Patent Publication Number: US-2011049066-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 the outer soles of shoes. 
     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 display of the outer soles of shoes is not possible. The display system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention dramatically presents the outer sole of the shoe. 
     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 the outer sole of the shoe. The apparatus includes a frame member, a placard holder, a mounting bracket, a frame bracket and a shoe holder. The frame member has a pair of ends separated by a lateral member. The placard holder is secured to the frame member, and has a base and a pair of sides extending from the base. A top connects the pair of sides and has a slot for receiving a removable informational card, the placard holder having a defined front face for viewing informational contained on the informational card. The mounting bracket has a first end complimentary to fit into the slotted wall and has a second end secured to the top portion of the placard holder. The frame bracket has a means for securing the base of the placard holder about one of the ends of the pair of ends of the frame member. The shoe holder extends from one end of the lateral member defined by the frame member. The shoe holder has a member upwardly extending from the end of the lateral member and has a curved section about an upper section. The curved section is defined to curve toward the rear of the frame member, whereby the placement of the shoe on the shoe holder, places a toe section of the shoe about the curved section of the shoe holder such that an outer sole of the shoe is displayed towards the front of the member. 
     In other embodiments, the front side section of the frame bracket may have a surface for receiving and display an advertisement logo. Furthermore, the securing means may be defined as having a front side section fastened to a backside section. The backside section would have an upper face portion and a lower face portion connected by a lateral portion, such that the upper face portion can be secured to the placard holder, and the backside section can be secured to the front side section. 
     In other embodiments, the lateral support of the frame member may extend between the backside section and the front side section of the frame bracket. Alternatively, the lateral support may include a pair of posts extending upwardly through the frame bracket to provide support to the placard holder. 
     In yet still other embodiments, the shoe holder may be defined as having a pair of upwardly extending members secured to the end of the lateral member by a pair of bottom supports. The pair of upwardly extending members would separately including curved members along upper sections thereof and have a top U shaped section connecting the two curved members. 
     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 a display in accordance with one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a display in accordance with one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein; and 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a display in accordance with one or more of the embodiments disclosed 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 apparatus  100  used to showcase a shoe and, more particularly an outer sole of the shoe. The outer sole of the shoe is typically defined by the bottom outside portion of the shoe that make contact with the surface. While most displays are defined to showcase the top portion, logos, colors, and other aspects of the shoe, there has never truly been an effective means to showcase the bottom or outer sole of the shoe. 
     The product display  100  includes a frame  105  mounting a placard holder  110  (defined below) with a shoe holder  150 . 
     The placard holder  110  includes a base  120  and a pair of sides  122  extending upwardly there from. Connected to the sides  122  is also a top  124 . The placard holder  110  may also be a two piece construction, having front and back sections  126  and  128 , with a plastic window  130  and a backing  132 . When the placard holder  110  is assembled, the top  124  includes a slot  134  for receiving an informational card  140  that slides between the front and back sections (most preferably along a groove cut down the sides  136 . The informational card provides details regarding the shoe being displayed and is easily replaceable when a new shoe. The placard holder  110  includes threaded openings  138  on the base  120  which align with apertures on a frame bracket  140 , such that the placard holder  110  can be secured to the frame  100 . 
     The frame bracket  140  includes a backside section  142  and a front side section  144 . The front side section  144  is positioned on the front of the frame  100  and can be used to display and affix a logo. The front side section  144  is attached to the backside section  142  by simple fastening means (adhesive, screws, bolts, etc.). The backside section  142  has an upper face portion  146  and a lower face portion  148  connected by a lateral portion  147 . The upper face portion  146  is secured to the placard holder, this can be accomplished by inserting the upper face portion  146  between the front and back sections  126  and  128  of the placard holder  110 . The lateral portion  147  may include openings aligned to the threaded openings  138  on the base  120  of the placard holder  110  to secure the placard holder  110  thereto. The lower face portion  148  extends downwardly and includes fastening means  149  to secure the backside section  142  to the front side section  144 . 
     As illustrated the frame  105  and the shoe holder  150  may be a single piece assembly or construction. However, it is contemplated that separate components can be used. Discussing the shoe holder  150  first, it is provided to include an upwardly extending member  152  that includes a curved member  154  about its upper section  156 . The curvature is defined to move from the front  159  towards the rear  160 . Since the toe section of a shoe is curved away from the outer sole, and the outer sole is to be displayed at the front  159  of the shoe holder  150 , the curved member  154  has a similar curvature, curved towards the rear, such that the outer sole can be positioned at the front  159  of the frame. Further defined, the shoe holder  150  includes a pair of upwardly extending members  152 , which extend from the frame  105  along a pair of bottom supports  162 . The pair of upwardly extending members  152  included curved members  154  along the upper section  156 . A top U shaped section  164  serves to connect the two curved members  154 . 
     The frame  105 , as mentioned, includes a pair of bottom supports  162  extending from a lateral support  164 . The lateral support  164  extends between the backside section  142  and a front side section  144  of the frame bracket  140 . The lateral support  164  further includes a pair of posts  166  that extend upwardly through the frame bracket  140  to provide support to the placard holder  110 . 
     The display  100  further provides a means to secure it to 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  112 . As provided in the figures, the mounting bracket  112  includes one end  114  that is L-shaped or complimentary to the slot in the slotted wall. The other end  116  of the bracket  112  would be secured to the product display  100 . The other end  116  of the bracket  112  can be secured to the top  124  of the backing  132  of the placard holder  110 . 
     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.