GB2241426A - Display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Display apparatus comprises a panel (1) having a front face (2) disposed substantially vertically in use, a plurality of slots (4) being formed in the panel such that each slot defines an elongate mouth extending horizontally in the front face, the apparatus further comprising support means (10) for supporting an article to be displayed and having attachment means (11) for releasably attaching the support means to the panel, the attachment means including one or more attachment members (14) each of which is insertable into a respective slot (4) and wherein each slot comprises a channel defined between substantially parallel upper and lower slot surfaces (7, 8) sloping downwardly from the mouth into the panel. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY APPARATUS This invention relates to display apparatus of the type in which support means for supporting an article are releasably attachable to a panel by attachment means co-operating with slots formed in the panel.

It is known to provide slots of generally T-shaped cross-section and engageable by attachment means in the form of hooks whereby a support means such as a shelf can be attached to the panel. A disadvantage of such apparatus is that the slots are difficult to machine if the panel is to be formed from a solid sheet of material. A further disadvantage is that the slots tend to be unsightly and require the provision of decorative inserts to in-fill the slots.

According to the present invention there is disclosed display apparatus comprising a panel having a front face disposed substantially vertically in use, a plurality of slots being formed in the panel such that each slot defines an elongate mouth extending horizontally in the front face, the apparatus further comprising support means for supporting an article to be displayed and having attachment means for releasably attaching the support means to the panel, the attachment means including one or more attachment members each of which is insertable into a respective slot and wherein each slot comprises a channel defined between substantially parallel upper and lower slot surfaces sloping downwardly from the mouth into the panel.

An advantage of such apparatus is that the panel can be formed from a solid sheet with relatively simple machining of the slots. A further advantage is that the appearance of the panel is such that it is unnecessary to provide decorative inserts.

Preferably the attachment member is received as a sliding fit within its respective channel. The fit is preferably selected to provide sufficient friction to avoid accidental withdrawai of the attachment member from the slot.

The support means may comprise a plate having a rear face from which projects the attachment member and a front face from which projects a body for supporting an article to be displayed.

Conveniently the or one of the attachment members comprises a flange extending at a downwardly sloping angle relative to the rear face. The flange may be formed by bending part of the plate through the required angle.

Alternatively the support means may include one or more elements in the form of a wire or rod of which one or more end portions constitutes an attachment member.

Advantageously the upper and lower slot surfaces are inclined to the front face at an angle of inclination in the range of 30 to 50 degrees.

Preferably the angle of inclination is substantially 40 degrees.

The slots may comprise blind channels extending the full width of the panel and conveniently the panel may be comprised of fibre board having a surface finish layer on the front face. The slots may be regularly spaced in parallel array.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a panel, Figure 2 is an enlarged end view of an upper portion of the panel of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a front elevation of a support means attached to the panel of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a side elevation of the support means and panel of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a front elevation of an alternative support means attached to the panel of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 6 is a side view of the panel and support means of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of an additional further support means.

Figure 1 shows a panel 1 having a front face 2.

The panel 1 is formed of fibre board and is dimensioned 1.2 m by 1.2 m with a thickness of 20 mm.

A surface finish layer 3 of a plastics material is bonded to the panel 1 to thereby constitute the front face 2.

The panel 1 extends vertically as shown in the figure 1 and is attached to a supporting wall (not shown) so as to serve as a wall cladding material.

A series of regularly spaced horizonal slots 4 are provided in the panel 1 and as seen more clearly in Figure 2 each slot defines a mouth 5 in the front face 2. A channel 6 is defined between an upper slot surface 7 and a lower slot surface 8 which slope downwardly from the mouth 5 in parallel relationship at an angle of inclination A relative to the front face 2. The angle A in this example is 40 degrees.

The channel 6 terminates in an end wall 9 such that the channel is a blind channel extending only partially through the panel 1.

A first support means 10 is shown in Figures 3 and 4 in a position in which it is attached to the panel 1. The first support means 10 comprises a metal plate 11 having a square front face 12 and rear face 13. The plate 11 is provided with a flange 14 which is formed by bending the plate along a horizontal bend line 15 through an obtuse angle such that the flange projects from the rear face 13 at a downwardly inclined angle of 400 relative to the rear face.

The first support means 10 has a body 16 projecting from the front face 12 and comprising rigid parallel rods 17 and 18 integrally formed with a connectng U-shaped link 19 which is upturned by 450 from the horizontal as viewed in side elevation in Figure 4. The body 16 constitutes a light duty display arm suitable for supporting articles (not shown) which are packaged with hooks or eyes fitting over the rods 17 and 18.

The first support means 10 is shown in a configuration in which it is attached to a slot 4 such that the flange 14 extends fully into the channel 6 with the rear face 13 of the plate 11 abutting the front face 2 of the panel 1.

The flange 14 is dimensioned to be a sufficiently tight fit within the channel 6 to enable the flange to be slid into position whilst providing frictional resistance resisting withdrawal of the flange from the channel. This type of fit is important in preventing accidental detachment of the first support means 10 from the panel 1, for example by sideways or upward movement of the body 16. The first support means 10 is detachable from the panel 1 when required by movement of the first support means parallel to the slot surfaces 7, 8 to withdraw the flange 14.

A second support means 20 is shown in Figures 5 and 6 in a configuration in which it is attached to the panel 1. Corresponding reference numerals to those of previous figures are used where appropriate for corresponding elements.

The second support means 20 comprises a metal plate 11 having a rectangular front face 12 and a rear face 13 which extends vertically with the rear face abutting the front face 2 of the panel 1. The second support means 20 has an upper flange 21 formed by bending the plate 11 along a horizontal bend line 15 through an obtuse angle such that the upper flange 21 extends downwardly at an angle of 40 degrees to the rear face 13. The second support means 20 is also provided with a lower flange 22 formed by bending the metal plate 11 about a lower horizontal bend line 23 through an angle of 400 such that the lower flange 22 projects from the rear face 13 at an angle of 400 to the vertical. The vertical spacing between the upper and lower flanges 21 and 22 is equal to the vertical spacing between adjacent slots 4 of the panel 1.

The second support means 20 has a body 24 of a type for supporting a series of coathangers (not shown) for displaying lightweight garments. The body 24 comprises an arm 25 formed of metallic sheet material which projects horizontally and at right angles to the front face 12. An upper edge 26 of the arm 25 is shaped to include a series of cutouts 27 each of which can be engaged by a separate coathanger in use.

The arm 25 is welded to the plate 11.

In Figures 5 and 6 and second support means 20 is shown in a configuration in which it is attached to the panel 1 with the upper and lower flanges 21, 22 fully inserted into respective slots 4a and 4b. The upper and lower flanges 21 and 22 are received as a tight sliding fit within the respective slots 4a and 4b in the same manner as the flange 14 and slot 4 of Figures 3 and 4.

A further embodiment is shown with reference to Figure 7 in which a third support means 30 comprises a rigid metal wire loop 31 formed from a single length of wire material. A middle portion 32 of the loop 31 is of part circular shape which is use is supported in a horizontal plane by attachment to a panel (not shown) of the type shown in preceding figures. The free end portions 33 and 34 of the loop 31 are bent out upon the plane of the circular middle portion 32 so as to slope downwardly at an angle of 40 degrees to the vertical. The end portions 33 and 34 are connected integrally with the middle portion by horizontally extending arms 35 and 36 respectively.

The third support means 30 is attachable to the panel 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 by sliding the end portions 33 and 34 into the channel 6 of a selected slot 4. The end portions 34 and 33 are dimensioned to be a sliding fit within the channel 6 so as to be frictionally retained.

The third support means 30 constitutes a display ring to which lightweight articles may be attached either directly or by means of packaging having suitable hooks.

It has been found that the optimum angle of inclination A is equal to 40 degrees for the panel described above in the examples described above. The optimum angle of inclination will vary with the dimensions of the panel and material used. If the angle of inclination is too small then the slot may become difficult to machine because of a finely pointed edge being formed at the bottom of the mouth of the slot. As the angle decreases, the edge becomes more difficult to form and will also be structurally weak. If however the angle of inclination A is too great then the attachment means (such as the flange) will tend to pull out the channel when a load is applied to the support means.

The support means may be modified in any number of known ways to provide shelves, racks, baskets, hooks or rails for supporting various articles.

The surface finish layer applied to the panel may alternatively be a paint or varnish dressing or may be a metallic film or any other known finish.

The panel may be used as a cladding attached directly to a wall or may be used as a sheet material portion of a free standing display gondola.

The panel may alternatively be arranged to have a series of slots covering only part of the front surface of the panel so that for example the panel might have a series of slots covering only its upper half.

The attachment members may be dimensioned so as to be an interference fit within a slot.

The surface finish may extend into the slot so as to cover the upper slot surface.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1. Display apparatus comprising a panel having a front face disposed substantially vertically in use, a plurality of slots being formed in the panel such that each slot defines an elongate mouth extending horizontally in the front face, the apparatus further comprising support means for supporting an article to be displayed and having attachment means for releasably attaching the support means to the panel, the attachment means including one or more attachment members each of which is insertable into a respective slot and wherein each slot comprises a channel defined between substantially parallel upper and lower slot surfaces sloping downwardly from the mouth into the panel.

2. Display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein an attachment member is received as a sliding fit within its respective channel.

3. Display apparatus claimed in either of claims 1 and 2 wherein the support means comprises a plate having a rear face from which projects the attachment member and a front face from which projects a body for supporting an article to be displayed.

4. Display apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the or one of the attachment members comprises a flange extending at a downwardly sloping angle relative to the rear face.

5. Display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the support means includes one or more elements in the form of a wire or rod of which one or more end portions constitutes an attachment member.

6. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the upper and lower slot surfaces are inclined to the front face at an angle of inclination in the range of 30 to 50 degrees.

7. Display apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the angle of inclination is substantially 40 degrees.

8. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the slots comprise blind channels extending the full width of the panel.

9. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the panel is comprised of fibre board.

10. Display apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the fibre board includes a surface finish layer on the front face.

11. Display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the slots are regularly spaced in parallel array.

12. Display apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.