Patent Publication Number: US-2011049065-A1

Title: Product display

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
     The present invention relates generally a product display and, more particularly, to a display system adapted to show or exhibit shoes in various types of terrain. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     In today&#39;s competitive economy, effective product displays become more important in promoting and selling products. One particular area in which product display has become critical is the sale of athletic shoes. For several years, logos, designs, and colors provided on the top of athletic shoes have been vital to effective marketing of the products. More recently, the bottom of the shoes, or the outer sole have been critical especially when selling and marketing a shoe designed for a particular purpose. For example, running shoes, walking shoes, basketball shoes, golf shoes, football shoes all have very specifically designed outer soles, some of which include soft or hard cleats. The effective demonstration of how these shoes work on various terrain in which they were designed is not possible. Stores are often carpeted, tiled, or floored and prior art displays do not provide different terrain or surfaces for showcases or exhibiting the shoes outer sole. The display system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention dramatically presents the shoe with the ability for the owner to swap out different platforms with various types of terrain to showcase and exhibit qualities of the outer sole. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
     One or more of the embodiments provided in the present invention relates to a product display apparatus for use with a slotted wall for the display of a shoe. The apparatus includes a mounting bracket, a shelf portion, an interchangeable shelf platform and a frame. The mounting bracket has a first end complimentary to fit into the slotted wall and has a second end. The shelf portion has a back section secured to the second end of the mounting bracket and further includes a front section and a pair of side sections connecting the front section to the back section. The shelf portion has a rim extending inwardly around an interior perimeter defined by the back, front, and side sections. The interchangeable shelf platform is removably secured to the rim of the shelf portion. The shelf platform has an upper surface to showcase an outer sole defined by the shoe. The frame is removably secured to the shelf platform, the frame having a base and a pair of sides extending from the base and a top connecting the pair of sides, the top having a slot for receiving a removable informational card. 
     In other aspects of the embodiments, the shelf portion further includes at least one rib extending between the front and back sections and positioned intermediate of the two side sections. Further aspects include the rim being set within the back, front, and side sections, such that these sections extend upwardly from the rim. Yet other aspects include having the interchangeable shelf platform fit within the back, front, and side sections against the rim and at least one rib. 
     The upper surface may also be textured to match a particular surface that matches to a performance defined by the outer sole of the show. Different textures include one of the following: asphalt, grass, turf, court, sidewalk, sand, or clay. 
     Yet provided in other aspects, the frame may include threaded openings on the base which align with apertures on the platform, and a pair of screws for removably securing the frame to the platform. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the product display apparatus for use with a slotted wall for the display of a shoe; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the product display from  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a partial exploded view of the assembly of a product display in accordance with one or more of the embodiments presented herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
     While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring now Figures, there is shown a product display system  100  used to showcase a shoe against a slotted wall. The slotted wall, not shown, is a typical wall system found in stores and is made up of multiple L-shaped slots adapted to receive a mounting bracket  50 . One end  52  of the bracket  50  is L-shaped, complimentary to the slot in the slotted wall. The other end  54  of the bracket  50  is flat with a pair of fastening screws  56  adapted to be secured to a shelf portion  110  of the product display system  100 . 
     As noted, the product display system  100  includes a shelf portion  110  having a back section  112  and a front section  114  connected between side sections  116 . The back section  112  includes the apertures  118  for receiving the fastening screws  56  to secure the bracket  50  thereto. The shelf portion  110  includes a bottom section  120  consisting of a rim  122  extending inwardly around the interior perimeter  124  of the back, front, and side sections. The bottom section  120  further includes a rib  126  extending between the front and back sections and positioned intermediate of the two side sections. The bottom section  120  is thus set within the back, front, and side sections, such that these sections appear to extend upwardly there from to provide interior walls  128 . 
     Positioned within the interior walls  128  and on the bottom section  120  is an interchangeable shelf platform  130 . The platform  130  fits inside the interior walls  128  and rests against the rim  122  and rib  126 . The top portion of the platform  130  includes a surface  132  that can be textured to match a particular surface matched to the performance of an outer sole of a shoe that is to be displayed on the platform  130 . For example, if the shoe is a running shoe with an outer sole designed to be used on a street surface, the surface  132  of the platform  130  may be made of a asphalt (or in some instances the surface  132  may simply be painted to look like asphalt). There are numerous types of surfaces used for different types of shoes, i.e., asphalt, grass, turf, court, sidewalk, sand, clay . . . 
     Attached to the platform  130  is a frame  142 . The frame  142  includes a base  144  and a pair of sides  146  extending upwardly there from. Connected to the sides is also a top  148 . The frame  142  may also be a two piece construction, having front and back sections  150  and  152 , with a plastic window  154  and a backing  156 . When the frame  142  is assembled, the top  148  includes a slot  160  for receiving an informational card that slides between the front and back sections (most preferably along a groove cut down the sides  146 . The informational card provides details regarding the shoe being displayed and is easily replaceable when a new shoe or different surface is attached. The frame  142  includes threaded openings  145  on the base  144  which align with apertures  162  on the platform  130 , such that the frame  142  can be removably secured to the platform  130  with a pair of screws  164 . 
     From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.