Abstract:
The subject invention comprises a collapsible display fixture that includes a base, two vertical support posts that can accept vertical display panels, a horizontal crossbar and hinge that connects each vertical support post to the base. The hinge may be one of two forms, either a hinge with an axis of rotation at an angle of 2-6 degrees, or preferably 3 degrees, or a hinge with a rotatable base that allows the hinge to be rotated 2-6 degrees, or preferably 3 degrees. These hinges allow the vertical support posts to be folded down without intersecting or contacting one another. The vertical display panels integrate an internal pin system, whether the panel is solid or a combination of two laminated layers, such that the pins are accessible from the outside to accept hangers, pins, pegs, hooks or other display accessories.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The Invention pertains to a collapsible display fixture for use in retail sales. More particularly, the invention pertains to a collapsing retail display fixture that allows the display to be folded down to reduce shipping and storage size, and allows for the attachment of shelves, hooks, pegs and other display accessories while retaining a high degree of stability and support. 
         [0002]    Known display racks generally provide little or no collapsing capabilities, or do so using complicated, multi-part or multi-hinged mechanisms that are expensive, prone to failure or are difficult to use. Retail fixtures are often moved, stored, shipped and displayed in seasonal cycles. Furthermore, some retail contexts require such displays to be erected and removed on short notice, such as “pop-up” stores, or temporary locations. It is therefore desirable to have a fixture that is easily and quickly folded and stored, but retains stability and the ability to accept accessories common to standard, non-collapsing fixtures. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Retail fixtures comprise large, bulky metal racks meant to support sale items and accept modular shelving, pegs, hooks and other display accessories. They are used in retail stores for the display of articles and accessories. Such retail stores are often being opened and closed, and even while in operation, regularly re-arrange the layout of the stores due to seasonal marketing cycles. However, storage and shipment of these large, bulky display fixtures costs retailers significant money, and can be prohibitive if they cannot be efficiently stored. 
         [0004]    The simplest way to collapse such a fixture is to fold down any vertical components. However, because these fixtures are symmetrical, any vertical components are prone to collide when folded. 
         [0005]    Existing display fixtures avoid this problem using complicated telescoping mechanisms, a multitude of hinges placed in the middle of various support members, or which come apart entirely. These solutions are not ideal because they either decrease the stability of the assembled fixture or result in loose pieces which are easily lost. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for a retail display fixture that can be easily moved and stored, while retaining the ability to accept accessory display attachments such as shelves, hooks, pegs and other similar methods of displaying merchandise. 
         [0007]    Thus, a benefit of the subject invention is a collapsing retail fixture that allows the fixture to be quickly and easily collapsed for more efficient storage than a non-collapsing fixture. 
         [0008]    A further benefit of the subject invention is a hinge for such collapsing retail fixtures that allows the vertical support members to fold down such that they do not collide with one another. This allows the fixture to collapse more efficiently and retain the integrity of the support racks by avoiding the addition of hinges or clasps or telescoping elements to the supports which can impact the stability of the supports. 
         [0009]    A still further benefit of the subject invention is a vertical structure for the ends of the fixture containing an integrated peg system, allowing for the attachment of shelves, peg hooks and other retail display accessories. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The subject invention comprises a collapsible retail display fixture that includes vertical support posts attached to the base using angled hinges or rotating hinges such that the support posts may be folded down without intersecting or contacting one another. These vertical support posts support a horizontal cross bar and vertical display panels using an integrated peg system used to attach shelves, hooks, pegs and other display accessories. The fixture also includes a horizontal crossbar for hanging clothes and other retail items. 
     
    
     
       CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    These and other benefits, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and accompanying figures illustrating the preferred embodiment of the subject invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the invention with angled hinges anchoring the vertical support posts showing the vertical support posts, horizontal crossbar, base and casters. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the invention showing the vertical display panels with integrated peg system. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the invention showing the vertical support posts, horizontal crossbar, and base. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the collapsed invention, using the angled hinges such that the vertical support posts do not collide when folded down. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the collapsed invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a laminated style vertical display panel showing the internal peg-ladder support system, and the grooves cut into the display panel to accept this support system. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a single-pane style vertical display panel showing the integrated peg support system and the slot cut into the panel to accept this system. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a back view of a single-pane style vertical display panel showing the integrated peg support system and the slot cut into the panel to accept this system. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a view of the cross bar and its attachment to the vertical display posts, and the endcaps that keep the crossbar in place. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a cross section of the cross bar and its attachment to the vertical display posts, and the endcaps that keep the crossbar in place. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the fixed hinge showing the closed retention lever and the tightening knob tightened. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the fixed hinge showing the open retention lever and the tightening knob retracted. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view of the angled hinge showing the 2-6 degree angle of the hinge&#39;s axis of rotation. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14 a    is an external view of the second embodiment of the hinge, showing the hinge in the position used for the fixture in its upright and assembled format. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14 b    is an external view of the second hinge embodiment, showing the hinge in its rotated position, allowing the vertical display posts to fold down without colliding. 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is a cross section of the second, rotating embodiment of the hinge. In this embodiment, the entire hinge assembly rotates in order to allow the vertical support posts to fold down without colliding. 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is a top view of the invention with the vertical display posts folded down using the second embedment of the hinge, rotated as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is a view of the three components of the crossbar, the central segment and the two endcaps. 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  is a view of the mounting bracket of the vertical display panel engaged with the hanging pin of the vertical support posts. 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  is a view of the mounting bracket showing the notch designed to engage with the hanging pin of the vertical support posts. 
           [0032]      FIG. 20  is a view of the bottom edge of the vertical display panels, showing the retention pins that anchor into holes in the base of the display fixture. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown vertical support posts  10  supporting a horizontal crossbar  20 . The vertical support posts  10  are pivotally anchored to the base  30  using hinges  40  that are either immovably fixed to the base  30  (See  FIG. 13 ) and have axes of rotation  41  at an angle of 2-6 degrees to the plane of the base  30  or in a second embodiment, rotatably affixed to the base  30  (See  FIG. 15 ). Removably attached to the vertical support posts  10  are vertical display panels  50  with vertical slots  51  cut into the vertical display panels providing access to the internal peg system  60 . This vertical display panel  50  may be either a solid piece of material, or a laminated structure. When the vertical support posts  10  are folded down, they rest upon the top of the base  30  and are parallel to the plane of said base  30  but do not intersect with or contact one another. 
         [0034]    When the vertical support posts  10  are in the vertical position, see  FIG. 11 , a retention lever  88  with a first end  89   b  is rotatably affixed to a first side of the hinge  85  and a second end that engages with a latching pin  89   a  attached to a second side of the hinge  85 . Located substantially in the middle of the retention lever  88  is a tightening knob  87  which by means of a threaded screw body extending through the retention lever  88  can be rotated to engage with the vertical display post  10  in order to increase stability while vertical. 
         [0035]    When the vertical support posts  10  are in the lowered position, see  FIG. 12 , the tightening knob  87  can be loosened to disengage it from the vertical display post  10 , and the retention lever  88  may be rotated out of the way. While the vertical support posts  10  are in the collapsed position, the retention lever may either be left in the closed position, see  FIG. 11 , or in the open position, see  FIG. 12 . 
         [0036]    The crossbar  20  in  FIG. 1  spans the distance from one vertical support post  10  to the other vertical support post  10 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the vertical support posts  10 , can be collapsed to save space during storage or shipping. In one embodiment of the invention, the hinge  40  is immovably affixed to the base  30 . This hinge  40  has an axis of rotation  41 , see  FIG. 13 , set at a 2-6 degree angle, and preferably a 3 degree angle, to the horizontal such that when the vertical support posts  10  are folded down, they do so such that they do not collide or otherwise make contact. See  FIGS. 4 and 13 . 
         [0038]    In an alternative embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIGS. 15, 14   a  and  14   b , the hinge  80  rotates such that when the vertical support posts  10  are folded down, they do not collide or otherwise make contact. See  FIG. 16 . In this embodiment, the axis of rotation  81 , see  FIGS. 14 b    and  16 , about which the vertical support posts  10  rotate into a collapsed position in a plane parallel to fixture&#39;s base  30 . See  FIGS. 14 b    and  16 . The hinge  80  is attached to the base  30  around a central vertical axis  82  around which the hinge  80  and attached vertical support post  10  rotate. The portion of the hinge  80  which makes contact to the base  30  and through which the vertical axis  82  anchors, here referred to as the hinge base  84 , extends by a greater amount to one side of the hinge body  85 , and has integrated a retractable spring plunger  83 . The retractable spring plunger  83  may be actuated from above the hinge base  84  such that it may be raised and lowered. In the lowered position, the retractable spring plunger  83  extends through the hinge base  84  and partially into the base  30  into one of two engagement holes  86 . The hinge  80  and attached vertical display post  10  may be rotated only when the retractable spring plunger  83  is lifted, and may not be rotated when the retractable spring plunger is deposited into one of the two engagement holes  86 . 
         [0039]    These engagement holes  86  are positioned such that if the retractable spring plunger  83  is placed into the first engagement hole  86 , the vertical support post  10  attached thereto would fold down directly towards the other and collide. When the vertical display posts  10  are in the vertical position, the invention would be used for displaying merchandise, and allows for the proper attachment of the crossbar  20 . The hinge  80  may be rotated 4-6 degrees, and in a preferred embodiment, 5 degrees, when the retractable spring plunger  83  is lifted, such that the retractable spring plunger  83  may be deposited in the second engagement hole  86 . In this position, the vertical display posts  10  may be rotated downwards so that they are parallel to one another and in a parallel plane above the plane of the base  30 . They do not collide, however, because the rotation of said hinges  80  causes the folded vertical display posts  10  to also rotate the same amount. See  FIG. 16 . 
         [0040]    The vertical support posts  10  support the vertical display panels  50 . The bottom edge of the vertical display panel  50  bears one or more anchor posts  54 . These anchor posts  54  engage into corresponding holes in the fixture base  30  in order to anchor the bottom edge  55  of the vertical display panels  50  to the fixture base  30 . 
         [0041]    These vertical display panels have vertical bracket channels  51  that allow external access to the internal peg support system  60 . These vertical support panels may be in one of at least two embodiments. 
         [0042]    In the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the panel  50  may be a laminated combination of two layer-panels  52  that allow the peg system  60  to be located completely within the vertical display panel  50 . The vertical display panels  50  have vertical channels  51  cut into the panels allowing access to the internal peg system  60 . In this embodiment, the peg system  60  consists of two vertical connecting plates  61 . These vertical connecting plates  60  have periodically spaced holes  63 . The pegs  62 , which share a substantially similar circumference as the holes  63  in the vertical connecting plates  60  are inserted into the holes  63  in two vertical connecting plates  60  and extend an equal distance on either side of these plates creating a ladder-like structure. The distance between the vertical connecting plates  61  is the same as the width of the vertical channels  51  cut into the vertical layer-panels  52 . Perpendicular to the vertical channels  51  are horizontal channels  53  that allow the insertion of the pegs  62  such that when the two layer-panels  52  are pressed together, the pegs  62  reside inside these channels  53 , the vertical connecting plates reside in the vertical channel  51  such that the layer-panels  52  are pressed together with no space in between, and the peg system  60  is accessible from the exterior. 
         [0043]    In a second embodiment, the vertical display panels  50  may be a solid piece of material with a vertical channel  57  cut through the panel  50  allowing access to the integrated pin system  70 . This integrated pin system consists of a vertical support bracket  71  and internal pins  72 . The vertical support bracket consists of a long piece of metal with a square bend  73  in it that fits snugly within the vertical channel  57  in the vertical display panel  50 . Within this square bend  73  are periodic pins  72  that are wholly contained within the square bend  73  and are positioned perpendicular to the path of the square bend  73  and parallel to the base  30 . 
         [0044]    The crossbar  20  consists of three components: the central segment  22  and two endcaps  21 . See  FIG. 17 . Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the central segment  22  is substantially the same length as the distance between the two vertical display posts  10 . Each end  21  of the central segment  20  has an opening in the center providing access to a threaded tunnel  23  sharing a central axis with the central segment  22 . The endcap  21  has a cap  26  on the first end and a threaded bolt body  25  extending from its immovable attachment to the interior face of the cap  26  to substantially past the end of the body of the endcap  21 . The vertical support post  10  has a head  11  on the end opposite the hinge,  40  or  80 , containing a substantially round passage  24  through which the threaded bolt body  25  may pass. This passage  24  is located in the center of indentations on either side of the head  11  that reflect the shape of the central segment  22  and endcap  21 , which are identical. This indentation allows the central segment and endcap  21  to fit securely within these indentations  27  such that once inserted neither the central segment nor the endcap can be rotated. 
         [0045]    The crossbar  20  may be assembled as part of the invention as follows. See  FIGS. 9 and 10 . The central segment  22  is engaged to the head  11  of the vertical support post  10  such that the threaded tunnel  23  aligns with the passage  24  in the head  11  of the vertical support post  10 . The endcap  21  is then engaged to the head  11  of the vertical support post  10  such that the threaded bolt body  25  passes through the passage  24  and into the corresponding threaded tunnel  23 . The cap  26 , which is attached immovably to the threaded bolt body  25  may then be rotated in order to engage the threaded bolt body  25  with the corresponding threaded tunnel  23 , securing the endcap  21 , the head  11  and vertical support post  10  to the central segment  22 . 
         [0046]    A first embodiment of the crossbar, including the central segment  22  and endcaps  21 , has a substantially square cross-section. The central segment  22  and endcaps  21  may be engaged with the head  11  of the vertical support posts  10  in one of two modes. The first mode is in which a corner edge of the central segment  22  and endcaps  21  is facing upwards, while in the second mode, the entirety of the crossbar  10  is rotated 45 degrees such that a flat edge of the central segment  22  and endcaps  21  is facing upward. 
         [0047]    A second embodiment of the crossbar, including the central segment  22  and endcaps  21 , has a substantially round cross-section. Though this round cross-section differs from the first embodiment described above, no new head  11  for the vertical support posts  10 , is required. 
         [0048]    The vertical display panels  50  are attached to the vertical support posts  10  using a mounting bracket  90 . See  FIGS. 1 and 18 . The mounting bracket  90  is attached to the back of the vertical display panel  50  near the top and centered. The mounting bracket  90  comprises a single piece of substantially rectangular material, preferably metal or plastic that support the weight of the vertical display panel  50 , with dimensions substantially three times as long as high. This material has two right-angle bends creating a c-shaped bracket  90 . The interior area of this bracket after bends are added is substantially the same as the cross sectional area of the vertical support posts  10 . One end of this bracket  90  contains a notch  91  the mouth of said notch opening on one of the long sides of the bracket  90 . 
         [0049]    The vertical display panel  50 , bearing mounting bracket  90 , is attached to the vertical display posts  10  by inserting the vertical display post  10  into the opening of the bracket  90 . The opening  91  in the bracket  90  is then lowered onto the hanging peg  12  on the face of the vertical display post  10  that faces the opposing vertical display post  10 . This allows the vertical display panel  50  to hang securely and substantially upright and substantially parallel to the vertical display post  10 . 
         [0050]    It will be understood that the forgoing description is of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention and that the invention is not limited to the specific forms shown or described herein. Various modifications may be made in the design, arrangement, and type of elements disclosed herein, as well as the steps of making and using the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.