Patent Publication Number: US-2005133474-A1

Title: Merchandise display stand

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to a merchandise display stand to be used for display of fruit and vegetables, in particular, on rack boards of an in-store display case mainly installed in a supermarket, department store, specialty store, convenience store, etc. and that are different in size and shape, thereby excellent in display representation.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      In recent years, as a merchandise display rack to be used for in-store display of fruit and vegetables, in particular, in a supermarket, department store, specialty store, convenience store, etc., a display rack has been known wherein more than one adjoining inclined plane on which articles are placed is provided in one direction, having a merchandise fall prevention unit on its one end and a plane on its other end that forms a front display surface, while on the back side of the front display surface, a back display surface is provided on which more than one groove is defined into which partition plates are fit, wherein in the display case is arranged a height variable stand on which any one of the front display surface and back display surface is rested, and on any other of them merchandise is displayed (Kokai (Japan unexamined patent publication) No. 2001-197984). This merchandise display rack is extremely useful because it can adequately cope with diversification and frequent rearrangement of merchandise with a small number of parts, eliminate the possibility of becoming useless or need for new purchase whenever rearrangement takes place, and reduce storage space.  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
      However, as the display rack described above is unitary, spacing between one inclined plane and adjoining inclined plane is fixed and thus cannot be changed. For this reason, in some cases, the rack cannot cope with the situation in which fruit and vegetables of different sizes are to be replaced for rearrangement.  
      Thus, an objective of the present invention is to provide a merchandise display stand that can cope with display of articles, such as fruit and vegetables, being different in size and shape, thus excelling in display representation.  
      More specifically, the present invention (1) provides a merchandise display stand comprising a merchandise display base that is comprised of a planar member and vertical member and has an approximately L shaped section and a merchandise submember that is to be used in combination with the merchandise display base and has an L shaped section smaller than that of the merchandise display base, wherein on the top surface of the planar member of the merchandise display base are defined a first transverse groove and a second transverse groove.  
      In addition, the present invention (2) provides the merchandise display stand that further has an interior recess having almost same shape as that of the merchandise display submember into which the merchandise submember is fit.  
      In addition, the present invention (3) provides the merchandise display stand that forms merchandise display surfaces in 2 tiers with an edge of a longitudinal member of letter L of the merchandise submember engaged with the second transverse groove and an edge of a transverse member of letter L abutting the vertical member of the merchandise display base.  
      In addition, the present invention (4) provides the merchandise display stand that forms the merchandise display surfaces having a horseshoe shaped section with the edge of the longitudinal member of letter L of the merchandise submember engaged with the second transverse groove so that the edge of the transverse member of letter L is oriented in a direction opposite to the vertical member of the merchandise display base.  
      In addition, the present invention (5) provides the merchandise display stand that forms an L shaped merchandise display surface, with the merchandise submember received in the interior recess of the merchandise display base.  
      In addition, the present invention (6) provides the merchandise display stand characterized in that it has a number of lengthwise grooves formed at regular pitches, transversely on the display surfaces of the planer and vertical members of the merchandise display base, and a number of slits formed at same pitches as the ones described above, transversely on the merchandise submember, wherein it further has partition plates having a first latching strip that engages the lengthwise groove of the planar member, second latching strip that engages the lengthwise groove of the vertical member, and third latching strip that engages the slit.  
      In addition, the present invention (7) provides a merchandise display stand that comprises an approximately L shaped merchandise display base comprised of the planar and vertical members of the merchandise display stand according to any one of Claims  1  to  6  characterized in that the merchandise display surfaces in multiple tiers are formed with an end of the vertical member of one merchandise display base connected to that of the planar member of another merchandise display base, and a merchandise submember that is to be used in combination of the merchandise display base and has an L shaped section smaller than that of the merchandise display base, the merchandise display base comprising an interior recess having almost same shape as the merchandise display submember into which the merchandise submember is fit, a first transverse groove arranged in the middle of horizontal surface of the interior recess, and a second transverse groove arranged on a top surface of the planar member and at the end of the horizontal surface of the interior recess.  
      According to the present invention, 3 display styles of a single tier can be represented through combination of the members having L shaped sections in 2 sizes, namely, large-size and small-size. In addition, in the invention, further in combination with partition plates or use of the display style in multiple tiers makes it possible to accommodate various sizes and shapes of such display objects as fruit and vegetables, thus enhancing display representation. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a merchandise display stand of the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view showing a first display style of the merchandise display stand of the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view showing a second display style of the merchandise display stand of the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 4  is a side view showing a third display style of the merchandise display stand of the first embodiment.  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the merchandise display stand of the second embodiment.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the merchandise display stand of the third embodiment.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the merchandise display stand of the fourth embodiment.  
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the merchandise display stand of a variant of the first embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      With reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , a merchandise display stand of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The merchandise display base  10  in the first embodiment comprises a merchandise display base  11  that is comprised of a planar member  111  and a vertical member  112  and has an approximately L shaped section, and a merchandise submember  12  that is to be used in combination with the merchandise display base  11  and has an L shaped section smaller than that of the merchandise display base  11 . The merchandise display base  11  comprises an interior recess  13  having almost same shape as a merchandise display submember  12  into which the merchandise submember  12  is fit, first transverse groove  115  arranged in the middle of the horizontal surface  117  of the interior recess  113 , and second transverse groove  114  arranged on the top surface of the planar member  111  and at the end of the horizontal surface of the interior recess  113 .  
      As assembly patterns of the merchandise display  10  of the first embodiment, the following 3 patterns are described. As shown in  FIG. 2 , in the first assembly pattern, the 2-tier merchandise display surfaces are formed, with an edge  123  of a longitudinal member of letter L of the merchandise submember  12  engaged with the second transverse groove  114 , and an edge  124  of the transverse member of letter L abutting the vertical member  112  of the merchandise display base  11 . The first assembly pattern is suitable for display of small round articles A such as oranges, grapefruits, etc., packed articles or rendition of hefty appearance of leaf vegetables such as spinach.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the second assembly pattern, the merchandise display surfaces having the horseshoe shaped section are formed, with the edge  123  of the longitudinal member of letter L of the merchandise submember  12  engaged with the second transverse groove  115  so that the edge  124  of the transverse member of letter L is oriented in the opposite direction to the vertical member  112  of the merchandise display base  11 . The second assembly pattern is suitable for display of packed articles B. The second assembly pattern is especially preferable in the display of strawberries, peaches, etc. that are perishable when they are stacked, for instance.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the third assembly pattern, the L-shaped merchandise display surface is formed with the merchandise submember  12  received in the interior recess  113  of the merchandise display base  11 . The third assembly pattern is respectively suitable for display of large round articles C such as melons, small watermelons, etc., that of long articles such as leek, burdock, etc., or that of a large amount of small round articles such as oranges, grapefruits, etc.  
       FIG. 8  shows a variant of the merchandise display base  10  of the first embodiment. In  FIG. 8 , as same symbols are assigned to the components identical to  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2 , a description will be made mainly on their differences, omitting description of the identical components. More specifically,  FIG. 8  differs from  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2  in that the interior recess  113  having almost same shape as that of the merchandise display submember  12  into which the merchandise submember  12  is fit is left out from the former. The merchandise display base  10   a  of  FIG. 8  can take the assembly patterns shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 .  
      Next, a description will be made on the merchandise display stand  20  of the second embodiment, with reference to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is a side view of the merchandise display stand  20  of this embodiment. The merchandise display stand  20  of  FIG. 5  is made up of 3 merchandise display stands  10   a,    10   b,  and  10   c  assembled or connected so as to form the display surfaces in multiple tiers, the entire stand being tilted rearwards by α degrees, with respect to the horizontal surface. To be specific, the end a of the vertical member  112  of the merchandise display base  11   a  of the lower tier is connected with the end b of the planar member  111  of the merchandise display base  11   b  of the middle tier, the end a of the vertical member  112  of the merchandise display base  11   b  of the middle tier is connected with the end b of the planar member  111  of the merchandise display base  11   c  of the upper tier, and the entire stand is placed on supports (not shown).  
      In the merchandise display stand  20  of  FIG. 5 , the display surface of lower tier is made by the first assembly pattern described above, that of middle tier is made by the third assembly pattern described above, and that of the upper tier is made by the second assembly pattern described above. The merchandise display stand  20  can form the display surfaces that can accommodate various sizes and shapes of display objects with a small number of members to be used, and improve display representation.  
      In the merchandise display stand  20 , display patterns of respective tiers are not limited by the patterns of  FIG. 5 , and any pattern of the first to third assembly patterns can be appropriately selected for each of the tiers. In addition, the stand is not limited to 3 tiers, and may be 2 tires or 4 or more tiers. Furthermore, the angle of inclination α can be determined as appropriate.  
      Then, a description will be made on the merchandise display stand  30  of the third embodiment, with reference to  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 6 , as same symbols are assigned to the components identical to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5 , a description will be made mainly on differences, omitting description of the identical components. The merchandise display stand  30  is mainly different from the merchandise display stand  20  of  FIG. 5  in that a number of lengthwise grooves  32  are formed at regular pitches, transversely on the display surfaces of the planar member  111  and the vertical member  112  of the merchandise display base  11 , and a number of slits  31  are formed at same pitches as ones described above, transversely on the merchandise submember  12 , and that the partition plates  14  are further provided, having the first latching strip  133  that engages the lengthwise groove  321  of the planar member, second latching strip  131  that engages the lengthwise groove  322  of the vertical member  112  and the third latching strip  132  that engages the slit  31 .  
      Although the pitch size is not specifically limited, it may be determined between 3 and 5 cm, for instance. The number of lengthwise grooves or that of slits in one merchandise display base  11  or merchandise submember  12 , respectively, is not specifically limited, either, and thus may be determined, as appropriate, between 10 and 25, for instance.  
      In the merchandise display stand  30  of  FIG. 6 , the first and third assembly patterns described above are applied. In the first assembly pattern of the merchandise display stand  30 , first, on the merchandise display base  11 , the merchandise submember  12  is installed so that the lengthwise grooves  32  of the merchandise display base  11  are opposed to the slits  31  of the merchandise submember  12 . Then, the partition plates  14  are placed in desired locations and assembled so that the first latching strip  133  engages the lengthwise groove  321  of the planar member, the second engagement strip  131  engages the lengthwise groove  322  of the vertical member  112 , and the third latching strip  132  engages the slit  31 . Thus, assembly of the merchandise display stand  30  is completed. In addition, in the third assembly pattern of the merchandise display stand  30 , the partition plates  14  can be assembled in a similar manner.  
      As shown by the left and middle display tier of  FIG. 6 , the display surfaces of the merchandise display stand  30  to which the first assembly pattern is applied can make it possible to display in hefty appearance small round articles A such as oranges, grapefruits, etc., or packed articles B, separated from contiguous display articles. It can also prevent transverse fall of the articles. As shown by the right display tier of  FIG. 6 , the display surfaces of the merchandise display stand  30  to which the third assembly pattern is applied can make it possible to display in hefty appearance long articles D, separated from contiguous display articles. This can also prevent transverse fall of the articles.  
      Then, a description will be made on the merchandise display stand  30  of the fourth embodiment, with reference to  FIG. 7 . In  FIG. 7 , as same symbols are assigned to the components identical to  FIG. 6 , our discussion mainly focuses on differences, omitting description of the identical components. The merchandise display stand  40  of  FIG. 7  differs from the merchandise display stand  30  of  FIG. 6  in that the second assembly pattern is used in the former, and that installation of partition plates is left out. More specifically, in the merchandise display stand  30 , the merchandise display base  11  and the merchandise submember  12  of the merchandise display stand  10  of  FIG. 3 , in which lengthwise grooves and slits are formed, respectively, are used.  
      The merchandise display stand  30  can not only take similar effect to that of the merchandise display stand  10  of  FIG. 3 , but also improve designs of the lengthwise grooves or slits and thus enhance rendition effect. In addition, in the merchandise display stand  40  of  FIG. 7 , partition plates (not shown) may be installed so that they can engage the lengthwise grooves  321  of the planar member  111  or those  322  of the vertical member  112 , respectively. As such, display in hefty appearance of packed articles B, separated from contiguous display articles, is made possible. This can also prevent transverse fall of the articles.