Patent Publication Number: US-2007119722-A1

Title: Display apparatus for eyewear

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/724,013, filed on Oct. 6, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to the field of displays for eyewear.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Eyewear such as sunglasses and prescription eyewear are marketed through various outlets. Examples include doctors&#39; offices, shopping mall kiosks and retail stores. A plurality of eyewear may be placed on a display rack for perusal by customers. Ideally, a display rack would be compact, able to display a plurality of eyewear in a secure and attractive manner, and require minimal maintenance. Such a display rack would ideally hold the eyewear securely enough that the eyewear is not easily jostled as to fall out of the display rack, but also so that customers may easily remove, handle and try on the eyewear.  
      Conventional display racks display eyeglasses with the temples of the eyeglasses folded or open. One style of display rack displays the eyewear in a blister pack which hangs on a rod. This style of display prevents the consumer from trying on the eyewear before purchase. Another style of display rack displays the eyewear on trays. The trays often include material that extends above the center of the tray and provides mechanical support for a nose bridge portion of the eyewear. However, accidental jostling of the display can cause the eyewear to fall out of the display. Yet another style of display rack includes a hook-shaped member for supporting the bridge portion of the eyewear and slots for receiving the temples. This requires that the eyewear is carefully placed on the rack. Another style of conventional display rack omits the bridge support member and, instead, includes a rear panel against which the temples rest. The temples are inserted into a pair of rectangular or elongated oval-shaped slots in a flat front panel and are angled downwardly to rest against a flat rear panel which is parallel to the front panel. A disadvantage of this type of apparatus is that the temple hinges can fold after being inserted into the slots which prevents the customer from easily removing the eyewear from the display. Also, the eyewear may be easily jostled and has a tendency to fall out of the display. To prevent this, the slots may be made very narrow; however, this would limit the variety of eyewear that may be displayed by the display and makes it more difficult for the customer to reinsert the eyewear back into the display after trying them.  
      Therefore, what is needed is an improved display apparatus for eyewear. It is toward these ends that the present invention is directed.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed toward a display apparatus for displaying eyewear. A first embodiment of the present invention comprises a first panel and a pair of apertures in the first panel for receiving temples of eyewear. Each aperture of the pair of apertures has an inner side that is substantially sloped toward the other aperture. A second embodiment of the present invention comprises a first panel, a pair of apertures in the first panel, and a second panel behind at least a portion of the first panel. A portion of the first panel extends in front of the apertures a distance such that when temples of the eyewear are placed in the apertures a hinge portion of the eyewear extends in front of the apertures. A distance between the apertures and the second panel is less then the length of the eyewear displayed in the apparatus. A third embodiment of the present invention comprises a first panel, a pair of two apertures in the first panel, and a second panel. A front portion of the first panel is in contact with a rear facing portion at the front of the eyewear displayed in the display apparatus. The temples of the eyewear are inserted into apertures. A back portion of the second panel is in contact with a rear portion of the temples, and the distance between the front portion and the back portion is less than the length of the eyewear. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of a pair of apertures in the display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
      FIGS.  3 A-C illustrate front views of alternative apertures in the display apparatus in accordance with alternative embodiments of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a front perspective view of eyewear that may be displayed in an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of temples of eyewear that may be displayed in an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective front view of a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a front view of a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  illustrates a back view of a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective front view of a display apparatus in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The present invention is directed towards a display apparatus for eyewear.  FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of a display apparatus  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The display  100  includes a first panel  102  and a second panel  104 . The first panel  102  and the second panel  104  may each be formed from flat pieces of plastic, called blanks. Preferably, the material for each panel  102 ,  104  is a rigid, polished, transparent, 3 mm thick plastic blank. Other materials, such as metal or cardboard, may also be used to form the blanks. The first panel  102  may be formed from the same or a different material as the second panel  104 .  
      The first panel  102  comprises a substantially flat surface which may be formed from a first blank. The second panel  104  may be formed from a second blank by forming an arc with a radius R from the first blank. The radius R may be measured relative to a central axis  107  that is parallel to the length of the second panel  104  and perpendicular to a horizontal surface upon which the display  100  may be placed. The central axis  107  may lie in a central plane  108  which is centered relative to the width of the second panel  104 . In a preferred embodiment, the radius R is approximately 6 inches. However, the radius R may be altered depending upon the size and shape of the eyewear to be displayed. Thus, another radius, such as approximately 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 or more inches, may also be acceptable. Two parallel flanges  109  of a width A may be formed into the second blank. The second panel  104  may be attached to the first panel  102  by tabs formed in the second panel  104  that fit into slots formed in the first panel. Alternatively, the panels  102 ,  104  may be coupled together by other means, such as screws or adhesive. The second panel  104  may take the shape of a tower.  
      A plurality of apertures  106  are present in the second panel  104 . The apertures are preferably cut from the second blank before the second blank is formed into a radius and the flanges are formed, however, the apertures  106  may be formed between or after these steps.  FIG. 2  illustrates a set of two parallel apertures  106  in the display  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apertures  106  are for receiving temples of a pair of eyewear. Each aperture has a width G and includes an angled inner side  110  that is sloped at an angle F towards the other aperture  106 . When the temples of a pair of eyewear are inserted into the apertures  106 , the temples preferably rest upon the angled inner sides  110  of each aperture  106 . The weight of the eyewear resting on the angled inner sides  110  tends to hold the temples open, inhibiting them from folding closed. Moreover, eyewear of different sizes, having different widths between the temples, can preferably be accommodated since the different widths will cause the temples to rest at various different positions on the inner sides  110 . However, at each position, the weight of the eyewear will tend to hold the temples open. The angle F may be 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 degrees or may take on values between these increments. In a preferred embodiment, the angle F is approximately 45 degrees. The preferred angle may change depending on the shape of the temples of particular eyewear to be displayed, and the width or widths of the eyewear.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , the inner side of the aperture  106  is spaced apart from the first panel  102 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the temples contact the angled inner sides  110  at a location that is a distance D from the first panel  102 . As shown in  FIG. 1 a  distance B separates the locations of contact on the inner sides  110  of the apertures  106 . These dimensions can vary.  
      An outer side of each aperture  106  may be parallel with the central axis  107 . Thus, the apertures  106  shown in  FIG. 2  are trapezoidal, though this is not necessary. For example, the apertures may be triangular. Additional alternate embodiments of the invention may include alternative shapes. Because the upper and outer portions of the apertures  106  do not tend to contact the temples of the eyewear, variations will not generally interfere with operation of the invention. Also, while the inner sides  110  should be angled, they need not be straight.  FIG. 3A -C illustrates alternative embodiments of the apertures  106 .  FIG. 2  shows a variation on the upper portion of the aperture  106 . In addition, the inner side  110  may be a concave, as in  FIG. 3B  or convex, as in  FIG. 3C . For reference, the angle F can be measured at the point that the temple of the eyewear contacts the inner side of the aperture  106 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates exemplary eyewear  300  that may be held in display  100 . A width H of the eyewear  300  is shown in  FIG. 4  as a distance between the temples. A distance I between a front inner side of the eyewear and a hinge  303  is also shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 5  illustrates temple  302  of the eyewear  300  having a length J measured from the hinge to the end of the temple. The temple  302  in this particular example of eyewear  300  is wider at the front portion than at the rear portion and narrows at angle K that varies along the length of temple  302 . The invention will accommodate eyewear of other configurations.  
      The eyewear  300  is inserted into the display  100  by inserting the temples  302  into the two apertures  106 . The weight of the eyewear  300  pushes each of the temples  302  down on the angled inner sides of each aperture  106 , while the angled inner side of the aperture  106  pushes back on each temple  302 . The force against the temple  302  is perpendicular to the angled inner side of the aperture  106 . Thus, a portion of the force pushing on the temple  302  is outward, away from the center of the eyewear  300 . In other words, the inner angled side of each aperture  106  pushes each temple  302  away from the center of the eyewear  300 , tending to cause each temple  302  to remain in an open position.  
      When the eyewear  300  is inserted into the apertures  106 , the temples  302  rest on the inner edges of the apertures  106 . In addition, the temples  302  preferably rest against the panel  102 . As a result, the eyewear  300  tends to face upwardly and outwardly from the display such that customers viewing the display can view the front of the eyewear, which includes the lenses. This allows the customer to easily discern the styling of the eyewear displayed and differences in styling of various pairs of eyewear that may be displayed in the same display. For this purpose, the depth D is preferably less than the length of temples  302  of the eyewear  300 . This limited depth D in combination with the angled inner side of the apertures  106  causes the eyewear  300  to tilt upward. Thus, the depth D of the display  100 , in combination with angle F of the inner sides  110  of the apertures  106 , tends to control the orientation of the eyewear  300 .  
      The width of the apertures and the distance between the apertures can be selected to ensure that a variety of eyewear  300  with a variety of widths H may be held in the display  100 . Thus, the display  100  may be used to hold both large and small eyewear  300 . In addition, the angled inner side ensures that the points of support between the eyewear  300  and the aperture  106  is always on the lower inner side of the temple  302  and is pointing upward and away from the center independent of the width H of the eyewear  300 .  
      In addition, dimension E, shown in  FIG. 1 , from the opening of the aperture  106  to the front of the display  100  is preferably greater than the dimension I, shown in  FIG. 3 , between the hinge  302  and a back of the browbar. Thus, the hinges  302  are preferably prevented from entering the apertures. This inhibits the temples  302  from folding into the closed position and also avoids the need to provide a separate support member under the nose bridge of the eyewear. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between the hinge and the front the apertures is less than 1 inch or approximately 0.5 inches, though this distance can be less. In a preferred embodiment, the apertures  106  are set back from the front of the display by providing that the panel  106  has an arc of radius R and by placing the apertures  106  along the arc. However, the panel  106  may be provided with a flat front surface in which the apertures are formed. In addition, more complex shapes may be used. The front inner surface of the eyewear  300  may be substantially flat or take the shape of an arc. If the front inner surface of the eyewear  300  is substantially flat or has an arc with a radius greater than R, then a point of contact between the eyewear  300  and the display  100  will tend to be the center of the second panel  104  and the center of the eyewear  300 . If the front inner surface of the eyewear  300  can be approximated with an arc with a radius of less than R, then the eyewear  300  will tend to contact the display  100  at two points on either side of the center of the second panel  104 . Thus, the radius R of the second panel  104  is preferably greater than twice the width of the largest set of eyewear  300  that will be placed in the display  100 .  
       FIGS. 6-10  illustrate views of a display  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The display  100  of  FIGS. 6-10  includes a first panel  102  and two second panels  104 . Each second panel  104  includes a series of apertures  106  in which temples  302  of eyewear  300  may be placed so that the eyewear is displayed in two substantially vertical rows.  
      The first panel  102  (i.e. the rear panel) may be used to display printed material (e.g., marketing information related to the displayed eyewear) by affixing the printed material to the panel  102 . If the second panel (or panels)  104  (i.e. the front panel) is/are transparent, the printed material on the rear panel  102  can be viewed though the panel  104 . If the first panel  102  is transparent, the printed material may be affixed to the back of the panel  102  such that it can be viewed through the panel  102 . Otherwise, the printed material can be printed on the front of the first panel  102 .  
       FIG. 11  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a display  100 . The display  100  of  FIG. 11  includes a first panel  102 , a second panel  104 , and a plurality of hangers  404 . The second panel  104  and the plurality of hangers  404  may be attached to the first panel  102  by interlocking tabs and slots, screws or adhesive. Items in blister packs may be placed on the hangers  404  and offered for sale in conjunction with the items placed on the second panel  104 . The first panel  102  may be configured to interchangeably accept either a second panel  104 , such as shown in  FIGS. 6-10  or hangers  404 , as shown on  FIG. 11 . This may be accomplished, for example, by providing the first panel  102  with both a set of slots for accepting tabs of one or more of the second panels  104  and a set of slots for accepting tabs of the hangers  404 . Thus, the same first panel  102  may be reconfigurable to have one second panel  104 , as in  FIG. 1 , two or more second panels  104 , as in  FIGS. 6-10 , one or more second panels  104  and one more rows of hangers, as in  FIG. 11 , or multiple rows of hangers only (without a second panel  104 ).  
      The foregoing detailed description of the present invention is provided for the purposes of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.