GB2369040A

GB2369040A - A folding display stand

Info

Publication number: GB2369040A
Application number: GB0027963A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Barnett
Original assignee: Crp Print & Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: Crp Print & Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-16
Filing date: 2000-11-16
Publication date: 2002-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2020-11-16
Also published as: GB0027963D0; GB2369040B

Abstract

A product display stand has back 12 and side 14,16 walls supported by a base 20 which is foldable between flat and box-like configurations. Folding the side walls to lie flat with the back causes the base also to fold flat. The base may include an upper foldable support surface 32 and a folding inner base support member 40. A header card 18 may be included and the flat stand may fold on itself at 26. For stability the folds in surface 32 may be designed to "over centre" in the in-use configuration.

Description

A DISPLAY STAND The invention relates to a display stand for displaying products and particularly to although not exclusively limited to a display stand made from sheet material which is assembled by unfolding.

Point of sale display stands are available in a number of materials and manufacturers are increasingly using display stands made from, for example, corrugated cardboard, which can be transported flat and assembled at the point of sale. Where the retailer is responsible for assembling the display it is desirable to make the assembly as straight forward as possible. Ease of assembly must be balanced against ease of transport and the structural requirements of the display stand.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved display stand.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a display stand for displaying products comprising a base, a back wall and opposite side walls, the base being foldable from a flat transit configuration to a box-like configuration capable of supporting the back and side walls to enable display of products thereon, the back wall being secured to one edge of the base and the side walls being secured to respective opposite edges of the base, the stand being foldable from a transit position in which the stand is folded substantially flat with the side walls folded so as to lie substantially flat with the back wall and an operative position in which the base supports the back and side walls to allow display of products, the base being folded in such a way that folding the side walls into a position transverse to the back wall causes the base to fold from the transit configuration to the box-like configuration.

In that way, the folding out of the side walls results in the assembly of the base into a configuration whereby the base will support the back and side walls for produce to be stacked against them.

Preferably the side walls in the transit position are folded inwardly towards each other so as to lie against the back wall and folding of the side walls outwardly causes the base to be folded from the transit configuration to the box-like configuration.

The transit configuration of the base is preferably substantially flat also.

The folding arrangement for folding the base from the transit configuration to the box-like configuration preferably includes an over-centre arrangement whereby the folding arrangement must be over centred to move from one configuration to the other. That prevents the base inadvertently reverting towards the flat transit configuration.

A base support member is preferably secured to the base to provide structural support for the base when the base is in the box-like configuration.

The base comprises a box having an upper surface, a front base wall and opposite base walls. A fold line is preferably defined centrally of the upper surface of the base MIL respective fold lines are formed centrally of the side walls and they are arranged so as to provide a single fold line extending from the lower edge of one side wall across the upper surface and down the other side wall. Further fold lines are provided in the upper surface to allow it to collapse into a flat position when the base is folded about the central fold line.

Preferably the folds are arranged such that the centre lines of the side walls are pushed inwardly of the base and the upper surface of the base bends upwardly so that the front base wall and back wall move together so as to form a substantially flat configuration.

The side walls of the display stand are secured to the side walls of the base and are arranged so as not to extend beyond the centre line of the side walls of the base in order to ensure easy folding.

Where the upper surface of the base has a fold line defined centrally thereof, the base is arranged so that that fold line must be over-centred in any transition between flat transit configuration and box-like support configuration. Again, where the upper surface of the base comprises a central fold line, the base support member may be arranged so that on assembly of the base into the box-like configuration the support is arranged beneath the central fold line. Such an arrangement prevents inadvertent collapse of the base when loaded with products.

The back and side walls of the display stand preferably include a fold line formed at the central line thereof.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display stand made in accordance with the invention looking from the front and one side, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stand of FIG. l looking from the rear and the other side, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the stand of FIGS. 1 & 2 with the header card omitted, the stand being shown in a position just unfolded from the flat transit position, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the display stand of FIGS. 1-3 shown laying flat, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of part of the display stand of FIGS. 1-4 showing the base halfway between the flat transit configuration and the box-like support configuration, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the underside of the base of the stand of FIGS. 1-5 with the stand lying on its back wall, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the underside of the base of the stand shown lying down with the back wall uppermost, and FIG. 8 is a plan view of a blank of material which is used to form the display stand of FIGS. 1-7, and FIG. 9 is a plan view of a blank of material used to make the base support shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

In FIG. 1 a display stand 10 comprises a back wall 12, opposite side walls 14,16, a header card 18 arranged on top of the back and side walls and a base 20.

The back and side walls 12,14, 16 are elongate, respective side walls extending from the back wall from respective common elongate edges thereof. A fold line 22 is defined between the back wall 12 and the side wall 14 and a fold line 24 is defined between the back wall 12 and the side wall 16. A further fold line 26 extends perpendicular to the fold lines 22,24 from the free edge of side wall 14 across the back wall 12 and to the free edge of side wall 16. The fold line 26 is defined generally centrally of the back and side walls 12,14, 16. Respective slots, 26,28 are formed along the fold lines 22,24 extending from the upper edge of the walls 12,14, 16 for a short distance along the respective fold lines 22, 24. The slots 26,28 serve to receive the headed card 18 which may include corresponding slots to allow a deeper mating engagement of the header card 18 onto the back and side walls 12,14, 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side walls 14,16 are arranged, in the operative configuration of the display stand 10, generally perpendicular to the back wall 12.

The base 20 comprises an upper surface 32 having fold lines defined thereon, side walls, 34,36 and front wall 38. The base 20 also includes a base support member 40 which is secured at its opposite ends to the edges of the base side walls 34,36 adjacent the back wall 12 of the display stand 10. The middle part of the base support 40 extends beneath the central part of the upper surface 32 of the base 20. The opposite base side walls 34,36 have fold lines (not shown) defined centrally extending from the top edge to the bottom edge. The fold lines on the upper surface 32 of the base 20 and on the side walls 34,36 are arranged such that the middle parts of the side walls 34,36 fold inwardly while the middle part of the upper surface 32 folds upwardly whereby the front wall 38 moves flat against the base support 40 (see FIG. 3). The side walls 14,16 of the display stand 10 are secured to the respective side walls 34,36 of the base 20, eg by means of adhesive.

In FIG. 3 the display 10 is shown just folded out its transit configuration. In the transit configuration, the base 20 is collapsed so as to lie flat and the side walls 14,16 are folded inwardly relative to the back wall 12. The header card 18 is removed and the whole stand 10 is folded in half about the fold line 26. The display stand is transported in that configuration since it represents a particularly compact package. On arrival at the intended location the display stand can be folded out from its transit configuration to its operative configuration.

In FIG. 3 the display stand 10 is unfolded from its transit position and the top parts of the walls 12,14, 16 are arranged generally at right angles to the bottom parts thereof folded about fold line 26. It can be seen that the base 20 would have been folded substantially flat in the transit position and that unfolding of the top part of the walls 12,14, 16 allows the base 20 to begin to restore its operative shape. In order to assemble the display stand 10 the back wall 12 is folded outwardly from the transit configuration to lie flat on the ground as shown in FIG. 4. Side walls 14,16 are then folded outwardly relative to the back wall 12 which causes the base 20 to begin to move towards the operative configuration thereof.

The stand 10 can then be stood on the base and the side walls 14,16 folded out further as shown in FIG. 5. As the side walls 14,16 are secured to the side walls 34,36 of the base, pulling the side walls 14,16 apart causes the side walls 34,36 to unfold which, in turn, pulls the upwardly folded upper surface 32 down towards its correct rectangular operative configuration which, in turn, pushes the front wall 38 of the base 20 away from the back wall 12 of the stand 10.

FIG. 5 shows part of the display stand 10 including the base 20 with the side walls 14, 16 folded at approximately 600 to the back wall 12. It can be seen that the base 20 is pulled towards its operative configuration by the folding out of the side walls 14,16. When the side walls 14,16 are folded outwardly at approximately 90'to the back wall 12 the upper surface 32 is substantially flat and the base 20 is arranged in its operative configuration.

The upper surface 32 of the base 20 including the folding lines arranged on the upper surface is preferably designed so as to include an"over centre"mechanism. In other words, folding of the side walls 14,16 to a perpendicular station relative to the back wall 12 renders the upper surface 32 flat but any force applied inwardly of those side walls would result in the recollapse of the base towards the transit configuration. Instead, the side walls 14,16 are folded beyond 900 relative to the back wall 12 and the upper surface 32 of the base 20 over centres to a position which is bowed downwardly relative to the base 20 in the centre thereof. The over-centering of the upper surface 32 requires a significant force to overcome. The side walls 14,16 are then released and allowed to return to a position generally perpendicular to the back wall 12, the upper surface 32 returns to a substantially flat position but force applied to the side walls 14,16 must first overcome the force required to over centre the upper surface 12 before it can collapse back to the transit configuration. Such an arrangement reduces the possibility of inadvertent collapse of the display stand 10.

The base support 40 comprises a strip of material which is secured at its opposite ends to inner surfaces of the base side walls 34,36. The support 40 is longer than the front wall 38 and has four fold lines 42,44, 46 and 48 defined transversely thereof along the length thereof.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the base 20 from beneath and clearly illustrate the base support 40.

In FIG. 6 the base 20 is not fully assembled into the operative position. The base support 40 extends beneath the upper surface 32 and the fold lines 42,44, 46,48 define a chanel section of the support 40 arranged directly beneath the centre line of the upper surface 32.

As mentioned above, the upper surface 32 is forced over the centre into position where its bows downwardly slightly of the base 20 before returning to a substantially flat position. In such a circumstance downward force on the upper surface 32 could cause it to bow downwardly. However the provision of the base support 40 beneath the centre line of the upper surface 32 prevents such an occurrence.

FIG. 8 shows a cut out blank from which the display stand 10 is formed. It will be noted that the side walls 14,16 comprise two plys 14a, 14b, and 16a, 16b. The plys 14b, 16b are substantially the same length as the back wall 12 while the plys 14a, 16a extend downwardly beyond the lower edge of the back wall 12. The base 20 also forms part of the same blank as the back and side walls 12,14, 16.

FIG. 9 shows the blank used to form the support 40. The crosshatched section in FIG. 9 indicates the areas where adhesive is applied to adhere the base support 40 to the inner parts of the side walls 34,36 of the base.

The display stand 10 of the type shown in FIGS. 1-9 can be made from corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastic. Alternatively, any appropriate foldable sheet material which is self-supporting could be used.

The invention provides a display stand which is straight forward to manufacture requiring only two parts to be assembled together, economical to transport in its transit configuration, extremely straight forward to assemble into an operative configuration and sturdy in use.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A display stand for displaying products comprising a base, a back wall and opposite side walls, the base being foldable from a flat transit configuration to a box-like configuration capable of supporting the back and side walls to enable display of products thereon, the back wall being secured to one edge of the base and the side walls being secured to respective opposite edges of the base, the stand being foldable from a transit position in which the stand is folded substantially flat with the side walls folded so as to lie substantially flat with the back wall and an operative position in which the base supports the back and side walls to allow display of products, the base being folded in such a way that folding the side walls into a position transverse to the back wall causes the base to fold from the transit configuration to the box-like configuration.
2. A display stand according to claim 1 in which the side walls in the transit position are folded inwardly towards each other so as to lie against the back wall and folding of the side walls outwardly causes the base to be folded from the transit configuration to the box-like configuration.
3. A display stand according to claim 1 or 2 in which the folding arrangement for folding the base from the transit configuration to the box-like configuration includes an over-centre arrangement whereby the folding arrangement must be over centred to move from one configuration to the other.
4. A display stand according to claim 1,2 or 3 in which a base support member is secured to the base to provide structural support for the base when the base is in the box-like configuration.
5. A display stand according to any preceding claim in which the base comprises a box having an upper surface, a front base wall and opposite side base walls.
6. A display stand according to claim 5 in which a fold line is preferably defined centrally of the upper surface of the base and respective fold lines are formed centrally of the side walls and they are arranged so as to provide a single fold line extending from the lower edge of one side wall across the upper surface and down the other side wall.
7. A display stand according to claim 6 in which further fold lines are provided in the upper surface to allow it to collapse into a flat position when the base is folded about the central fold line.
8. A display stand according to claim 6 or 7 in which the folds are arranged such that the centre lines of the side walls are pushed inwardly of the base and the upper surface of the base bends upwardly so that the front base wall and back wall move together so as to form a substantially flat configuration.
9. A display stand according to any preceding claim in which the side walls of the display stand are secured to the side walls of the base and are arranged so as not to extend beyond the centre line of the side walls of the base in order to ensure easy folding.
10. A display stand according to claim 6 in which the base is arranged so that that fold line must be over-centred in any transition between flat transit configuration and box-like support configuration.
11. A display stand according to claim 6 in which the base support member is arranged so that on assembly of the base into the box-like configuration the support is arranged beneath the central fold line.
12. A display stand according to claim 1 in which the back and side walls of the display stand include a fold line formed at the central line thereof.
13. A display stand substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings