Abstract:
In order to provide an improved device for displaying a product in a retail environment, a vertical merchandise display unit includes a base, a riser, a monitor, and product support arms. The riser extends generally vertically upwardly from the base and the monitor is supported by the riser above the product support arms. Further, the unit includes a plurality of product support arms which extend radially outwardly from the riser at a point above the base for displaying products such as digital cameras, camcorders and the like.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to retail store fixtures and, more particularly, a vertical merchandise display unit for digital cameras, camcorders and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the retail store environment, it has been recognized that there is a need for improved fixtures that achieve a number of important objectives. For instance, the space which is available in a retail store must be utilized in a highly effective manner since many retail businesses display more consumer products than ever before. Since the cost of space is critical, it is also important to maximize the return that can be generated from the products that are displayed in a given space. 
     In addition, the manner in which products are displayed is known to have a significant impact on the ability to sell them in a retail store. Thus, if products are displayed in a user-friendly and attractive manner, it is far more likely that sales of products generated from such a display will be far greater than might otherwise be expected. However, with conventional retail store fixtures, there is little that can be accurately characterized as user-friendly or attractive merchandising. 
     While the foregoing holds true for sales of particular products, there is also the issue of enhancing the overall attractiveness of the retail shopping experience to consumers that frequent the stores. Competition at the retail level is greater than ever before and, thus, retailers must present an attractive shopping environment and enjoyable shopping experience in order to sell to consumers who enter their stores and encourage those same consumers to make frequent repeat visits. If a retail store has outmoded fixtures that are neither user-friendly nor attractive, it is far more likely that sales will lag and consumers will not return opting instead for on-line shopping. 
     With regard to certain electronic products, the profit margins tend to be higher and consumer interest is easily generated. This is particularly true in videography, i.e., the items that tell the story of our lives such as digital cameras, camcorders and the like. Currently, digital cameras and camcorders are presented in a linear display that takes an inordinate amount of retail floor space. 
     By way of example, a typical display of camcorders can be on the order of 14 feet wide by 2 feet deep thereby taking up 28 square feet. This type of display frequently includes a separate monitor for each camcorder which is continuously on to show the images of customers passing by. As will be appreciated, this is extremely costly both in terms of the use of space and the provision of so many monitors. 
     In addition to the foregoing drawbacks, the typical linear display of camcorders simply has little to offer in the way of drawing attention to consumers who are passing through the retail store. 
     In view of the foregoing, there has remained a need for improvements for displaying retail products, particularly digital cameras and camcorders, in a user-friendly and attractive fashion that captures the attention of the consumer in a manner that also encourages repeat visits to the store. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a vertical merchandise display unit comprising a base, a riser, a monitor, and a plurality of product support arms. The riser extends generally vertically upwardly from the base and the monitor is supported by the riser so as to be positioned above the product support arms. With this arrangement, the product support arms extend radially outwardly from the riser above the base to support products such as digital cameras and camcorders. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the base is generally circular in cross-section and generally cylindrical in shape to have a radial footprint generally commensurate with the radially outwardly extending arms. The base advantageously comprises a storage compartment for operating equipment related to products to be supported on the arms. Still additionally, the riser preferably comprises a hollow pole which is mounted to the base to provide a chase through which wiring can extend from the base to the product support arms and the monitor. 
     Advantageously, the hollow pole has a plurality of flat surfaces for securing the product support arms thereto and has an upper end supporting a monitor pod having the monitor disposed therewithin. The product support arms preferably have at least one generally horizontal product supporting surface for displaying at least one product thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the product support arms each comprise a separate hollow pod having a generally inverted pyramidal shape and the product supporting surfaces are positioned at more than one distance above the base. 
     In a highly preferred embodiment, the base which defines the storage compartment permits the use of operating equipment related to the products so that a potential purchaser can view product marketing information and also personally operate the product. Further, each of the product support arms advantageously includes a pair of generally horizontal surfaces for displaying digital cameras at a first level adjacent the hollow pole and at a second, lower level radially outwardly of the hollow pole. Still additionally, alternating ones of the product support arms preferably include generally horizontal surfaces for displaying camcorders at a first level adjacent the hollow pole and at a second, lower level radially outwardly of the hollow pole. 
     Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical merchandise display unit for digital cameras in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vertical merchandise display unit for camcorders in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a vertical axis of the vertical merchandise display unit illustrated in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken transverse to the vertical axis of the vertical merchandise display unit along the line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a monitor pod for the vertical merchandise display unit illustrated in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a monitor pod for the vertical merchandise display unit illustrated in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a vertical merchandise display unit constructed in accordance with the teachings of another disclosed embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the illustrations given, and with reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral  10  designates generally a vertical merchandise display unit in accordance with the present invention. It will become apparent from the description which follows that the unit  10  illustrated in FIG. 1 is designed specifically for digital cameras whereas the unit  10  illustrated in FIG. 2 is designed specifically for camcorders. In this connection, the components which are common to both FIG.  1  and FIG. 2 are designated with the same reference numeral as will be apparent from the description which follows below. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the vertical merchandise display unit  10  includes a base  12  defining a storage compartment  14  for operating equipment  16  (viewable in FIG. 3 only) related to a product to be displayed on the unit  10  for viewing and manipulation by a potential purchaser of the product. It will also be seen that the unit  10  includes a riser or hollow pole  18  mounted to and extending generally vertically upwardly from the base  12  to provide a chase  19  for wiring  20  (FIG. 3) from the operating equipment  16  in the storage compartment  14  through the riser or hollow pole  18 . The operating equipment  16  may include, by way of example rather than limitation, one or more of an alarm, a computer, and or digital video disc (DVD) player, depending on the type of product on the display. A plurality of product support arms generally designated  22  each extend radially outwardly from the riser or hollow pole  18  above the base  12  and have at least one generally horizontal surface generally designated  24  for displaying at least one product thereon. It will also be seen that the base  12  is generally cylindrical in shape and has a generally circular cross-section in order to provide a radial footprint F (shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2) generally commensurate with the radial extent of the product support arms  22 . With this arrangement, the riser or hollow pole  18  has an upper end  26  which supports an inverted generally frustoconical monitor pod  28  having at least one monitor  30  disposed therein for a purpose to be described in greater detail below. 
     As best shown in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  4 , the riser or hollow pole  18  is generally octagonal in cross-section to provide flat surfaces  18   a  through  18   h  (FIG. 4) for securing the product support arms thereto. It will be seen that each of the products support arms  22  in both the digital camera embodiment of FIG.  1  and the camcorder embodiment of FIG. 2 comprise separate hollow pods  23   a,    23   b  having generally inverted pyramidal shapes (see FIG.  3 ). Still additionally, the product support arms  22  will be seen to have the product supporting surfaces generally designated  24  and suitably positioned at more than one vertical distance above the base  12 . 
     Referring specifically to FIG. 1, each of the product support arms  22  includes a pair of generally horizontal surfaces  30   a  and  30   b  for displaying digital cameras  32  generally at a first level (on the horizontal surface  30   a ) adjacent the riser or hollow pole  18  and generally at a second, lower level (on the horizontal surface  30   b ) radially outwardly of the riser or hollow pole. Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the product support arms  22  include generally horizontal surfaces  34   a  and  34   b  for displaying camcorders  35  generally at a first level (on the horizontal surface  34   a ) adjacent the riser or hollow pole  18  and generally at a second, lower level (on the horizontal surface  34   b ) radially outwardly of the riser or hollow pole  18 . 
     With the structures described in detail hereinabove, the vertical merchandise display unit  10  can be formed to have, by way of example, a diameter of 4′ and a height of 8′. This means that the radial footprint for the vertical merchandise display unit  10  takes up only approximately 12½ square feet in contrast to the 28 square feet occupied by conventional 14′ wide by 2′ deep display units for digital cameras and camcorders. Therefore, the vertical merchandise display units  10  occupy less than half of the floor space of conventional displays while at the same time being highly attractive and user friendly. 
     With regard to the height of the vertical merchandise display units  10 , it is purposely selected to place the monitor so that it is located at a distance well above the average person&#39;s head. It will be seen from FIGS. 3 and 6 that the monitor  30  is preferably angled downwardly so even those with disabilities can see the display contained thereon. Nevertheless, the height of the monitor  30  discourages customers from watching for an elongated period of time because of the need to bend the neck. In the case of a digital camera display, the vertical merchandise display unit  10  will contain a single monitor  30  (FIG. 5) whereas a pair of monitors  30  (FIG. 6) are provided in the case of displaying camcorders. 
     As will be appreciated from FIG. 1, the product support arms generally designated  22  take the form of eight stepped inverted generally pyramidal sections  36  for the digital camera display embodiment. The generally pyramidal sections  36  each have an upper surface  38   a  adjacent the riser or hollow pole  18  and a lower surface  38   b  radially outwardly from the riser or hollow pole. As shown, the generally horizontal surfaces  38   a  and  38   b  are each adapted to carry two digital cameras giving the entire vertical merchandise display unit  10  the capacity to hold a total of 32 digital cameras. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the product support arms generally designated  22  take the form of eight separate inverted generally pyramidal sections  40  for the camcorder display embodiment. The generally pyramidal sections  40  each have a generally horizontal surface  42  at a first level adjacent the riser or hollow pole  18  and a second generally horizontal surface  44  at a second, lower level located radially outwardly of the riser or hollow pole  18 . With this arrangement, the eight separate inverted generally pyramidal sections  40  are capable of supporting a total of sixteen camcorders, i.e., one on each of the generally horizontal surfaces  42  and  44 . 
     By also referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be appreciated that there is a slightly staggered relationship between the respective ones of the generally horizontal surfaces  38   a  and the respective ones of the generally horizontal surfaces  38   b  in the case of the generally pyramidal sections  36  and, similarly, there is a slight staggering of the respective ones of the generally horizontal surfaces  42  and the generally horizontal surfaces  44  in the case of the generally pyramidal sections  40 . The respective ones of the generally pyramidal sections  36  (in the case of the digital camera display) and the alternating generally pyramidal sections  40  (in the case of the camcorder display) can advantageously be separate hollow pods to be secured to the flat surfaces  18   a - 18   h  (FIG. 4) of the respective risers or hollow poles  18 . Advantageously, the staggering of the generally horizontal surfaces  38   a ,  38   b  relative to the generally horizontal surfaces  30   a ,  30   b  (in the case of the generally pyramidal sections  36 ) and  42 ,  44  relative to the generally horizontal surfaces  30   a ,  30   b  (in the case of the generally pyramidal sections  40 ) provides a certain visual interest to potential customers due to the slight staggering of digital cameras and camcorders that are disposed on the same general level in the two-tier arrangement of product that is being displayed for viewing and manipulation by those who are passing by the display. 
     While not relating specifically to this invention, the operating equipment  16  can take many forms depending upon the objectives of the retailer and the products at issue. For instance, in the case of either digital cameras or camcorders, it is possible to provide a DVD player that continuously plays an audio and video advertising piece on the monitor(s)  30  that relates to the products and draws consumer attention to the vertical merchandise display unit  10 . In addition, the digital cameras and camcorders can be rendered operable by appropriate switching devices to permit the consumer to test the product by viewing captured images on the monitor(s)  30 . 
     Referring now to the alternate embodiment of FIG. 7, the vertical merchandise display unit  110  shown therein includes product support arms generally designated  122  which take the form of sixteen separate inverted pyramidal sections  140 . The generally pyramidal sections  140  include alternating sections  140   a  and  140   b , with the sections  140   a  having a generally horizontal surface  142  at a first level adjacent the hollow pole  18 , and with the sections  140   b  having a generally horizontal surface  144  at a second lower level located radially outwardly of the hollow pole  18 . With this arrangement, sixteen inverted pyramidal sections  140   b , comprised of eight sections  140   a  and eight sections  140   b , are capable of supporting a total of sixteen camcorders  35  (i.e., one on each of the generally horizontal surfaces  142  and  144 ). It will be noted that the generally horizontal surface  142  is vertically staggered relative to an adjacent generally horizontal surface  134   a , while the generally horizontal surface  144  is vertically staggered relative to an adjacent generally horizontal surface  134   b . This staggered arrangement may continue around the pole  18 . 
     While in the foregoing there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that the details herein given may be varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.