U.S. patent application number 11/491655 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-07 for swing arm display rack.
Invention is credited to Kevin O. Spencer.
Application Number | 20080029469 11/491655 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39028123 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080029469 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spencer; Kevin O. |
February 7, 2008 |
Swing arm display rack
Abstract
A display rack is described, which has a plurality of swing arms
to support elongated, foldable wares. The swing arms extend
pivotably from a wall mountable bracket and can be spread apart to
extend and display the wares.
Inventors: |
Spencer; Kevin O.;
(Winterville, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WARD AND SMITH, P.A.
1001 COLLEGE COURT, P.O. BOX 867
NEW BERN
NC
28563-0867
US
|
Family ID: |
39028123 |
Appl. No.: |
11/491655 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/96 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 97/02 20130101;
G09F 7/18 20130101; A47F 5/0087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/96 |
International
Class: |
A47H 1/00 20060101
A47H001/00 |
Claims
1. A structure for supporting and displaying elongated, foldable
wares comprising: a wall attachable mounting bracket a support
bracket extending vertically outward from said mounting bracket a
rack having an outer side and an inner side, extending between and
supported by said support bracket on its outer side and by a wall
mounting on its inner side; said rack including a bottom shelf and
a top shelf; a plurality of swing arms, rotably engaged with and
supported by said bottom and top shelves.
2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the wall attachable mounting
bracket includes a cleat attached to a wall, and a base unit tip
extending from the rack and fitting down into the cleat.
3. The structure of claim 1, wherein each of said swing arms,
includes a back element, a top element extending outwardly from the
top portion of said back element and a support strut extending from
the lower portion of said back element to the outer portion of said
top element
4. The structure of claim 3, wherein said top element is positioned
so as to extend at a slightly upward angle to plane
5. The structure of claim 3, wherein the top element has as its
outer end at least one support hook.
6. The structure of claim 3, wherein said top element comprises two
parallel rods, one longer than the other and both having a support
hook on its outer end.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
INCORPORATED-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT
DISC
[0003] Not Applicable
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A display rack is described, which has a plurality of swing
arms to support elongated, foldable wares. The swing arms extend
pivotably from a wall mountable bracket and can be spread apart to
extend and display the wares.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] (1) Field of the Invention
[0006] This invention is directed to a rack for displaying
elongated, foldable wares in a compact manner that permits them to
be temporarily extended for a customer to fully view.
[0007] Merchants need to display their wares in a manner that
permits customers to fully view such wares and appreciate how they
would appear in the context of their use. This creates a problem
when the wares are large. Hammocks, for instance, are not bulky;
but when extended, as they are in use, they take up much floor
space. A merchant can have an inventory of many hammocks, compactly
folded and packaged. But such packaged hammocks do not permit a
customer to fully view and appreciate how the hammocks would look
when extended.
[0008] Most merchants do not have the space for many floor models
(fully extended hammocks on hammock stands).
[0009] It is accordingly, an object of the present invention to
provide a display rack, which supports numerous hammocks on swing
arms that can be spread apart, to extend the hammock into a
position resembling the context of its use.
[0010] (2) Description of Related Art
[0011] Applicant is aware of no prior art directly related to this
invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In accordance with the present invention, a display rack has
a plurality of swing arms, which support elongated, foldable wares,
such as hammocks. The swing arms extend pivotably from a support
bracket mounted on a wall or similar vertical surface. The swing
arms can be spread apart to extend the hammocks (or other such
wares) into a position resembling the context of its use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the support bracket for
the swing arm display rack.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the mounted swing arm display
rack.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the cleat mounting bracket for
the display rack.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the display rack with swing
arms installed.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of one swing arm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the
drawings.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates the rack 4, as mounted on wall 1 and
without the swing arms. The rack 4 is affixed to wall 1. The rack 4
includes an outer side panel 9 at the end of rack 4, opposite the
wall. A back panel 7, extends between the wall and side panel 9. A
top shelf 5 extends outwardly from the top edge of back panel 7. A
bottom shelf 6 extends outwardly from the bottom edge of back panel
7. A lower support 10, extends diagonally beneath bottom shelf
6.
[0020] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a cleat 2 is affixed to wall 1. An
"L" shaped base unit lip 8 is affixed to the bracket 3, and extends
outwardly and downwardly therefrom. The downward turned end of base
unit lip 8 fits snugly into cleat 2. The lip 8 is not permanently
secured in cleat 2. Bottom support 10 keeps the rack 4, in a
position parallel to wall 1. The gravitational pull of lip 8 is
straight down into cleat 2. This method of attaching rack 4 to wall
1 is advantageous because it is a solid secure support, but it can
be easily and quickly attached and detached.
[0021] It should be appreciated that the combination of the bracket
3, the cleat 2, lip 8, and lower support 10 assures that the rack 4
is very well anchored and firmly supported. This is important
because, in use, the rack will support and display wares, the
cumulative weight of which is substantial.
[0022] One swing arm 11 is illustrated in FIG. 5. It comprises top
elements 12a and 12b extending vertically outward from back element
14. A support strut 13 extends from a lower portion of back element
14 to an outer portion of top elements 12a and 12b. At the outer
ends of top elements 12a and 12b, are swing arm hooks 17a and 17b,
which functions to keep the displayed wares from sliding off the
top element 12a and 12b.
[0023] The back element 14 has an upper end 14a, which extends
above the juncture with top element 12, and a lower end 14b, which
extends below the juncture with support strut 13. Top element 12a
is approximately 2 inches shorter than top element 12b. Top element
12 is approximately two inches longer than top element 12a, as a
result of which hook 17b is spaced approximately two inches away
from hook 17a. To appreciate the benefit of such spacing it must be
understood that the terminal clew ring of a hammock can be hung on
the hooks 17a and 17b. Such clew rings are proximately two inches
in diameter. The clew ring of one hammock would be hung on hook
17a. The clew ring of another hammock would be hung on hook 17b. If
top elements 12a and 12b were of the same length, the clew rings
hung on hooks 17a and 17b would be directly adjacent to one
another, increasing the thickness of the cumulative swing arms when
in closed position. But because of the spacing between hooks 17a
and 17b, such clew rings are not directly adjacent, but instead
side by side so as to decrease the thickness of the cumulative
swing arms in closed position.
[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, there are a series of
seven apertures 15 formed at equidistant intervals along top shelf
5. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a corresponding series of apertures 16
are formed at equidistant intervals along bottom shelf 6. The upper
ends 14a of the swing arms back element 14, fit into and are
rotatably engaged in apertures 15. The lower ends 14b fit into and
are rotatably engaged in apertures 16.
[0025] The apertures 15 are closer to back panel 7, than are the
apertures 16, so the back elements 14 are mounted at an angle.
Therefore, the top element 12a and 12b are at a slight upward angle
from back element 14.
[0026] The angled position of a swing arm 11 also facilitates its
function of swinging open and away from an adjacent swing arm.
Reference numeral 18, in FIG. 2, shows the projected arc movement
of a swing arm 11. Gravitational force facilitates the downward
swing of the arm 11.
[0027] In use, a plurality of hammocks (or similar elongated,
foldable wares) are supported by the rack. Each hammock is
suspended between two adjacent swing arms. Thus suspended and
folded in half, a substantial number of hammocks can be stored in a
relatively small space. However, each hammock can individually be
shown by swinging apart the two adjacent arms, thus displaying the
hammock in an extended manner simulating how it might appear in the
context of its use.
[0028] It will be further apparent to those skilled in the art that
various modifications and variations can be made in the present
invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the
invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover
the modifications and verifications of this invention provided they
come with the scope of the appended claims and their
equivalents.
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