Merchandise display apparatus

A merchandise display apparatus which permits the full line of inventory to be displayed to customers while minimizing the space needed to display the goods and simplifying the process of purchasing a selected item. The merchandise display apparatus includes a display stand having a vertical support member about which a plurality of display panels are rotatably attached for a consumer to "flip" through the panels while browsing for goods. A plurality of small, display cut-out articles or tokens comprising a three-dimensional representation of the actual item are removably attached to the display panels surfaces such that a consumer selecting the item represented by the display article may remove the display article from a panel and present it to a sales clerk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The subject invention is generally related to equipment for use in the 
retail sales industry and is specifically directed to a display apparatus 
for displaying consumer goods, such as articles of clothing, for sale in a 
retail environment. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
In the retail sales industry, it is common to display goods for sale using 
a sales display, sales rack or similar device for displaying the goods to 
customers. For example, in the retail clothing industry, inventory is 
typically displayed using clothing racks such as straight racks for use 
against a wall or circular racks for hanging clothes on a showroom floor. 
Each item of inventory is hung on a rack for the customer to inspect while 
browsing the showroom floor. 
One problem with the typical method of displaying consumer goods is that, 
in order to show the customer the full number and variety of items 
available, each item of inventory must be stocked on the showroom floor, 
which decreases the available showroom space for other items. For items 
such as printed or logo t-shirts which are relatively bulky compared to 
their cost and compared to the profit margins associated with them, this 
means that a large amount of valuable showroom space must be occupied with 
a correspondingly lower profit return per square foot of space. Also, 
there may be a large variety of t-shirts with different printed designs, 
such as sports-team logos, to be displayed which further occupies valuable 
showroom space. 
One solution to displaying available merchandise while minimizing the space 
needed to display the merchandise is to provide one sample of the 
merchandise on the showroom floor while keeping the remaining inventory in 
the storeroom. For example, t-shirts have been pinned to pieces of 
cardboard so that the printed design on the t-shirt is clearly displayed. 
The mounted t-shirt is then hung on a wall or placed on a display rack and 
is non-removable from either one. One problem with this solution is that 
the display samples of actual t-shirts still occupy a large amount of 
showroom space, particularly where there is a large number of different 
printed designs to be displayed. 
Further, while customers can view the t-shirt design and make a selection, 
another problem with this method is that the customer must find a 
salesperson, lead them to the display wall or rack and show the 
salesperson which t-shirt they have selected. Alternatively, if the 
display t-shirt has been given a visible designation, such as a number, 
the customer must remember or write down the designation in order to relay 
the number to the salesperson and purchase the shirt. This may be 
inconvenient where a variety of shirts have been selected and many numbers 
must be remembered. Moreover, when the t-shirt is no longer in stock, the 
customer may unknowingly select an unavailable t-shirt based on the fact 
that the display sample is still on display and become frustrated. Thus, 
in order to avoid this problem, the salesperson must remember to remove 
the display sample or indicate that it is no longer in stock directly on 
the display sample. 
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device for displaying consumer 
goods wherein the actual goods need not be stocked on the showroom floor, 
yet the full line of inventory can be displayed to the customers, and 
customers can browse through various styles and kinds of goods and easily 
select and purchase their selection. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The subject invention is directed to a merchandise display apparatus which 
permits the full line of inventory to be displayed to customers while 
minimizing the space needed to display the goods and simplifying the 
process of purchasing a selected item. The merchandise display apparatus 
of the subject invention includes a display stand and a plurality of small 
display cut-out articles or tokens comprising a three-dimensional 
representation of the merchandise item. 
The present invention provides a display rack having a vertical support 
member about which a plurality of vertical panels are rotatably attached 
in such a manner that a consumer may "flip" through the panels while 
browsing for goods. The front and back side of the panels include an 
attachment means for removably attaching the display articles. The 
articles which are small, three-dimensional representations of the actual 
merchandise items, are removably attached to the display panels, such that 
a consumer selecting the item represented by the display article may 
remove the display article from a panel and take it to a sales clerk. 
Referring to the display article, it may include stock number or other 
information for use by the sales clerk. The sales clerk then retrieves the 
appropriate item of merchandise from the stock of inventory, which may be 
kept in a cabinet or in a storage room. 
In the preferred embodiment, the display token comprises a substantially 
flat piece of plastic which is cut or molded into the shape of the item of 
merchandise being sold. For example, when using the display of the present 
invention to display T-shirts, the display tokens are preferably formed in 
the general outline of a T-shirt. The display article or token is 
preferably provided with a design which is identical to the design of the 
actual item of inventory which it represents. Thus, the display token 
preferably resembles a miniature replica of the item of merchandise which 
it represents and is sized to be easily attached to the display panel. In 
the preferred embodiment, the number and type of display articles on the 
display panels is equal to the number and type of actual items in stock. 
Thus, a consumer would not unknowingly select an item which is no longer 
in stock. 
Therefore, it is an object and feature of the subject invention to provide 
an apparatus for displaying consumer goods wherein the actual goods need 
not be stocked on the showroom floor, yet the full line of inventory can 
be displayed to the customers, and the customers can browse through 
various styles and kinds of goods. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus 
including a display stand and display articles or tokens removably 
attached thereto for displaying consumer goods which occupies a modest 
amount of showroom space yet which permits a merchant to display a large 
number of types and styles of goods. 
It is another object and feature of the subject invention to provide a 
method for displaying and selling merchandise to consumers without 
displaying and occupying showroom space with the actual merchandise items. 
The foregoing and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present 
invention will become better understood with regard to the following 
description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The subject invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3 and is directed to a 
merchandise display apparatus designated generally by the numeral 10. The 
merchandise display apparatus 10 of the subject invention is designed to 
permit a full line of inventory to be displayed to customers while 
minimizing the amount of showroom space occupied by the display. The 
subject invention is specifically directed to a display apparatus 10 which 
utilizes display articles or tokens 12 to display the merchandise so that 
consumers may browse through various styles and kinds of goods without 
displaying the actual merchandise. Thus, the actual goods need not be 
stocked on the showroom floor and valuable space is saved. 
Referring now to the drawings and first to FIG. 1, it will be understood 
that the apparatus of the present invention comprises a display stand 14 
having a base portion 16 and a vertical support member 18 extending 
vertically from the top of the base portion 16. The vertical support 
member 18 has a top end 20 and a bottom end 22 which is secured in the 
base portion 16. The vertical support member 18 is preferably rotatable 
about its vertical axis by means of a carousel or bearing disposed between 
the bottom end 22 of the support member 18 and the base portion 16. 
The display stand 14 includes a plurality of display surfaces on which the 
plurality of cut-out articles or tokens 12 are removably mounted. Each 
article 12 comprises a three-dimensional representation of a merchandise 
item and is constructed of a lightweight, durable material. In the 
preferred embodiment, the material is a rigid plastic, such as by way of 
example, an acrylic laminate. As shown in FIG. 2, each article 12 is 
shaped substantially similar to a general outline of the actual 
merchandise item which it represents, such as by way of example, a 
t-shirt. Each article 12 is small, easily carried, reusable and is sized 
such that a plurality of articles fits on each display surface. For 
example, the dimensions of the typical t-shirt shaped article 12 shown in 
FIG. 2 are 4 inches in width, 3 inches in length, and 1/4 inches in 
thickness. 
In the preferred embodiment, the article 12, has a front surface 13 and a 
back surface 15. The front and back surfaces 13, 15 of the article 12 are 
substantially flat for easily mounting the articles 12 on the display 
surfaces. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the front surface 13 is positioned to 
face outward from the display stand for viewing by the consumer and 
includes an identical depiction of the design on the actual merchandise 
item. Each article 12 may be provided with a backing or attachment means 
30 on its back surface 15 for removably attaching the article 12 to the 
display stand 14. 
The plurality of display surfaces of the display stand 14 comprise a 
plurality of display panels 24, each having a front side 26 and a back 
side 28. Both of the front and back sides 26, 28 of the display panels 
have a surface adapted for receiving the attachment means 30 on the back 
surface of each article 12 for removably securing the articles 12 to the 
front and back sides 26, 28 of the display panels 24. In the preferred 
embodiment, the front and back sides 26, 28 of the panels 24 are provided 
with a covering, such as a felt material which is adapted to receive and 
hold a hook-and-loop type fastener, such as a Velcro.TM. strip. The 
attachment means 30 on the back surface 15 of each article 12 is a 
complementary hook-and-loop type fastener. Thus, the attachment means 30 
is a backing strip including a plurality of tiny hooks 32, such as, by way 
of example, the hooked portion of a Velcro.TM. strip. In use, the hooks 32 
engage the felt material and removably attach the articles 12 to the 
panels 24. Further, both sides 26, 28 of the panels may be covered with a 
Velcro.TM. hook or loop material and the back surface 15 of the article 12 
may include the complementary hook or loop material for removably securing 
the articles 12. Alternatively, the back surface 15 of each article 12 may 
include a small hole and bolt receptacle 44 and both sides 26, 28 of the 
panels 24 include a bolt receptacle 46 for receiving a bolt on the 
articles for securing the articles to the panels. The vertical panel is 
provided with a covering such as hook and loop sensitive material which is 
adapted to receive and hold a velcro.TM. strip. In addition, other means 
of attaching the articles 12 to the vertical panels 24 may obviously be 
employed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. 
The vertical support member 18 is adapted to rotatably support the display 
panels 24 such that consumers may turn the panels 24 to view articles 12 
removably secured to the front and back sides 26, 28 of the panels 24. The 
panels 24 are vertical and have inner and outer edges 34, 36 and top and 
bottom ends 35 and 37. The panels 24 are attached to the vertical member 
18 along the inner edges 34 of the vertical panels 24. In the preferred 
embodiment, the vertical support member 18 includes a plurality of arms 38 
extending outward from the top and bottom ends 20, 22 of the member 18. 
The arms may include a bolt receptacle 42 for receiving a bolt or other 
fastening means to fasten the panels to the vertical support members. The 
arms 38 are secured to the panels 24 at the top and bottom ends 35, 37 of 
each panel 24. The arms 38 may be stationary or rotatable relative to the 
vertical support member 18. When the arms 38 are secured to the panels 24, 
the vertical panels 24 are preferably pivotable in a plane normal to the 
vertical axis of the vertical support member 18, such that a consumer 
browsing through the display can "flip" from panel to panel. As shown in 
FIG. 1, the vertical panels 24 preferably taper from top end 35 to bottom 
end 37 such that they are widest at the top and narrowest near the base 
portion 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the panels 24 may include a receptacle 40 
for receiving a bolt or other fastening means to fasten the panels to the 
vertical support members. 
FIG. 4 depicts a top perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. As 
shown in FIG. 4, the display apparatus, 10, may include a plurality of 
display surfaces. 
While specific embodiments and features of the invention have been 
disclosed herein, it will be readily understood that the invention 
encompasses all enhancements and modifications within the scope and spirit 
of the following claims.