Display device

Abstract

A display device comprises a plurality of transverse shelf mounting bars adjustably secured to a pedestal having removable mounting elements secured to its lower portion for maintaining the pedestal in a vertical position together with flexible shelf elements each having an edge portion arranged for mounting and dismounting to one of said mounting bars, the flexible shelves being initially coiled into a plurality of substantially concentric convolutions and being extensible to form separaters between layers of displayed items thereby to afford stability to a stack of such items.

Description

U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,143 issued Sept. 16, 1958 discloses a display device having a base, a back portion secured to the base together with a plurality of flexible initially coiled and extensible shelf elements secured along an edge thereof to the back in vertically spaced relation, the shelf elements constituting separaters between layers of displayed items such for example as article carriers for primary packages such as bottles of soft drinks and the like.

According to the present invention a display of the type disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,143 is provided wherein the components may be readily assembled and disassembled and may be inserted within a single common part for easy portability. More specifically the invention comprises flexible initially coiled shelf elements each having a mounting edge arranged to be received within a longitudinal mounting cavity formed within a transverse mounting bar which itself is adjustably secured to a vertically disposed pedestal by suitable friction means.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device formed according to the invention but with the shelf elements shown in coiled condition and hence with the displayed primary items such as bottle carriers omitted,

FIG. 2 is a side view taken from the vantage point designated 2--2 in FIG. 1 of the display device but which shows the flexible shelving in uncoiled assembled condition with the displayed items mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a mounting bar and its associated flexible shelf element taken along the line designated 3--3 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a top view taken along the line designated 4--4 in FIG. 1 and which illustrates the frictional mounting means whereby transverse mounting bars are adjustably secured to the vertical pedestal and in which

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line designated 5--5 in FIG. 1 and showing the details whereby mounting elements are secured to the lower portion of a vertically disposed pedestal.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a vertically disposed pedestal which is maintained in the vertical position by a plurality of mounting elements secured to the bottom or lower portion of pedestal 1 and generally designated by the numeral 2. A plurality of mounting bars 3, 4, 5 and 6 are secured to pedestal 1 and a plurality of flexible shelf elements 7-14 inclusive are mounted on the mounting bars 3, 4, 5 and 6. As is obvious in FIG. 1, two flexible shelves such as 7 and 11 are mounted on each transverse mounting bar such as 3. A vertically adjustable sign 15 is secured to a mounting rod 16 which in turn is secured in any suitable manner to the upper portion of pedestal 1.

As is apparent in FIG. 2, a layer of article carriers such as are designated at C1 may be disposed on the floor F or on any other suitable support surface and the extended flexible shelf 10 is disposed atop the carriers C1 and their associated bottles such as B1 and a second layer of carriers such as C2 and their associated bottles such as B2 are disposed atop shelf 10. Thus by means of the shelf 10 and its support pedestal 1, the stack of displayed carriers are maintained in a stable condition. It is obvious that additional carriers such as C3, C4 and C5 are disposed atop extended flexible shelves 9, 8 and 7 respectively as is well known in the art.

For the purpose of maintaining the pedestal 1 in a vertical position, suitable mounting elements are secured to the lower portion of pedestal 1 and form a base which rests on the floor F or on any suitable support surface. These mounting elements may include a pair of angles designated by the numerals 17 and 18 which are secured by means of bolts or screws 19 and 20 to the lower portion of pedestal 1. Mounting strip 21 is secured by screw 22 to one end of angle 18 and a similar strip 23 is secured to the outer end of mounting strip 21 by screw 24. Mounting strip 23 is secured to one end of angle 18 by means of screw 25. A bracing bar 26 is secured by bolt 24 to the outer ends of mounting strips 21 and 23 and is secured to the back 1A of pedestal 1 by bolt 27. From FIGS. 1 and 5 it is apparent that bracing bar 26 extends through a slot designated by the numeral 28 and formed in a front wall of pedestal 1 which as is obvious is of a hollow construction. With the mounting elements assembled as shown in the drawings and as described above, the pedestal 1 is maintained in a vertical position. Normally display devices constructed according to this invention are disposed adjacent the end of a display case such as a grocery store gondola. In such an arrangement the gondola lends support to the device and angle 17 is not needed. On the other hand when the device is used as a separate display, angle 17 is desirable for support purposes.

The mounting bars such as 3, 4, 5 and 6 are secured to pedestal 1 by frictional means best shown in FIG. 4. For example, mounting bar 3 is provided with a mounting bracket 35 which is welded securely to mounting bar 3 and which extends upwardly therefrom. A mounting bolt 36 extends through the slot 28 and engages the arcuate gripper plate 37 in a threaded relationship. Tightening the mounting bolt 36 tends to straighten the bowed gripper plate 37 to force the ends of the gripper plate 37 into snug engagement with the inner surfaces 1B and 1C of the pedestal 1. When the mounting bolt 36 is loosened, the transverse mounting bars such as 3 may be moved vertically relative to the pedestal 1 and in this manner the display device is rendered readily adaptable for use with displayed items such as bottles B which are of varying heights.

In order to mount the flexible initially coiled shelves such as 7-14 inclusive to their associated mounting bars, the structure best shown in FIG. 3 may be employed. As is apparent in FIG. 3, the mounting edge generally designated by the letter E is somewhat enlarged and a mounting slot such as is designated by the letter S is formed within each mounting bar such as mounting bar 3. With the structure arranged as shown in FIG. 3, the enlarged mounting edge E is inserted within the hollow mounting bar 3 by simply sliding the coiled shelf 7 into the mounting bar from the end portion thereof. Preferably the enlarged edge E is of semi-rigid construction as distinguished from the flexible main body of the shelf. This semi-rigid construction may comprise a strip of metal M which is looped about the mounting edge of the shelf such as 7 and doubled back on itself as is apparent in FIG. 3.

Once all of the shelves are inserted into the ends of the mounting bars such as 3, 4, 5, and 6, these shelves may be retained in their mounted position by means of removable caps designated by the numerals 38-45 inclusive.

In order to facilitate loading the display device, it may be desirable to extend a pair of shelves such for example as shelves 10 and 14 simultaneously. Toward this end an elongated uncoiling bar 46 may be inserted into the centers of the aligned coiled shelves 10 and 14. This mounting bar may be manually grasped at its midpoint because the inner edges such as are designated by the numerals 47 and 48 of shelves 10 and 14 respectively are spaced apart to afford hand gripping access to the mid-portion of uncoiling bar 46. Thus with a layer of article carriers such as that designated at C1 disposed on the floor or other supporting surface, the uncoiling bar 46 is grasped at its mid-portion between the adjacent edges 47 and 48 of coiled shelves 10 and 14 and an outward horizontal force imparted thereto. This force simultaneously uncoils the shelves 10 and 14 and thus enables a quick and efficient assembly of another layer of carriers such as is designated at C2 which may be mounted atop the uncoiled shelves 10 and 14. After the layer C2 is completed, the uncoiling bar 46 may be removed and used again in connection with coiled shelves 9 and 13, 8 and 12, and 7 and 11 as is obvious.

According to one facet of the invention, all of the components which make up the display device may be readily disassembled and then inserted into the hollow interior of pedestal 1. It is obvious that the size and configuration of the parts must be such that they can conveniently fit within the hollow interior of pedestal 1 without being dislodged through the slot 28 formed therein. Since the bottom of pedestal 1 is closed by closure plate 49 and since handle 50 is readily accessible because it is secured exteriorly of pedestal 1, all the parts may be inserted inside pedestal 1 so as greatly to facilitate portability of the display stand whose parts may be readily assembled or disassembled at a point of use.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A display device comprising a flexible shelf element initially coiled into a plurality of concentric convolutions and having a mounting edge defining the outer extremity of the outer one of said convolutions, a rigid transverse elongated hollow mounting bar having a longitudinal slot formed therein slidably receiving said mounting edge of said shelf, said mounting edge of said shelf being of semi-rigid construction and being somewhat enlarged so that the width of said slot is less than the corresponding dimension of said enlarged mounting edge of said shelf element, and a vertical elongated hollow pedestal comprising an element having a longitudinal slot slidably receiving frictional mounting means secured to said mounting bar whereby said bar and shelf are supported by said pedestal.

2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein mounting elements are removably secured to the bottom portion of said pedestal for holding said pedestal erect and wherein said mounting elements when dismounted are insertable into said hollow pedestal to facilitate portability.

3. A display device according to claim 1 wherein said pedestal is of hollow construction and is of a configuration and size such that said bar and said shelf element may be inserted into said hollow pedestal through an end thereof to facilitate portability when disassembled.