GB2189692A - Display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Display apparatus comprising a plurality of trough-shaped elements (2) which are separately formed and which are connected together one on top of another to form display apparatus with a plurality of troughs (14) for receiving products to be displayed. Preferably each trough-shaped element comprises a base wall, first and second side walls which are spaced apart by the base wall, and first and second connecting means for connecting the trough-shaped elements together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display apparatus This invention relates to display apparatus. The display apparatus may be for displaying products such for example as greetings cards, cassette tapes, video tapes, records, compact discs, books, leaflets, and various other desired items.

Stores and shops require display apparatus that is easyto assemble,easyto adjust in sizefordifferent displays, and that is easy to stock with products to be displayed. It is an aim of the present invention to provide such display apparatus.

Accordingly, this invention provides display appar atus comprising a pluralityoftrough-shaped elements which are separately formed and which are connected together one on top of anotherto form display apparatus with a plurality of troughs for receiving products to be displayed.

The display apparatus will usually be such that the trough-shaped elements are releaseably connected together. Usually, tools will not be needed and there will be no components to tighten together. Thus the display apparatus can be very easily built to a desired size merely by adding or removing some ofthe trough-shaped elements as may be required.

Usually the display apparatus will be such thatthe trough-shaped elements hang from each other. Thus the trough-shaped elements can be hung down a wall or a display panel. The wall orthe display panel can be vertical or inclined as may be desired. The display apparatus can thus be hung on a sidewall of a store or shop or it can be centrally or otherwise provided remote from the side walls ofthe door or shop.

Preferably, the display apparatus is one in which each trough-shaped element comprises a base wall, first and second side walls which are spaced apart by the base wall, and first and second connecting means for connecting the trough-shaped elements together.

The base wall may be provided with the first connecting means, and the first side wall may be provided with the second connecting means.

Preferably the first side wall is higher than the second side wall. Products to be displayed can then be viewed from the second side wall, with the products extending abovethetopofthesecondsidewall.

The first and the second side walls may be straight.

Alternatively, at least one ofthe first and the second side walls may be curved. If desired, both ofthefirst and the second side walls may be curved.Anytypes of curve may be employed.

Each trough-shaped element may have one ofthe first connecting means and one of the second connecting means. If desired, each trough-shaped element may have more than one ofthe first connecting means and more than one ofthe second connecting means. Where two or more of the first connecting means and two or more of the second connecting means are employed, then the display apparatus may be such that it can be constructed with thetrough-shaped elements atvarious angles of tilt.

Thus differentformations of the display apparatus may be builtto suit different requirements of various stores and shops.

The first and the second connecting means may be hooks. Alternatively,thefirst and the second connecting means may be male and female inter-connecting members. The male and female inter-connecting members may form, for example, dovetail joints.

Each trough-shaped element may be provided with a groove for receiving selling data. The selling data maybe,forexample,thepriceofdisplayed products, orthe manufacturer andlortrade name ofthedisplay- ed products.

Thegrooveforreceivingtheselling data may advantageously be provided in a face ofthe second wall. The groove will then be readily accessible for receiving changes of selling data and the selling data so provided in the groove will easily be visible to prospective purchasers ofthe displayed products.

In one embodimentofthe invention,the second wall is provided with aslotforenabling an extension wall memberto be fitted to the second wall to vary the height of the second wall. Preferably, the slot is in the end ofthe second wall remote from the base wall.

The trough-shaped elements may be produced in any desired and convenient manner. Thus, for examplethetrough-shaped elements may be extruded, folded orformed.

The trough-shaped elements may be formed from any desired and appropriate materials such for example as metal and plastics materials. Aluminium and aluminium alloys are preferred metals.

The trough-shaped elements may be formed of any desired length. They may also be formed such thatthe trough formed bythefirst and the second side walls is ofanydesired height. Similarly, the trough may be of any desired width.

Embodiments ofthe invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a firsttroughshaped element; Figure 2 is an end view ofthetrough-shaped element shown in Figure 1; Figures 3,4 and 5 are end views of second,third and fourth trough-shaped elements; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fifth troughshaped element; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sixth troughshaped element.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a trough-shaped element which is extruded as a separate component and which is of any desired length.

The trough-shaped element 2 comprises a base wall 4, a first side wall 6 and a second side wall 8. The first and second side walls 6,8 are spaced apart by the base wall 4 as shown.

The base wall 4 is provided with first connecting meansintheform of a hook 10. As shown,the hook 10 extends from the bottom face 12 of the base wall 4 and the hook 10 extends in the direction of trough 14 defined bythe base wall 4 and the first and the second side walls 6,8. The top end of the first side wall 6 is provided with second connecting means in theform of a hook 16. As shown, the hook 16 extends the entire length ofthetrough-shaped element 2.

The hooks 10,16 are used to enable a plurality ofthe trough-shaped elements 2 to be hooked together. The trough-shaped elements2 are hookedtogetherwith the hook 16fitting in the hook 10 of an immediately preceding trough-shaped element 2. It will thus be appreciated that display apparatus can be built up comprising a plurality ofthe trough-shaped elements 2with thetrough-shaped eiements2 all hanging one on top of another. The troughs 14 are then available for receiving products to be displayed such for example as greetings cards, cassette tapes, video tapes, records, compact discs, books, leaflets or any other desired products. Usually, the products will be of a relatively slim nature to fit easily in the troughs 14.

Referring nowto Figures 3,4 and 5, there are shown second, third and fourth trough-shaped elements 2 and similar parts as in Figures 1 and 2 have been given the same reference numerals and their precise construction and operation will not again be given.

In Figure 3, the first and second side walls 6,8 are curved as shown. The second side wall 8 terminates in a bead 18. The hook 10 has been replaced by a channel 20, and the hooks 16 has been replaced by a male formation 22. Thus the trough-shaped elements shown in Figure 3 connect together by-means of dove tail joints formed by the channel 20 and the male formation 22.

The trough-shaped element 2 shown in Figure 4 is similarto that shown in Figures 1 and 2 exceptthat three hooks 10areemployed. Byan appropriate choice of a hook 10 to connectto the hook 16 of an adjacenttrough-shaped element 2, the angle of inciination ofthetrough-shaped element2 may be varied. Thus varying display angles for products may be achieved and the optimum display angle for individual products can be obtained.

Thesecond sidewall 6 shown in Figure 4 is provided with a groove 24for receiving selling data. The selling data may be, for example, the price of a displayed product. The selling data may be in the form of a slip of paper or card which is slotted into the groove 24. It will be seen that the groove 24 is a re-entrance type of groove with its mouth being smallerthan its base.

Thus,the slip of paper or card is easily ableto be retained in the groove 24. Usually, the groove 24 will extend the entire length ofthetrough-shaped element 2.

Referring now to Figure 5, three hooks 10 are employed similarly as in Figure 4. It will be seen that the shape ofthe hooks 10 shown in Figure 5 is different from the shape ofthe hooks 10 shown in Figure 4. The hook 16 in Figure 5 is of a shape appropriate to connect to the hooks 10 shown in Figure 5 so that the shape of the hook 16 shown in Figure 5 is different from the shape of the hook 16 shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 5, the second side wall 8 terminates in a bead 18. The bead 18 is of a different cross sectional shape than that ofthe bead 18 shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a trough-shaped element 2 which is likethat shown in Figu re 1. In Figure 6 howeverthe second side wall 8 has a vertical portion 26 and an inclined portion 28. As shown, the inclined portion 28 extends into the hook 10.

There is shown in broken lines in Figure 6 an inclined portion 30 forthe firstside wall 6. The inclined portion 30 represents an alternative design and, in this alternative design, it will be seen that the hook 16 is facing inwardlytowardsthetrough 14. In this case, the hook 10 then face the opposite way to that shown to be ableto mate with the hook 16.

Figure 6 shows the trough-shaped element 2 hanging from a channel section member32. The channel section member 32 may be secured to a wall (notshown) the channel membersection 32 has an open mouth 34through which the hook 16 passes. The hook 16then locates overran upstanding wall 36 as shown.Thetrough-shapedelement2shown in Figure 6 maythus be the firsttrough-shaped element2 in a series oftrough-shaped elements 2, the remaining trough-shaped elements 2 hanging from each other by means ofthe interconnecting hooks 10,16.

Referring nowto Figure7,thereisshown a trough-shaped element 2 in which similar parts as in previous Figures have been given the same reference numeralsfor ease of description and understanding.

In Figure 7, the second sidewall 8 is only a short side wall and it is provided with a slot 38 for receiving an extension wall member 40. Thus the trough-shaped apparatus 2 can be used with the short second side wall 8Onlyorwith a longer second sidewall formed of the second side wall 8 and the extension wall member 40.Thusthe height ofthe second side wall can be chosen to suit various products to be displayed. If desired, the extension wall member 40 can be opaque or it can be transparent to allow the products behind the extension wall member 40 to be seen.

The illustrated trough-shaped elements 2 can be connected together by their various first and second connecting means such as the hooks 10,16 to form hanging display apparatus. Because the troughshaped elements 2 can easily be releaseably con nectedtogether by a simple hooking action in the case ofthe hooks 10,16 or bya simple sliding action in the case of the channel 20 and maleformation 22, it will be apparent that tools are not required to assemble the display apparatus. Assembly ofthe display apparatus is very simple and the height of the display apparatus can very easily be adjusted simply by adding on some ofthetrough-shaped elements 2 or by taking off some ofthetrough-shaped elements 2.Where a plurality of hooks 10 are employed such as shown in Figures 4and 5, then the angle of inclination of each trough-shaped element2with respecttoitsadjacenttrough-shaped element 2 may be varied by an appropriate choice of oneofthe hooks 10.

It is to beappreciatedthattheembodimentsofthe invention described above have been given byway of example only and that modifications may be affected.

Thus, for example, the illustrated trough-shaped elements 2 are preferably produced as aluminium alloy extrusions but they can also be plastics extrusions ortheycan be produced by folding orforming to shape. Also, if desired, the first and the second side walls 6,8 respectively can be of the same height orthe second side wall 8 can behigherthanthefirstsidewall 6. Where plastics materials are employed, the trough shaped elements may be produced to be transparent to give good viewing ofthe displayed products.

Usuallythefirstsidewall6will bea rearsidewall during use of the trough-shaped element 2 and the second side wall 8 will be a viewed side wall but this arrangement may be reversed if desired.

Claims (13)

1. Display apparatus comprising a plurality of trough-shaped elements which areseparatelyformed and which are connected together one on top of anotherto form display apparatus with a plurality of troughs for receiving products to be displayed.

2. Display apparatus according to claim 1 in which each trough-shaped element comprises a base wall, first and second side walls which are spaced apart by the base wall, and first and second connecting means for connecting the trough-shaped elements together.

3. Display apparatus according to claim 2 in which the base wall is provided with the first connecting means, and in which the first side wall is provided with the second connecting means.

4. Display apparatus according to claim 3 in which the first side wall is higherthan the second side wall.

5. Display apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the first and the second side walls are straight.

6. Display apparatus according to any one of claims 2to 4 in which at least one ofthe first and the second side walls is curved.

7. Display apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6 in which each trough-shaped element has more than one first connecting means and more than one second connecting means.

8. Display apparatus according to any one of claims 2to 7 in which the first and the second connecting means are hooks, or male and female inter-connecting members.

9. Display apparatus according to any one ofthe preceding claims in which each trough-shaped element is provided with a groove for receiving selling data.

10. Display apparatus according to claim 9 when appendantto any one of claims 2 to 8 in which the groove is provided in a face ofthe second wall.

11. Display apparatus according to claim 2 orto claim 2 and any one of claims 3 to 9 in which the second wall is provided with a slotfor enabling an extension wall member two be fitted to the second wall tovarythe height of the second wall.

12. Display apparatus according to claim 11 in which the slot is in the end ofthe second wall remote from the base wall.

13. Display apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.