Patent Publication Number: US-6698599-B1

Title: Device for displaying flat and flexible objects

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a device for displaying flat and flexible objects, in particular high-format recording media in the form of sheets, with an insertion compartment for receiving such objects in an upright position, said compartment being delimited by a bottom, a rear wall as well as two upright sidewalls laterally mounted on said bottom plate, and terminating in the form of a withdrawal opening in the area of the external edge of the bottom. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Devices also referred to as merchandise supports or merchandise bags for displaying flat objects are used in the most diverse manner in entire shop fittings or in individual pieces of display furniture. The merchandise supports are mounted on carrier systems. Besides providing a supply of goods which can be taken out, these supports serve to display the range of goods in question in an appealing, space-saving way so that they can be reached easily by the customer. In this case, the goods are to be displayed such that each individual category taken alone, e.g. each title in the case of print media, will catch the eye and is readily identifiable. Above all where sales surface is scarce, display means specifically adapted to the format or the nature of the goods are becoming more and more popular. Among such display means are for example the prior art display racks but also special wall fittings and the like. 
     To avoid having to completely exchange display systems which are space-saving but specifically adapted to the format of the goods in question when the goods range is changed, modular systems such as the device disclosed in DE 295 06 656.3 are being used more and more. In such systems, the individual merchandise supports or merchandise bags can be detached from a piece of carrier furniture and can be replaced with different ones which are better adapted to the new goods. 
     Although the merchandise bags which considerably contribute to the successful and sales-promoting display of merchandise have recently been receiving more and more attention, there is a clear need for merchandise bags for thin non-rigid or not very rigid merchandise, e.g. magazines, catalogues, single sheets or also packaged tights and the like. The conventional approach, namely merely placing these display goods on a horizontal or inclined surface, is therefore still predominant although this described way of displaying the goods is relatively space-consuming and basically inappropriate for goods of the low-price category which they mainly are. 
     If the merchandise or the display goods of the mentioned category are to be displayed upright in a space-saving manner in e.g. a transparent insertion compartment which can be mounted on a display rack or a wall fitting, one problem which arises is that magazines, sheets and the like contained in an insertion compartment will only retain their upright position if the compartment is filled to the edge. Otherwise, they will fall to the side or collapse—which is not only detrimental to the display effect, but frequently also results in creases or crinkles, undulations and other damage affecting the sales value of the goods. It has been tried to solve this problem as described in DE-U-82 25 277 or DE-U-89 10 867 by means of mechanical clamping springs or movable and spring-biased side walls incorporated in the merchandise bags. Although the proposed means are substantially capable of solving this problem, the described solution approaches are too complex and too expensive to also be used in modular systems or for the display of low-value or free-of-charge merchandise or pamphlets, information sheets and the like. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and simple device for displaying flat and flexible objects (merchandise bag) which is specially suited for use in modular display systems, e.g. for display racks or display consoles, and in which flat display goods, in particular of low rigidity, are always kept upright, and which can be reliably inserted in the insertion compartment as well as withdrawn again therefrom. 
     This object is accomplished according to the invention by the features of claim  1 . 
     An advantage of the invention is that it is simple in manufacture since the new display device is a single-pieced plastic injection molded part which already includes clamps in its unprocessed state. Nothing but a subsequent second step is required to give the clamps the required curvature which is suitably done by means of one of the prior art thermal shaping processes. The mass production made possible thereby results in extremely low production costs of the inventive display device, thus making it particularly suitable for use in modular display systems. It may even be possible to package certain goods in the inventive merchandise bag ex factory and dispatch them to the retailer in such state, i.e. complete with bag. Empty merchandise bags can be returned and easily recycled since they are made of one single plastic material. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamps are formed as a freely extension from an upper portion of the sidewalls. In the area of the withdrawal opening, they are connected to the main surface of the sidewalls or merge into them and are furthermore curved so as to converge in the direction of the rear wall. The fact that the goods inserted into the compartment are only clamped and held upright in the area of the rear wall makes it easy to introduce them into the compartment. In this manner, the slightly curved clamps not only serve as a support of the inserted goods, but also as guiding means. A further advantage of the invention is that the inserted goods will have sufficient play in the area of the withdrawal opening where they are not pressed onto each other, thus making it possible to securely grasp and take out single items. Contrary to the prior art spring-biased merchandise bags, the goods are clamped where it is desired—if no filling funnel is used—namely at the top and at the rear portion of the merchandise bag. Since the hinges of prior art merchandise bags are always located in the stable rear area of the merchandise bag, the motion axis of the clamping spring will always be behind it, viewed from the withdrawal opening, which is rather disadvantageous with respect to the reliable guiding and ease of withdrawal of the goods. 
     In accordance with an advantageous further development of the abovementioned embodiment, the strip-like clamps are inclined upward, viewed from the withdrawal opening. This feature entails the major advantage that the clamps can be made longer in their entirety than would be possible if they extended horizontally. Consequently, this leaves more space for their curvature. The spring force can be diminished as a function of the material thickness so as to prevent the goods from being creased or damaged upon insertion. 
     Viewed from above, an advantageous curvature of the clamps extends roughly in the shape of an S, which results in two opposing clamps extending almost in parallel at the area where they merge with the sidewall and at the area where they converge and come together. When the goods are introduced, these will automatically be pulled upward somewhat, following the course of the clamps, so as to prevent the goods from becoming jammed on the bottom. Moreover, owing to the strip form of the clamps, the introduced goods will meet a uniform and relatively small resistance so that this feature, too, facilitates guiding and withdrawal of the goods. 
     Inserting and withdrawing goods can be facilitated even further if the sidewalls are flared outward at the withdrawal opening. 
     According to another preferred embodiment, both sidewalls are flexibly configured at least in one of their segments as clamps, and in the unloaded state, if viewed parallel to the bottom, extend in a manner seemingly constricting the insertion compartment. This makes it possible to reach high clamping forces—which in turn ensures that even heavy objects will be held securely. Moreover, such devices are very robust since they do not have any freely terminating elements which might break off. 
     While the constricted portion makes it harder to insert objects in the direction parallel to the bottom, inserting objects from above in the direction toward the bottom is actually facilitated thereby. This effect is even enhanced when the ends of the sidewalls opposing the bottom are flared or fanned to the outside much in the manner of a filling funnel. 
     If the bottom at the area of the insertion compartment includes longitudinal flutes or fine webs, this on the one hand improves the guidability of the goods, and on the other hand prevents the goods from slipping away to the side—thus further improving stability. 
     For the purpose of improving transparency and above all for reducing weight and costs, it is advantageous if the sidewalls have large openings in the material. This can also influence the flexibility of the sidewalls. 
     Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous if the one-pieced merchandise bags include attachment means integrated in the area of the rear wall and serving to attach the bags to a provided support system. For modular systems, push or reception profiles for a dovetail profile are advantageously provided which also include a safety latch, if necessary. 
     Even if the advantages of the invention are also obtained if segments of only one sidewall are formed as a clamp, it will prove more advantageous in general if both sidewalls include clamps. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is set out in more detail hereinafter with reference to two particularly preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, of which 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the device of FIG. 1, and 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective front view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The merchandise bag shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and made of a single plastic injection molded part (device for displaying flat and flexible objects) comprises a bottom  1 , a rear wall  7  as well as two sidewalls  2 ,  3  extending perpendicular from said bottom  1 , thus forming an insertion compartment with a withdrawal opening  4  for receiving flat display goods therein. From the rear wall  7 , the two upper edges of the main surfaces of the sidewalls  2 ,  3  incline downward toward the bottom plane in the direction to the withdrawal opening. The respective upper segment of the sidewalls  2 ,  3  is in the form of a clamp  5 ,  6 , respectively. The two clamps  5 ,  6  are in the form of strip-shaped material segments, inclining upward substantially in parallel to the upper edges of the main surface, as viewed from the withdrawal opening  4 . In this way, when goods are filled into the merchandise bag, the display goods are brought into the desired position smoothly and without much resistance, at the same time avoiding jamming of the goods on the bottom. 
     At the withdrawal opening  4 , both clamps  5 ,  6  merge with the respective main surface of the sidewall  2 ,  3  and extend slightly S-shaped toward each other in the direction of the rear wall  7 . In this way, the clamping effect of the two clamps  5 ,  6  is exerted on the upper portion of the inserted goods, thus always holding them in the desired upright position even if they are almost non-rigid. As can be seen from the drawings, the invention is particularly suitable for the display of high-format objects such as folded city maps, maps in general and the like. The fact that the goods are merely clamped and pressed together at the rear portion of the insertion compartment, they have enough play at the withdrawal opening  4  to ensure that they can be securely grasped for withdrawal as well as re-inserted between the other goods without damage. 
     The bottom  1  has fine longitudinal webs  10  preventing the inserted goods from slipping to the side and improving their guidance. 
     The sidewalls  2 ,  3  moreover exhibit large openings  8 —which saves weight and material and improves the visibility of the goods surfaces. The angle and radii of the rounded-off segments of the large openings have been chosen such that the goods will not abut anywhere and become damaged upon insertion. 
     The upper half of the segment of the rear wall  7  delimited by the openings  8  is formed as a push profile  9  which, when inserted into a matching reception profile of a random support means, will form a form-fit dovetail profile. The dovetail profile is subsequently reliably secured by the snap-in latch  12 . 
     The second embodiment of a device according to the invention as shown in FIG. 3 merely differs from the device according to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 by the design of the sidewalls  102 ,  103  so that the reference numerals used to designate elements of said device which correspond to elements of the device according to the first embodiment are increased by 100 compared to the reference numerals of FIGS. 1 and 2. Reference is hereby made to the respective parts of the description. 
     In contrast to the device according to the first embodiment, the device according to the second embodiment, likewise a merchandise bag, has sidewalls  102 ,  103  which are flexibly configured in their entirety. In an injection molding step, the sidewalls  102 ,  103  were shaped to have a constricted portion  120  at the withdrawal opening  104 . Consequently, the opening width of the withdrawal opening  104  at said constricted portion  120  is only about one third of the width of the withdrawal opening  104  at the bottom  101  of the device. 
     In order to facilitate the insertion of objects into the device, the device according to the second embodiment has a filling funnel  121  at its upper end opposite its bottom  1  which funnel is formed by outwardly flared upper sidewall sections  122 ,  123 . The upper sidewall sections  122 ,  123  are inclined by approx. 15° compared to the plane of the sidewalls. 
     The funnel shape of the upper sidewalls is obtained by the design of the steel mold for the injection molding process, just as the funnel shape and the constricted portion (of the flexibly configured sidewalls) are obtained in one single operation by means of the steel mold and the injection molding process. This manufacturing process can also be used for the device according to the first embodiment. 
     In order to avoid excessive material stresses in the case of deformations when objects are inserted into the bags, the upper sidewall sections  122 ,  123  are not connected to the rear wall  107 . The geometrical shape and the geometrical location of the two funnel elements have been chosen such that the funnel function is also maintained when the constricted portion unbends itself.