Patent Publication Number: US-9883754-B1

Title: Display for consumer articles

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a display for creating at least substantially completed articles, wherein the articles are preferably consumer articles and in particular, timepieces, and in particular, to a rotateable display that permits a consumer to mix/match (i) a plurality of differing timepiece straps with at least one timepiece watchcase and/or (ii) a plurality of differing timepiece watchcases with at least one timepiece strap, thereby allowing a consumer to see what the at least essentially completed articles can and/or will look like prior to actual construction and/or purchase, thereby facilitating the buying, purchasing and/or shopping experience for such articles. 
     Selection wheels and wheel charts are known. For example, different types of such selection wheels and wheel charts can be found at http://www.americanslidechart.com/wheelcharts. A selection wheel that permits a potential customer to mix and match window colors with corresponding hardware colors is also known and illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     However, the prior art is deficient in the use, description and/or suggestion of a display that permits a potential customer/consumer or the like to create one or more differently configured at least substantially completed articles, and preferably consumer articles such as for example and not limitation, timepieces such as wristwatches. That is, nowhere in the prior art is there a display that facilities the creating of what a user can essentially perceive as a completed consumer article, thereby providing the consumer the ability to vary components of the article to see what variations of the components will look like when matched with other components, thereby improving the shopping and/or decision making experience of such articles. 
     Therefore, it is believed that further advances to the state of the art are both desirable and achievable. In particular, it is desirable to provide a way for easily and efficiently creating, in a display setting, a plurality of differently configured at least substantially completed articles, each of which comprises at least a first component and at least a second component. It is also desirable to provide a display that carries out the foregoing objectives. 
     It is thus an objective of the present invention to overcome the perceived deficiencies in the prior art. 
     Specifically, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved display for creating a plurality of differently configured at least substantially completed articles. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide an improved display as set forth above, wherein the articles are consumer articles, and preferably timepieces such as wristwatches. 
     Still a further objective of the present invention is to provide an improved display as set forth above utilizing at least two supports, one overlying the other, such that the relative rotation of the supports with respect to each other creates the visual impression of at least one, and preferably at least two, substantially completed articles. 
     Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a way for potential consumers to more easily and efficiently create a plurality of differently configured at least substantially completed consumer articles, thus improving and facilitating a shopping and/or potential purchase decision making experience. 
     Therefore, a still further objective of the present invention is to provide methodologies for carrying out and/or facilitating the foregoing. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts and sequence of steps which will be exemplified in the construction, illustration and description hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
     Therefore, to overcome the perceived deficiencies in the prior art and to achieve the objects and advantages set forth above and below, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is, generally speaking, directed to a display for creating at least two differently configured articles, each of which comprises at least a first component and at least a second component, wherein the display comprises a first support on which at least two of the first components are arranged; a second support, spaced apart from the first support, on which at least one second component is arranged, and wherein the first support and the second support are rotatable with respect to each other; wherein the two components on the first support are each separately alignable, but not simultaneously, with the component on the second support thereby separately creating a visual impression of at least two substantially completed articles. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is directed to a display for creating differently configured articles, wherein the display comprises a first support on which at least one component of the article is arranged; a second support, spaced apart from the first support, on which at least a second component of the article is arranged; wherein the first support is rotateable with respect to the second support to create a visual impression of at least one substantially completed article. 
     In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of creating at least two differently configured articles, each of which comprises at least a first component and at least a second component, wherein the display comprises a first support on is which at least two of the first components are arranged, a second support, spaced apart from the first support, on which at least one second component is arranged, and wherein the first support and the second support are rotatable with respect to each other, wherein the method comprises the steps of aligning the first component with the second component thereby creating at least a first visual impression of an least substantially completed article; and rotating the first support relative to the second support so as to align the second first component with the second component thereby creating at least a visual impression of at least a second at least substantially completed article; whereby the two components on the first support are each separately alignable, but not simultaneously, with the component on the second support. 
     In a specific pref erred embodiment, the display comprises no more than 12 first components and no more than 12 second components arranged about their respective supports, and in a specific preferred embodiment, the articles are timepieces in the form of wristwatches. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above set forth and other features of the invention are made more apparent in the ensuing Description of the Preferred Embodiments when read in conjunction with the attached Drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of exemplary display constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiments disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the display constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are top plan views of the display constructed in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing a different alignment of the first and second components after relative rotation of the first and second supports with respect to each other; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the display constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a selection wheel in the prior art that permits a user to mix/match window colors with corresponding hardware components for the window. 
     
    
    
     Identical reference numerals in the figures are intended to indicate like parts, although not every feature in every figure may be called out with a reference numeral. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is generally made to  FIGS. 1-3 , which illustrate, among other things, a display, generally indicated at  10 , constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The display  10 , and the operation thereof, generally speaking, advantageously creates one or more, and preferably a plurality, of differently configured at least substantially completed articles. Although the type or kind of article(s) is not limited hereby, the preferred article with which display  10  is ideally suited to display is a consumer article, and in particular, timepieces, and specifically wristwatches. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not so limiting. 
     In a first preferred embodiment, the display  10  comprises a first support on which at least two of the first components are arranged; a second support, spaced apart from the first support, on which at least one second component is arranged, and wherein the first support and the second support are rotatable with respect to each other. As will now be explained in connection with various preferred specific embodiments, the two components on the first support are each separately alignable, but not simultaneously, with the component on the second support, thereby separately creating a visual impression of at least two substantially completed articles. 
     For example, in a first specific preferred embodiment where the articles are timepieces, each of the first components comprises one or more timepiece strap sections and the second component comprises at least a timepiece watchhead. However, in a second specific preferred embodiment, each of the first components comprises at least a timepiece watchhead and the second component comprises one or more timepiece strap sections. 
     In yet a further alternative embodiment, the present invention is directed to a display for creating at least two differently configured articles, each of which comprises at least a first component and at least a second component, wherein the display comprises a first support on which at least one first component is arranged; and a second support, spaced apart from the first support, on which at least two second components are arranged, and wherein the first support and the second support are rotatable with respect to each other; wherein the one component on the first support is separately alignable, but not simultaneously, with the at least two components on the second support thereby separately creating a visual impression of at least two substantially completed articles. In this embodiment, the first component may comprise the one or more timepiece strap sections and the second components comprise at least a timepiece watchhead. And in an alternative embodiment, the first component comprises at least a timepiece watchhead and the second components comprise one or more timepiece strap sections. 
     A base  20  may also be provided, wherein in a preferred embodiment, the first support is intermediate the base and the second support. In one embodiment, the first support is rotatable relative to the base, in another preferred embodiment, the second support may be rotatable relative to the base and yet in another alternative embodiment, both of the first and second supports are rotatable relative to the base. A motor, generally indicated at  100 , may be provided and electrically and/or mechanically coupled to the first and/or second supports, namely to the one or more supports that are rotateable, to rotate the rotateable support(s). 
     Thus, turning now to the figures specifically, in a first embodiment, display  10  may comprise a base, generally indicated at  20 . However, it should be understood that base  20  can operate as the first support without any loss of functionality of the present invention. Using base  20  as the first support can, for example, reduce the number of components needed to construct display  10 . However, base  20  can provide aesthetic features to the invention and/or other functional advantages, and therefore can be incorporated into the invention, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Thus,  FIGS. 1 and 2  also illustrate a separate first support, generally indicated at  30 , coupled to the base  20 , upon which one or more (and preferably a plurality of) first components are arrangeable. The figures illustrate the first components S 1  -S N  so arranged. 
     Display  10  also comprises a second support, generally indicated at  40 , also shown coupled to the base  20  and spaced apart from the first support  30  such that the first support  30  is intermediate the base  20  and the second support  40 . One or more (and preferably a plurality of) second components H 1 -H N  are arrangeable on second support  40 . The figures illustrate the second components so arranged. 
     Supports  30  and  40  are rotateably mounted on a stem  25 . 
     Reference is briefly again made to  FIG. 1  to illustrate another embodiment of display  10  that does not utilize a base, such that the first support is indicated by reference number  30 ′ and the second support is indicated by reference number  40 ′. In such an embodiment, the upper support  40  shown in  FIG. 3  would thus not be necessary. 
     In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the first support  30  and the second support  40  are rotatable with respect to each other. For example, in accordance with a specific embodiment, only first support  30  may be rotatable relative to the base  20 . In accordance with another specific embodiment, only the second support  40  is rotatable relative to the base  20 . Still in a further alternative, both the first support  30  and the second support  40  are rotatable relative to the base  20 . The power to rotate one or both of the supports  30 ,  40  may simply be the use of a user&#39;s hand to rotate one or both of the supports  30 ,  40 . Alternatively, display  10  may comprise motor  100  mechanically and/or electrically coupled to the rotatable support to rotate the first support  30  relative to the base  20 , the second support  40  relative to the base  20  and/or both the first and second supports  30 ,  40  relative to the base  20 . 
     In an embodiment that does not include a base, the first support  30 ′ need not rotate, thereby providing only that the second support  40 ′ is rotatable. However, an embodiment is also envisioned in which the display is supported from the top (e.g. suspended from an upper support (e.g. ceiling) thereby providing an incentive to allow for the lower (i.e. first) support  30  to rotate. 
     A preferred operation of display  10  will now be disclosed. 
     For example, the figures show display  10  made in accordance with the present invention comprising N first components and N second components arranged about their respective supports. As illustrated, N=12, but this is by way of example and not limitation as more and/or less first and second components are contemplated hereby. However, one skilled in the art would recognize that as N increases, a larger display  10  and more specifically, larger first and second supports  30 ,  40  will be needed, and therefore N≦12 is about the maximum number before the consumer could get overwhelmed with options and/or the display could get inconveniently large. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, display  10  has twelve (12) second component watchheads arranged around second support  40  and a corresponding number (i.e. twelve (12)) of first component watchstraps arranged around first support  30 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , at a point in time (i.e. t=0), first component watchstrap S 1  is aligned with second component watchhead H 1  (or could be so aligned by prior rotation of the supports with respect to each other). With such alignment of watchstrap S 1  with watchhead H 1 , first component watchstrap S 2  is aligned with second component watchhead H 2 , and each successive first component watchstrap S N  is aligned with its corresponding second component watchhead H N . Thus, the user/consumer/customer can visualize up to N differently configured at least substantially completed articles by having each of the respective first components aligned with a respective one of the second components. 
     At this point, reference is made to what an “at least substantially completed article(s)” is intended to mean and how this phrase should be interpreted. That is, it should be understood that with the display  10  configured as it is, it is not possible, or at least not practical, to actually mechanically connect, via a springbar or the like, the respective straps on support  30  to the watchheads on support  40 . So, to create “actually completed” articles is not contemplated hereby. Moreover, it is also possible that the display straps may omit the clasp or other metal fittings on the ends thereof. Nevertheless, the alignment of the straps segments and the respective watchheads together do in fact create a visual impression of what would be a “completed article” were they mechanically connected and/or were the straps to include the metal components of the clasp, etc. Thus, for purposes of the present invention, it is sufficient that at least the watchstrap and the watchhead are provided and when aligned together as illustrated in the figures, each watchhead/strap combination does in fact create a visual impression of at least a substantially completed article. In contrast, a “completed” article would include a watchhead mechanically coupled to the strap, with the strap including the metal clasp, etc. Therefore, alignment of a watchstrap and a watchhead such that they together create what appears to be a completed wristwatch fulfils the definition and interpretation of what it means to be an “at least a substantially completed article(s).” Based on the foregoing, an “at least a substantially completed article(s)” is about 90% complete, and a wristwatch that can be visualized and perceived as being essentially complete, i.e. by having the watchstrap and watchhead aligned as illustrated in the figures and described above, meets the claim limitations set forth herein. 
     Continuing with a preferred operation of the present invention, it can be seen that rotation of the first support  30  with respect to the second support  40  provides alignability of each of the respective first components with up to N-1 different ones of the second components. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , rotation of (e.g.) support  30  in the “Y” direction with respect to support  40  rotates the first and second components relative to each other such that now, first component watchstrap S 1  is aligned with second component watchhead H 2 , first component watchstrap S 2  is aligned with second component watchhead H 3  and so on such that first component watchstrap S N  is aligned with second component watchhead H N+1  (although it should be understood that first component watchstrap S 12  is thus aligned with second component watchhead H 1 ). 
     Alternatively, in a corresponding manner, from the starting point in time as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , if support  40  were instead to be rotated in the “X” direction with respect to support  30  as illustrated in  FIG. 2B , first component watchstrap S 1  would then be aligned with second component watchhead H N , first component watchstrap S 2  is aligned with second component watchhead H 1  and so on such that first component watchstrap S N  is aligned with second component watchhead H N-1 . 
     Either way, it can be seen that alignment of each of the N first components with each of the N second components creates N×N differently configured at least substantially completed articles. Although not all straps are illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B , this is simply for brevity. It should be understood that straps preferably and/or do fill each of the respective positions, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     As stated herein, each first component is preferably a timepiece wriststrap, and preferably comprises either an elongated single elongated strap extending past the 12:00 position and the 6:00 position of the watchhead or comprises two separate pieces, i.e. one extending from the 12:00 position and one from the 6:00 position of the watchhead. However, the present invention also contemplates an embodiment wherein only a single strap section is provided, i.e. extending from either the 12:00 position or the 6:00 position of the watchhead, as it is believed that the prior art does not describe or suggest a display in which any two separate components of a consumer article, such as a timepiece, are interchangeably displayed, such as disclosed herein. However, both a watchstrap in the form of one single elongated strap or in the form of two sections (i.e. to respectively connect to lugs at the 12:00 and 6:00 positions of the watchhead) are deemed to be considered a one (1) first component. 
     For clarity, it should also be understood that the interpretation of the first support rotating relative to the second support is not specifically calling out which one of the supports is actually rotating (e.g. relative to a stationary reference point (i.e. the base)). That is, for example, reciting that the first support rotates relative to the second support (or language similar thereto) can mean that the first support is actually rotating relative to a stationary reference point or that the second support is actually rotating relative to the stationary reference point or that both are rotating relative to the stationary reference point. 
     In the preferred embodiments, motor  100  can rotate either support in either direction. 
     It can thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved display for creating a plurality of differently configured at least substantially completed articles. As should now also be understood, the display disclosed herein is particularly suited for displaying consumer articles, and preferably timepieces such as wristwatches. As can also be seen, the relative rotation of the supports that carry the components of the article(s) creates the visual impression of at least one, and preferably at least two, substantially completed articles. Thus, the present invention provides a way for potential consumers to more easily and efficiently create a plurality of differently configured at least substantially completed consumer articles, thus improving and facilitating a shopping and/or potential purchase decision making experience. And, the present invention also provides methodologies for carrying out and/or facilitating the foregoing. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It should also be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention described herein and all statements of the scope of the invention that as a matter of language might fall therebetween. 
     For example, the present disclosure covers all four (4) variations wherein there could be (i) more straps on the lower support than watchheads on the upper support; (ii) more watchheads on the lower support than straps on the upper support; (iii) more watchheads on the upper support than straps on the lower support; and (iv) more watchstraps on the upper support than watchheads on the lower support. Regardless thereof, all the features disclosed herein and all the claimed features are applicable with each of these four (4) configurations. 
     Also, while  FIG. 1  does illustrate in perspective view a specific embodiment wherein the watchheads are positioned on the support above the watchstraps and further, wherein  FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B  are disclosed as illustrating views related to  FIG. 1 , for the avoidance of doubt, it should be understood that  FIGS. 2, 2A and 2B  equally can be seen and understood to disclose an embodiment in which the straps are positioned above the watchheads if desired. That is, it should be interpreted that an identical set of  FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B  could be provided to show the alternative embodiments disclosed herein where the straps are located above the watchhead. Therefore, it should be understood that each and every embodiment disclosed herein is illustrated in the figures. 
     To be sure, the present invention is applicable to a wide variety of articles, and thus, while the preceding embodiments have been disclosed with reference to wristwatches, the scope of the invention is not so limiting.