U.S. patent number RE36,827 [Application Number 08/723,481] was granted by the patent office on 2000-08-22 for bottle rack for refrigerated display.
Invention is credited to Martin P. Belokin, Norman P. Belokin, Paul Belokin.
United States Patent |
RE36,827 |
Belokin , et al. |
August 22, 2000 |
Bottle rack for refrigerated display
Abstract
A display rack is mounted to an internal surface of .Iadd.a
.Iaddend.transparent panel in .Iadd.a .Iaddend.refrigerated vault
to support and display bottles through the transparent panel. The
display rack has a back wall for mounting the rack and a ledge
extending from the back wall which has a generally horizontal
portion adjacent the back wall and .[.a.]. .Iadd.an
.Iaddend.upwardly deflected portion distal from the back wall. A
plurality of slots are formed in the ledge for receiving the neck
portions of the bottles. Each slot is of a size adapted to receive
the neck portion of a bottle but smaller than the top portion used
.Iadd.for .Iaddend.sealing the bottle, whereby the edges of the
slots in the ledge can support the bottle at its neck and the body
portion of the body of the bottle can be easily grasped for
selection and removal from the display rack.
Inventors: |
Belokin; Paul (Denton, TX),
Belokin; Martin P. (Denton, TX), Belokin; Norman P.
(Denton, TX) |
Family
ID: |
22556061 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/723,481 |
Filed: |
October 9, 1996 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
155596 |
Nov 22, 1993 |
05358128 |
Oct 25, 1994 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/75;
211/86.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
73/008 (20130101); A47F 3/0426 (20130101); A47F
7/28 (20130101); A47F 7/285 (20130101); F25D
25/02 (20130101); F25D 23/04 (20130101); F25D
2500/02 (20130101); F25D 2331/803 (20130101); F25D
2331/809 (20130101); F25D 2400/36 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47F
7/28 (20060101); A47F 3/04 (20060101); F25D
25/02 (20060101); F25D 23/04 (20060101); A47F
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;211/75,87,88,13
;248/206.2,206.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Chin-Shue; Alvin C.
Assistant Examiner: Purol; Sarah L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kanz; Jack A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A display rack supporting a plurality of bottles adjacent the
interior surface of a substantially transparent wall of a
refrigerated vault, each bottle having a body portion, a relatively
narrow neck portion and a top portion, wherein the display rack
comprises:
(a) a back wall having indicia thereon for advertising products
contained within a refrigerated vault and mounting the display rack
adjacent a generally vertical interior surface of a substantially
transparent wall of said refrigerated vault, said back wall having
a plurality of openings formed therein for connecting suction cups
to said back wall so that the display rack can be removeably
mounted to said interior surface;
(b) a ledge extending from said back wall, said ledge having a
generally horizontal portion adjacent said back wall and an
upwardly deflected portion distal from said back wall; and
(c) a plurality of slots formed in said ledge, each of said slots
being of a size adapted to receive the neck portion of a bottle but
smaller than the lid portion, whereby the edges of the slots in the
ledge support said bottles at the neck portions thereof and the
body portions of the bottles can be easily grasped for selection
and removal from the display rack.
2. A display rack as defined in claim 1 formed of substantially
transparent material, whereby the display rack can be positioned
adjacent a transparent panel of the refrigerated compartment and
bottles on the display rack can be viewed and identified
therethrough.
3. A display rack supporting a plurality of bottles, each bottle
having a relatively narrow neck portion bounded by a body portion
and a top portion, within a refrigerator having a refrigerated
compartment and a door for opening and closing the refrigerated
compartment mounted to the refrigerator by at least one hinge and
having a substantially transparent panel for displaying products
within the refrigerated compartment, said display rack
comprising:
(a) a substantially transparent back wall mounting the display rack
adjacent the transparent panel of the door;
(b) a ledge extending from said back wall having a generally
horizontal portion adjacent said back wall and an upwardly
deflected portion distal from said back wall;
(c) a plurality of slots in said ledge, each of said slots having a
closed end in said horizontal portion of said ledge and an open end
in said upwardly deflected portion of said ledge and being of a
size to receive the neck portion of a bottle but smaller than the
outer diameter .Iadd.of .Iaddend.the top portion above the neck
portion, whereby the edges of the slots in the ledge support the
bottle at the neck portion and the body portion of the bottle can
be easily grasped for selection and removal from the display rack,
and whereby said upwardly deflected portion of said ledge assists
in retaining the bottles on the display rack when the door is
rapidly opened or closed.
4. A display rack as defined in claim 3 wherein the entire display
rack is formed of transparent material for enhancing visibility of
the products within the refrigerated compartment.
5. A display rack as defined in claim 3 wherein said closed end of
each of said slots is generally semi-circular in shape to conform
to at least part of the circumference of the neck portion of a
bottle.
6. A display rack as defined in claim 3 wherein said closed end of
each of said slots has a depth at least as large as the
circumference of the neck portion of a bottle.
7. A display rack as defined in claim 6 wherein the overall depth
of said horizontal portion of said ledge is larger than the depth
of said slots in said horizontal portion of said ledge and
sufficient so that at least one-half the circumference of the body
portion of a bottle can be positioned in one of said slots and
beneath said horizontal portion of said ledge without touching said
back wall, whereby a bottle can be supported by one of said slots
in a generally vertical position for display.
8. A display rack as defined in claim 3 wherein said open end of
each of said slots in said upwardly deflected portion of said ledge
has a depth at least as large as one-half the diameter of the neck
portion of the bottle.
9. A display rack as defined in claim 3 wherein the angle of said
upwardly deflected portion with respect to the generally horizontal
portion of said ledge is in the range of about 20.degree. to
45.degree..
10. A display rack as defined in claim 3 wherein the angle of said
upwardly deflected portion with respect to the generally horizontal
portion of said ledge is about 30.degree..
11. The combination comprising:
(a) a refrigerated compartment defined by bottom, side, back and
top interior surfaces and a door pivotally mounted thereto by at
least one hinge and having a transparent panel for displaying
products within the refrigerated compartment; and
(b) a display rack supporting a plurality of bottles adjacent the
interior surface of said transparent panel, each bottle having a
body portion, a relatively narrow neck portion and a top portion,
wherein the display rack comprises
(i) a back wall having indicia thereon for advertising products
contained within the refrigerated compartment and mounting the
display rack adjacent said transparent panel, said back wall having
a plurality of openings formed therein for connecting suction cups
to said back wall so that the display rack can be removeably
mounted to said transparent panel;
(ii) a ledge extending from said back wall, said ledge having a
generally horizontal portion adjacent said back wall and an
upwardly deflected portion distal from said back wall; and
(iii) a plurality of slots formed in said ledge, each of said slots
being of a size adapted to receive the neck portion of a bottle but
smaller than the lid portion, whereby the edges of the slots in the
ledge support said bottles at the neck portions thereof and the
body portions of the bottles can be easily grasped for selection
and removal from the display rack.
12. The combination comprising:
(a) a refrigerated compartment defined by bottom, side, back and
top interior surfaces and a door pivotally mounted thereto by at
least one hinge and having a transparent panel for displaying
products within the refrigerated compartment; and
(b) a display rack supporting a plurality of bottles within said
refrigerated compartment, each bottle having a relatively narrow
neck portion bounded by a body portion and a top portion, wherein
said display rack comprises
(i) a substantially transparent back wall mounting the display rack
adjacent the transparent panel of the door;
(ii) a ledge extending from said back wall having a generally
horizontal portion adjacent said back wall and an upwardly
deflected portion distal from said back wall; and
(iii) a plurality of slots in said ledge, each of said slots having
a closed end in said horizontal portion of said ledge and an open
end in said upwardly deflected portion of said ledge and being of a
size to receive the neck portion of a bottle but smaller than the
outer diameter of the top portion above the neck portion, whereby
the edges of the slots in the ledge support the bottle at the neck
portion and the body portion of the bottle can be easily grasped
for selection and removal from the display rack, and whereby said
upwardly deflected portion of said ledge assists in retaining the
bottles on the display rack when the door is rapidly opened or
closed. .Iadd.
13. A display rack supporting a plurality of bottles adjacent the
interior surface of a substantially transparent wall of a
refrigerated vault, each bottle having a body portion, a relatively
narrow intermediate portion and a top portion, wherein the display
rack comprises:
(a) a back wall having indicia thereon for advertising products
contained within a refrigerated vault and mounting the display rack
adjacent a generally vertical interior surface of substantially
transparent wall of said refrigerated vault, said back wall having
a plurality of openings formed therein for connecting suction cups
to said back wall so that the display rack can be removeable
mounted to said interior surface;
(b) a ledge extending from said back wall; and
(c) a plurality of slots formed in said ledge, each of said slots
being of a size adapted to receive an intermediate portion of a
bottle but smaller
than the top portion whereby the edges of the slots in the ledge
support said bottles at the intermediate portions thereof and the
body portions of the bottles may be easily grasped for selection
and removal from the display rack..Iaddend..Iadd.14. A display rack
as defined in claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said ledge is
upwardly deflected..Iaddend..Iadd.15. A display rack as defined in
claim 13 formed of substantially transparent material, whereby the
display rack may be positioned adjacent a transparent panel of the
refrigerated vault and bottles on the display rack viewed and
identified
therethrough..Iaddend..Iadd.16. A display rack as defined in claim
13 wherein said ledge has a generally horizontal portion adjacent
said back wall and an upwardly deflected portion distal from said
back wall..Iaddend..Iadd.17. The combination comprising:
(a) a refrigerated compartment defined by bottom, side, back and
top interior surfaces and a door pivotally mounted thereto by at
least one hinge and having a transparent panel for displaying
products within the refrigerated compartment; and
(b) a display rack supporting a plurality of bottles adjacent the
interior surface of said transparent panel, each bottle having a
body portion, a relatively narrow intermediate portion and a top
portion, wherein the display rack comprises
(i) a back wall having indicia thereon for advertising products
contained within a refrigerated compartment and mounting the
display rack adjacent said transparent panel, said back wall having
a plurality of openings formed therein for connecting suction cups
to said back wall so that the display rack may be removeably
mounted to said transparent panel;
(ii) a ledge extending from said back wall; and
(iii) a plurality of slots formed in said ledge, each of said slots
being of a size adapted to receive an intermediate portion of a
bottle but smaller than the top portion, whereby the edges of the
slots in the ledge support said bottles at the intermediate
portions thereof and the body portions of the bottles may be easily
grasped for selection and removal
from the display rack..Iaddend..Iadd.18. The combination defined in
claim 17 wherein at least a portion of said ledge is upwardly
deflected..Iaddend..Iadd.19. The combination defined in claim 17
wherein said ledge has a generally horizontal portion adjacent said
back wall and an upwardly deflected portion distal from said back
wall..Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to refrigerated display of bottled products.
More particularly, it relates to improved racks mounted to an
interior surface of a transparent door of a refrigerated vault or
the like for prominently displaying refrigerated bottled
products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Retail businesses commonly display chilled products for sale in
refrigerated units having a transparent door panel. Because a
passing customer is more likely to select and purchase products
displayed where they can be readily seen and recognized, the
retailer desires to maximize visibility of products on display and
also to maximize the utilization of space within the refrigerated
area. Sometimes the retailer desires to change the arrangement of
items on display or place special promotional products in
particularly visible positions in refrigerated vaults or the like.
The present invention provides display racks for supporting a
plurality of bottles adjacent an interior surface of a refrigerated
compartment such as the interior surface of a transparent wall or
door.
Many bottles have a relatively narrow neck portion bounded by a
body portion and upper top portion. The top portion of most
bottles, particularly plastic beverage bottles, have a screw cap
and an outwardly extending flange portion formed on the neck. The
top portion of other types of bottles may have a sealed cap which
is larger in diameter then the neck portion of the bottle.
According to the invention, the display rack supports such bottles
at the relatively narrow neck portion of the bottles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, the display rack of the invention has a back wall and a
ledge extending from the back wall. The back wall is adapted to
mount the display rack adjacent a generally vertical interior
surface of a refrigerated compartment such as against a transparent
door panel. The ledge has a generally horizontal portion adjacent
the back wall and an upwardly deflected portion distal from the
back wall. A plurality of spaced-apart slots are formed in the
ledge for receiving the neck portions of the bottles. Each slot is
of a size adapted to receive the neck portion of a bottle but
smaller than the top portion above the neck, whereby the edges of
the slots in the ledge can support the bottle at the neck.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the display rack is
mounted to a hinged transparent door of a refrigerated vault or the
like. The upwardly deflected portion of the ledge assists in
retaining bottles on the display rack when the door is rapidly
opened or closed. The back wall of the display rack has a plurality
of openings formed therein for connecting suction cups to the back
wall so that the display rack can be removeably mounted to the
interior wall or door of a refrigerated vault.
The display rack is preferably formed of substantially transparent
material and mounted on the interior of a transparent refrigerator
door panel so the bottles on the display rack can be viewed and
identified through the transparent panel. The invention thus
provides a display rack which supports bottles to be displayed
while supported at the neck portion so that the body of the bottle
can be easily grasped for selection and removal from the display
rack. The rack is releaseably mounted to an interior wall or door
of a refrigerated compartment to occupy otherwise wasted space and
is formed of a sufficiently transparent material so that bottles
supported thereon can be viewed and identified from outside the
refrigerated compartment.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to
those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments together with the appended
claims and attached drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerated vault unit having a
hinged door with a transparent panel for viewing products within
the refrigerated compartment and a bottle display rack mounted to
the interior of the transparent panel for displaying chilled
bottled products;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerated unit of FIG. 1
with the hinged door open;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a display rack mounted to a
refrigerator panel, the display rack having a plurality of bottles
positioned thereon;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the display rack according to a
preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator panel and
display rack of FIG. 3 taken along lines 5--5;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a portion of a display rack according
to a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the slots for
retaining bottles on the display rack; and
FIG. 7 illustrates a bottle retained on the upwardly deflected
portion of the ledge of the display rack as the supporting door is
opened or closed.
The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of
the specification to illustrate several examples of the present
invention. Throughout the drawing, like reference numerals
designate corresponding elements. This drawing, together with the
description, serves to explain the principles of the invention and
is only for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative
examples of how the invention can be made and used. The drawings is
not to be construed as limiting the invention to only the
illustrated and described examples. Throughout the drawing, like
reference numerals designate corresponding elements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a typical refrigerator unit generally referred
to by the numeral 10. The refrigerator unit 10 includes a thermally
insulated compartment 11 defined by a base 12, side walls 14, back
wall, top wall 18 and door 20. The refrigerator unit has a typical
refrigeration system for chilling the interior of the compartment
11. As will hereinafter be described in detail, a bottle display
rack (generally referred to by the numeral 50) is mounted to the
interior surface of the door 20 of the refrigerated compartment. It
will be readily recognized that although a free-standing
refrigerator unit 10 is illustrated, the invention is equally
applicable to large built-in vaults and the like currently used in
retail outlets such as convenience stores and the like.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the door 20 has a
frame 22 for a transparent panel 24. The panel 24 is typically made
of glass so that products within the refrigerator can be viewed
from the outside. However, it is to be understood that the
transparent panel 24 could be formed of plastic or other suitable
transparent material. The door 20 is connected at hinges 26 to a
side wall 14 of the refrigerator unit 10 to swing open and closed.
The door frame 22 has a handle assembly 28 for convenient grasping
of the door 20 to open and close the door. As best shown in FIG. 2,
the refrigerator unit 10 has a plurality of shelves 30 supports in
the compartment 11 between side walls 14. Assorted food and/or
beverage products 32 can be positioned on the shelves 30 for
displaying the products through the transparent panel 24.
In typical commercial refrigerated vaults there is a space between
the forward end of shelves 30 and the transparent panel 24 of door
20 which is unused. It is, of course, desireable to utilize this
dead space to
maximize the capacity of the refrigerator.
As shown in FIGS. 1-3 a bottle display rack 50 is releaseably
mounted by a plurality of suction cups 48 to the interior surface
of the transparent panel 24 of door 20. As best shown in FIG. 3,
the bottle display rack 50 can be used to support one or more
bottles 34. Typically, the bottles 34 will contain a consumable
beverage which is preferably served chilled.
A typical plastic beverage bottle 34 has a relatively narrow neck
portion 38 bounded below by a body portion 36 for containing the
fluid and bounded above by a top portion 40 for sealing the bottle.
The top portion 40 of a typical plastic bottle 34 includes a screw
cap 41 and outwardly extending circumferential flange portion 42.
It is to be understood that at least some element of the top
portion 40 is larger in diameter than the neck portion 38, for
example, the diameter of the screw cap 41 or the diameter of the
flange portion 42.
For purposes of illustration, the display rack illustrated can
accommodate up to six bottles. However, it is to be understood that
the display rack 50 can be designed to accommodate any convenient
number of bottles and that the particular dimensions of the rack is
determined by the size, shape and number of the bottles to be
displayed.
The preferred embodiment of the display rack as illustrated in
FIGS. 4-6, has a back wall 52 and a ledge 54 extending from the
back wall 52. The back wall 52 is adapted for mounting the display
rack adjacent a generally vertical interior surface of refrigerated
compartment 11 such as against the transparent door panel 24. The
ledge 54 has a generally horizontal portion 56 adjacent the back
wall 52 and an upwardly deflected portion 58 distal from the back
wall 52. The ledge 54 is reinforced and supported by a plurality of
bracing walls or gussets 60 generally vertically oriented between
the back wall 52 and the ledge 54. The back wall 52 has a plurality
of apertures 62 formed therein for receiving and engaging the stems
49 of suction cups 48. The number and placement of the suction cups
48 depends on the number and size of the bottles 34 the display
rack 50 is intended to accommodate. The suction cups 48 can be
firmly connected to the back wall of the display rack 50 by
conventional methods. For example, the stem 49 of the suction cup
may have an enlarged head portion or threaded wing nut for
retaining the suction cup in the aperture 62.
According to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention,
the display rack 50 is formed entirely of substantially transparent
material such as plastic and is secured to the interior of a
transparent door panel 24 so the bottles 34 on the display rack 50
can be viewed and identified through the transparent panel 24 and
the material of the display rack. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the
back wall 52 can have indicia displayed thereon to advertise a
product, for example, a bottled "COLA" beverage or the like. The
particular design of the indicia 64 is, of course, a matter of
marketing preference. The indicia 64 is preferably positioned on
the back wall 52 so as not to interfere with the placement of the
suction cups 48 on the display rack 50. If at least the back wall
52 of display rack 50 is formed of transparent material, the
indicia 64 can be advantageously mounted to either surface of the
back wall 52. Indicia 64 can be formed on the back wall 52 by
various means .[.0.]. such as electrostatic mounting or the like or
can be more permanently mounted with an adhesive.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, a plurality of slots 70 are formed in the
ledge 54 for receiving the neck portions 38 of the bottles 34. Each
slot 70 has a closed end 72 formed in the horizontal portion 56 of
the ledge 54 and an open end 74 formed in the upwardly deflected
portion 58 of the ledge 54. The closed end 72 of each slot 70 is
preferably generally semi-circular in shape as shown. The slot 70
defines a passage having a width X sufficiently large to receive
the narrow neck portion 38 of a bottle 34. The width X of the
passage is also smaller then the outer diameter Y of a flange
portion 42 on the top portion 40. Accordingly, the edges of a slot
70 in the ledge 54 support the bottle 34 at the neck portion 38
just below the flange 42 of top portion 40.
The closed end 72 of the slot 70 has a depth Z which is preferably
at least as large as the circumference of the neck portion 38 below
the flange 42. The overall depth of the horizontally portion 56 of
ledge 54 is also at least as large as the depth Z of the slot 70
and more preferably sufficient so that at least one-half the
circumference of the body portion 36 of a bottle 34 can be
positioned in the closed end 72 of a slot 70 and beneath the
horizontal portion 56 without touching the back wall 52. Thereby,
as best shown in FIG. 5, the bottle 34 can be supported by the
edges of a slot 70 in a generally vertical position for display.
The open end 74 of the slot 70 has a depth which is preferably at
least as large as one-half the diameter of the neck portion 38. In
the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6, the open end
74 of slot 70 is bounded by rounded corners 76. The rounded corners
76 can have, for example, a radius of about one-eighth the radius
of the neck portion 38 of one of the bottles 34. The rounded
corners 76 assist in guiding the neck portion 38 of a bottle into
the open end 74 of slot 70.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7 the preferred bottle display rack
of the invention has an upwardly deflected portion 58 in the ledge
54. The angle .[.e.]. of the upwardly deflected portion 58 with
respect to the generally horizontal portion 56 of ledge 54 is in
the range of about 20.degree. to 45.degree.. In the presently
preferred embodiment of the invention, the angle is preferably
about 30.degree.. When the door 20 of the refrigerator is
forcefully and rapidly swung open about its hinges (as shown in
FIG. 7), the motion of the transparent panel 24 of the door 20
tends to leave the bottle 34 behind and tends to move away from the
back wall 52 of the display rack 50. The upwardly deflected portion
58 of the ledge 54 assists in preventing the bottle 34 from falling
off the display rack 50. When the door 20 stops moving, the bottle
34 returns to the generally vertical orientation shown in FIG. 5 by
force of gravity. When the door is swung about its hinges to the
closed position, the motion of the transparent panel 24 of the door
20 tends to move toward the bottle 34 and the bottle 34 is retained
on the display rack 50. However, a particularly energetic customer
may close the door 20 of the refrigerator unit with such force that
the momentum imparted to the bottle 34 causes it to tend to
continue its motion after the door has stopped moving. The
situation shown in FIG. 7 again comes into play and the upwardly
deflected portion 58 of the ledge 54 assists in preventing the
bottle 34 from falling off the display rack 50. Thereafter, the
bottle 34 tends to return to the generally vertical orientation
shown in FIG. 5.
It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics
and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the
foregoing description together with details of the structure and
function of the invention, this disclosure is to be considered
illustrative only. Various changes and modifications may be made in
detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of
parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *