Patent Publication Number: US-6213317-B1

Title: Interlocking base and display rack

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to merchandise display racks, and more particularly to stand-alone display racks for holding merchandise. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Display racks are generally known for holding and displaying various types of merchandise. One type of rack is a stand-alone display rack which is self-supporting. A stand-alone display of this general type includes a rack for carrying the merchandise and a base for supporting the rack. Because such racks are self-supporting, they may be positioned almost anywhere in the store and are often used as point of purchase displays. 
     The bases used for certain stand-alone displays typically comprise a pair of feet attached near a bottom of the rack. Portions of the feet project past front and rear sides of the rack to provide a stable support structure for the rack. The feet of a conventional display, however, do not allow multiple displays to be arranged closely together except in a side by side configuration. For example, it is not possible to arrange two conventional displays back to back, or to position third and fourth displays transversely of the two back to back displays, without creating significant gaps between the racks of the displays. This problem is significant in that it increases the amount of floor space needed for a given display. 
     Conventional displays further limit layout changes. The volume of a given product that a store owner would like to have on display often changes due to many factors, including changes in purchasing trends and sales promotions which temporarily increase sales of a product. As a result, it is desirable for a display to be capable of quickly and easily changing size to adapt for different display sizes. As noted above, however, it is not possible to combine conventional display racks in certain arrangements to thereby adjust display volume. In the alternative, a store owner may keep a number of different sized displays on hand to allow for changes in display volume. The additional displays, however, are overly costly to keep on hand. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that header material is often attached to the top of a display to create an aesthetically pleasing or attractive effect. Conventional displays, however, typically support only conventional header material, and therefore have a limited aesthetic value. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a merchandise display is provided comprising at least first and second modular display units. Each modular display unit includes a rack for supporting merchandise, the rack having a front side and a rear side. A pair of feet depend from opposite lateral sides of the rack. Each foot comprises a front support projecting beyond the front of the rack and a rear support projecting beyond the rear side of the rack. The rear support of each foot is offset from the front support in a lateral direction, thereby allowing the display units to be placed back to back so that the rear sides of the racks abut one another. 
     The front support of each foot may have an upper run and a lower run, with a clearance space defined therebetween. The rear support of each foot may also have an upper and a lower run, the upper and lower runs defining an outer periphery sized to fit through the clearance space. A third, substantially identical display unit may be transversely positioned along a first lateral edge of the first and second display units so that rear supports of the third display unit extend through a first front support of the first display unit and an adjacent first front support of the second display unit. The rear edge of the rack of the third display unit would thereby abut the first lateral edge of the first and second display units. A fourth display unit, substantially identical to the first, second, and third display units, may also be provided and positioned at a second lateral edge of the first and second display units. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a merchandise display is provided having a modular foot design which allows additional displays to be combined therewith. The display comprises a rack for supporting merchandise and having a front side and a rear side. A pair of feet depend from opposite lateral edges of the rack. A front support of each foot projects beyond the front side of the rack and has an interior opening extending therethrough. A rear support of each foot projects beyond the rear side of the rack and has an outer margin sized to fit through the interior opening. 
     In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a merchandise display is provided having a modular foot design allowing additional displays to be combined therewith. The display comprises a rack for supporting merchandise having a front side and a rear side. A pair of feet depend from the bottom of opposite lateral sides of the rack. A front support of each foot projects beyond the front side of the rack and has upper and lower legs defining a clearance space therebetween. A rear support of each foot projects beyond the rear side of the rack and has upper and lower legs. The upper and lower legs of the rear support define an outer periphery sized to fit through a space equal to the clearance space of the front support. 
     Other features and advantages are inherent in the apparatus claimed and disclosed or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display unit employing feet constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view, in section, of the display unit taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top view, in section, of two display units arranged back to back. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view, in section, of two display units arranged back to back with a third, transversely mounted display rack. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view, in section, of a pair of display units arranged back to back with third and fourth transversely mounted display units. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a display rack mounted transversely with respect to another display rack. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Feet  10 ,  12  constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention are shown in FIG. 1 in a preferred environment of use, namely, mounted on a display unit  11  and supporting a rack  14  adapted for displaying merchandise. While for clarity of illustration, the feet  10 ,  12  are shown herein mounted to a specific type of rack  14 , persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings of the invention are in no way limited to use with that rack  14  or to any other particular environment of use. On the contrary, feet constructed in accordance with teachings of the invention may be used with any rack which would benefit from the advantages they offer without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 
     The illustrated rack  14  is formed of wire and is suitable for displaying two liter bottles of soda. Thus, as is well known in the art, the rack  14  includes a plurality of wire members affixed to one another to form a frame for holding the merchandise. As best illustrated in FIG. 1, four front supports  16  define a front side  18  of the rack  14 . Each front support  16  extends from a bottom  17  to a top  20  of the rack  14 . The front supports  16  are spaced laterally to define three columns  22  into which merchandise (i.e., soda bottles) may be inserted. A plurality of cross supports  24  extend transversely across and are attached to each of the front supports  16 . 
     A rear side  19  of the rack  14  comprises three rear supports  28  extending from the bottom  17  to the top  20  of the rack  14 . The rear supports  28  are positioned generally midway between adjacent front supports to provide a stop for articles inserted in the columns, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. A plurality of C-shaped supports  30  have a base section  32  extending transversely across and attached to the rear supports  28  to define the rear side  19  of the rack  14 . First and second arms  34 ,  36  of the C-shaped supports  30  extend forwardly of the base section and are attached to the extreme left and right front supports  16  thereby to connect the rear supports  28  to the front supports  16 . 
     According to the illustrated embodiment, the rack  14  further includes a center support section  40 . The center support section  40  comprises four vertical supports  42  (FIG.  2 ). A plurality of transversely extending horizontal supports  44  are attached to the vertical supports  42 . In the illustrated embodiment, each horizontal support  44  is located somewhat lower than a corresponding cross support  24  so that elongate articles inserted into the columns  22  are supported at an upward angle (FIG.  1 ). The left and right outermost vertical supports  42  are also attached to the first and second arms  34 ,  36  of the C-shaped supports  30  to provide a sturdy frame construction for the rack  14 . 
     The feet  10 ,  12  are attached to the bottom  17  of the rack  14  at opposite lateral sides  46 ,  48 , respectively. In the currently preferred embodiment, the feet  10 ,  12  are provided as separate components that are attached to the rack structure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, however, that the feet  10 ,  12  may be integrally formed with the rack  14 . Each foot  10 ,  12  has a front support  54  extending past the front side  18  of the rack  14 . A rear support  56  projects beyond the rear side  19  of the rack  14 . 
     In accordance with certain aspects of the present invention, each rear support  56  is laterally offset from the corresponding front support  54 , as by offset portions  50 ,  52  best shown in FIG.  2 . The offset portions  50 ,  52  allow two display units  11  having similarly formed feet to be arranged back to back so that the rear sides  19  of the racks  14  abut one another (FIG.  3 ). As illustrated in FIG. 3, the racks  14  of the display units  11  have aligned first and second lateral edges  51 ,  53 . It will be appreciated that the back to back arrangement of two display units not only eliminates a gap between the units, thereby reducing the footprint of the display, but also expands the options available for header material attached to the top of the units. 
     The front and rear supports  54 ,  56  of each foot are further shaped to allow transverse mounting of additional display units  11 . As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, each front support is formed with an upper run  60  and a lower run  62  joined by an outer bend  61 . A clearance space  63  is defined between the upper and lower runs  60 ,  62 . The rear support  56  also has an upper run  65  and a lower run  66  joined by a rear bend  67 . The upper and lower runs  65 ,  66  have an outer periphery sized to fit through the clearance space  63  of the front support  54 , as illustrated in FIG.  6 . As a result, additional display units may be arranged transversely to the pair of display units  11  positioned back to back. 
     For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a third display unit  13  is positioned so that a rear side  19  of its rack  14  abuts the first lateral edge  51  of the first and second display units  11 . The third display unit  13  is formed with feet  10 ,  12  having rear supports  56  which are inserted through the clearance space  63  defined by the front supports  54  of the first and second units  11 , as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6. The rear side  19  of the third unit  13  substantially abuts the first lateral edge  51  of the first and second units  11  thereby to minimize any gap therebetween. The feet  10 ,  12  thereby minimize the amount of foot space needed for a transverse arrangement of display units. In addition, header options are further expanded. 
     A fourth display unit  15  may be positioned transversely to the first and second units  11  at the remaining second lateral edge  53 , as illustrated in FIG. 5 to form a kiosk type display. The fourth unit  15  also has feet  10 ,  12  with rear supports  56  which are inserted through the remaining front supports  54  of the first and second display units  11  thereby to allow the interlocked cluster arrangement shown in FIG.  5 . Again, a rear side  19  of the fourth display unit  15  substantially abuts the second lateral edge  53  of the first and second display units  11  thereby to minimize the amount of floor space required for the display arrangement. The four display unit arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5 provides a walk around, kiosk-like display. Such arrangement provides additional options for headers which may be attached to the display racks, thereby improving the aesthetic value of the display. 
     It will further be appreciated that arrangements comprising one to four units may be quickly and easily formed using the feet  10 ,  12  described herein. Because of the offset rear support  56 , a second unit is easily positioned behind a first unit in a back to back relation. The specially formed outer periphery of the rear supports  56  allow them to be inserted through the clearance space  63  defined by the front supports  54  so that third and fourth display units may be positioned transversely to the first and second units. The second, third, and fourth units may be quickly and easily added or removed to adapt the overall display for varying sizes. 
     Persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that feet constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention can be installed on many different racks without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 
     The display rack of the present invention has significant advantages over prior displays. By providing a foot with a rear support offset from a front support, two similarly formed display units may be quickly and easily positioned back to back. The specially formed outer periphery of the rear supports may be inserted through the clearance space defined by the front supports to thereby allow additional units to be mounted transversely with respect to the first and second units. The foot of the present invention thereby provides not only a modular display rack which may be combined with up to three other similarly formed display racks as needed, but also minimizes the amount of floor space needed for such arrangements. The options available for arranging multiple display racks further facilitates the use of a wider range of header options. As a result, the aesthetic value of a display formed by the display units is enhanced. 
     The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications would be obvious to those skilled in the art.