Display rack

An adjustable tilt construction for a toothbrush display rack. The rear wall of the rack is provided with one or more T slots, each slot receiving one of two parallel flanges of a respective leg, said leg being generally H shaped in transverse cross section over at least a portion of its length. One flange of each leg is shorter than the other, and is asymmetrically located with respect to it so as to yield two different distances from the ends of the shorter flange to respective ends of the longer flange. This leg configuration permits three different leg heights by inserting each leg into a respective slot in three different ways. In turn, this permits three different tilt angles for the display rack. Each leg has at least one end having biased edges which releasably frictionally fit into the T shaped slots on the rear wall of the rack. The leg and slot configuration may also be used on any member to provide height adjustment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a tiltable display rack particularly adapted for 
toothbrushes. Racks for displaying similar items for retail sale are 
known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,873 issued to Silva shows a tilted 
rack having a plurality of parallel troughs, with a pusher weight behind 
each row of the displayed articles in each respective trough, the pusher 
weights functioning by gravity. The use of pusher weights in display racks 
is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,452,659 issued to Seelman and U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,393,688 issued to Saverino. 
While satisfactory for their respective purposes, these and other known 
constructions do not yield a toothbrush display rack whose angle of tilt 
may be easily varied. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the practice of this invention, a toothbrush rack is provided 
with a rear leg construction which permits the angle of inclination of the 
toothbrush rack to be varied. This is effected by a novel slot and leg 
configuration, with two such legs in their respective slots usually 
employed. Each leg is in the general form of an H beam having two parallel 
and elongated flanges joined by a central web, with the plane of the 
central web being orthogonal to the parallel flanges. One of the two 
flanges of the leg is shorter than the other. The respective ends of the 
shorter of the two flanges terminate at different distances from 
neighboring or contiguous respective ends of the flange of greater length. 
Each slot is open on one side and is located at the rack rear wall and 
receives a respective leg, the rack being typically provided with two of 
the H legs, each slot having an uppermost or abutment. In use, a leg is 
slidably inserted into a slot in any one of three different ways. In the 
first way, either end of the longest flange abuts the slot top. In the 
second way, one end of the shorter flange abuts the slot top, while in the 
third way the other end of the shorter flange abuts the slot top. These 
three ways of leg insertion into a respective slot yield three different 
degrees of tilt to the display rack. To obtain a different tilt, each leg 
is slid out of its slot, turned or rotated, and then reinserted. In a 
modification, either end of the shorter flange of the (modified) leg can 
be inserted into a slot, while only one end of the shorter flange can be 
inserted. 
The novel leg and slot construction of this invention may also be employed 
to vary the height of a table or other horizontal support surface member 
by providing at least one slot adjacent the support member periphery and 
using the novel leg of this invention to effect height adjustment by 
inserting the leg into the slot in the same three different ways as in the 
toothbrush display rack. Thus the leg yields different heights for 
different supports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, the toothbrush rack of this 
invention is generally indicated as 10 and includes a rear wall 12, a pair 
of opposite and parallel side walls 14, only one of which is seen at FIG. 
1, and a front wall 18. One or more legs 46, only one of which is shown, 
is inserted into a slot in or at rear wall 12, so as to provide a first 
degree or angle of tilt to tray 10. Upstanding element 22 represents the 
rear portion of a pusher element, shortly to be described. 
FIGS. 2 and 3 are similar to FIG. 1, with FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 differing only 
in the degree of tilt of the rack tray. These different angles or degrees 
of tilt are achieved by different manners or ways of inserting legs 46 
into their respective slots, as will shortly be described. 
FIGS. 1A, 2A, and 3A illustrate the three ways of inserting a leg 46 shown 
at FIGS. 5 and 6, into a respective slot. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, tray 10 is shown as including a plurality of 
gravity operated pusher elements each having substantially flat surface 
portions 20 integrally connected to upstanding and vertically extending 
back portions 22. Pairs of trough defining areas 24 are separated by 
respective gaps 26, with each of the area pairs 24 bordered by walls 30. 
Flat, lower surface portions 20 are typically provided with T shaped 
tongues which engage the lower, opposite sides of respective areas 24, 
with the webs of the tongues extending through respective slots 26. The 
rack may be formed of a plastic material or of metal. 
As known in this art, each back portion 22 is urged by gravity against the 
rear toothbrush container of a row of toothbrush containers, such that 
when a purchaser takes the front toothbrush container from a row, at the 
lowest or front rack portion, the pusher associated with that row forces 
the remaining toothbrush containers in that row down so as to fill the gap 
caused by the purchaser-removed lowermost toothbrush container. Clearly, 
the magnitude of the gravity derived pusher force on the rear of its 
respective row will vary with the angle of tilt of the rack. In order to 
vary the pusher force, according to this invention, it is only necessary 
to vary the manner or way in which each leg is inserted into its 
respective slot at the rear of the rack. It will be understood that each 
leg, when plural legs are employed, must be inserted into its respective 
slot in the same way so that the 20 rear of the rack will be level. 
As seen at FIGS. 4 and 1A, 2A, 3A, each rear slot 38 is generally T shaped 
in transverse section and is defined by spaced overhangs or flanges 40, 
with the lower, open end of each slot denoted as 42 and the upper end 
having an abutment or closed portion 44, the latter being optionally 
defined by a horizontal continuation of flanges 40. Each slot may be 
integral with the rear rack wall 12, or may be separately formed and 
affixed to the rear wall. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, a typical leg 46 is 
illustrated. The major length of each leg is in the general form of an H 
rigid beam. The web portion of each leg is designated as 48, the longest 
flange designated as 50, while the shortest flange is designated as 52. 
One end of shorter flange 52 is designated as 60, while the other end of 
flange 52 is designated as 62. It will be observed that end 60 is closer 
to a corresponding, neighboring end of longer flange 50 than is end 62 to 
its closest or neighboring end of longer flange 50. Shorter flange 52 is 
seen to be asymmetrically located, in a manner parallel to the leg, with 
respect to the longer flange 50. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 4, a leg 46 has been placed into its 
respective slot 38 through lower slot opening 42, so that the upper end of 
flange 50 contacts upper abutment 44 of slot 38. This is done for both of 
the legs shown at FIG. 4 and yields, as shown at FIG. 1, the maximum angle 
or degree of tilt of rack 10 since the rack rear is elevated by the length 
of longer flange 50. 
Again referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 2A, leg 46 has been inserted into slot 
38 such that upper end 60 of shorter flange 52 is in contact with upper 
slot abutment 44 of slot 38. FIG. 2 shows that the angle of tilt of the 
rack is now less than that shown at FIG. 1. 
Referring now to FIG. 3A and FIG. 4, leg 46 has been inserted into slot 38 
so that end 62 of shorter flange 52 is in contact with upper slot abutment 
44. Considering FIG. 3, the reader will readily see that this yields the 
lesser tilt of the three tilt angles shown at FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. 
In each of these three ways of leg insertion, FIG. 4 shows that one flange 
of the leg is in the slot while the other flange is located outside of the 
slot. The T shaped slot is thus substantially occupied by one half of the 
H leg. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 show that over the major portion of the length of each leg 
46, the cross section is generally that of an H shaped beam. Beyond the 
ends of flange 52, the transverse cross section may be described as T 
shaped. FIG. 4 shows that only one of the two parallel flanges, at any 
position of the leg in a respective slot 38, extends outwardly beyond slot 
38. The flange edges are illustrated as bevelled, although this is not 
required. Typically, legs 46 are of the same material as that of the rack, 
but are rigid in any case. It will be apparent that if shorter flange 52 
were symmetrically located relative to longer flange 50, then only two 
different degrees of tilt of the tray would be possible. While not as 
useful as the leg shown at FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein the shorter flange is 
asymmetrically positioned relative to the longer flange, the symmetrical 
location of shorter flange 52 is nonetheless useful in producing two 
different tilt angles. 
While exhibiting utility in the display rack technology, it will be 
apparent that the novel leg and slot construction of this invention may 
also be used to vary the height of a table or other horizontal support 
member. Some peripheral portion of the table is provided with slots 38 and 
legs 46 shown at FIGS. 5 and 6 placed in each slot. By varying the manner 
or way of placement of each leg into its respective slot (as with the 
toothbrush rack), the height of the table may be varied. Such a 
construction is shown at FIG. 7 where two opposite ends of a table 70 are 
each provided with the T slot and H leg construction previously described. 
Alternatively, as shown at FIG. 8, only a single slot and leg may be used 
to support a table 70 by providing an elongated supporting foot 72 having 
an H shaped socket 74 receiving the bottom end of the H leg. The length of 
foot 72 is such as to preclude cantilever tilting of the table. 
A typical manner of forming each of the legs 46 of this invention will now 
be set forth. Injection molding, extruding with post fabrication and/or 
manual assembly are proposed methods. Note that other methods such as roll 
forming can be used. Similarly, a typical manner of forming the display 
rack is as follows: injection molding, stamping, manual assembly, etc. A 
typical manner of forming the slots 38 is as follows: injection molding, 
stamping, routing, etc. 
Another embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to 
FIGS. 9-15. This second embodiment similar to that described above and 
shown in FIGS. 1-8, with the second embodiment disclosing certain 
variations in several of the components of the display rack. In general, 
the same reference numerals will be used to denote corresponding elements, 
with different reference numerals being employed to describe variations in 
the structure shown in the second embodiment. 
Referring now to FIG. 9, a side elevational view of the display rack of 
this invention in one of its tilt or angular positions is shown. The side 
wall facing the reader is designated as 80 and is similar to side wall 14 
of FIG. 1, except for the addition of side rails 82 at both ends, with 
each pair of these side rails defining slots 86 for the reception of 
spacer legs therein. A consideration of FIG. 9 will shown that if it is 
desired to vertically stack two or three of the display racks above one 
another, it is only necessary to insert correspondingly shaped legs into 
slots 86. The other side wall 80 also has corresponding slots 86 so that 
in stacking one tray vertically spaced with respect to a lower tray four 
such stacking legs are employed. It will be understood that the stacking 
feature afforded by slots 86 is optional in the construction of the 
display rack. Also optionally, side rail pairs 82, 82 on one side wall 80 
may be differently spaced from the ends of respective left and right side 
walls 80. This enables the display racks to be coupled together to tandem, 
side by side relation. 
FIG. 9 shows one of two rear legs 86 fitting into a complimentary slot 
defined by overhang of flange elements 40, similar to that shown at FIG. 
4. The details of each leg 86 will now be described with respect to FIGS. 
10 and 11. 
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a leg 86 
according to this second embodiment, with leg 86 being similar to leg 46 
shown at FIGS. 5 and 6. Again, each leg is fashioned (typically of molded 
plastic) of two elongated flanges joined in spaced and parallel relation 
to each other by a central, orthogonal web. The flanges are designated as 
88 and 90, and the web between them designated as 92. Again, the two 
flanges in the web are generally H-shaped in cross section. Referring now 
to flange 88 of FIG. 10, the upper edges are both biased to present 
slanted surfaces 94. Each edges surface 94 continues downwardly until an 
abutment or shoulder 96 is reached, and thereafter flat edges 98 continue 
down to the bottom of flange 88. Thus, from the bottom of flange 88 up to 
shoulder 96, flange 88 is rectangular in transverse cross section, while 
above abutment 96, flange 88 is in the form of a regular trapezoid. This 
is entirely similar to the trapezoidal cross section of leg 46 previously 
described. 
Turning now to the other flange 90, it is seen that its upper portion is 
that of a regular trapezoid in transverse cross section with shoulders 104 
located at the bottom portion of slanted or biased edges 102. The middle 
section of flange 90 is rectangular in cross section with its edges 
denoted as 106. The lower portion of the middle section of flange 90 is 
designated as 108, and is similar to shoulders 104, with biased edges 110 
on the lower third of flange 90. Edges 102 and 110 are biased at the same 
angle, but in opposite senses. 
FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but taken at an angle of 180 degrees 
therefrom. Thus, FIG. 11 may be regarded as FIG. 10 with the leg 86 having 
been rotated about its own longitudinal axis 180 degrees. 
Referring now to FIG. 12, spaced bottom areas of the individual toothbrush 
receiving channels of the rack are designated as 24 and are separated by a 
gap to define slots 26. The rear or upper end of each slot 26 (nearest the 
rear wall of the rack) is provided with oppositely projecting dimples or 
protuberances 27, preferably integrally molded with the plastic from which 
the display rack is formed. Parallel walls 30 separate and define 
individual troughs or channels in the rack, with every other wall 30 
having its rear vertical edge positioned between vertically running 
abutments 120. FIG. 12 shows one of the gravity operated pusher elements. 
Rearmost sidewall slot 86 of right side wall panel 14 is shown at the 
right portion of FIG. 12. FIG. 12 also illustrates abutment flanges 44 at 
the top of flanges 40, the latter defining vertically running slots 38 
(see FIG. 4) which accept and receive complimentary portions of legs 86, 
with abutment flanges 44 extending horizontally at the top of each rear 
wall vertical slot to form abutments limiting upward motion of each leg 
86. FIG. 12 also illustrates parallel raised portions 124 on both sides of 
each slot 26. Rails or raised portions 124 reduce friction between the 
bottom of the pusher elements 20 and slots 26. 
FIG. 13 shows one of the protuberances 27 projecting towards the reader in 
one of the slots 26, and also shows one of the rails 124 associated with a 
slot 26. One leg 86 is also illustrated in one of the rear wall leg 
receiving slots. 
Referring now to FIG. 14, rear wall 12 has been provided with two 
horizontally spaced keyhole slots 118, only one of which is shown, for 
mounting the display rack on a vertical wall by means of a screw, nail or 
the like, if desired. It will be understood, however, that the preferred 
manner of using the rack is on a horizonal surface and employing legs 86. 
FIG. 14 illustrates elongated recesses 132 at the rack bottom for 
receiving the lower horizontal edges of every other channel or trough 
defining side wall 30. The remaining, alternate side walls 30 are 
integrally molded with the rack. 
FIG. 15 is a view showing the construction of the gravity operated pusher 
elements with the lower portion of each being open and defining a 
triangular zone 128, open at both sides, and receiving a weight 130 which 
may assume the form of a plurality of individual metal weights held 
together by glue and resting on the inside of flat run 23 of each pusher. 
The lower portion of each flat run or portion 23 of the bottom triangular 
portion of each pusher element carries a tongue 122, preferably integral 
with each pusher, the tongue having a lower enlarged portion 121, with 
each tongue 122 spanning the depth of its respective slot 26. With 
movement upwardly of any pusher to 27, there will be a frictional but 
releasable engagement between the sides of tongue 122 and protuberances 
27. This temporary position of each gravity operated pusher permits the 
retailer to load a plurality of toothbrushes in each of the individual 
troughs of the display rack. After such loading, the pusher 20 is manually 
urged in a downward direction, parallel to its respective slot 26, to 
thereby release the frictional engagement occasioned by protuberances 27. 
Each pusher element 20 is retained in a respective slot 26 by inserting 
enlargement 121 (which is preferably tapered at its lower end as shown at 
FIG. 14) into the slot, so that the slot deforms somewhat while 
enlargement 121 also deforms somewhat to enable it to pass through the 
slot. Tongue 122 is slightly narrower than each slot 26, while enlargement 
121 is wider at its widest part than each slot 26. 
Geometrical terms of orientation such as vertical and horizontal are used 
to facilitate the description and are not intended as limiting.