U.S. patent application number 10/848531 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-17 for wall mountable display racks, hangers, and associated display methods.
Invention is credited to McGarry, Matthew.
Application Number | 20050035074 10/848531 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34139577 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050035074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McGarry, Matthew |
February 17, 2005 |
Wall mountable display racks, hangers, and associated display
methods
Abstract
A rack assembly for holding articles for display on an
upstanding mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting slots
includes an elongate rack. In position, the elongate rack projects
outwardly a distance from the mounting wall or panel to reside in a
substantially horizontal orientation. The elongate rack is
configured to releaseably engage with at least one of the mounting
slots. An elongate hanger is suspended from the rack and has a
plurality of slot patterns therein. The elongate hanger resides in
a substantially vertical orientation. A plurality of discrete, soft
fabric articles are held by the slot patterns of the hanger.
Inventors: |
McGarry, Matthew;
(Charlotte, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MYERS BIGEL SIBLEY & SAJOVEC
PO BOX 37428
RALEIGH
NC
27627
US
|
Family ID: |
34139577 |
Appl. No.: |
10/848531 |
Filed: |
May 18, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60491511 |
Jul 31, 2003 |
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60471664 |
May 19, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/87.01 ;
211/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 5/0884 20130101;
A47F 5/0838 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/087.01 ;
211/103 |
International
Class: |
A47F 005/08 |
Claims
That which is claimed is:
1. A wall-mountable rack assembly for holding articles for display
on an upstanding mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting
slots, the rack assembly comprising: an elongate rack, wherein, in
position, the elongate rack projects outwardly a distance from the
mounting wall or panel to reside in a substantially horizontal
orientation, and wherein the elongate rack is configured to
releaseably engage with at least one of the mounting slots; an
elongate hanger suspended from the rack and having a plurality of
slot patterns therein, the elongate hanger residing in a
substantially vertical orientation; and a plurality of discrete,
soft fabric articles held by the slot patterns of the hanger.
2. A rack assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an
elongate frame suspended from the rack, the frame sized and
configured to receive the hanger.
3. A rack assembly according to claim 2, wherein the frame further
comprises an interior grooved perimeter configured to slideably
receive the hanger.
4. A rack assembly according to claim 2, wherein the frame
comprises two substantially parallel elongate vertical portions and
a substantially horizontal lower end portion, wherein the elongate
vertical portions are, in position, each suspended from the
rack.
5. A rack assembly according to claim 4, wherein the frame
comprises an open uppermost portion and wherein the hanger is
slideably received into the frame through the uppermost
portion.
6. A rack assembly according to claim 2, wherein the frame further
comprises at least one upwardly extending fastener configured to
mount to the rack to suspend the frame from the rack.
7. A rack assembly according to claim 6, wherein the rack further
comprises a mating downwardly extending fastener configured to
engage the frame fastener.
8. A rack assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an
elongate second rack, wherein, in position, the second rack
projects outwardly a distance from the mounting wall or panel to
reside in a substantially horizontal orientation substantially
parallel to and beneath the first rack, and wherein the second rack
is configured to releaseably engage with the mounting wall or
panel, the second rack comprising a support end that releasably
engages a side portion of the hanger.
9. A rack assembly according to claim 4, further comprising an
elongate second rack, wherein, in position, the second rack
projects outwardly a distance from the mounting wall or panel to
reside in a substantially horizontal orientation substantially
parallel to the first rack, and wherein the second rack is
configured to releaseably engage with another mounting slot, the
second rack comprising a support end that releasably engages a
medial vertical portion of the frame.
10. A rack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hanger is a
unitary member.
11. A rack assembly according to claim 2, wherein the hanger
comprises a plurality of vertically stacked discrete members
received in the frame.
12. A rack assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a
fastener member attached to the rack, the fastener members being
configured to releaseably mount the rack to a slot in the
upstanding support wall or panel.
13. A rack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of
slot patterns includes at least 10 patterns.
14. A rack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hanger is
substantially planar.
15. A rack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hanger is
formed of a thermoplastic material.
16. A rack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hanger is
translucent and/or transparent.
17. A wall-mountable rack assembly for holding articles for display
on an upstanding mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting
slots, the rack assembly comprising: an elongate rack, wherein, in
position, the elongate rack projects outwardly a distance from the
mounting wall or panel to reside in a substantially horizontal
orientation, and wherein the elongate rack is configured to
releaseably engage with at least one of the mounting slots; an
elongate frame suspended from the rack; an elongate hanger
suspended from the rack and received in the elongate frame, the
elongate hanger residing in a substantially vertical orientation;
and a plurality of articles held by the hanger.
18. A rack assembly according to claim 17, wherein the frame
further comprises an interior grooved perimeter configured to
slideably receive the hanger.
19. A rack assembly according to claim 17, wherein the frame
comprises two substantially parallel elongate vertical portions and
a substantially horizontal lower end portion, wherein the elongate
vertical portions are, in position, each suspended from the
rack.
20. A rack assembly according to claim 19, wherein the frame
comprises an open uppermost portion and wherein the hanger is
slideably received into the frame through the open uppermost
portion.
21. A rack assembly according to claim 17, wherein the frame
further comprises at least one upwardly extending fastener
configured to mount to the rack to suspend the frame from the
rack.
22. A rack assembly according to claim 21, wherein the rack further
comprises a mating downwardly extending fastener configured to
engage the frame fastener.
23. A rack assembly according to claim 17, further comprising an
elongate second rack, wherein, in position, the second rack
projects outwardly a distance from the mounting wall or panel to
reside in a substantially horizontal orientation substantially
parallel to and beneath the first rack, and wherein the second rack
is configured to releaseably engage with the mounting wall or
panel, the second rack comprising a support end that releasably
engages a side portion of the frame.
24. A rack assembly according to claim 17, wherein the hanger is a
unitary member.
25. A rack assembly according to claim 17, wherein the hanger
comprises a plurality of vertically stacked discrete members
received in the frame.
26. A rack assembly according to claim 17, further comprising a
fastener member attached to the rack, the fastener members being
configured to releaseably mount the rack to a slot in the
upstanding support wall or panel.
27. A rack assembly according to claim 17, wherein the hanger
further comprises a plurality of slot patterns configured to
receive and hold the plurality of articles.
28. A display system comprising: a wall-mountable rack assembly for
holding articles for display on an upstanding mounting wall or
panel having one or more slots, the rack assembly comprising: an
elongate rack, wherein, in position, the elongate rack projects
outwardly a distance from the mounting wall or panel to reside in a
substantially horizontal orientation, and wherein the elongate rack
is configured to releaseably engage with at least one of the
mounting slots; an elongate hanger suspended from the rack and
having a plurality of slot patterns therein, the elongate hanger
residing in a substantially vertical orientation; and a plurality
of discrete, soft fabric articles held by the slot patterns of the
hanger; and a storage unit adjacent the rack assembly, wherein the
hanger extends outwardly a distance beyond from the storage
unit.
29. A method of displaying articles, comprising: positioning a
wall-mountable rack assembly for holding articles for display on an
upstanding mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting
slots; attaching an elongate rack to a mounting wall or panel so
that the elongate rack projects outwardly a distance from the
mounting wall or panel to reside in a substantially horizontal
orientation; suspending an elongate hanger from the rack so that
the elongate hanger resides in a substantially vertical
orientation, wherein the hanger has a plurality of slot patterns
therein; and attaching a plurality of discrete, soft fabric
articles in the slot patterns of the hanger.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the articles are window
covering samples.
31. The method of claim 29, further comprising placing the wall
mountable rack adjacent a storage unit so that the hanger extends
outwardly a distance beyond the storage unit.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 60/491,511, filed Jul. 31, 2003, and
60/471,664, filed May 19, 2003, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to devices and systems for
displaying goods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Consumer goods or samples are often displayed on shelves or
floor-mounted racks in stores for customer viewing. Such displays
may be cumbersome to install and/or modify and aesthetic display
choices may be limited. Moreover, it may be difficult for a
consumer to locate a retail product near a sample display.
SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments according to the present invention provide a
rack assembly for holding articles for display on an upstanding
mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting slots. The rack
assembly includes an elongate rack such that, in position, the
elongate rack projects outwardly a distance from the mounting wall
or panel to reside in a substantially horizontal orientation. The
elongate rack is configured to releaseably engage with at least one
of the mounting slots. An elongate hanger is suspended from the
rack and has a plurality of slot patterns therein. The elongate
hanger resides in a substantially vertical orientation. A plurality
of discrete, soft fabric articles are held by the slot patterns of
the hanger.
[0005] In some embodiments, the rack assembly includes an elongate
frame suspended from the rack that is sized and configured to
receive the hanger. The frame can include an interior grooved
perimeter configured to slideably receive the hanger. The frame can
include two substantially parallel elongate vertical portions and a
substantially horizontal lower end portion. The elongate vertical
portions may be each suspended from the rack. The frame can include
an open uppermost portion and wherein the hanger is slideably
received into the frame through the uppermost portion. The frame
can include at least one upwardly extending fastener configured to
mount to the rack to suspend the frame from the rack. The rack can
include a mating downwardly extending fastener configured to engage
the frame fastener. In certain embodiments, the rack assembly
includes an elongate second rack so that, in position, the second
rack projects outwardly a distance from the mounting wall or panel
to reside in a substantially horizontal orientation substantially
parallel to the first rack. The second rack is configured to
releaseably engage with another mounting slot and includes a
support end that releasably engages a medial vertical portion of
the frame.
[0006] In particular embodiments, an elongate second rack is
provided so that, in position, the second rack projects outwardly a
distance from the mounting wall or panel to reside in a
substantially horizontal orientation substantially parallel to and
beneath the first rack. The second rack is configured to
releaseably engage with the mounting wall or panel and includes a
support end that releasably engages a side portion of the
hanger.
[0007] In some embodiments, the hanger is a unitary member. In
other embodiments, the rack assembly includes a frame and the
hanger comprises a plurality of vertically stacked discrete members
received in the frame. The hanger may be substantially planar, the
hanger can be formed of a thermoplastic material, and/or the hanger
may be translucent and/or transparent.
[0008] According to further embodiments of the present invention, a
wall-mountable rack assembly for holding articles for display on an
upstanding mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting slots
is provided. The rack assembly includes an elongate rack such that,
in position, the elongate rack projects outwardly a distance from
the mounting wall or panel to reside in a substantially horizontal
orientation. The elongate rack is configured to releaseably engage
with at least one of the mounting slots. An elongate frame is
suspended from the rack. An elongate hanger is suspended from the
rack and received in the elongate frame. The elongate hanger
resides in a substantially vertical orientation. A plurality of
articles are held by the hanger.
[0009] In particular embodiments, the frame includes an interior
grooved perimeter configured to slideably receive the hanger. The
frame can include two substantially parallel elongate vertical
portions and a substantially horizontal lower end portion, so that
the elongate vertical portions are, in position, each suspended
from the rack. The frame can include an open uppermost portion so
that the hanger is slideably received into the frame through the
open uppermost portion.
[0010] According to still further embodiments of the present
invention, a display system is provided. A wall-mountable rack
assembly for holding articles for display on an upstanding mounting
wall or panel having one or more slots is provided. The rack
assembly can be configured as described above. A storage unit is
adjacent the rack assembly so that the hanger of the rack assembly
extends outwardly a distance beyond from the storage unit.
[0011] According to further embodiments of the present invention,
methods of displaying articles include positioning a wall-mountable
rack assembly for holding articles for display on an upstanding
mounting wall or panel having one or more mounting slots. An
elongate rack is attached to a mounting wall or panel so that the
elongate rack projects outwardly a distance from the mounting wall
or panel to reside in a substantially horizontal orientation. An
elongate hanger is suspended from the rack so that the elongate
hanger resides in a substantially vertical orientation. The hanger
has a plurality of slot patterns therein. A plurality of discrete,
soft fabric articles are attached in the slot patterns of the
hanger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view of a wall mountable display rack
assembly according to embodiments of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a display system employing
the display rack assembly shown in FIG. 1 in use next to a storage
unit.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view of the display system as shown in FIG.
2.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a front view of a hanger assembly according to
embodiments of the present invention.
[0016] FIGS. 5A-5C are front views of various hanger configurations
according to embodiments of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6A is an exploded front view of a portion of the rack
assembly of FIG. 1 showing a lower rack according to embodiments of
the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 6B is an exploded view of the portion of the lower rack
of FIG. 6A rotated ninety degrees along a horizontal axis.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a front view of an upper rack according to
embodiments of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a side view of a display system according to
embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The present invention will now be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which
preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention
may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like
numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the drawings, layers,
regions, or components may be exaggerated for clarity. As used
herein, "connect" or "connectable" means that the referenced
elements are either directly or indirectly connected, i.e., that
the referenced elements may be attached either to each other or by
way of one or more common intermediate elements. It will be
understood that when an element is referred to as "on" or
"suspended" by another element, it can be directly on or suspended
by the other element or intervening elements may also be present.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being
"adjacent" another element, it can be immediately adjacent the
other element or spaced apart from but in proximity to the other
element.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 1, a wall-mountable rack assembly 100
according to embodiments of the invention is shown therein. The
rack assembly 100 includes an upper rack 20, a lower rack 22, and a
hanger assembly 10 that is configured to hold multiple articles 12
for display. As used herein, a "rack" refers to a framework or
stand on which to hold or hang various objects. The hanger assembly
10 includes a frame 45 that is configured to receive hangers 41. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the hangers 41 are suspended from the upper
rack 20 and held by the frame 45. However, in some embodiments, the
frame 45 may be omitted, and the hangers 41 may be suspended
directly or indirectly from the rack 20, for example, using
integral hooks or other fasteners.
[0023] The frame 45 defines an interior perimeter for receiving the
hangers 41 and has two substantially parallel elongate vertical
frame portions 44 each having a hook 18 at one end and a
substantially horizontal lower end portion 48 extending between and
connecting the other ends of the frame portions 44. The upper rack
20 includes mating hooks 16 that are configured to engage hooks 18
to suspend the hanger assembly 10. Other hooking or attachment
mechanisms can be used, including brazing, welding, and/or
fasteners such as screws, pins, nails, clamps, or adhesives.
[0024] As shown, the hangers 41 each have three slot patterns 14
that are configured to receive the articles 12. The slot patterns
14 include laterally extending tongues 38 that extend from opposing
side portions of the hanger 41. Each article 12 is configured to
engage the tongues 38. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the article
12 has a lateral channel 42 with an opening 40 through which the
tongues 38 can be placed. As used herein, the term "slot pattern"
refers to a pattern of one or more perforations or slits. Examples
of suitable slot patterns are discussed with respect to FIGS.
5A-5C. However, any suitable slot pattern can be used. For example,
a single narrow opening (i.e., a slit) can be used to receive a
soft fabric article therein. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the articles
12 are held on a respective hanger 41 so that the articles 12 have
their fronts facing the same direction with their primary surfaces
all generally parallel to one another.
[0025] Still referring to FIG. 1, the racks 20, 22 include upper
and lower rods 24, 28, and planar mounting plates 26, 30,
respectively. The mounting plates 26, 30 are arranged in a
substantially vertical orientation and have hooks 31, 33,
respectively, which are configured to releasably engage with at
least one slot 34 in a wall or panel 32. It should be understood
that the wall or panel 32 can be any suitable support structure,
such as structural walls, walls of furniture, and stand-alone
panels. The lower rod 28 includes a support end 25 that is shaped
to receive and provide stability and/or support to the frame 45. An
expanded view of the support end 25 of the lower rod 28 is shown in
FIGS. 6A and 6B. As shown in FIG. 6B, the support end 25 has a
prong 25' that forms a C-shaped end and is configured to receive
the vertical frame portions 44. Accordingly, the lower rack 22 can
brace the hanger assembly to reduce and/or prevent motion of the
hanger assembly 10. As discussed above, the upper rack 20 includes
hooks 16 for holding the frame 45. The upper rack 20 is shown in
detail in FIG. 7.
[0026] Other rack and bracket or mounting hardware configurations
may also be used. For example, the racks 20, 22 may be configured
with hollow cores rather than mounting plates 26, 30 that are sized
and configured to receive a respective protruding channel member
(which themselves may be formed with solid or open cores) therein
(not shown). Alternatively, the mounting plates 26, 30 may be
configured with a stepped edge pattern to be received in a slot in
a wall or panel. Examples of various alternative configurations are
shown in co-owned U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/471,664,
the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
[0027] Any number of racks can be used. In some embodiments, a
single rack, such as the rack 20, is provided and a hanger is
suspended therefrom and the lower rack 22 can be omitted. In other
embodiments, an upper rack 20 and a plurality of lower racks 22 are
provided. Moreover, the lower rack 22 can be configured so that an
additional hanger and/or hanger assembly can be suspended from the
lower rack 22.
[0028] The rack assembly 100 may be particularly suitable for
displaying samples of window covering materials, including soft
drapery fabric samples. The articles 12 can be arranged on the
hanger assembly 10 so that their primary forward faces are aligned
to face the same direction. In certain embodiments, the rack
assembly 100 can be configured and sized to hold at least about 10,
typically about 20, and in certain embodiments, at least about 30
articles. Moreover, any number of hangers 41 and/or slot patterns
14 can be used. For example, a single, unitary hanger can extend
the entire length or a portion of the length of the frame.
[0029] According to some embodiments, the articles 12 are samples
of soft drapery fabrics. The term "soft drapery fabrics" refers to
fabrics that can be draped over a curtain rod or backing so that
the fabric yields to pressure or weight and may include fabrics
ranging in texture and density from fine to relatively stiff. As
will be discussed further below, the soft drapery fabric sample may
be formed with a rod pocket across its width (see, e.g., FIGS. 1
and 5A) and/or a header portion that may form an open channel.
However, the rack assembly 100 may also be useful for displaying
other home-improvement items, such as, but not limited to, other
fabric samples such as samples of bedding, sheets, tablecloths, and
towels, as well as paper (such as paint) samples, tile samples,
flooring samples, cabinet samples, paneling samples, countertop
samples, wallpaper samples, and the like.
[0030] The rack assembly 100 may also be suitable for displaying
other consumer items such as clothing or accessory items (for
example, socks, belts, and purses) as well as other articles
including toys, batteries, posters, magazines, books, packaged food
items, and the like.
[0031] In some embodiments as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in use, the
rack assembly 100 is attached to an upstanding support panel 50 on
a wall 32' by the upper and lower racks 20, 22 so that the hanger
assembly 10 is displayed along one side of a storage unit 56. The
panel 50 includes a groove 52 having slots 54 into which the upper
and lower racks 20, 22 are received and supported. Various
configurations of panels can be used for panel 50, including panels
having a channel spaced apart from the wall, such as with a
U-shaped channel, with mounting slots provided therein. The storage
unit 56 includes shelves 58 for displaying products 60 near the
articles 12 (shown in FIG. 3). In this configuration, an article 12
can be held in the slot patterns 14 and a corresponding product
placed on the shelves 58. For example, the article may be a fabric
sample for a curtain, and the corresponding retail curtain products
can be accessible from the shelves 58. In some embodiments, the
storage unit 56 can include drawers or other storage
mechanisms.
[0032] Accordingly, the rods 24, 28 project outwardly a distance
from the wall or panel 32 to reside in a substantially horizontal
orientation so that the hanger assembly is suspended in a
substantially vertical orientation. In some embodiments, the
storage unit 56 projects about 12 inches from the support wall or
panel 32 and the rack assembly 100 is configured so that the hanger
assembly 10 extends beyond the storage unit 56, e.g., the hanger
assembly 10 hangs greater than 12 inches from the support wall or
panel 32. In some embodiments, the upper rack 20 is about 23 inches
long and the frame 45 is about seven and one-quarter inches wide
and a length of about 48 inches. [Matt, please confirm
dimensions.vertline. As shown, the near edge of the hanger assembly
10 is spaced forward from the front edge of the storage unit 56 by
a distance w. In some embodiments, the hanger assembly 10 can be
immediately adjacent or closely proximate the front edge of the
storage unit 56 (i.e., w=0), or the hanger assembly 10 can overlap
the front edge of the storage unit 56.
[0033] The rack assembly 100 and mounting bracket(s) should be
configured to hold the weight of the hanger assembly 10 and the
articles 12 and hangers 41 thereon so as that the racks 20, 22 are
able to maintain the horizontal (level) orientation of the racks
20, 22 even when loaded with articles 12.
[0034] The rack assembly 100 can be adjacent the storage unit 56 as
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 so that the major surfaces of the articles
12 held by the rack assembly 100 are substantially parallel to the
sidewall of the storage unit 56. However, other configurations can
be used. For example, the racks 20, 22 can reside inside the
storage unit 56. The racks 20, 22 can be affixed to the back wall
of the storage unit 56 by slots similar to the slots 54 shown on
the wall or support panel 50. Alternatively, the racks 20, 22 can
be held in place by a bracket adjacent the inside of the sidewall
of the storage unit 56. In some embodiments, racks can be provided
that are shorter in length than racks 20, 22 such that the hanger
assembly 10 can be suspended proximate a support wall or panel. For
example, the racks 20, 22 can be sized and configured to connect to
the side of the storage unit or other support structure without
extending all the way to the support wall or panel 50.
[0035] Two hangers 41 may be placed in the frame 45 in a
"back-to-back" arrangement so that the articles 12 may be displaced
on two sides of the hanger assembly 10 as shown in FIG. 3. In some
embodiments, two forty-eight inch hangers 41 are provided that
extend substantially the entire length of the frame and display
eight articles 12 each, i.e., so that eight articles 12 are
displaced on each side of the hanger assembly 10.
[0036] In certain embodiments, the rack assembly 100 may be
configured from a material that is sufficiently malleable so that
it can be formed into the desired shape. The material may be a
metal, polymer and/or co-polymer, plastic, thermoplastic, ceramic,
fiber-reinforced resin, or blends and/or mixtures thereof. In some
embodiments, the frame 45 and racks 20, 22 are formed of a metal
material. In certain embodiments, the hanger(s) 41 may be formed of
an elastomeric material, which may include polymers, co-polymers,
cellulose, and derivatives, blends and mixtures thereof. In
particular embodiments, hanger(s) 41 can be formed from a
thermoplastic and/or plexiglass or polyvinylchloride material. In
certain embodiments, the hanger 41 can be translucent and/or
transparent. In some embodiments, the hanger 41 can be opaque. In
particular embodiments, the hanger 41 is formed of a unitary
plexiglass planar body.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 8, a display system 150 illustrates that
the rack assembly 100 may be used to display articles near a
multi-level storage unit 110. The multi-level storage unit 110
includes a top portion 112 and a bottom portion 114. The bottom
portion 114 extends further from a back wall 32" than the top
portion 112. Accordingly, the rack assembly 100 is placed so that
the hanger assembly 10 extends beyond the top portion 112 of the
storage unit 10. In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the hanger
10 overlaps a portion of the bottom portion of the storage unit 114
so that the hanger 10 is unlikely to interfere with a pedestrian
walking in the vicinity of the display system.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 4, the frame 45 of the hanger assembly 10
includes a groove 66 that extends along the vertical frame portions
44 and the end frame portion 48. The hangers 41 are slideably
received in the groove 66. In this configuration, the hangers 41
can be removed or added to the frame 45 from one end of the frame
45. Accordingly, the hangers 41 may be sufficiently difficult to
remove that tampering with the hangers 41, for example, by members
of the public, may be discouraged. However, hangers 41 may be
removed and/or replaced with sufficient ease for purposes of
display changes.
[0039] The frame 45 further includes a support rod 68 that is
situated behind the hanger 41 as shown in FIG. 4. The support rod
68 (also shown in FIG. 3) can provide sufficient support to the
frame 45 so that the shape of the frame 45 is maintained under
normal usage. Other mechanisms can be used to retain the hangers 41
in the frame 45, including snaps, adhesives, pins and other
retaining mechanisms.
[0040] Other hanger assembly configurations can be used. In some
embodiments, a hanger can be provided that connects to a rack
without requiring a frame. For example, a hanger may include a hook
for attachment to a rack. A hanger and a hook can be provided as a
single, unitary member.
[0041] A slot pattern 14 is shown in FIG. 5A that is configured to
receive another article 12'. The article 12' can be a fabric or
material sample having at least one, and typically two, laterally
extending channels 421, 422 and corresponding openings 401, 402. In
particular embodiments, the article 12' is a soft drapery fabric
sample and is formed to have at least one channel that corresponds
to a rod pocket and/or header. FIG. 5A illustrates two laterally
extending tongues 38 that can be inserted into a selected channel
421, 422 to hold the fabric sample in a display configuration. FIG.
5B illustrates an alternative slot pattern having a single tongue
70 that can be inserted into the opening 40 of a channel 42 of an
article 12. FIG. 5C illustrates embodiments of a slot pattern
having separate upper and lower slots 76, 78 that are spaced apart
by a continuous center support segment 80. As shown by the
direction of the arrows in FIG. 5C, to position the sample on the
slot pattern, the sample 40 can be inserted through the upper slot
76 threaded around the center segment 80 and then back into the
lower slot 78 to hold the sample on the hanger in a substantially
looped fashion. The term "looped" means that the material has a
nearly or completely closed turn. Examples of various alternative
slot pattern configurations are shown in co-owned U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 60/471,664.
[0042] The strip of fabric may be about 3-6 inches wide and about
4-18 inches long, and is typically arranged on the hanger 41 to
extend for viewing with about 5 inches in width and 8 inches long.
In some embodiments, the hangers 41 can be about 7 inches wide and
about 48 inches long and extend substantially the entire length of
the frame 45. [Matt, please confirm dimensions] The hanger assembly
10 can weigh between about one pound. In some embodiments, the
hanger assembly 10 when loaded with articles 12 is less than 1-1/2
pounds.
[0043] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed
embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are
employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and
not for purposes of limitation. The following claims are provided
to ensure that the present application meets all statutory
requirements as a priority application in all jurisdictions and
shall not be construed as setting forth the scope of the present
invention.
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