pusher
plate slidably mounted to the lower surface; and a resilient member
adapted to urge the pusher plate toward the front plate
portion.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, each merchandise package has
a first width, and the front plate portion has a second width
substantially smaller than the first width.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front plate portion is
integrally connected to the lower surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rear plate portion is
integrally connected to the lower surface.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rear plate portion
includes a stairstep-shaped region adapted to fit within a
horizontal channel in a substantially vertical wall surface.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resilient member is a coil
spring.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resilient member includes
a hooked end attached to the forward plate portion and a coiled
portion disposed between the pusher plate and the rear plate
portion.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the forward plate portion
includes a slot, and the hooked end of the resilient member engages
the slot.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each merchandise package has a
first height, and the front plate portion has a second height
substantially smaller than the first height.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the forward plate portion
includes an upper, substantially horizontal, flange extending
toward the rear plate portion.
11. An apparatus for displaying a plurality of merchandise
packages, the apparatus comprising: a fixed tray portion, the fixed
tray portion including a substantially horizontal lower surface, a
substantially vertical front plate portion connected to the lower
surface, the front plate portion having at least one dimension
substantially smaller than a corresponding dimension of each
merchandise package, and a substantially vertical rear plate
portion connected to the lower surface; a substantially vertical
pusher plate slidably mounted to the lower surface; and a resilient
member adapted to urge the pusher plate toward the front plate
portion.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, each merchandise package
has a first width, and the front plate portion has a second width
substantially smaller than the first width.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rear plate portion
includes a stair step-shaped region adapted to fit within a
horizontal channel in a substantially vertical wall surface.
14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the resilient member is a
coil spring.
15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the resilient member
includes a hooked end attached to the forward plate portion and a
coiled portion disposed between the pusher plate and the rear plate
portion.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the forward plate portion
includes a slot, and the hooked end of the resilient member engages
the slot.
17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each merchandise package has
a first height, and the front plate portion has a second height
substantially smaller than the first height.
18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the forward plate portion
includes an upper, substantially horizontal, flange extending
toward the rear plate portion.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for
holding and displaying merchandise packages, such as, for example,
packages containing compact discs for audio, video discs (e.g.,
DVD's), software discs, or video game discs (e.g., video game discs
for use with Sega Dreamcast.RTM., Nintendo 64.RTM., Sony
Playstation.RTM., or Sony Playstation 2.RTM. brand video game
systems). More specifically, the present invention relates to a
spring-loaded apparatus for holding and displaying merchandise
packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Optical discs have proven to be an enduring and popular
medium for storing large amounts of information for use by
consumers, in the audio, video, computer software, and video game
industries. Optical discs, although typically uniformly sized at
about 4.6875 inches (about 11.91 cm) in diameter, are marketed and
packaged using a variety of configurations, such as, for example,
plastic "jewel box" cases, in cardboard packaging (such as in
simple cardboard sleeves), in a combination of plastic and
cardboard packaging, or plastic jewel box cases or cardboard
sleeves that are in turn packaged within an outer cardboard box.
Jewel box cases typically have the following dimensions: a
thickness of about 0.41 inches (1.032 cm); a height of about 4.9
inches (12.46 cm); and a width of about 5.6 inches (14.21 cm).
However, the dimensions of the other packaging configurations can
vary considerably from one another, and from the jewel box
dimensions.
[0003] Oftentimes, retailers display merchandise in relatively
small packages, such as, for example, optical discs contained in
jewel boxes, on a simple shelf, similar to a bookshelf, or in
tabletop bins having dividers spaced horizontally by slightly more
than the height of a standard jewel box case, with the jewel boxes
arranged vertically within the bins or shelves, so that only the
side edge of the jewel boxes (with the respective titles of the
optical disc products marked thereon) are visible to the
consumer.
[0004] Consequently, many display systems that are currently
employed by retailers are unsatisfactory for adapting to varying
packaging sizes used for optical discs, as well as for ensuring
that information, such as ratings for video games appearing on the
front surface of the optical disc packaging, is readily visible to
the consumer in a retail setting.
[0005] Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus that is capable
of displaying a variety of different sized packaging for
merchandise such as, for example, optical discs, and that ensures
that important information in addition to title information (such
as content rating information) is readily visible to the
consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] The present invention satisfies the aforementioned need by
providing a display apparatus that is capable of holding a variety
of packaging sizes and configurations for merchandise, such as, for
example, optical discs, and which provides visibility of most of
the front surface of the merchandise packaging.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus
for displaying a plurality of merchandise packages is provided. The
apparatus comprises a substantially horizontal lower surface, a
substantially vertical front plate portion connected to the lower
surface, a substantially vertical rear plate portion connected to
the lower surface, and a substantially vertical pusher plate
slidably mounted to the lower surface. The front plate portion has
at least one dimension substantially smaller than a corresponding
dimension of each merchandise package. The apparatus also includes
a resilient member, such as, for example, a coil spring, adapted to
urge the pusher plate toward the front plate portion.
[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
front plate portion has a width and/or height substantially smaller
than the respective width and/or height of a typical optical disc
package. The front plate portion and the rear plate portion may be
integrally connected to the lower surface. The rear plate portion
may include a stair step-shaped region adapted to fit within a
horizontal channel in a substantially vertical wall surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] For a more complete understanding of the disclosed
apparatus, reference should now be made to the embodiments
illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings
wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display tray apparatus
configured in accordance with the invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the display tray
apparatus containing a plurality of merchandise packages, showing
the apparatus suspended from a wall structure;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base portion, front plate
portion, and rear plate portion of the display tray apparatus;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an pusher plate of the
display tray apparatus;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a coil spring of the
display tray apparatus;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the display tray apparatus; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is a front view of the display tray apparatus, also
depicting a forward most merchandise package contained by the
display tray apparatus.
[0017] It should be understood that the drawings are not
necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes
illustrated using phantom lines and fragmentary views. In certain
instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of
the disclosed apparatus or which render other details difficult to
perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course,
that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the
particular embodiments illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a display tray apparatus,
generally indicated at 20, includes a generally vertical rear plate
portion 22, attached to a generally horizontal base portion 24 at a
rearward end 26 of the base portion 24. A generally vertical
forward plate portion 28 is attached to a forward end 30 of the
base portion 24. The base portion 24 includes an elongated slot 32
that extends from the rearward end 26 of the base portion 24 to a
forward slot edge 34 near the forward end 30 of the base portion
24. The rear plate portion 22, the base portion 24, and the forward
plate portion 28 together form a fixed tray portion 33, shown in
isolation in FIG. 3.
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a generally vertical
pusher plate 36 is slidably mounted to the base portion 24 within
the longitudinal slot 32. The pusher plate 36 includes a
channel-shaped mounting portion, generally indicated at 38, having
a pair of rearward extending flanges 40 and 42, each having a
forward jaw opening 44 and a rearward jaw opening 46. The pusher
plate 36 is secured within the longitudinal slot 32 by means of
four roller pins: a lower rearward roller pin 48; a lower forward
roller pin 50; an upper rearward roller pin 52; and an upper
forward roller pin 54 (best seen in FIG. 2). The upper forward
roller pin 54 and the upper rearward roller pin 52 are each
disposed in the forward jaw opening 44 and the rearward jaw opening
46, respectively and are disposed above the base portion 24. The
lower rearward roller pin 48 and the lower forward roller pin 50
are disposed within the rearward jaw opening 46, and the forward
jaw opening 44, respectively, and are disposed below the base
portion 24. Each roller pin, 48, 50, 52, and 54, includes two
circumferential groves (not shown) adapted to mate with the flanges
40 and 42.
[0020] A coil spring 56 includes a coiled portion 57 that is
disposed between the flanges 40 and 42 of the pusher plate 36 and
includes a hooked end 58 that engages a slot 60 disposed in a
central portion of the forward plate portion 28 along the forward
end 30 of the base portion 24. The coil spring 56 is threaded
between the upper roller pins 52, 54 and the lower roller pins 48
and 50 and urges the pusher plate 36 toward the forward plate
portion 28. The coil spring 56 is shown in isolation in FIG. 5.
[0021] With reference again to FIG. 2, the rear plate portion 22
includes a stair step-shaped region 62 that is shaped so as to fit
snugly within a horizontal channel 64 in a vertical wall surface
66, to enable the display tray apparatus 20 to hang from the wall
surface 66. Merchandise packages 67 are supported by the horizontal
plage portion 24 and held between the pusher plate 36 and the
forward plate portion 28 due to the tension of the coil spring
56.
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 6, a horizontal flange
68 extends from the forward plate portion 28 in a rearward
direction (toward the rear plate portion 22). The horizontal flange
68 serves to maintain the merchandise packages 67 in a slightly
rearwardly angled position, as shown in FIG. 2, to thereby prevent
the merchandise packages 67 from tending to flip over the forward
plate portion 28. A transparent plastic clip 70 may be mounted to
the forward plate portion 28 using adhesive (not shown) or any
other suitable fastening means. The plastic clip 70 may be used to
hold product information and/or price information cards (not
shown).
[0023] As best seen in FIG. 7, the forward plate portion 28 has a
height and width substantially less than the height and width of
the merchandise packages 67. Accordingly, information that may be
printed on the merchandise packages 67, such as, for example,
rating information 72, is readily visible when the merchandise
packages 67 are contained in the display tray apparatus 20.
[0024] Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the
invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of
the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be
construed as illustrative only is not to be limiting of the
invention. For example, the roller pins can each have a smaller
diameter, and plastic roller tubes (not shown) could be press-fit,
adhesively bonded, or otherwise attached to the each end of each
roller pin. (This would eliminate the need for any circumferential
grooves in the roller pins.) Thus, the details herein given may be
varied substantially without departing from the spirit and scope of
the present invention. Accordingly, the exclusive use of all
modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims is
reserved.
* * * * *