Abstract:
A display unit for displaying products in modules, the display unit formed from a single blank without the use of glue, tape or other fasteners, the shelves of which are preferably configured by passing a shelf panel in the back wall of the unit through an opening in the front wall of the display unit. The display unit, when assembled, comprises a front panel with a plurality of openings, side panels, and a back panel comprising shelf panels which extend through the openings of the front panel forming shelves. Modular product units may be placed on the shelves for product display. Each shelf may contain side walls, creating a friction fit with the product modules.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to paperboard display apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to paperboard displays for holding modular blocks containing products.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Paperboard display stands for exhibiting merchandise are well known. They can be used to display merchandise for viewing and/or sale. Hanging display trays are commonly employed which include a paperboard display tray and plastic or metal hooks. These paperboard trays generally include a flat paperboard portion which may be used for printing and which include a hole for hanging the paperboard tray on the hook. Paperboard trays may include an integrated box, a blister pack or may be attached to the merchandise itself; The plastic or metal hooks are used to hang the tray in a metal, usually permanent, store fixture. Thus, the use of such hanging trays is limited to stores which have appropriate metal fixtures.  
         [0003]     Due to the expense and limited mobility of metal store fixtures, attempts have been made to provide movable display bases which are less expensive. For example, paperboard A-frame displays have been develop which may provide support for modular blocks or hanging display trays. A-frame displays often incorporate bases with wheels that allow the display to be easily moved to different areas of the store. However, conventional A-frame displays do not provide sufficient rigidity and may easily be tipped. The problem of tipping may be exacerbated by the addition of the metal or plastic hooks needed for use with hanging display trays. Such A-frame displays may also be cumbersome or difficult to assemble. A display apparatus which is easily assembled, sturdy and capable of use with hanging display trays is therefore needed.  
         [0004]     Other display apparatus have attempted to solve the problem of displaying and/or selling items in hanging display trays by placing them in modular blocks. The modular blocks work in conjunction with paperboard displays of various types. However, modular blocks often obscure the packaging and/or products of the hanging display tray. Thus, what is needed is an inexpensive, movable display apparatus which allows the packaging and/or products of a hanging display tray to be visible to consumers.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     The display unit according to certain embodiments of the invention may preferably be used for displaying products in modules. The display unit is preferably made from a single blank allowing assembly of the display unit without the use of glue, tape or any other such fasteners. The shelves of the display unit may preferably be formed by cut sections in the rear wall of the display unit. Once the display unit is assembled, the shelves may be configured by folding the two side walls of each shelf and pulling the shelf through the opening in the front wall of the display unit. The trays may also be configured without side walls if desired. Thus, the shelves are formed integrally with the display unit rather than being separate pieces that must be attached to the display unit. Shelf modules containing product may be placed on each shelf as desired. Preferably, the shelf modules create a friction fit between the side walls of the shelf, further holding the shelf modules in place.  
         [0006]     Certain embodiments of the invention provide a display unit for displaying products in shelf modules formed from a single blank without the use of glue, tape or other fasteners, the shelves of which are preferably configured by folding the two side walls of each shelf and pulling the shelf through an opening in the front wall of the display unit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an erected display unit according to certain embodiments of the invention with product therein.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of 2 erected display units according to certain embodiments of the invention located on an A-frame display and including shelf modules containing products.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a back view of an erected display unit according to certain embodiments of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a carton blank that may be used to construct the display unit of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a carton blank that may be used to construct one of the display unit shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , according to certain embodiments, the display unit  10  of the invention comprises a front panel  12 , two side panels  16 , 18  and a back panel  20 . The front panel  12  is preferably generally rectangular and comprises a top edge, two side edges and a bottom edge. It should be understood that the front panel can be a parallelogram, triangle or any other shape as desired. Each of the two side panels  16 , 18  are connected to one of the side edges of the front panel  12 . The back panel  20  is preferably of the same general size and shape as the front panel and has a top edge, two side edges, and a bottom edge. The two side edges of the back panel  20  are connected to the side panels  16 , 18 , opposite the front panel  12 .  
         [0013]     The display unit  10  may include a top panel  22  and a bottom panel (not shown), connecting the front panel and back panel, to provide additional support. The front panel  12  includes at least one aperture  28 . According to certain embodiments and as shown in  FIG. 1 , two apertures  28  are located on the front panel  12 . The back panel  20  includes two shelf panels  40  corresponding to the two apertures on the front panel. Each shelf panel  40  is connected to the back panel  20  by a fold line  42  located at approximately the level of the bottom of the aperture  28 . The shelf panels  40  can be folded down and passed through the corresponding aperture  28  of the front panel  12  so that the shelf panel is substantially perpendicular to the back panel  20 , forming a shelf  30 . According to certain embodiments of the invention, the fold line  42  may be located slightly lower than the bottom edge of the corresponding aperture on the front panel. This will cause the shelf to be angled slightly upward when the shelf panel  40  is passed through the aperture, forming a slightly rearwardly tilted shelf  30 , if desired.  
         [0014]     The shelf  30  may be substantially flat without any sides (not shown) or it may include small side walls  32 , 34 , as are shown in  FIG. 1 . The side walls are created by folding side portions of the shelf panel  40  up along fold lines  33 . When a module  50  containing product is placed on a shelf  30  according to certain embodiments of the invention, the side walls  32 , 34  may create a friction fit that facilitates holding the module in place. It should be understood that the shelf  30  may also comprise a front wall (not shown) foldably connected to the shelf if desired.  
         [0015]     The shelves  30  may optionally include a retention tab  38  along the back panel. The retention tab is formed by cut and fold lines in the shelf panel  40 . The retention tab  38  extends upwardly and prevents a module from sliding through the back panel and off the display unit when the module  50  is located on the shelf  30 . The retention tab  38  is shown as a semicircular portion cut from the back panel, however, it should be understood that the retention tab may be any shape and size that will assist in retaining the modules.  
         [0016]     Certain embodiments of the invention are shown in  FIG. 2 . According to certain embodiments, the location of the apertures  28  and the shelves  30  can be varied depending on the size of the display unit, the size of the apertures, the size of the shelves and the number of shelves desired. The shelf panels  40  may be of the same width as the aperture  28 . Alternatively, the shelf panels may be wider than the apertures if desired. In such case, it is preferable that the shelf comprise side walls  32 , 34 . The fold lines  33  connecting the shelf panel and the side walls may preferably be aligned with the sides of the apertures  28  which allows the shelf to more easily pass through the aperture. A base, such as an A-frame  60  display shown in  FIG. 2 , can be used to support multiple display units. It should be understood that any type of base or stand can be used to support the display unit according to certain embodiments of the invention.  
         [0017]     Certain embodiments of the present invention may be constructed from a single blank  70 , preferably made from corrugated, paperboard, fiberboard or other suitable material.  FIG. 5  shows a blank that may be used to construct the display unit of  FIG. 2 . The blank comprises a front panel  12 . Side panels  16 , 18  are foldably connected to each side edge of the front panel along fold lines  25 . A first back panel  72  is foldably connected to the side panel  16 , and a second back panel  74  is foldably connected to the side panel  18 . A tab panel  42  is preferably foldably connected to the first back panel  72  along a fold line  25  located on the opposite side of the first back panel from the side panel  16 . A tab panel  42  is also preferably foldably connected to the second back panel  74  along a fold line  25  located on the opposite side of the second back panel from the side panel  18 .  
         [0018]     The front panel  12  comprises a plurality of apertures  28 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the apertures may be generally rectangular, but it should be understood that the apertures can be cut according to other shapes if desired. Each shelf panel is created from cut and fold lines in the back panel. For example, to create one shelf, the back panel includes two substantially vertical cut lines and a substantially horizontal cut line connecting the two substantially vertical cut lines at their uppermost portions. At the bottommost portion of the two substantially vertical cut lines, there is a fold line  42  connecting them. By folding along the fold line  42  and passing the shelf panel  40  through the corresponding aperture  28 , a shelf  30 , such as shown in  FIG. 1 , is formed.  
         [0019]     A top panel  22  may preferably be foldably connected to the top edge of the front panel  12  along a fold line  25 . A top tab panel  76  may be foldably connected to the top panel  22  along a fold line  25 . A bottom panel  24  may preferably be foldably connected to the bottom edge of the front panel  12 . A bottom tab panel  78  may be foldably connected to the bottom panel  24  along a fold line  25 .  
         [0020]     The display unit  12  of the invention can be shipped in an unassembled, substantially flat state. Assembly of the display unit is simple and requires no additional fasteners or adhesives. A preferred, but not exclusive, method for assembling an embodiment of the display unit  10  shown in  FIG. 2  is described. The side panel  16  is folded along the fold line  25  so that the side panel is substantially perpendicular with the first back panel  72 . The side panel  18  is folded along the fold line  25  so that it is substantially perpendicular to the second back panel  74  and parallel to the opposite side panel  16 . The front panel  12  is folded along the fold line  25  so that front panel is substantially perpendicular to the side panels  16 , 18  and parallel to back panel  20 . The two tab panels  42  are folded and tucked between the first back panel  72  and the second back panel  74 , securing the display unit. The combined first back panel  72  and second back panel  74  form the back panel  20 . It should be understood that the blank according to certain embodiments of the invention may comprise a single back panel  20  rather than first and second back panels as shown in  FIG. 4 . The top panel  22  is folded along the fold line  25  and the top tab panel  76  is folded along the fold line  25  and inserted inside the back panel  20 . The bottom panel  24  is folded along the fold line  25  and the bottom tab panel  78  is folded along the fold line  25  and inserted inside the back panel  20 .  
         [0021]     The foregoing description is provided for describing various embodiments and structures relating to the invention. Various modifications, additions and deletions may be made to these embodiments and/or structures without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.