Patent Publication Number: US-2005121573-A1

Title: Mounting arrangement for product display prongs

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a mounting device for merchandise display prongs intended for displaying merchandise in shops and the like and comprising a cantilever arm, made from one or more parallel wires or rails, for carrying the merchandise, which device comprises means for receiving and securing the attachment ends of the prongs.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Merchandise display prongs of the type indicated above are widely used in shops for displaying and holding ready a great many different kinds of merchandise. The prongs can be arranged in rows located one above another, and such an arrangement of prongs can be used for displaying various types of merchandise of different size. It is sometimes desirable to exchange the merchandise on, for example, one row of prongs for other merchandise of greater or smaller height than the previous merchandise.  
      As the space in a shop is very expensive, it is desirable for it to be possible to make more effective use of available space. It is therefore important that the items of merchandise displayed on prongs are separated from one another in the vertical direction by an optimum spacing which is determined on the basis of inter alia the fact that the items are to be easy to remove from the prong and the display of the merchandise is to create an attractive visual impression at the same time as the space is to be utilized in the best way. This means inter alia that the positions of the prongs have to be changed when the merchandise they carry is exchanged for other merchandise of different size.  
     THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
      One object of the present invention is to produce a mounting device for merchandise display prongs, which inter alia allows easy adjustment of the position of the prongs in the vertical direction without the prongs having to be disengaged.  
      The invention is based on the realization that this aim can be achieved by making the mounting device for the prongs in the form of two parts, one part of which, to which the prongs are attached, can be displaced relative to the other part, which is mounted on a supporting structure.  
      In this connection, it is particularly characteristic of a mounting device of the type indicated in the first paragraph that the device comprises two interacting parts, that the first of these parts is intended to be mounted on a supporting structure, that the second part is movable relative to said first part, that said means for receiving and securing the prongs are arranged on said second part, that said parts are made with releasable locking means which make it possible to lock said second part at different heights relative to the first part so as to allow height adjustment of a merchandise display prong supported by the second part.  
      By means of a device of this type, the vertical position of a prong can be changed easily by loosening and then displacing one of said parts relative to the other, fixed part. The prong does not then have to be disengaged in connection with this adjustment, which makes this operation considerably easier.  
      It is preferred that said second part is displaceable along the first part, the second part suitably being made in the form of a slide which can slide along the first part while being guided by it.  
      The first part is suitably in the form of an elongate strip, the slide being made with guide flanges which grip over the longitudinal edge portions of the strip.  
      The locking means suitably comprise a number of adjustment notches or adjustment openings on one part and at least one projection, intended for engagement in these, on the opposite part. It is preferred that the projection is made in the form of a hook means arranged on a resilient maneuvering arm and that the arm, in the rest position, presses the hook means into engagement with the adjustment notches or adjustment openings in the first part.  
      Further features of the invention emerge from the following patent claims.  
      The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the embodiments shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a mounting device according to the invention.  
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show longitudinal sections through the device according to  FIG. 1  mounted on a bar and with component parts in two different relative positions.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a device according to the invention with merchandise display prong and holder for price label pocket mounted.  
       FIGS. 5-9  show different views of the device according to  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a mounting device according to the invention.  
       FIGS. 11 and 12  show parts of the device according to  FIG. 10 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The mounting device according to  FIG. 1  comprises a first part  1  in the form of an elongate, strip-shaped body with adjustment openings in the form of recesses  2 . The strip is provided, on the rear side, with a hook-shaped mounting means  3  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) for mounting on a supporting structure, for example comprising a horizontal tubular profile  10  of rectangular cross section.  
      Mounted on the strip  1  is a second part  4  which is in the form of a slide. The slide is provided with two opposite guide flanges  5  which grip around the edge portions of the strip  1 . The slide  4  can then be displaced along the strip while being guided by it. Reference number  6  designates a maneuvering arm which, on the inside, is made with a locking hook  7  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Both the strip  1  and the slide  4  are suitably made of plastic material.  
      As the device is intended to support what is known as a double prong  11  consisting of two parallel wires (see  FIG. 4 ), the slide  4  is made with two holes  8  intended to receive the attachment ends of the prong. Reference number  9  designates another hole in the slide  4 , which is intended for mounting a rod  12  which is to project above and parallel to the wire prong and to bear at its outer end a label holder for one or more labels with price information relating to the merchandise carried by the prong.  
      In the sectional view in  FIG. 2 , the locking hook  7  on the maneuvering arm  6  is in locking engagement with one of the recesses  2  in the strip  1 . A prong mounted on the slide  4  is then fixed in a certain vertical position in relation to the strip  1  mounted on a supporting structure.  
      When it is desired to adjust the position of the prong in the vertical direction, the maneuvering arm  6  is taken hold of and bent outward slightly, which is possible owing to the flexibility of the arm, the engagement of the locking hook  7  with the associated recess  2  being released (see  FIG. 3 ). The slide  4  with the associated prong can then be displaced in the vertical direction into the desired position, in which the slide will again be fixed when the maneuvering arm  6  is released so that the locking hook  7  can enter into renewed engagement with another recess  2 . It has then been possible for this adjustment, which is very easy to perform, to take place without the prong having had to be demounted. As a price label rod mounted in the hole  9  follows the movement of the slide  4 , this rod also will retain its position relative to the prong and the merchandise on it.  
       FIG. 5  shows a side view of a holder device according to the invention with double prong  11  and price label rod  12  mounted, and  FIGS. 6 and 7  show this arrangement seen from above and, respectively, below.  FIGS. 8 and 9  show the same arrangement seen from directly in front and, respectively, behind.  
      By virtue of the fact that the prong  11  is attached relatively high up on the slide  4 , while the locking hook  7  is located further down, a moment is obtained when the prong is loaded, which further improves the locking function of the locking hook  7 .  
       FIG. 10  shows a second embodiment of a mounting device according to the invention intended for a merchandise display prong  13  in the form of an essentially plane profiled rail. In this connection, reference number  14  designates a feed device for merchandise on the prong, which feed device can be maneuvered via a grip part  15 . Reference  16  relates to a displaceable slide, and  17  a strip with engagement openings  18 .  
      The prong  13  is pushed onto an attachment means  19  on the slide  16  (see  FIG. 12 ) and is locked by means of a plug  20  which fits in a hole  21  in the slide. As in the case of the previous embodiment, the slide  16  can be displaced along the strip  17  (see  FIG. 11 ) and locked in the desired position relative to it by means of a locking hook on the arm  6 , which enters into engagement with adjustment openings  18  in the strip.  
      The invention has been described above in connection with the embodiments shown in accompanying drawings. However, these can be varied in several respects within the scope of the patent claims. The slide can thus also be used, for example, for attaching other types of prong, such as a single wire prong. For this, only the attachment openings in the slide have to be modified so that they are suitable for the prong concerned. The mounting strip can be made with, instead of locking openings, a series of locking heels which interact with a locking hook arranged on the slide. The opposite may also be possible, that is to say the locking hook can be arranged on the strip, while locking openings or locking notches are arranged on the slide. According to the above, the mounting strip shown is intended to be mounted on a rectangular profiled bar. However, the mounting part of the strip can be varied and adapted for mounting on another bearing element without departing from the inventive idea. Likewise, the maneuvering arm on the slide can be made in such a way that it can be pressed in to release a locking engagement, for example owing to pressing-in of the end of the arm bringing about deflection of another part of the arm, where the locking hook is positioned. The slide can also be guided in another way, for example in slots in the mounting strip.