Merchandise display system

A merchandise display system includes a support from which merchandise can be suspended. The support includes a rod with a hook at its free end. The rod is angled down towards its free end. A member on one side of the merchandise restricts movement of the merchandise about a first axis of the support. An additional member on another side of the merchandise restricts movement of the merchandise about the first axis of the support. The system further includes a pair of stoppers, one stopper being attached to the member near a free end of the member and the other stopper being attached to the additional member near a free end of the additional member. The stoppers restrict movement of the merchandise about a second axis of the support. The stoppers each include a pair of flexible flaps which enable merchandise to be inserted onto a support and removed from a support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Systems for displaying merchandise in retail stores are well known. In one
 type of display system, a rod projecting from a support has a "hook" at
 the free end of the rod. The rod is angled downward from the support
 towards the aisle of the store Typically, the merchandise is contained in
 a package which has a hole in it near its top end. The merchandise is
 stocked on the rod by passing the hole in the packaging over the hook and
 then pushing the merchandise up the rod. When a consumer desires to
 purchase the merchandise, they grasp the front-most piece of merchandise
 and remove it from the rod by pulling the packaging off of the hook. Other
 pieces of merchandise will then gravity-feed down the rod towards the
 hook. The hook prevents these other pieces of merchandise from falling off
 of the rod.
 A problem with such gravity feed rod and hook merchandise display systems
 is that there is no provision for preventing the merchandise from swinging
 about the rod from side to side or front to back. This swinging of the
 merchandise about the rod can occur when a piece of merchandise is removed
 from the hook. Such merchandise swinging does not provide a very
 professional and attractive presentation of the merchandise in the eyes of
 the consumer.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In accordance with the invention, a merchandise display system includes a
 support from which merchandise can be suspended and means for restricting
 movement of the merchandise about the support. By restricting movement of
 the merchandise about the support, a more professional presentation of the
 merchandise is made to the consumer.
 According to further refinements of the invention the support includes a
 rod with a hook at its free end. The rod is angled down towards its free
 end. A member on one side of the merchandise restricts movement of the
 merchandise about a first axis of the support. An additional member on
 another side of the merchandise restricts movement of the merchandise
 about the first axis of the support. The system further includes a pair of
 stoppers, one stopper being attached to the member near a free end of the
 member and the other stopper being attached to the additional member near
 a free end of the additional member. The stoppers restrict movement of the
 merchandise about a second axis of the support. The stoppers each include
 a pair of flexible flaps which enable merchandise to be inserted onto a
 support and removed from a support.
 The flaps on the stopper serve the function of restricting movement of the
 merchandise about a second axis of the support while still enabling
 merchandise to be loaded onto the support and removed from the support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 With reference to FIGS. 1-3, a merchandise display system 10 includes a
 support 12 from which merchandise 14 can be suspended. Support 12 can be
 made of metal or any other suitable material. Merchandise 14 can be, for
 example a toothbrush (not shown) in a blister pack 16 which is secured to
 a cardboard backing 18. The cardboard backing has a hole 17 in it near its
 top end The support includes a rod 19 with a hook 20 at the free end of
 the rod. The other end of rod 19 is attached to a display casing by any
 suitable means known to those skilled in the art. The rod is angled down
 towards its free end.
 A pair of members 22, 24 are located on either side of merchandise 14.
 Members 22, 24 can be made of metal or any other suitable material. These
 members restrict movement of the merchandise about a first axis of the
 support which is co-linear with rod 19. In other words, merchandise 14
 cannot swing from side to side as viewed in FIG. 2. The other end of each
 member 22, 24 is attached to a display casing by any suitable means known
 to those skilled in the art. The members are angled down towards their
 free end.
 The merchandise display system further includes a pair of stoppers 26, 28.
 One stopper is attached to each of the members near a free end of the
 members. A pair of arms 27, 29 on each stopper allow the stopper to be
 press fitted onto its respective member. The stoppers are preferably made
 of plastic. Each stopper includes a pair of flexible flaps A, B. Each flap
 can rotate about an axis represented by a dashed line along one edge of
 the flap. The flap is allowed to rotate because the plastic along the
 dashed line is thinner than on other portions of the stopper. Thus, the
 thinned plastic along the dashed line acts like a hinge. The natural state
 of the flaps is shown in FIG. 3. Flaps 28B and 26A restrict movement of
 merchandise 14 clockwise about an axis which is perpendicular to the sheet
 of paper on which FIG. 1 is located and which is located about where rod
 19 and hook 20 interface. In other words, merchandise 14 is inhibited from
 swinging clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1.
 The merchandise display system operates as follows. In order to load
 merchandise 14 onto support 12, the merchandise is manipulated to slip
 hole 17 in backing 18 over hook 20. Merchandise 14 is then rotated
 counterclockwise (FIG. 1) to move the lower portion of the merchandise
 between members 22, 24. As merchandise 14 is pressed against flaps 28B and
 26A, these flaps fold back (like saloon doors) to allow the merchandise to
 pass between the members. Although only one merchandise 14 is shown, a
 multiplicity of merchandise will typically be loaded into the system.
 When a consumer desires to obtain merchandise 14, the consumer grasps the
 merchandise and lifts the merchandise up and off hook 20, clearing flaps
 28B and 26A, not necessarily passing through flaps 28B and 26A. Any
 merchandise behind the merchandise removed gravity feeds towards hook 20
 because support 12 is angled downward toward its free end. Hook 20 and
 flaps 28B and 26A in partnership prevent merchandise from falling off of
 support 12. Flaps 28B and 26A need to have enough resistance to inhibit
 merchandise on a fully loaded support 12 from passing out from between the
 members 22, 24.