U.S. patent application number 11/798761 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-22 for merchandise display system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kabushiki-Kaisha SPIN. Invention is credited to Kyoichi Saito.
Application Number | 20070267365 11/798761 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38437059 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070267365 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saito; Kyoichi |
November 22, 2007 |
Merchandise display system
Abstract
A plurality of pairs of opposed and vertically spaced guide
rails are provided on the right and left sides of frame rods
provided at the front and rear sides of a frame unit. Each guide
rail has a cut portion provided at an appropriate intermediate
position on the lower side thereof. A free tray adapted to be
mounted on a pair of opposed right and left guide rails has
projections at appropriate positions on the right and left side
ends of the bottom thereof. The projections are engageable with the
cut portions of the right and left guide rails. Individual trays
are placed in parallel on the free tray. Each individual tray has a
high side wall on one longitudinally extending side thereof and a
low guide wall on the other longitudinally extending side. Each
individual tray has a mount provided in a front end portion thereof
and a slider slidable along a longitudinal slot rail provided in
the center of the bottom thereof. A work-table plate is fitted in
table guides provided on the lower side of a base plate to which
the bottom portions of the frame rods of the frame unit are
secured.
Inventors: |
Saito; Kyoichi; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
Kabushiki-Kaisha SPIN
|
Family ID: |
38437059 |
Appl. No.: |
11/798761 |
Filed: |
May 16, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/59.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 1/126 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/59.3 |
International
Class: |
A47F 1/04 20060101
A47F001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 19, 2006 |
JP |
2006-140657 |
Claims
1. A merchandise display system comprising: a frame unit; a tray
section; and a work-table section; said frame unit including: frame
rods each having a rectangular frame shape as a whole, said frame
rods being provided at front and rear sides of said frame unit with
an appropriate spacing therebetween; and a plurality of pairs of
opposed right and left guide rails, said right and left guide rails
being provided on right and left sides, respectively, of said frame
rods at appropriate spacings in a vertical direction to extend
between said frame rods, said right and left guide rails each
having a cut portion at an appropriate intermediate position on a
lower side thereof; said tray section including: a wide free tray
mounted on one of said pairs of opposed right and left guide rails
of said frame unit, said free tray having projections at
appropriate intermediate positions on right and left side ends of a
bottom thereof, said projections being engageable with the cut
portions of said right and left guide rails; and narrow individual
trays placed side by side in a row in said free tray; said
individual trays each having: a high side wall provided on one
longitudinally extending side of the individual tray; a low guide
wall provided on the other longitudinally extending side of the
individual tray; an inverted V-shaped mount provided in a front end
portion of the individual tray; a longitudinal slot rail provided
in a center of a bottom of the individual tray; a slider slidable
along said slot rail, said slider having an abutting plate with a
shaft on a back thereof; and a spring band secured at one end
thereof to a front end of said slot rail and wound at the other end
thereof around said shaft on the abutting plate of said slider;
said work-table section including: a base plate to which bottom
portions of the frame rods of said frame unit are fixedly secured;
a pair of opposed table guides formed on a lower side of said base
plate; and a work-table plate fitted in said table guides, said
work-table having a handle on a front end thereof, said work-table
plate further having an abutting plate on a back side thereof so
that when said work-table plate is pulled out, said abutting plate
abuts against a part of said table guides to stop said work-table
plate from being further pulled out; said merchandise display
system further comprising: joining members provided at appropriate
positions on a top or bottom of each of said frame rods of said
frame unit.
2. A merchandise display system according to claim 1, further
comprising: a modified tray comprising a series of inclined step
portions with a triangular configuration as seen in a side view;
wherein said modified tray is placed on said free tray, and said
individual trays are placed on the inclined step portions of said
modified tray.
3. A merchandise display system comprising: a frame unit; and a
tray section; said frame unit including: frame rods each having a
rectangular frame shape as a whole, said frame rods being provided
at front and rear sides of said frame unit with an appropriate
spacing therebetween; and a plurality of pairs of opposed right and
left guide rails, said right and left guide rails being provided on
right and left sides, respectively, of said frame rods at
appropriate spacings in a vertical direction to extend between said
frame rods, said right and left guide rails each having a cut
portion at an appropriate intermediate position on a lower side
thereof; said tray section including: a wide free tray mounted on
one of said pairs of opposed right and left guide rails of said
frame unit; said free tray having: projections provided at
appropriate intermediate positions on right and left side ends of a
bottom of said free tray, said projections being engageable with
the cut portions of said right and left guide rails; a pair of rail
members juxtaposed with a spacing therebetween in said free tray;
an abutting plate provided on a front end of each of said pair of
rail members; and a spring band secured at one end thereof to a
back of said abutting plate, thereby allowing said abutting plate
to slide longitudinally of said free tray while pressing with a
front side thereof against items of merchandise displayed on said
free tray.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a merchandise display
system for displaying merchandise such as packs of cigarettes.
[0003] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0004] In displaying merchandise such as packs of cigarettes for
sale at stores such as convenience stores, it has heretofore been
common practice to place various kinds of merchandise items in
parallel on trays in a three-dimensional display case. Techniques
relating to the conventional merchandise display method are
disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication
Nos. Sho 59-218113 and 2005-237566, Japanese Utility Model
Application Publication No. Hei 1-86856, and Japanese Registered
Utility Model Nos. 3115289 and 3118700.
[0005] There is, however, no technical document relating to a
merchandise display system in which a frame unit section, a tray
section and a work-table section are integrated collectively. The
present invention has been made in view of the fact that there is
no merchandise display system in which the frame unit section, tray
section and work-table section are rationally constructed in
correlation with each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a merchandise display system that meets users' needs.
[0007] The present invention provides a merchandise display system
including a frame unit, a tray section, and a work-table section.
The frame unit includes frame rods each having a rectangular frame
shape as a whole. The frame rods are provided at the front and rear
sides of the frame unit with an appropriate spacing therebetween. A
plurality of pairs of opposed right and left guide rails are
provided on the right and left sides, respectively, of the frame
rods at appropriate spacings in the vertical direction to extend
between the frame rods. The right and left guide rails each have a
cut portion at an appropriate intermediate position on the lower
side thereof. The tray section includes a wide free tray mounted on
one of the pairs of opposed right and left guide rails of the frame
unit. The free tray has projections at appropriate intermediate
positions on the right and left side ends of the bottom thereof.
The projections are engageable with the cut portions of the right
and left guide rails. Narrow individual trays are placed side by
side in a row in the free tray. The individual trays each have a
high side wall on one longitudinally extending side thereof and a
low guide wall on the other longitudinally extending side thereof.
Each individual tray has an inverted V-shaped mount provided in a
front end portion thereof. A longitudinal slot rail is provided in
the center of the bottom of each individual tray. A slider is
provided slidably along the slot rail. The slider has an abutting
plate with a shaft on the back thereof. A spring band is secured at
one end thereof to the front end of the slot rail and wound at the
other end thereof around the shaft on the abutting plate of the
slider. The work-table section includes a base plate to which the
bottom portions of the frame rods of the frame unit are fixedly
secured. A pair of opposed table guides are formed on the lower
side of the base plate. A work-table plate is fitted in the table
guides. The work-table plate has a handle on the front end thereof.
The work-table plate further has an abutting plate on the back side
thereof so that when the work-table plate is pulled out, the
abutting plate abuts against a part of the table guides to stop the
work-table plate from being further pulled out. The merchandise
display system further includes joining members provided at
appropriate positions on the top or bottom of each of the frame
rods of the frame unit.
[0008] In the merchandise display system according to the present
invention, cut portions are provided at appropriate intermediate
positions on the lower sides of the right and left guide rails
extending between the front and rear frame rods constituting a
frame unit, and projections provided at appropriate intermediate
positions on the right and left side ends of the bottom of the free
tray are slidingly engaged in the cut portions, respectively.
Therefore, the free tray can constantly keep a stationary state
even when accommodating a large number of individual trays therein.
Accordingly, merchandise can be displayed securely.
[0009] The cut portions of the guide rails and the projections of
the free tray may be provided at slightly offcenter positions. This
positional relationship makes it possible to vary the extent of
projection of merchandise items on the individual trays in the free
tray. Accordingly, it is possible not only to give variation to the
displaying effect but also to modify the configuration of the tray
section according to the conditions of the installation space.
[0010] Regarding the internal structure of the individual trays of
the tray section, each individual tray has a high side wall on one
longitudinally extending side thereof and an extremely low side
wall on the other longitudinally extending side thereof, thereby
facilitating the removing and replenishing of merchandise displayed
on the individual tray.
[0011] The abutting plate of the slider that is slidable along the
slot rail provided on the bottom of each individual tray is
constantly pressed by the spring band. Therefore, the foremost
merchandise item is always placed on the inverted V-shaped mount at
the front end of the individual tray and hence easily
removable.
[0012] Because the work-table section is installed stably at the
bottom of the frame unit, the work-table plate can be smoothly and
freely pulled out and pushed in relative to the base plate through
the table guides. Accordingly, it is possible to perform rapidly
and safely the operation of placing merchandise to be displayed on
the individual trays.
[0013] Frame units can be easily and reliably stacked in a
plurality of stages through the joining members provided on the top
and bottom sides of the frame rods constituting the frame
units.
[0014] When the merchandise display system according to the present
invention is to be installed in place, first, one frame unit is
placed, and then the joining members provided on the bottom sides
of the frame rods of another frame unit are joined to the joining
members provided on the top sides of the frame rods of the
first-placed frame unit. In this way, the frame rods are connected
to form a stack of two to four frame units.
[0015] Free trays in each frame unit are secured to the right and
left guide rails of the frame unit by engagement between the cut
portions and the projections. In view of the displaying effect, the
extent to which the free trays and the individual trays project
from the frame unit is adjusted so that the front and rear faces of
the free and individual trays align flush with each other,
respectively.
[0016] For merchandise items accommodated in the individual trays
of the tray section, the displaying manner is not fixed but can be
changed in a variety of ways. Therefore, each individual user
should preferably devise various schemes of displaying merchandise
according to the kind thereof.
[0017] The work-table plate can be freely pulled out and pushed in
for use during the operation of displaying merchandise or on other
occasion.
[0018] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will be described in more detail below with reference to
the associated figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The following detailed description can be more fully
understood when considered in conjunction with the drawings in
which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a merchandise display system
according to the present invention, showing an example of use
thereof;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame unit of the
merchandise display system according to the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the merchandise display
system according to the present invention, showing another example
of use thereof;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a free tray of the
merchandise display system according to the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an individual tray of the
merchandise display system according to the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG.
5;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a partially-cutaway perspective view of an
individual tray of the merchandise display system according to the
present invention;
[0027] FIGS. 8a and 8b are sectional views of an essential part of
the merchandise display system according to the present invention,
showing the way in which a free tray is fitted into guide
rails;
[0028] FIGS. 9a and 9b are sectional views of another essential
part of the merchandise display system according to the present
invention, showing the way in which a work-table plate fitted in a
base plate is pulled out through table guides;
[0029] FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of an essential part of
the merchandise display system according to the present invention,
showing the work-table plate and the base plate that are in the
position shown in FIG. 9b;
[0030] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the merchandise display system
according to the present invention, showing an example of use
thereof;
[0031] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a modified tray usable in
the merchandise display system according to the present
invention;
[0032] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another free tray of the
merchandise display system according to present invention;
[0033] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a connector usable in the
merchandise display system according to the present invention;
and
[0034] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the merchandise display
system according to the present invention, showing an example in
which it is in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0035] The merchandise display system according to the present
invention will be explained below with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0036] The merchandise display system according to the present
invention substantially comprises the following three member
groups: a frame unit section; a tray section; and a work-table
section.
[0037] The frame unit section includes a plurality of frame units
having different lengthwise and breadthwise dimensions.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each frame unit includes frame
rods 1 each having a rectangular frame shape as a whole. The frame
rods 1 are provided at the front and rear sides of the frame unit
with an appropriate spacing therebetween. A plurality of pairs of
opposed right and left guide rails 2 with a U-shaped sectional
configuration are provided on the right and left sides,
respectively, of the front and rear frame rods 1 at appropriate
spacings in the vertical direction to extend between the frame rods
1. The lower side 3 of each guide rail 2 is provided with a cut
portion 4 at an intermediate, offcenter position.
[0039] The bottom portion 1' of each frame rod 1 is fixedly secured
to a base plate 5. The base plate 5 has a pair of opposed table
guides 6 with a U-shaped sectional configuration formed at the
right and left side ends thereof. As shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b, the
base plate 5 is closed at the rear end thereof, as shown by
reference numeral 7, and has an opening 8 at the front end thereof.
Each table guide 6 has a bent portion 9 extending downward from the
upper edge of the opening 8.
[0040] As original parts of the frame units, for example, frame
units respectively having two and three guide rails 2 on each side
are prepared regardless of whether the breadth is relatively large
or small. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, detachable joining members 10
are provided at appropriate positions on the top and bottom sides
of the frame rods 1 of frame units, which form upper and lower
frame units when stacked, thereby joining together a plurality of
frame units stacked up.
[0041] Accordingly, four different types of frame units, for
example, are prepared as parts of the frame unit section. These
parts are selected and set according to the conditions of the
installation space.
[0042] For the horizontal continuity and expansion of the system,
frame units are arranged to be forwardly or rearwardly displaceable
relative to each other when installed, thereby achieving space
saving, as shown in FIG. 11.
[0043] The tray section includes large and wide free trays 11 that
are mounted on the right and left guide rails 2 of the frame unit.
The tray section further includes relatively narrow individual
trays 15. Three to five individual trays 15 are placed side by side
in a row in each free tray 11.
[0044] The individual trays 15 include short and long individual
trays that are prepared according to the number of items of
merchandise to be displayed. For cigarettes, for example, the short
and long individual trays are adapted to be capable of
accommodating 7 and 13 packs of cigarettes, respectively.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 4, each free tray 11 has a pocket wall 12
of low height on the front side thereof and is open above the
pocket wall 12. The free tray 11 has walls 13 of the same height on
the right, left and rear sides thereof.
[0046] The free tray 11 further has projections 14 at respective
offcenter positions on the right and left side ends of the bottom
thereof. When the free tray 11 is inserted into the accommodating
space defined between a pair of opposed right and left guide rails
2 attached to the frame rods 1 of the frame unit, the right and
left projections 14 engage the cut portions 4 of the lower sides 3
of the right and left guide rails 2, respectively, thereby enabling
the free tray 11 to be mounted stably, as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b.
In this stationary position, the respective front sides of the free
trays 11 and the individual trays 15 project outward from the front
side of the frame unit, being flush with each other.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, each individual tray 15 has side walls
16 of necessary height on one longitudinally extending side and
front and rear sides thereof. On the other longitudinally extending
side of the individual tray 15, a low guide wall 17 is provided to
define a space 18 thereabove, thereby facilitating the removing and
replenishing of merchandise displayed on the individual tray
15.
[0048] Card pockets 19 are provided on the front and rear sides
(i.e. laterally extending sides) of the individual tray 15. Display
plates with arbitrary letters, numerals, etc. written thereon are
inserted into the card pockets 19. As shown in FIG. 6, dust outlets
20 are provided in the respective bottoms of the card pockets
19.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, a longitudinally extending narrow slot
rail 21 is provided in the center of the bottom of the individual
tray 15.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, inverted V-shaped mounts 22 are
formed on both sides of the slot rail 21 at the inner side of one
of the card pockets 19 that is located at the front end of the
individual tray 15, so that the foremost one of merchandise items,
e.g. cigarette packs, is higher in position than the others that
press against the back of the foremost merchandise item, thereby
enabling the foremost merchandise item to be removed easily.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 6, one end of a spring band 23 is secured
to the front end of the slot rail 21 between the mounts 22, and the
other end of the spring band 23 is wound on a shaft 27 provided
between rear side walls 26 of an abutting plate 25 of a slider 24
slidable along the slot rail 21 in the longitudinal direction of
the individual tray 15.
[0052] The rear side walls 26 of the slider 24 are integrated
together at the bottom thereof. U-shaped grooves are formed on the
right and left end portions of the bottom of the slider 24. The
U-shaped grooves are slidably engaged with the right and left side
edges of the slot rail 21. Thus, the slider 24 is longitudinally
slidable along the slot rail 21 through the U-shaped grooves.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 5, a low step 28 is provided on the rear
end of the individual tray 15. The slider 24 comes to rest when the
U-shaped grooves thereof engage the step 28.
[0054] Regarding the above-described tray section, the drawings
show that the large and wide free trays 11 each accommodate five
individual trays 15 in parallel (see FIG. 1), and that the small
and narrow free trays 11 each accommodate three individual trays 15
in parallel (see FIG. 3).
[0055] In addition, a modified tray 30 (see FIG. 12) comprising a
series of triangular inclined step portions 29 with a triangular
configuration as seen in a side view may be prepared for individual
trays 15 to be placed on a free tray 11 of the tray section. The
modified tray 30 allows a special display method. That is, the
modified tray 30 is placed on a free tray 11, and individual trays
15 are placed on the triangular inclined step portions 29. Then,
merchandise items are slantingly displayed on the individual trays
15. Individual trays 15 to be placed on the inclined step portions
29 of the modified tray 30 may have some different colors. This
enables an advertising scheme of emphasizing particular items of
displayed merchandise.
[0056] The work-table section has work-table plates prepared in
conformity in size to the frame unit section and the tray section,
each comprising parts of two different sizes, i.e. large and small
frame units, and large and small free trays. Each work-table is
installed on the base plate 5 at the bottom of the above-described
frame unit.
[0057] That is, as shown in FIG. 15, a work-table plate 31 is
inserted into the table guides 6 of the base plate 5. The
work-table plate 31 can be pulled out and pushed in toward and away
from the opening 8 of the base plate 5. A handle 32 is provided on
the front end of the work-table plate 31.
[0058] As shown in FIGS. 9a, 9b and 10, a lower abutting plate 33
is provided at the rear end of the back side of the work-table
plate 31. When the work-table plate 31 is pulled out toward the
opening 8 of the base plate 5, the lower abutting plate 33 abuts
against stoppers 34 provided at the respective front ends of the
lower sides of the right and left table guides 6 to prevent the
work-table plate 31 from undesirably falling out of the base plate
5.
[0059] Upper abutting plates 35 are provided to stand on the right
and left sides of the top rear end of the work-table plate 31. When
the work-table plate 31 is pulled out toward the opening 8 of the
base plate 5, the upper abutting plates 35 abut against the bent
portion 9 at the front end of the base plate 5, whereby the
work-table plate 31 is stably held in a horizontal position.
[0060] A cushioning belt 36 is provided on the lower side of the
work-table plate 31 to extend forward from the center of the lower
abutting plate 33. The cushioning belt 36 serves as a cushioning
medium for the work-table plate 31 when suspended by gravity during
use.
[0061] FIG. 14 shows a connector 37 as an auxiliary member used in
addition to the joining members 10 when the frame units are
connected together vertically in a large number of stages of a
stack.
[0062] It should be noted that when the frame units are connected
together not only in the vertical direction but also in the
horizontal direction, arbitrary connecting members are used to
prevent rolling and to keep stability.
[0063] When relatively large merchandise items are to be displayed,
two rail members 38 are juxtaposed with a spacing therebetween in a
large-sized free tray 11, as shown in FIG. 13, and sliders 24 with
abutting plates 25 are longitudinally slidably provided on the rail
members 38, respectively. One end of a spring band 23 is secured to
the back of the abutting plate 25 of each slider 24, thereby
allowing the slider 24 to slide longitudinally while constantly
pressing against merchandise items with the front side of the
abutting plate 25. Examples of merchandise items that may use the
free tray 11 equipped with the rail members 38 are canned juice and
boxed confectionery.
[0064] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited
to the foregoing embodiments but can be modified in a variety of
ways.
* * * * *