Abstract:
A display unit for use in combination with a shelf having a depressed well at its front end, the display unit providing a stop for merchandise resting on the shelf and being formed of a multiplicity of integrally formed panels, portions of which can be seated and locked into the well of the shelf, with other portions then being interengaged to rigidify the unit and preclude accidental collapse.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to merchandise aids and relates more particularly to a display unit adapted for use with a merchandise shelf normally supported at a downwardly extending angle and having a depressed well in the forward portion thereof for reception of a stop member designed to support merchandise and prevent the same from sliding off the shelf. Shelf systems of this type may be used by many vendors and adapted to support and display various items to customers passing by. The particular shelf configuration for which the display unit of this invention has been designed is featured in Target® stores and primarily used to support boxes containing shoes.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    A prior art display unit is illustrated in FIG. 1 in combination with a shelf system of the type described. The shelf  10  is seen as supported at a forwardly and downwardly extending angle in any conventional manner schematically shown in FIG. 1 as a bracket  12 , and includes an upper surface  14  adapted to support merchandise for display, such as a shoe box or the like  16 . A stop element is required to preclude the merchandise  16  from sliding off the forward end of the shelf  10 . A prior art embodiment of one such stop element is shown at  18 .  
           [0005]    The shelf  10  includes a depressed well  20 , including a front wall  22 , a rear wall  24  and a bottom wall  26 . A channel  28  communicates with the well  20  through the rear wall  24  and defines a lip or shoulder  30  at the rear end of the well  20 . Of course, such a display would commonly include a series of shelves at different levels, usually formed of metal.  
           [0006]    The prior art stop element  18  includes an inverted U-shaped member comprising a front wall  32  and a rear wall  34  resiliently interconnected at the bight  36 , with the front wall  32  extending downwardly to form a front support leg  38 , and the rear wall  34  defining a stop for the merchandise  16 , and extending downwardly to form a rear support leg  40  including a rearwardly extending locking portion  42  adapted to engage under the shoulder  30 .  
           [0007]    The shelf  10  may include an arcuate bull nose forward portion  44  with a lower edge portion  46 , and the prior art display unit  18  is provided with a forwardly-extending, complementary arcuate portion  48 , with a reverted lower edge  50  adapted to engage over the edge portion  46  of the shelf  10 .  
           [0008]    A transparent cover member  52  may be resiliently connected at  54  to the arcuate portion  48  of the prior art display unit  18  to define a pocket  56  for reception of a paper or plastic label to provide information regarding the merchandise  16  on the shelf  10 .  
           [0009]    In order to engage the prior art display unit  18  with the shelf  10 , the reverted portion  50  is engaged over the edge portion  46  of the bull nose portion  44  of the shelf  10  and the portions  32 ,  34  of the display unit are squeezed together to permit the legs  38 ,  40  to be seated in the well  20 . Upon release, the leg  40  springs rearwardly to engage the locking portion  42  beneath the lip  30 .  
           [0010]    If the merchandise  16  is relatively heavy, or if the prior art display unit  18  has been used for a period of time and, thereby, weakened, there is a tendency for the merchandise  16 , which is biased downwardly by gravity in the direction of the arrow A, to rotate the prior art display unit  18  free of its locking engagement in the well  20  of the shelf  10  as illustrated by the arrow B. If that happens, the merchandise  16  can slide free of the upper surface  14  of the shelf  10 , likely damaging the merchandise and, possibly, as well as injuring customers nearby.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a display unit for use in combination with a shelf of the type described which avoids the foregoing and other problems associated with prior art display units currently in use. More specifically, the display unit of this invention, when used in combination with a Target®-type shoe shelf, is easily engaged in the well of the shelf and locked in position in a manner that precludes accidental disengagement under the weight of the merchandise carried on the shelf.  
           [0012]    Another object of this invention is to provide a combination of a shelf and display unit wherein the display unit is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to engage with the shelf and, when engaged, sufficiently rigid to support merchandise, such as shoe boxes, carried by the shelf, without collapsing in use.  
           [0013]    Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a display unit forming a stop for merchandise carried on an angled shelf support with a positive locking member to rigidify the display unit once it has been engaged in the well of the shelf.  
           [0014]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination shelf and display unit which can incorporate a label holder having a transparent cover member forming a pocket, with a positive finger-engaging edge on the cover member to facilitate inserting or removing paper or plastic labels in the pocket. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    These and other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be better understood upon a reading of the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a prior art combination of shelf and display unit as described above;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the display unit of the instant invention engaged with the shelf;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective cross-sectional view through the display unit itself;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the display unit of this invention is engaged with the shelf;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is an enlarged detailed view showing the manner in which the display unit is locked to rigidify the same after it has been engaged with the shelf;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the display unit locked in position on the shelf;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the display unit showing the manner in which a label can be inserted in the pocket of a label holder portion thereof; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, with the label fully inserted into the pocket. 
     
    
       [0024]    Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]    In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.  
         [0026]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS.  2 - 8 , the structure and use of a display unit  60  according to the instant inventive concepts is shown in combination with a shelf  10  of the type described above with the reference to the prior art display unit  18  in FIG. 1.  
         [0027]    The display unit  60  of this invention is formed of a plurality of interconnected panels, and may be extruded or otherwise formed from any suitable polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride.  
         [0028]    More specifically, the display unit  60  comprises a first panel  62  which is longer than the depth of the well  20  between the bottom wall  26  and the upper surface  14  of the shelf  10 . The upper edge of the first panel  62  is angularly connected, as by an integral hinge, at  64  to the upper edge of a second panel  66 , which is longer than the length of the well  20  between the front and rear walls  22 ,  24 . The lower edge of the first panel  62  is secured to the rear edge of the third panel  68  which is slightly smaller than the length of the well  20 . The front edge of the third panel  68  is secured to the lower edge of a fourth panel  70  which is slightly longer than the depth of the well  20 . The upper edge of the fourth panel  70  is secured to the rear edge of a fifth panel  72  which continues forwardly and downwardly to form an arcuate front end portion  74  with a reverted terminal lip  76  adapted to engage under the free lower edge  46  of the bull nose portion  44  of the shelf  10 .  
         [0029]    A locking member  78  has a lower edge secured at the bottom or to a lower portion of the first panel  62 , and extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to a free upper edge  80 .  
         [0030]    Complementary, interengageable, locking elements  82 ,  84  are formed on the lower edge of the second panel  66  and on the upper surface  86  of the forwardly extending portions of the fifth panel  72 . A preferred form of such locking elements is seen in detail in FIG. 5, but it is to be understood that variations of such interengageable locking elements will be obvious to those with ordinary skill in this art and may be readily substituted for the structure illustrated herein.  
         [0031]    A transparent cover member  88  is secured at one end  90  to the arcuate forwardly extending portion  74  of the display unit  60  to define a pocket  92  for reception of paper or plastic labels  94 . An offset angular finger-engaging element  96  is preferably provided on the upper edge portions of the cover member  88  to facilitate lifting the cover member  88  to access the pocket  92  for insertion of a label as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8.  
         [0032]    Although the foregoing description refers to the various edges of the individual panels as being secured to other panels, in practice, the entire unit is preferably integrally formed as by extrusion molding. All of the portions of the unit can be formed of the same polymer or, alternatively, different portions can be co-extruded of a different polymers. For example, if desired, the majority of the display unit  60  can be formed of an opaque polymeric material, with the cover member  88  of the label holder portion formed of a transparent material. Alternatively, the entire unit can be formed of the same transparent material, such as polyvinyl chloride.  
         [0033]    The use and operation of the display unit  60  of the instant invention in combination with the shelf unit  10  will now be readily understood by those with ordinary skill in the art. Specifically, with the elements  82 ,  84  disengaged as seen in FIG. 4, the locking element  78 , together with the lower portions of the first panel  62 , and the third and fourth panels  68 ,  70 , are pressed downwardly into the well  20 , the locking member  78  springing back to its angular position so that its upper edge  80  lockingly engages under the lip or shoulder  30  of the shelf  10 . The complementary members  82 ,  84  are then lockingly engaged with each other as seen in FIG. 5 to rigidify the display unit  60 , effectively forming a right-triangular upper portion forming a stop surface for the merchandise  16 , with an offset lower rectangular portion seated and locked into the well  20 . This structure is not subject to collapse from the weight of the merchandise  16  leading to disengagement from the well  20  by rotation in the manner of the prior art display unit  18  because the elements of the display unit  60  seated in the well  20  of the shelf  10  cannot be squeezed together in normal use.  
         [0034]    The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous applications of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to the preferred embodiments or the exact construction and operation shown and described. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.