Patent Publication Number: US-8978280-B2

Title: Arched display

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/609,695 filed Mar. 12, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     N/A 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to a display system, in the form of an arch that spans a first merchandise stand or shelving system to a second merchandise stand or shelving system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A large variety of displays are used in a store setting to draw a customer&#39;s attention to particular merchandise for sale or to provide other related information or guidance. It is sometimes difficult to install or utilize some of these systems with the store&#39;s shelving or merchandise holding stands. Moreover, it is sometimes difficult to easily position such displays where they can be easily viewed or optimally draw a customer&#39;s attention. The present invention provides a display system that draws a customer&#39;s attention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, an arched display unit is provided. The unit includes a pair of display mounts, and a display support attached to each of the pair of display mounts. A side header is attached to each of the display supports, and a center header is located between the pair of side headers. In another embodiment, each of the display mounts, display supports, side headers, and center header are formed from a single blank of corrugated material, such as cardboard or plastic. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION Of THE DRAWINGS 
       To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an arched display unit in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a mounting bracket in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of blank used to construct a display mount in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of blank used to construct a display support in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of blank used to construct a side header in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of blank used to construct a center header in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a first indicia panel in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of a second indicia panel in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of a third indicia panel in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic showing assembly of an arched display unit in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic showing assembly of an arched display unit in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will, herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring to the Figures, an arch display unit  10  of an embodiment of the present invention is shown ( FIGS. 1 and 11 ). The unit  10  includes mounting brackets  12 , display mounts  32 , display supports  106 , side headers  128 , and a center header  176 . The unit  10  also includes one or more indicia panels  202  attached to the display supports  106 , side headers  128 , and/or center header  176 . The unit  10  is preferably made of a corrugated cardboard material. Alternatively, the unit  10  can be made of a corrugated plastic or other suitable material. 
     The mounting bracket  12  attaches to shelving unit  14  or other similar structure ( FIGS. 2 and 10 ). The mounting bracket  12  includes a base  16 . The base  16  has a horizontal portion  18  and downward first and second vertical portions  20  and  22  at opposing sides of the base  16 . The first vertical portion  20  includes a drilled and tapped hole  24 . The hole  24  is adapted to accommodate a thumb screw  26 . Thumb screw  26  secures the mounting bracket  12  to the shelving unit  14 . The second vertical portion  22  has an inward projection  30  at its distal end opposite the horizontal portion  18 . It is contemplated two mounting brackets  12  are used in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     A display mount  32  cooperates with the pair of mounting brackets  12 . The display mount  32  includes a base  34 . Integral with the base  34  is a center portion  36  and first and second sides  38  and  40 . 
     The display mount  32  is formed from a single blank  42  of corrugated material ( FIG. 3 ). The blank  42  includes a first center panel  44  and a second center panel  46 . The first and second center panels  44  and  46  are joined at fold line  48 . Attached to each of the first and second center panels  44  and  46  along fold lines  50  and  52  are bottom first and second base panels  54  and  56 , respectively. Attached to each of the first and second base panels  54  and  56  along fold lines  58  and  60  are top first and second base panels  62  and  64 . 
     The first and second center panels  44  and  46  each include side panels  66  and  68  attached thereto along fold lines  70  and  72  and cut lines  73 . Flaps  74  are integral with the first and second center panels  44  and  46 , and are formed by perforation lines  76  and fold lines  78 . 
     Top first and second base panels  62  and  64  each include first and second side panels  80  and  82  attached thereto along fold lines  84  and  86 . Top first and second base panels  62  and  64  also each include at their free ends tabs  88 . 
     The first and second center panels  44  and  46  also each have generally rectangular first cutouts  90  formed along cut lines  92  to accept tabs  88  when the blank  42  is folded to form display mount  32 . The first center panel  44  includes a generally rectangular second cutout  94  formed along cut lines  96 . Second center panel  46  includes a generally trapezoidal shaped cutout  98  formed along cut lines  100  and fold lines  102  and  104  to form a second tab  105 . 
     The display support  106  is formed from a single blank  108  of corrugated material ( FIG. 4 ). The blank  108  includes a first panel  110 . A second panel  112  is attached to one side of the first panel  110  along fold line  114 . A third panel  116  is attached to the other side of the first panel  110  along fold line  118 . A fourth panel  120  is attached to the second panel  112  along fold line  122 . A fifth panel  124  is attached to the third panel  116  along fold line  126 . Each panel is generally rectangular. The first panel  110  is shorter than the other panels and includes a tab  127  at one end. 
     The side headers  128  are formed from a single blank  130  of corrugated material ( FIG. 5 ). The blank  130  includes first and second side panels  132  and  134 , and first and second end panels  136  and  138 . First side panel  132  is attached to the first end panel  136  along fold line  140 . Attached to the first side panel  132  along fold line  142  opposite first end panel  136  is a first flap  144 . Also attached to the first side panel  132  at opposing ends along fold lines  146  and  148  are second and third flaps  150  and  152 . Second and third flaps  150  and  152  each have fold lines  154 . 
     First end panel  136  includes flaps  156  attached along fold lines  158 . Flaps  156  are also detachably attached to the second and third flaps  150  and  152  along cut lines  160 . The second side panel  134  is attached to the first end panel  136  along fold line  162 . The second end panel  138  is attached to the second side panel  134  along fold line  164 . The second end panel  138  includes flaps  166  attached thereto along fold lines  168 . The blank  130  also includes thin short cutouts  170 ,  172 , and a thin long cutout  174 . 
     The center header  176  is formed from a single blank of material  178  ( FIG. 6 ). The blank  178  includes first and second side panels  180  and  182 , and first and second end panels  184  and  186 . Attached along fold lines  188  to the first and second side panels  180  and  182  at opposing ends are tabs  190 . The first end panel  182  is attached to the first side panel  180  along fold line  192 . The second side panel  182  is attached to the first end panel  182  opposite the first side panel  180  along fold line  194 . The second end panel  186  is attached to the second side panel  182  opposite the first end panel  182  along fold line  196 . Attached to the first side panel  180  opposite the first end panel  184  along fold line  198  is flap  200 . 
     Indicia panels  202  ( FIGS. 7 through 9 ) can include any desired indicia such as promotional materials, pricing information for products, or any other indicia. Indicia panels  202  can be attached to one or more of the display supports  106 , side headers  128 , or center header  176 . In one embodiment the indicia panels  202  are attached using double-sided foam tape  203 . 
     To construct the display mount  32  from the blank  42 , the first and second center panels  44  and  46  are folded along fold line  48  such that they abut each other. Bottom first and second base panels  54  and  56  and top first and second base panels  62  and  64  are folded upwards along fold lines  50 ,  52 ,  58 , and  60 . First and second side panels  80  and  82  are folded upward along fold lines  84  and  86 . Side panels  66  and  68  are folded inwards along fold lines  70  and  72 , as are flaps  74  along fold lines  78 . A mounting bracket  12  is placed between the top and bottom first base panels  54  and  62  and top and bottom second base panels  56  and  64 . Flaps  74  are placed between the top and bottom first and second base panels  54  and  62 , and  56  and  64 . Tab  88  is inserted into slot  90 . Cutout  98  is folded along fold lines  102  and  104  and inserted into rectangular cutout  94  to form second tab  105 . 
     To construct the display supports  106  from the blank  108 , double-sided foam tape  204  is placed at intervals on the second, third, and fourth panels  112 ,  116 , and  120  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The second, third, fourth and fifth panels  112 ,  116 ,  120 , and  124  are folded upwards along fold lines  114 ,  118 ,  122 , and  126  until the third and fifth panels  116  and  124  overlap. The third and fifth panels  116  and  124  are attached using tape  204 . 
     To construct the side headers  128  from the blank  120 , double-sided tape  206  is placed at several points along the second end panel  138 . The first and second side panels  132  and  134 , first and second end panels  136  and  138 , and first flap  144  are folded upwards along fold lines  140 ,  142 ,  162 , and  164 . First flap  144  is folded under second end panel  138  and connected thereto using tap  206 . Flaps  156  and  166  are folded inwards along fold lines  158  and  168 . Second and third flaps  150  and  152  are folded inwards along fold lines  146 ,  148 , and  154  to enclose the ends of side headers  128 . 
     To construct the center header  176  from the blank  178 , double-sided tape  208  is attached at points along the second end panel  186 . First and second side panels  180  and  182 , first and second end panels  184  and  186 , and flap  200  are folded upwards along fold lines  192 ,  194 ,  196 , and  198 . Flap  200  is folded under second end panel  186  and connected thereto using tape  208 . Tabs  190  are folded inward along fold lines  188 . 
     To construct the unit  10  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) from mounting brackets  12 , display mounts  32 , display supports  106 , side headers  128 , center header  176 , and indicia panels  202 , mounting brackets  12  with the display mounts  32  attached are attached via thumb screws  26  to a shelving unit  14 . The display supports  106  are fit onto the display mounts  32  such that the end having the tab  127  is at the top opposite the display mounts  32 . The tabs  127  also face inward. The center header  176  and side headers  128  are connected by inserting the ends of the side headers  128  having the short slots  170  and  172  into each end of the center header  176 . Indicia panels  202  can be placed on the center header  176  and side headers  128  as desired. 
     The side headers  128  and center header  176  are lifted into place between the display supports  106 . The tabs  127  at the top of the display supports cooperates with the long slots  174  in the side headers  128  such that the header assembly will line up with the top of the display supports  106 . Additional indicia panels  202  can then be placed on the display supports  106  as desired using double-sided foam tape, or other suitable means. 
     While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.