Abstract:
A collapsible display includes an adjustable stand, a first plurality of cross members having a first length and a second plurality of cross members having a second length. The display further includes a base, and at least one upright member substantially perpendicular to the base. Each of the first plurality of cross members and each of the second plurality of cross members have an opening therein sized to fit over the at least one upright member, each cross member rotatably offset from another cross member.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/817,621 filed Jun. 29, 2006, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention is concerned with a display, and more particularly a display apparatus that can be assembled from a small package. The small package can be easily stored when not in use, or easily transported. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Many times a business or other user may wish to display a variety of items. For example, people selling wares at temporary shows may want to place a variety of items on display for possible sale. Still other more permanent business locations may also want to display items for sale. Depending on what is displayed or the amount of room available for a display, sometimes a small display may be called for while at other times a larger display is required. Homeowners or other users may also choose to display items. For example, collector&#39;s may choose to display a collection of items. 
         [0004]    There are many different types of displays. Some displays include shelving or other permanent structures. Other displays include large backdrops and may be cumbersome to store or carry. Still other displays may include computer displays or require software to show one&#39;s wares or display a collection of items. Many displays have fixed dimensions and are not adjustable. Still other displays are heavy and difficult to assemble. Still others take up relatively large amounts of space when not in use. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, a more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the figures, and: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a display device in a first configuration, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of a display device in a second configuration, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of a display device in a third configuration, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a base of a display device that includes a expanded base and a plurality of upright portions, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a base of a display device that includes a telescoping upright, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a method of assembly for the display device, according to an example embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    The description set out herein illustrates the various embodiments of the invention, and such description is not intended to be construed as limiting in any manner. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a display device  100  in a first configuration, according to an example embodiment. The display device  100  includes a base  110  and plurality of cross members, such as cross member  120 . The base  110  includes a first element  111  and a second element  112 . The first element  111  includes a notch  113 , and the second element  112  also include a notch  114 . The notches  113  and  114  are dimensioned to engage one another. Also included in at least one of the first element  111  and the second element  112  is an attachment portion  116 . The attachment portion  116  is for receiving an upright  130  that attaches to the base  110 . The attachment portion  116  can be any type of attachment means. In one embodiment, the attachment portion is an opening that includes an inside thread on the inner surface of the opening. An end  131  of the upright  130  includes a threaded portion that engages the inside threads of the attachment portion  116 . Of course, other attachment mechanisms can be used and are within the scope of the invention. The cross members, such as cross member  120 , are generally grouped into groups that have the same length dimension. These groups of cross members having the same length are also referred to as clusters, or clusters  121  of cross members. As shown in  FIG. 1 , cluster  121  has a first dimension. The display device also includes a second cluster  141  and a third cluster  151 . The clusters  121 ,  141 ,  151  are positioned on the upright  130 . The clusters are separated from one another by a spacer,  160 ,  162 . The spacer  160  is of a tubular shape and has an inside opening  161  that is larger than the upright  130 . The space  162  is similarly shaped. Each of the spacers  160 ,  162  also has an outside dimension which is larger than an opening  122  in the cross member  120 , or an opening  142  in the cross member  140 , or the opening  152  in the cross member  150 . As result, the spacer  162  spaces the third cluster  151  of cross members from the cross members in the second cluster  141 , and the spacer  160  spaces the first cross member  120  from cross members, such as cross member  140 , in the second cluster  141 . Spacers may also be used, in other example embodiments, to separate cross members within a cluster  121 ,  141 ,  151  from one another. The spacers do not have to have the same length dimension, in some example embodiments. 
         [0014]    The spacers  160 ,  162  are not required to be tubular in cross section. Other shapes will also work as spacers. Similarly, the cross sectional shape of the cross members is not limited to a square or rectangular shape. Other shapes can also be used. The spacers  160 ,  162  and the cross members, such as  140 ,  120 , and  150 , can be made of one material, such as wood. In some embodiments, different materials having different colors are used in forming the display device  100 . The upright  130  can also be made of any type of material, such as wood, or metal or the like. In one example embodiment, the display device  100  also comes with an instruction set  170 . The instruction set  170  and the parts of the display  100  may also be termed a kit. The instruction set  170  provides instructions regarding assembling, disassembling and storing the display device  100 . In some example embodiments, discussed in more detail below, the stand  110  and the upright  130  are adjustable so that displays of various sizes can be formed. Separate instructions may be provided for producing displays  100  of various sizes. In addition, some displays may have a cluster  151  with smaller length cross members  150  placed close to the base. Other clusters  121 ,  141 , having longer length cross members  120 ,  140 , may be placed more distal from the first element  111  and the second element  112  that form a part of the base  110 . In addition, the first element  111  and the second element  112 , in some embodiments, may also be adjustable to provide for a wider and more stable base. The instruction set  170  includes instructions regarding various combinations of the upright  130  and the stand  110  needed to form a stable display  100  of a selected size. It is contemplated that the instruction set would also include directions regarding extending the base as well as extending the size of the upright  130 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of a display device  200  in a second configuration, according to an example embodiment. The display device  200  includes a base  210  which is formed of a first base member  211  and a second base member  212 . Attached to the base  210  is an upright  230 . A spacer  260  is placed onto the upright and then a first cluster  221  of cross members is placed onto the upright. The display device  200  is then further formed by alternating spacers and clusters until the display is completed. The display  200  therefore includes the spacer  260  and a spacer  262 , a spacer  264 , a spacer  266  and a spacer  268 . The various clusters of cross members include the cluster  221 , a cluster  231 , a cluster  241 , and a cluster  251 . Spacer  262  is positioned between cluster  221  and cluster  231 . Spacer  264  is positioned between cluster  231  and the cluster  241 . The spacer  266  is placed between the cluster  241  and the cluster  251 . The spacer  268  forms a top portion of the display  200 . As shown in  FIG. 2  the upright  230  extends beyond the spacer  268 . In many embodiments of the invention, the upright  230  will not extend beyond the spacer  268  for aesthetic purposes. However, the upright  230  extends above the spacer  268  in  FIG. 2  for the sake of illustration and clarity. The display  200  is a relatively small model and can be placed on a desk top, ledge or other similar structure. Display items can be placed on the end of the cross members associated with the clusters  221 ,  231 ,  241 , and  251 . Items can also be displayed from the top of the display  200 . For example, an item may be clipped to the spacer  268  or attached to the end of the upright  230 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of a display device  300  in a third configuration, according to an example embodiment. The display device  300  includes a base  310 . The base  310  includes a first base member  311  and a second base member  312 . Each of the base members  311  and  312  are notched so as to madeably engaged one another and to from a base for the display. The first base member  311  also includes a first extension member  313  and a second extension member  314 . Similarly, the second base member  312  also includes an extension member  316 . It should be noted that the second base member  312  also includes another extension member (not shown). When a display becomes larger it is necessary to have a base that is also of a larger dimension to provide an appropriate amount of stability for a larger display, such as the display  300 . When comparing the display  300  to the display  200  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) it can be seen that there are many more clusters of cross members and that the lower clusters have links that are greater than the lower cluster  221  shown in  FIG. 2 . The base  310  is extended when compared to the base  210  to provide extra stability for the enlarged display  300 . In addition, the upright  330  is also longer than the upright  230  shown in  FIG. 2 . The extensions  313 ,  314  are added to the first base member  311  and the extensions  316  and the one not shown are also attached to the second base member  312  to provide for the larger base. The instruction set  170  that could be included with all the various parts that form the display. The instruction set would be critical in indicating which of the clusters to start with in order to build or form and a display of a selected size. 
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a base  410  of a display device that includes an expanded base and a plurality of upright portions  431 ,  432  that form the upright, according to an example embodiment. The base of  410  includes a first element  411  and a second element  412 . The first element  411  is extended using a first base extension portion  413  and a second base extension portion  414 . Similarly, the second base element  412  is extended using a third extension element  415  and a fourth extension element  416 . Although only two extensions are provided per base element  411 ,  412  it is contemplated that additional extension members could be added to produced yet a further or more enlarged base  410  that could support a larger display structure. Thus, the base elements of the base  410  are extendable and adjustable for various sizes of a display that is to be formed. Similarly, the upright  430  is also extendable and adjustable. The upright  430  includes a first upright portion  431  and a second upright portion  432 . The first upright portion  431  includes a threaded end  433  and another end  435  that includes an internal threaded portion. The threaded end  433  is received and can be attached to a threaded opening  418  in the base element  412 . This produces the base  410  having one of the upright members  431  attached to the base element  412 . The upright  430  can be then further extended by adding the second base element  432  which also includes a threaded end  436  and an end  438  having an internal threaded portion. Additional upright elements can be added to the upright elements to form an enlarged upright  430 . It is also noted that the upright elements  431 ,  432  can be of different lengths or elongated so that the display and more specifically the base for the display can be more quickly formed. It should be noted that the base elements  411  and  412  can be extended in other different ways than by adding extension elements to the base elements. There could be small rods that extend out from the base elements or any other such structure to extend the base. 
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a base  510  of a display device that includes a telescoping upright  530 . The telescoping upright includes sections  531 ,  532  and  533 . The upright  530  also has a threaded end  540  which can be threaded into a corresponding internally threaded opening in a base member  511 . The telescoping upright  530  is merely threaded into the opening  518 . Then the top portion  533  can be pulled up or adjusted in height to a desired height. Applying a force to the top member  533  would remove the top member  533  and the second section  532  and from the section  531 . Although not shown in this particular figure the base members  511  and  512  could also be extended to provide for additional adjustability to the base  510 . In addition, more or less telescoping members could be provided. 
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a method  600  of assembly for the display device, according to an example embodiment. The method  600  for assembling a display includes assembling a stand for the display  610 , placing a first cluster of cross members onto the stand  612 , and placing a second cluster of cross members  614  onto the stand. The first cluster of cross members have a first length and the second cluster of cross members has a second length. The second length is different than the first length. The stand includes a first set of parts used to assemble the stand having a first set of dimensions, and a second set of parts that can be assembled with the first set of parts to assemble the stand having a second set of dimensions. The first set of parts can be used to assemble a smaller sized display. The second set of parts can be used to assemble a larger sized display. In one embodiment, the first set of parts is used for just the smaller sized display. In another embodiment, the first set of parts is used in addition to the second set of parts in making the larger sized display. Some example embodiments include placing a third cluster of cross members  616  onto the stand. Of course, the cross members of the third cluster having a third dimension larger than the first dimension and the second dimension. Of course other example embodiments include placing many more clusters of cross members onto the upright to form a larger tree. The instruction set  170  (see  FIG. 1 ) 
         [0020]    This discussion shows that there are several alternative embodiments of the invention that are possible in addition to the preferred embodiment described above. All such embodiments, and their equivalents, are considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.