U.S. patent application number 14/824634 was filed with the patent office on 2017-02-16 for display shelf for electrically powered consumer products.
The applicant listed for this patent is Target Brands, Inc.. Invention is credited to Jason W. Johnson, Timothy J. Martell, Erin L. Zobel.
Application Number | 20170042323 14/824634 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57994387 |
Filed Date | 2017-02-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170042323 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Johnson; Jason W. ; et
al. |
February 16, 2017 |
DISPLAY SHELF FOR ELECTRICALLY POWERED CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Abstract
A display includes a shelf having an elongated slot for
receiving a power cord of at least one electrically powered
consumer product being displayed on the shelf in front of the
elongated slot. The elongated slot is defined by a portion of a
free edge of a rotatable door that covers a pocket in a closed
position and by a back end of a table having an upper surface for
supporting the electrically powered consumer products. Remaining
portions of the free edge of the rotatable door engage with a lip
that protrudes from a front wall of the pocket so that a top side
of the rotatable door is in alignment with the upper surface of the
table when the rotatable door is in the closed position.
Inventors: |
Johnson; Jason W.; (Wayzata,
MN) ; Zobel; Erin L.; (Minneapolis, MN) ;
Martell; Timothy J.; (Brooklyn Park, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Target Brands, Inc. |
Minneapolis |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57994387 |
Appl. No.: |
14/824634 |
Filed: |
August 12, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 2200/0082 20130101;
A47B 21/06 20130101; A47B 96/021 20130101; A47B 2021/066 20130101;
A47F 5/0043 20130101; H02G 3/0437 20130101; A47F 7/02 20130101;
A47F 5/103 20130101; A47B 2200/0083 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47B 21/06 20060101
A47B021/06; H01R 27/02 20060101 H01R027/02; H01R 25/00 20060101
H01R025/00; A47B 96/02 20060101 A47B096/02; A47F 5/00 20060101
A47F005/00 |
Claims
1-8. (canceled)
9. A display shelf comprising: a table having an upper surface for
displaying at least one electrically powered consumer product and a
back end; a trough that extends along an entire length of the table
and having a front wall, a bottom wall and a back wall and being
defined between the back end of the table and the back wall of the
trough, wherein the bottom wall of the trough is located below the
upper surface of the table; a door that extends an entire length of
the trough and having right and left side edges, a fixed edge
rotatably coupled to a top of the back wall of the trough, a front
free edge and a top side, wherein the front free edge includes a
first linear portion spaced from the fixed edge by a first
distance, a second linear portion spaced from the fixed edge by a
second distance that is less than the first distance and a third
linear portion spaced from the fixed edge by the first distance and
wherein the second linear portion is located between the first and
third linear portions; and a lip protruding from the front wall of
the trough in a direction away from the table and engaging with the
front free edge of the door along the first linear portion and the
third linear portion when the door is in a closed position, wherein
the top side of the door is in alignment with the upper surface of
the table when the door is in the closed position so that between
the back end of the table and the second linear portion of the free
edge of the door forms an elongated slot in the display shelf for
receiving a power cord from the at least one electrically powered
consumer product displayed on the table; wherein the second linear
portion that forms the elongated slot includes a length that is
greater than lengths of both the first and third linear
portions.
10. The display shelf of claim 9, wherein the trough further
comprises a plurality of cord winders protruding from the bottom
wall of the trough and extending into an interior space of the
trough, the cord winders configured to support excess length of the
at least one power cord of the at least one electrically powered
consumer product.
11. The display shelf of claim 9, further comprising a power strip
having at least one socket for receiving an electrical plug on the
power cord of the at least one electrically powered consumer
product, wherein the power strip further includes a power cord that
passes through at least one hole in the bottom wall of the
pocket.
12. The display shelf of claim 9, wherein the rotatable door is
rotatable about a hinge that is coupled to a top of the back wall
of the trough.
13. The display shelf of claim 9, wherein the table and the trough
are defined between right and left side panels that have rearward
mounting brackets and a front panel that is located between the
right and left side panels.
14. The display shelf of claim 13, wherein the upper surface of the
table is recessed below upper edges of the right and left side
panels and an upper edge of the front panel by a distance.
15. The display shelf of claim 9, wherein the lip runs along an
entirety of the front wall of the trough.
16. A method of displaying electrically powered consumer products,
the method comprising: setting at least one electrically powered
consumer product on an upper surface of a table of a display shelf,
wherein the at least one electrically powered consumer product
includes a power cord; plugging the power cord of the at least one
electrically powered consumer product into a power strip located in
a trough located behind the table and extending along an entire
length of the table, wherein the trough is defined by a front wall,
a bottom wall and a back wall and wherein the bottom wall of the
trough is located below the upper surface of the table; and
shutting a rotatable door that extends an entire length of the
trough and covers the trough, wherein portions of a front free edge
of the rotatable door are adjacent to a back end of the table and
engage with a lip that protrudes from the front wall of the trough
in a direction away from the table so that a top side of the
rotatable door is in alignment with the upper surface of the table
and wherein a remaining portion of the front free edge of the
rotatable door is spaced apart from the back end of the table and
defines an elongated slot for the power cord to pass into the
trough, the elongated slot having a length that is greater than a
combined length of the portions of the front free edge of the
rotatable door that are adjacent to the back end of the table.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising wrapping excess
length of the power cord of the at least one electrically powered
consumer product around a cord winder that protrudes from the
bottom wall of the trough.
18. The method of claim 16, further comprising threading a power
cord on the power strip through a hole in the bottom wall of the
trough to couple to a power source.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising switching the
electrically powered consumer product on.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the lip runs along the entirety
of the front wall of the trough.
21. A display shelf comprising: a table having a back end and an
upper surface configured to support at least one electrically
powered consumer product; a pocket that extends along an entire
length of the table and has a front wall and a lip, wherein the
front wall abuts the back end of the table and wherein the lip
protrudes from the front wall in a direction away from the back end
of the table; and a rotatable door that covers the pocket in a
closed position and has a top side and a front free edge that
extends an entire length of the pocket; wherein a portion of the
front free edge of the rotatable door and the back end of the table
are spaced apart from each other by a distance great enough so as
to be configured to receive a thickness of a power cord of the at
least one electrically powered consumer product being displayed on
the upper surface of the table and form a single elongated slot
when the rotatable door is in the closed position; wherein
remaining portions of the front free edge of the rotatable door
rest on the lip that protrudes from the front wall of the pocket
when in the closed position so that the remaining potions of the
front free edge of the rotatable door are adjacent to the back end
of the table and the top side of the rotatable door is in alignment
with the upper surface of the table; and wherein the single
elongated slot has a length that is greater than lengths of the
remaining portions.
22. The display shelf of claim 21, wherein the pocket is defined by
the front wall, a bottom wall and a back wall, the bottom wall of
the pocket being located below the upper surface of the table and
the front wall of the pocket being located behind the table.
23. The display shelf of claim 22, wherein the pocket further
comprises a plurality of cord winders protruding from the bottom
wall of the pocket and extending into an interior space of the
pocket, the cord winders configured to support excess length of the
power cord of the at least one electrically powered consumer
product.
24. The display shelf of claim 22, further comprising a power strip
having at least one socket for receiving an electrical plug on the
at least one power cord of the at least one electrically powered
consumer product, wherein the power strip further includes a power
cord that passes through at least one hole in the bottom wall of
the pocket.
25. The display shelf of claim 22, wherein the rotatable door is
rotatable about a hinge that is coupled to a top of the back wall
of the pocket.
26. The display shelf of claim 21, wherein the portion of the free
edge of the rotatable door that forms the elongated slot extends
linearly along a plane.
27. The display shelf of claim 21, wherein the table and the pocket
located behind the table are defined between right and left side
panels that have rearward mounting brackets and a front panel that
is located between the right and left side panels.
28. The display shelf of claim 21, wherein the lip runs along an
entirety of the front wall of the pocket.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Retail stores use a variety of display fixtures to present
products to customers for purchase. These display fixtures can
support the product, indicate the product price and include signage
and graphics for highlighting the product. Exemplary display
structures include shelves, trays, racks, peg hooks and other
similar structures.
[0002] The discussion above is merely provided for general
background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in
determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
SUMMARY
[0003] A display is mounted to a gondola display unit and includes
a shelf having an elongated slot for receiving a power cord of at
least one electrically powered consumer product being displayed on
the shelf in front of the elongated slot. The elongated slot is
defined by a portion of a free edge of a rotatable door that covers
a pocket in a closed position and by a back end of a table having
an upper surface for supporting the electrically powered consumer
products. Remaining portions of the free edge of the rotatable door
engage with a lip that protrudes from a front wall of the pocket so
that a top side of the rotatable door is in alignment with the
upper surface of the table when the rotatable door is in the closed
position.
[0004] A display shelf includes a table, a trough, a door and a
lip. The table has an upper surface for displaying at least one
electrically powered consumer product and a back end. The trough
has a front wall, a bottom wall and a back wall and is defined
between the back end of the table and the back wall of the trough.
The bottom wall of the trough is located below the upper surface of
the table. The door has right and left side edges, a fixed edge
rotatably coupled to a top of the back wall of the trough, a free
edge and a top side. The free edge includes a first linear portion
spaced from the fixed edge by a first distance, a second linear
portion spaced from the fixed edge by a second distance that is
less than the first distance and a third linear portion spaced from
the fixed edge by the first distance. The lip protrudes from the
front wall of the trough and engages with the free edge of the door
along the first linear portion and the third linear portion when
the door is in a closed position. The top side of the door is in
alignment with the upper surface of the table when the door is in
the closed position so that between the back end of the table and
the second linear portion of the free edge of the door there is an
elongated slot in the display shelf for receiving a power cord from
the at least one electrically powered consumer product displayed on
the table.
[0005] A method of displaying electrically powered consumer
products is provided. At least one electrically powered consumer
product is set on an upper surface of a table of a display shelf.
The at least one electrically powered consumer product includes a
power cord. The power cord of the at least one electrically powered
consumer product is plugged into a power strip located in a trough
behind the table. The trough is defined by a front wall, a bottom
wall and a back wall and wherein the bottom wall of the trough is
located below the upper surface of the table. A rotatable door is
shut that covers a portion of the trough so that portions of a free
edge of the rotatable door engage with a lip that protrudes from
the front wall of the trough so that a top side of the rotatable
door is in alignment with the upper surface of the table and a
remaining portion of the free edge of the rotatable door defines an
elongated slot for the power cord to pass into the trough.
[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of
the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not
limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages
noted in the background.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display shelf attached to
a gondola display unit where a door of a trough is in a closed
position according to one embodiment.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display shelf where the
door of the trough is in an opened position according to an
alternate position of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a front view of FIG. 2.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a section view of FIG. 2 taken through the line
indicated in FIG. 4.
[0012] FIG. 6 is the section view shown in FIG. 5 with the door in
a closed position.
[0013] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 5.
[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates the display shelf of FIG. 2 with an
exploded power strip.
[0015] FIG. 9 illustrates the display shelf of FIG. 2 with an
electrically powered consumer product being displayed on the
display shelf according to one embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 9.
[0017] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 displaying an
electrically powered consumer product according to one
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] When electrically powered consumer products are displayed in
a retail store, their power cord is often connected to an
electrical power source so that the product is displayed in its
operational state. For example, lamps are often displayed with
their power on. Displaying these products in this way is
challenging because of the need for providing a power source in
what may be the center of a store floor and also the need for power
cord management without detracting from the consumer products on
display. As described in detail below, a display shelf is provided
for mounting to uprights of a gondola display unit. The display
shelf includes a trough enclosed by a door that holds one or more
power strips for powering consumer products displayed on the
display portion and components for managing the power cords from
the consumer products that are displayed. The door that encloses
the trough fits seamlessly with the table portion so as to mask the
existence of the trough.
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display shelf 100 attached
to a portion of gondola display unit 101 according to one
embodiment. Display shelf 100 includes a trough 104 and a door 112
in a closed position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of display shelf
100 without the gondola display unit where door 112 is in an opened
position according to an alternate position of the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a
front view of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a section view of FIG. 2 taken
through the line indicated in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is the section view
shown in FIG. 5 with door 112 in the closed position and FIG. 7 is
an enlarged portion of the section view in FIG. 5. As illustrated,
display shelf 100 is defined by a right and left panels 106 and 108
and further defined by a front panel 110. Right and left panels 106
and 108 each include rearward protruding fingers that form brackets
107 and 109, respectively, for insertion into slots 103 in the pair
of uprights 105a and 105b of gondola display unit 101 so that
display shelf 100 is supported by gondola display unit 101.
[0020] Display shelf 100 includes a table 102, a trough or pocket
104 and rotatable door 112. Table 102 is located at the front of
display shelf 100 between front panel 110 and trough 104. As
illustrated and discussed briefly above, trough 104 includes a
front wall 124, a bottom wall 126 and a back wall 128. Trough or
pocket 104 is located at the rear of the display shelf 100 between
a back end 111 of table 102 and back wall 128. Therefore, front
wall 124 of trough 104 is located behind table 102. Table 102
includes an upper surface 114 for displaying consumer products. As
best illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, upper surface 114 is recessed
from upper edge 116 of right side panel 106, upper edge 118 of left
side panel 108 and upper edge 120 of front panel 110 by a distance
122. Further, bottom wall 126 of trough 102 is located below upper
surface 114 of table 102. Door 112 is rotatable about a hinge 113
that is coupled to a top of back wall 128 of trough 104. Rotatable
door 112 is in a closed position in FIGS. 1 and 6 and in an opened
position in FIGS. 2-5. Together, front wall 124, bottom wall 126,
back wall 128 and door 112 define the interior space of trough or
pocket 104.
[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 4, door 112 includes right and left
side edges 140 and 142, a fixed edge 144 (FIG. 1) rotatably coupled
to the top of back wall 128 of trough 104 by hinge 113, a free edge
146 and a top side 134 (FIG. 1). While free edge 146 is continuous,
the entirety of free edge 146 does not remain linear along the same
plane. Free edge 146 includes a first linear portion 148 that is
linear along a plane, a second linear portion 150 that is linear
along a plane that is different than the plane first linear portion
148 is linear along and a third linear portion 152 that is linear
along the plane the first linear portion 148 is linear along. In
this way, free edge 146 of door 112 has a single width 154 and two
heights 156 and 158 (FIG. 2). Height 156 is defined between fixed
edge 144 and first and third linear portions 148 and 152 and height
158 is defined between fixed edge 144 and second linear portion
150. In other words, free edge 146 includes first linear portion
148 spaced from fixed edge 144 by a first distance 156, second
linear portion 150 spaced from fixed edge 144 by a second distance
158 that is less than first distance 156 and third linear portion
152 spaced from fixed edge 144 by first distance 156.
[0022] Cantilevered from or protruding from a top of front wall 124
of trough 104 in a direction pointing into the interior space of
trough 104 is a lip 130 that runs along the entirety of front wall
124 of trough 104 and therefore the entirety of back end 111 of
table 102. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the top of front wall
124 of trough 104 and therefore lip 130 is slightly lower than
upper surface 114 to accommodate for a thickness 132 of door 112.
As such, when door 112 is in the closed position, first linear
portion 148 and third linear portion 152 of free edge 146 rests on
lip 130 so that top side 134 of door 112 is in alignment with upper
surface 114 of table 102 as shown in FIG. 6. In this way, upper
surface 114 of table 102 and top side 134 of door 112 (when in the
closed position) appear to be made of a single surface that
includes an elongated slot when in actuality the elongated slot is
defined between second linear portion 150 of free edge 146 of door
112 and back end 111 of table 102. This elongated slot receives a
power cord from at least one electrically powered consumer product
that is being displayed on table 102 in front of the elongated
slot.
[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 8, display shelf 100 includes a power
strip 160. Power strip 160 is located in trough 104 and in FIG. 8
is exploded from trough 104. With reference back to FIG. 6, trough
104 includes a height 162 as defined between door 112 in the closed
position and bottom wall 126 and a depth 164 as defined between
front wall 124 and back wall 128. Fitted within height 162 and
depth 164 of trough 104 is power strip 160 with at least one socket
for receiving an electrical plug on the electrically powered
consumer product being displayed on table 102. Power strip 160
further includes a power cord 166 that runs from power strip 160
and through one of a plurality of holes 168a, 168b, 168c and 168d
in bottom wall 126 of trough 104 to a power source, which in one
embodiment is located behind a wall of gondola display unit
101.
[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates display shelf 100 as shown in FIG. 2
where door 112 is in the opened position and an electrically
powered consumer product 170, such as a lamp, is displayed on table
102. It should be realized that more than one electrically powered
consumer product 170 can be displayed on table 102. FIG. 10 is an
enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 9 and FIG. 11 illustrates
display shelf 100 as shown in FIG. 9, but where door 112 is in the
closed position. Trough 104 includes a plurality of cord winders
172a-h. Cord winders 172a-h include proximal ends and distal ends
and protrude from bottom wall 126 of trough 102 into the interior
space of trough 104. Although not particularly shown, each
electrically powered consumer product 170 displayed on display
shelf 100 is plugged into a socket of power strip 160. If the
length of a consumer product cord 171 of electrically powered
consumer product 170 is too long, excess length of the cord is
wound around one of the cord winders 172a-h and supported by cord
winders 172a-h as is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Distal ends of cord
winders 172a-h are thicker than proximal ends of cord winders
172a-h so that the excess cord remains situated on cord winders
172a-h without slipping off. FIG. 11 illustrates how by placing
door 112 in the closed position, the management of product cords
and the power strip are hidden from view and top surface 134 of
door 112 appears to be a part of upper surface 114 of table 102. In
particular, product cord 171 travels through the elongated slot
defined between the second linear portion 150 of free edge 146 and
back 111 of table 102.
[0025] Also disclosed is a method of displaying electrically
powered consumer products. The method includes setting at least one
electrically powered consumer product 170, such as a lamp, on upper
surface 114 of table 102 on display shelf 100. See FIGS. 9 and 10.
Electrically powered consumer product 170 includes a power cord 171
with an electrical plug 173. Although not specifically illustrated,
electrical plug 173 is plugged into power strip 160 (FIG. 8), which
is located within the interior space of trough 104 and behind table
102. In particular, power strip 160 rests on bottom wall 126 and is
located between front wall 124 and back wall 128 and between right
and left side panels 106 and 108 of shelf 100. As previously
mentioned, bottom wall 126 is located below upper surface 114 of
table 102 so that power strip 160 is also located below upper
surface 114 of table 102. The excess length of cord 171 is then
wrapped around one of cord winder 172a-h if needed so that the
power cords do not bunch inside trough 104 or too much of the
length of the cord is located outside of trough 104.
[0026] Rotatable door 112 is then shut or rotated about hinge 113
and closed so that the interior space of trough 104 is covered and
hidden from view. In particular, power strip 160, a portion of the
power cord 171 and its plug 173 are hidden from view and do not
detract from the consumer product or products being displayed on
table 102. In the closed position, portions 148 and 152 of free
edge 146 engage with lip 130 that protrudes from front wall 124 of
trough 104 so that top side 134 of door 112 is in alignment with
upper surface 114 of table 102 and a remaining portion 150 of free
edge 146 defines an elongated slot. When performing this operation,
a user can shut or close the door by placing their fingers on the
elongated slot. This way, a user's fingers will not get pinched
when the portions 148 and 152 are rested on lip 130.
[0027] Passing through the elongated slot into trough 104 is power
cord 171 for electrically powered consumer product 170. Power strip
160 also includes a power cord 166. Power cord 166 is threaded
through one of the holes 168a-d in bottom wall 126 of trough 104 to
couple to a power source. To finish the display, electrically
powered consumer product 170 is switched on.
[0028] Although elements have been shown or described as separate
embodiments above, portions of each embodiment may be combined with
all or part of other embodiments described above.
[0029] Although the subject matter has been described in language
specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is
to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended
claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described
above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the
claims.
* * * * *