Abstract:
A modular illumination system for a gondola display having a power panel that attached over a gondola and includes electrically powered standards for supplying power to a shelf connected to the panel. Shelves having electrically conductive brackets are adapted to interconnect to and be suspended from various corresponding locations along standards. Illumination sources, such as LED strips, are positioned on the shelf and connected to each of the shelf brackets. Each shelf may additionally include one or more auxiliary power outlets attached to the bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to shelving illumination and, more particularly, to a modular system illuminating one or more shelves. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A gondola is a freestanding fixture used to display merchandise and typically comprises flat base and an upstanding vertical wall featuring notches, pegboards, or slats to which shelves, hooks, or other displays can be attached. Gondolas are not typically manufactured to include illumination, so wares displayed on gondola shelves must be illuminated with separate systems. While there are numerous approaches to illuminating shelves and the items placed thereon, these systems require sophisticated lighting equipment and supporting structure and cannot be used in combination with a conventional gondola display. 
         [0005]    For example, such systems require power strips that are co-located with the gondola rack and the use of special auxiliary connectors that must be manually connected to the power strips after a shelf has been positioned in the desired location. As a result, each time a shelf is re-configured or moved to a new location, a user must disconnect the shelf plug from the power supply, move the shelf, and then reconnect the power supply to a plug that is located proximately to the new shelf location. These systems also fail to provide auxiliary power outlets to power secondary illumination sources. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention comprises a modular system for retrofitting a conventional gondola display to include illuminated shelving and auxiliary power. The system includes a power panel having connectors positioned on one side for attaching to a gondola. The opposing side of the power panel includes two vertically extending channels that house electrically conductive standards. Each standard further includes a series of slots formed thereon for receiving and retaining a corresponding shelf bracket. The standards are electrically interconnected to a power supply, such as an AC to DC power supply that can connect to conventional building power and act as a DC voltage source, so that one of the two channel members is positively charged and the other bracket is negatively charged or grounded. 
         [0007]    The system further includes at least one illuminated shelf having a horizontal, non-conductive panel for displaying merchandise that extends between first and second electrically conductive brackets that are adapted to interconnect to and be suspended from various corresponding locations along the standards within the two vertically extending channels. Illumination sources, such as LED strips, may be positioned on the shelf, such as underneath the forward edge of the non-conductive panel, and connected to each of the shelf brackets to receive power therefrom. Each shelf may additionally include one or more auxiliary power outlets attached to the bracket so that additional illumination sources may be attached thereto to receive power. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0008]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional gondola display system; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a modular illumination system for attaching to and retrofitting a gondola according to the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a power panel for a modular illumination system according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a modular illumination system for attaching to and retrofitting a gondola according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of a shelf for use with a modular illumination system according to the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a shelf for use with a modular illumination system according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a shelf for use with a modular illumination system according to the present invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a light cube for use with a modular illumination system according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a conventional gondola display  10  comprising a load-bearing base  12 , one of more vertical uprights  14  extending from base  12  and a pair of standards  16  and  18  positioned on uprights  14  for attaching to and supporting one or more cantilevered shelves  20  via opposing shelf brackets  22  and  24  positioned at the ends of each shelf  20 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the present invention comprises a modular illumination system  26  for attaching to and retrofitting a gondola  10  to simultaneously supply power to and support illuminated shelves and other light sources. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , system  26  comprises a power panel  32  having connectors  28  for interconnecting to its rear major surface and for attaching to the pre-existing rack standards  16  and  18  of a gondola  10  so that panel  32  is positioned covering relation to upright  14  of gondola  10 . It should be recognized by those of skill in the art that connectors  28  may be positioned in various locations so that panel  32  is securely held to gondola  10 . In addition, the particular design of connecters  28  may be varied depending on the particular style of gondola  10 . For example, gondola  10  may have conventional rack standards or may include a grid of holes. Thus, connectors  28  may comprise tabs or pins accordingly. Preferably, six connectors  28  are used to position panel  32  on gondola  10 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the front major surface  36  of panel  32  is thus exposed to viewers of gondola  10  and may be decorated, such as by attaching or adhering an artwork cover  38  thereon. For example, artwork  38  may comprise a sheet of plastic that has been imprinted or colored to enhance the aesthetic appeal of system  26  or to coordinate with the particular color scheme or trade dress of merchandise or items to be positioned and displayed by system  10 . Similarly, base  12  of gondola  10  may be covered by corresponding or matching artwork cover  40  that is positioned in covering relation to base  12 . 
         [0020]    Front major surface  36  of panel  32  includes two vertically extending channels  40  and  42  formed therein that permit access to a pair of spaced apart, electrically conductive standards  44  and  46 . Standards  44  and  46  have a series of vertically extending slots  48  formed therein. As further seen in  FIG. 4 , standards  44  and  46  releasably receive and retain one or more corresponding shelves  50  via a pair of opposing shelf brackets  52  and  54  that are positioned at either end of each shelf  50 . Opposing shelf brackets  52  and  54  are adapted to engage with and be retained by slots  52  so that shelf  50  is retained in a horizontal position against panel  32 . Brackets  52  and  54  and slots  52  may be configured in various known manners so that shelf  50  is stably retained is a desired location and orientation. Shelf brackets  52  and  54  are electrically conductive while shelf  50  is formed from a non-conductive material, such as wood, acrylic, glass, powder-coated metal, or laminate, etc. to act as an electrical insulator relative to shelf brackets  52  and  54 . 
         [0021]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , standards  44  and  46  are electrically interconnected to the opposing terminals of a power supply  56  that may be housed within base  12  of gondola  10 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . For example, power supply  56  may comprise a conventional AC to DC converter that may be interconnected to conventional building power to provide a voltage potential across standards  44  and  46  so that one of the two standards are positively charged while the other standard is negatively charged or grounded. Preferably, power supply  56  supplies a voltage of 12 volts, but other voltages may be used depending on the particular requirements for system  26 . Thus, when shelf  50  is engaged with standards  44  and  46  via shelf brackets  52  and  54 , shelf brackets  52  and  54  are similarly energized, and when shelf  50  is removed, power is disconnected and shelf brackets  52  and  54  are de-energized. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , illumination may be provided by system  26  in several ways. For example, an LED strip  60  may be positioned so that it extends along the lower surface of the forward edge  62  of shelf  50  to direct light downwardly toward any items positioned below shelf  50 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , shelf  50  may further include an auxiliary power outlet  64  interconnected to brackets  52  and  54  so that an illumination source, such as a graphic cube  66  as shown in  FIG. 8 , that has a corresponding plug  68  may be receive power by connecting to outlet  64 . Alternatively, as additionally seen in  FIG. 4 , shelf  50  may be configured to include illuminated header  70  extending along forward edge  62 , or shelf  50  may be replaced by an upstanding graphic panel display  72  that includes illumination to backlight the panel display  72 . 
         [0023]    In every embodiment, power may be disconnected from the illumination source by disconnecting the supporting brackets  52  and  54  from standards  44  and  46 . As soon as shelf  50 , for example is disconnected from standards  44  and  46 , power will be disconnected, and when shelf  50  is reconnected to standards  44  and  46 , such as in a new location, power is instantly restored without the need for any further action, such as plugging the illumination source into a new outlet located proximately to the new shelf location. As seen in  FIG. 4 , multiple shelves  50  may be attached to panel  32  and configured to provide a well-illuminated display that can easily be reconfigured with ease and without the need to plug, unplug, and re-plug the various illumination sources. Thus, system  26  is remarkably flexible and provides a modular illumination system that can be quickly and easily adapted to provide a wide variety of illumination arrangements that are aesthetically pleasing.