Display and dispensing devices for garments

A device for display, storage, and selection of garments and a method for dispensing of said garments.

This invention pertains to a modular clothing display and a self-service 
unit for selection of appropriately packaged clothing, such as pants. More 
particularly, this invention pertains to a modular display and 
self-service unit adapted for selection of garments in a store in which 
goods are displayed in shelves or stacks and wherein the shelves or 
stacks, in turn, may be arranged in aisles. These modular units are 
especially adaptable for dispensing clothing in supermarkets, although by 
no means limited to that type of store. 
KNOWN PRIOR ART 
Applicant is aware of the following prior art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,458,510; 
2,160,102; 2,383,389; 2,769,551; 2,773,340; 2,781,918; 2,905,330; 
2,943,742; and 3,942,852. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In the distribution and sale of goods, such as garments, e.g., pants, the 
goods have traditionally been sold by a salesperson from racks of 
clothing; consequently, packaging and/or dispensing of said goods has not 
been important. However, with increasing attention being devoted to 
self-service purchasing, the goods must be appropriately packaged and 
dispensed from various devices suitable for that purpose. 
Because conventionally displayed clothing is not readily adaptable for 
self-service selection and purchase from the store owner's viewpoint, 
there has been an ongoing research for inventing self-service display 
units for dispensing garments. However, present display or dispensing 
devices now existing in the art for dispensing various and sundry goods 
are unsuitable for that purpose. Further, for displaying and dispensing 
pants, conventionally existing shelving and stack units as articles of 
manufacture have not been adaptable because these units do not allow 
comparison viewing, selecting, minimized misstacking, pilfering, etc. 
Still further, it has not been possible to adopt display and dispensing 
devices for one type of clothing to another type as different 
"self-service" requirements must be provided for each type of clothing. 
Moreover, package size requirements for each type of clothing must conform 
to available shelf dimensions. For example, common vending type of 
devices, i.e., vending machines, seldom, if ever, satisfy the selection 
needs of a populance having typical size distribution characteristics. 
Because a numbrr of different sizes of the same goods must be displayed 
and stocked for dispensing, this alone has created problems. Additionally, 
the mere bulk of clothing and the unwieldy display devices has often 
discouraged the proper selection of goods from prior art devices. 
Although a number of attempts have been made to dispense various accessory 
clothing, such as underpants, hose, pantyhose, etc. (some with a degree of 
success, such as the "L'eggs" (TM) pantyhose) for the most part, present 
display and dispensing devices have been unsatisfactory. One reason has 
been that these devices have not been adaptable for dispensing more bulky 
clothing, such as outer pants, especially because the selection process 
could not be properly satisfied (without opening the packages and 
inspection of the packaged goods). Additionally, the requirements for 
display devices are such that these must meet the specifications for the 
shelf dimensions and/or aisle requirements found in a typical supermarket. 
Thus, heretofore for outer clothing, satisfactory display units have not 
been available which could meet the various needs of the purchasing 
public. 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
A display and dispensing device has now been invented which allows storage, 
display, selection, and resupply of bulky articles of clothing, such as 
pants, in a ready manner. At the same time, these devices are especially 
adaptable for use, such as in supermarkets, (either in the middle of a 
line of shelves or at the end of an aisle of two back-to-back abutting 
shelves) in packages which are also tamper proof and which discourage 
pilfering. 
The invention for the display device also resides in a simple and novel 
construction of parts for the display, storing, holding, and feeding of 
the garment packages. Further, the invention resides in an improved 
article for the selection of these packages as well as for minimizing any 
undesirable tampering, pilfering, and vandalizing of the packages, goods 
and/or the display device in an overall method of dispensing the goods 
from the display device. Hence, a method of dispensing is also claimed 
herein which comprises the display, anti-pilfering, resupply, etc. steps 
(as described herein) in a novel combination.

Referring to the component parts of the drawings by numerals, the 
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 carries numerals in the series 1 to 
100, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 carries numerals in the 
series 101 to 199; and the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 
carries numerals in the series 301 to 399. 
In FIG. 1, the modular unit A consists of a selection section 1 with a 
display bar 2, holding garments 3, of various sizes and/or styles. A 
storage-dispensing section 4 holds appropriately sized packages 5, color 
coded to illustrate the proper size and type of garment corresponding, in 
general, to the garments 3 displayed on bar 2. 
Subsections 6 of storage section 4 may hold a line of women's and girls' 
garments of various sizes and/or styles or men's and boys' garments of 
various sizes and/or styles or any other combination of these. Although 
only two subsections are shown in FIG. 1, a greater number may also be 
provided. Likewise, only one style garment of various sizes may occupy the 
entire storage-dispensing section 4. In FIG. 1 for subsection 6, three 
vertical columns 6a per color code have been illustrated for each of the 
three color coded garments 3 displayed on the display bar 2; fewer or more 
rows of packages 5 may also be provided, depending on the bulk of the 
garment. The wide legend plate 22 extending for the height of the storage 
section gives additional garment size information. A narrow legend plate 
2a may also be on either the left or right column (in FIG. 1 it is shown 
on the left end side). 
Typically, the modular unit A shown in FIG. 1 is of an approximate size of 
48" long, 22" deep (wide) and 74" high. In accordance with the invention, 
extra storage space may be provided by increasing the length of unit, but 
it has been found that a selection section 1 of a width of about 16" 
serves well a unit having a total length of 48". 
Returning now to the selection section 1, it is bounded on two sides by 
mirrors 7 and 8, placed in frames 9 and 10, respectively. To allow moving 
of the unit without breakage of the mirrors 7 and 8, in the preferred 
embodiment, these mirrors are made of plastic materials of suitable 
thickness, such as Lexan (polycarbonated polymer available from General 
Electric Co.), Plexiglass, or Lucite (a polyacrylic polymer available from 
Rohm & Haas Co. and duPont & Co., respectively). A suitable thickness is 
of about 1/8", but thicker plastic sheets may also be used, e.g., 1/4 to 
1/2". 
Typically, the frames 9 and 10 are made of a steel tubing of 1" in 
diameter, preferably plated. A hot rolled electro-welded tubing in the 
form of a square channel of 1/2" to an edge has also been found to be 
useful. As plating metals, nickel, chromium, cadmium, etc. may be 
employed. Construction details of the framing will be described below. 
Display bar 2 is shown in a permanently affixed position to panel 9 by 
means such as further shown herein in FIG. 8. 
As illustrated in FIG. 1, display bar 2 is permanently affixed to side 
frame 7a and slanted bottom frame 11 of the selection section 1. Bottom 
frame 11 may also be mirrorized plastic or it may be a plain, durable 
material, such as a Formica or vinyl covered plywood sheet or particle 
board. For an in-line (i.e., middle-of-line shelf unit), for ease of 
viewing the garments, the frame 9 may be appropriately slanted so that the 
selection may be about 16" wide decreasing to about 1 or 2" from front to 
back; similarly, the mirror frame 10 may be pivoted and then fixedly set 
with the right-hand edge of frame 10 about 3-5" closer to the viewer. 
On the selection bar 2, hooks are mounted for displaying garments 3, 
corresponding to a color coded vertical row(s) in the storage-dispensing 
section 4. Hence, suitably, three, but as many as six garments may be hung 
on the bar 2. As the display garments are not for removal from the hangers 
14, these garments are permanently attached to the hangers, such as by 
blind or pop rivets. 
In turn, the hangers 14 are permanently attached to the display bar 2 by a 
chain 15 (or a plastic coated wire). Chain 15 is of a length such as 36" 
which allows the garment 3 to be held in front of the purchaser for 
selection and/or viewing in the mirrors 7 and/or 8. For ease of viewing as 
previously mentioned, display bar 2 may, for that purpose, by pivotably 
swung so as to expose the maximum mirror surface. 
For an end-of-aisle modular unit A, selection bar 2 may thus be swung to 
either side. For an in-line unit, the bar may be swung towards mirror 7. 
Construction details will now be described for the modular unit A shown in 
FIG. 1. All of the framing, as mentioned previously, is of a 1/2" steel 
tubing. Conveniently, a 1" tubing of a wall thickness of about 0.05 inches 
may be used. For the square channel previously mentioned, the same wall 
thickness may be used. As shown, frame 9 has the 1/2.times.1/2".times.0.05 
(wall thickness) channel around the periphery thereof. In the corner 16 
where the frame 9 meets frame 10, no tubing appears for frame 9 as the 
frame abuts the frame 10 holding mirror. The entire width of the unit A is 
defined by back frame 10. This frame may have a cross bracing (not shown) 
in the form of an X or only one cross member. 
On the top of the modular unit, a crown frame 17, shown in FIG. 1, follows 
the shape of the display unit such as for one with a rectangular or angled 
mirror section. Frame 17 may, again, be a round or square tubing with 
plastic inserts 17a called "header cards" between the frame. Header cards 
17a have printed thereon the description of the goods and color code. The 
header cards fit into a channel 17b attached to frame 17. 
For stiffening the modular unit A, an intermediate vertical stiffening 
frame 22a may be used in combination with the wide legend plate. 
Similarly, one or a plurality of horizontal stiffening frames 23 may be 
used at a position intermediate the top and bottom of frame 19. 
As a base for the modular unit A, a side kick frame 12 is used; to it is 
joined the front kick frame 13. For ample toe room, the front kick frame 
13 is slanted forwardly from the bottom thereof, i.e., the floor on which 
the modular unit A rests; frame 13 may also be vertical. In either case, 
frames 12 and 13 on each side (there may be an optional back frame, not 
shown) may be protected with a sheet metal corner guard 13a (not shown) 
from damage by food carts. Within each of the frames 12 and 13, a suitable 
material may be mounted (as further described herein), such as a plastic 
sheet of suitable thickness, e.g., 1/4" Plexiglass, Lexan, ABS sheet, 1/2" 
plywood covered with Formica, plywood covered with vinyl, or like material 
(frames 12 and 13 may also be solid boards covered with these same 
materials). 
A plastic sheet, such as between the horizontal stiffening frame 23 or the 
top frame 17, and the left side frame (not shown in FIG. 1) may carry 
appropriate instructions, illustrations, or advertising material. 
The entire left side of modular unit A may be one frame shown in FIG. 6a as 
104 (not shown in FIG. 1). Frame 104 has a mirrorized plastic 112 (in one 
sheet or a number of plastic inserts 112a) and the material may carry 
instructions, display advertising, etc. 
With reference to the foregoing and to FIG. 4, it shows in a partial, 
exploded view, construction elements in an assembly view for joining any 
of the plastic sheets to a frame. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the frame is 
designated 25. The assembly of trays are designated as 30 and will also be 
explained in the same connection. Thus, in FIG. 4, each shelf 30 is 
defined by rod members 27 appropriately spaced apart to cradle between the 
rods 27, the cylindrical package 5 shown in FIG. 2. Rods 27 may be 
positioned so that the cradling of each package 5 falls in a vertical row. 
Rods 27 are joined to a front rod holder 28 at the front of the modular 
unit A and a rear rod holder 39 at the rear of modular unit A. These rod 
holders 28 and 29 together with the entire array of rods 27 define an 
individual tray 30. A price channel molding 30a may be mounted on the 
front rod holder 28 as shown in FIG. 4. 
A total of 14 trays are illustrated for the storage section 4; the trays 30 
are attached to the frame 25 and are elevated at the rear, vis-a-vis, the 
front by clips 61 for the front of each of the trays 30 so that with 
respect to the horizontal plane, the rear rod holder 29 is elevated at 
about 20 to 30 degrees. Clip rods 62 and 63 form a pair of clip rods for 
the left side of the trays and a corresponding pair is found on the 
right-hand side for each of the trays. The clip rods 62 and 63 are 
attached to the frame e.g., frame 25, by frame clips 64 which are welded 
to the clip rods 62 and 63 and the frame clips 62 are mounted on the frame 
tubing either by welding or by riveting as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in the 
last, in top view thereof. As the frame clips 64 are permanently attached 
to clip rod 62, these may be fewer in number than the trays 30. Before the 
clip rods 62 are mounted on frame 25, and clips 61 are welded to the clip 
rod 62 or permanently attached thereto such as by pressure fit, the legs 
28a and 29a of tray rods 28 and 29, respectively, are inserted in the 
cylindrical, hollow clips 61 which hold the trays 30 securely in place as 
well as provide additional rigidity. An extension of the frame clip 64 is 
provided for securing a mirrorized plastic or any sheet 26a shown in FIG. 
4 or a mirrorized plastic sheet such as 112 shown in FIG. 6. 
In the event the package 5 is of the type as shown in FIG. 3, as package 
5a, then as a tray, one shown for embodiment C (further described herein) 
may be used. 
With reference to FIG. 6, it illustrates another embodiment of the display 
device designated as modular unit B for placement at the end of two 
back-to-back abutting shelves such as found in supermarkets. Although 
modular unit B has been shown for use at the end of an aisle, it is also 
suitable for adoption and use within a row of shelves provided the 
dimensions of same are adopted for that purpose. 
Modular unit B, as shown in FIG. 6, consists of a selection section 101, 
and a storage section 102. A crown section 103 at the top thereof adds 
rigidity. A floor member 103a defines the lower part of the selection 
section 101. 
Modular unit B is constructed of plated steel tubing of 7/8" 
dia..times.0.045" wall thickness for the major frames which will be 
described herein, with the plating type and wall thickness as previously 
specified. 
Three major frames define the modular unit, the left frame 104, the right 
frame 106, and the back frame 107. 
The crown section 103 is defined by a dipper shaped frame 108 with a dipper 
opening towards the back or rear of the unit. All of the frames are joined 
by pop or blind rivets. 
The floor 103a is supported by a U-shaped double strand frame 109. One leg 
of the U is shown in FIG. 6 at the lowermost right-hand part, and the 
other leg (and the bottom of the U) by dashed lines. 
Front kick plate 110 is affixed to the frames 104, 106, and 109, and to a 
center pole 105. For rigidity, the center pole 106 may be a double pole or 
an entire frame such as 106. 
In the selection section 101, partially within back frame 107, is affixed a 
mirrorized plastic 111 material of the type previously described and in 
the manner as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Similarly, within the right-hand 
frame 106, partially or entirely, a mirrorized plastic sheet 112 may be 
similarly affixed. Besides allowing the inspection of a selected garment, 
the sheet 112 may be carrying price information, advertising, or 
instructions for selection, it adds rigidity as well. 
The floor 103a may be of a 1/2" to 3/4" vinyl-plywood or Formica-plywood 
laminate. The same material may be used for the kick plate 110. 
On selection bar 113 are hung garments 114; these garments are permanently 
affixed to hangers 115, such as by pop rivets. Chains 116 permanently hold 
the hangers 115 to the selection bar 113. Appropriate letters for 
identifying size or style may be attached to the hangers 115. Selection 
bar 113 carries thereon color code information 116a which identifies the 
garments in the storage section 102. Selection bar 113 extends from left 
to right and is affixed to a cross-member 113a (not shown) of frame 106 
such as by welding. 
A plurality of storage trays 117 are placed within the storage section 102. 
These storage trays 117 are constructed (as previously described) to 
accept garment packages 5 and 5a shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. 
Generally, packages are stored two or three deep in a storage tray 117. 
Crown section 103 carries any attention attracting information such as 
advertising, trademarks, etc. on the plastic sheets 118 made such as of a 
0.040 ABS plastic (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) removingly insertable 
in the crown frame 108 from the corners thereof in suitable channels (not 
shown). 
The left-hand frame 102 carries within it a plastic sheet 112 or 112a again 
describing the garment sold therein or any other necessary information. 
The sheet 112 may be in a number of sections such as 112a and each section 
may also be mirrorized. 
With respect to the device shown in FIG. 7, it illustrates, as a different 
feature from that shown in FIG. 6, a canted selection section 101c. 
Instead of being square and flat, as section 101 is in FIG. 6, the section 
101c is angled from a front kick frame 110c of a height of about 4" to a 
height of about 12" at the rear, while the base of the triangular floor 
103c goes from about 16 to 22" (depending on construction) to about a 
point. The reason for this device is that it prevents placing unwanted 
goods or packages on the slanted floor 103c. 
In other respects, the selection bar 113c may be the same as previously 
described or selection bar 113c may have an extension 113d which may be 
permanently affixed to the frame 106c and to cross brace 113e therefor. 
In FIG. 8, the conventional manner of joining tubing end to end has been 
illustrated. Accordingly, a tubing 189 has a pair of holes 190 of a size 
suitable to accept a bolt 191, which projects through the holes 190, and 
is received by an unthreaded hole 192 in a jaw fitting 193, adopted to fit 
partially around tubing 189. In turn, the jaw fitting 193 has a necked 
down section 193a which fittingly engages the inside diameter of another 
tubing sized to receive the same. As the bolt 191 protrudes beyond the 
neck 193, it is capable of engaging a bevel plug generally of a stiff, but 
resilient material having a thread back plate (not shown). When the bolt 
191 is preassembled with the jaw fitting 192 and engages the bevel plug 
194 through hole 194, the whole assembly may be inserted into tube 195 and 
be tightened securely by the expansion of the bevel plug 194 upon turning 
of the screw 191. 
With reference to FIG. 9, it shows in a perspective view another embodiment 
for the display device designated as modular unit C, conveniently adopted 
for "in-line" shelf display and selection of suitable garments. For 
modular unit C, the elements thereof are labeled with the numbers in 
series 301 to 399. Thus, in FIG. 9, as shown, the display section 301 is 
not vertically subdivided. However, a horizontal stiffening or brace 
member 302 is provided between each side panel 303 and 304. A stiffening 
or brace member 305 is shown for the top of the device C; a display board 
306 (not shown) may be mounted thereover. A mirror 307, such as previously 
described, is affixed to a triangular frame 308 as shown in FIG. 9 by 
dashed lines. The frame 308 may be of a solid board, e.g., plywood or a 
plastic material. To the side panel 304 is permanently affixed display rod 
309, having attachment devices, e.g., rings 310 permanently welded thereto 
in which are hung hangers 311. To the ring 310 is permanently attached a 
chain 312 which, in turn, is joined to the hanger 311; each hanger has its 
own chain and ring; a greater number than shown in FIG. 9 may be used. At 
the bottom of the selection unit 313 is a slanted platform 314 (to avoid 
placing packages on the same). A side frame therefor 315 is shown in FIG. 
9. The whole device C may be mounted on a suitable platform (not shown, 
but of a type previously described in connection with units A and B). 
Side panels 303 and 304 may be appropriately faced with a plastic material, 
such as Formica, including edges thereof. 
With respect to FIG. 10, it shows, in a perspective view, a broken out 
section of the device shown in FIG. 9, the right-hand side panel 304 in 
FIG. 9 being the left hand panel in FIG. 10. A top brace 315 and a bottom 
brace 317 (not shown) provides, in combination with the other bracing 
previously described, the necessary rigidity. 
Construction of the display trays 317 is as follows: each tray has a front 
rod 318 and a rear rod 319 and for each package, e.g., 5 or 5a, a pair of 
support rods 320, and a pair of spacer rods 321. At the left or right edge 
of the tray 317, only one spacer rod is needed. On the front rod is 
mounted a display molding (described in FIG. 4); the display molding may 
act as a package sliding restraint. 
Each tray has a bottom center rod 322, shown in FIG. 10. Each tray 317 has 
a left and right-hand bottom side rod 323, which seats on each side of the 
device in a bracket 324 mounted at an appropriate angle onto side panels 
303 and 304 with the center rod 322 fitting into a restraint notch 325. 
This arrangement allows facile mounting of trays 317, replacement of same 
with differently spaced subsections thereof, and adoption for 
interchangeable and different display packages, such as shown in FIGS. 2 
and 3. In FIG. 9, a total of 11 shelves are shown. All of the previously 
described trays are front loaded with the packages such as shown in FIGS. 
2 and 3. 
With respect to the package shown in FIG. 2, it is numbered as 5, and that 
shown in FIG. 3, as 5a. For the package in FIG. 2, a semipermanent closure 
5c in the form of a plastic dish, fitting very snuggly, engages the 
interior wall 5d of the package 5. The plastic closure 5c has a punch-out 
finger hole insert 5e used for removing the closure 5c from the interior 
wall 5d. 
If the punch-out finger hole insert 5e has been removed, then the package 
can be inspected at a check-out counter if the contents thereof are 
exchanged or are missing. If the closure 5c has been removed, it may be 
reinserted or replaced with a new one at a check-out counter or upon 
servicing the devices A, B, or C. Generally, a tightly adhering price 
label may also be placed over punch-out hole 5e so that tampering of the 
goods is minimized thereby. 
With respect to the package shown in FIG. 3, it is in a form of a box, 
which, again, may be end loaded through similar tamper-proof closures as 
shown for the FIG. 2 package. This box similarly fits into appropriately 
sized trays previously described. 
As described above, the modular units illustrate the improvements offered 
to the purchasing public for selection of garments from a unit containing 
garments in a stored section. The compactness of the unit allows these to 
be placed in a store and passes along to the public the benefits based on 
the self-service concept. Moreover, the unit helps the store owner to 
store, dispense, and replenish his goods and minimizes pilferage of the 
garments when sold in the packages as described herein. 
From the above description, the invention will, it is believed, be clearly 
understood, including any changes in size and shape of the component 
parts. Moreover, manifestly the form of the invention disclosed herein is 
susceptible of modifications without departing from the inventive concept, 
and the rights are reserved to all such modifications falling within the 
claims defining the invention.