Patent Publication Number: US-2013240461-A1

Title: Product display tower

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a multi-sided product display tower for maximizing the display space of various tools, accessories, and the like for retailers, and, more particularly, to permit the display of items from any corner of the product display tower as well as from any side. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Merchandise displays have evolved over the years, and retailers have sought improved ways to at least: (1) prominently display various types of goods, including featured and promotional items, (2) facilitate the stocking of merchandise on or in displays, and to the ease of removal by a consumer for both inspection and purchase, and (3) maximize the quantity/volume of merchandise per display, while at the same time minimizing the floor space requirement. 
     With respect to the prominent display of various goods, vendors and retailers have developed numerous alternatives including the placement and location of displays within a retail facility, the uniqueness of the shape of the display, e.g., how products might be stacked or arranged in a unique geometry to portray a particular theme, and the use of innovative signage. 
     With regard to the stocking and removal of merchandise, numerous bins, racks, trays, hangers, shelves, etc. having been developed to accommodate various types of goods. For example, angled trays, shelves, and hangers have been developed so that products stocked on a shelf, tray, or hanger will slide or roll downwardly when a consumer removes the forwardmost item from the shelf, tray, or hanger. 
     Lastly, with respect to maximizing the quantity/volume of merchandise per display, while at the same time minimizing the floor space requirement, display vendors and retailers have sought, among other solutions, innovative packaging to minimize package sizes to contain the same quantity of products, e.g., shrink wrapping, and various geometries for the displays themselves. For example, displays have been developed wherein products may be displayed on both sides of a single vertical display, and multi-sided and rotating displays have been designed. However, product display has been limited to placement within the height and width of the individual vertical walls/sections forming the display. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a novel product/merchandise display tower, which is so constructed that it permits the placement of merchandise not only on the vertical surfaces of the product display tower, but also permits the placement of merchandise about each of the corners of the display tower. 
     The display tower is primarily intended for larger items such as a variety of handheld tools such as trimmers, pruners, and the like. The tower includes a plurality of vertically extending corner poles supported at the upper and lower extremities by a header and base. The tower is preferably four sided, but could have three, five, six or more sides. A plurality of horizontally spaced support wires extend between and are connected to the corner poles (or at least some of them) to form product display supports. One or more corner brackets formed of a product carrier member, a pair of legs extend angularly from the product carrier, each terminating at a hanger plate. The brackets are so configured that they may be selectively attached to and supported by corresponding support wires on adjacent sides of the display tower. Thus products can be displayed from the corners of the display tower, as well as from the sides. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the product display tower comprises a base assembly having multiple sides and corners. A plurality of corner poles, posts, or tubes corresponding in number to the number of corners extend upwardly proximate each of the corners. A plurality of support assemblies corresponding in number to the number of sides of the base assembly each comprise at least two vertical support members. Each vertical support member has a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support wires extending therebetween and interconnected thereto. Each support assembly is attached between an adjacent pair of poles to form product display attachments on each of the sides of the product display tower. A header assembly has a corresponding number of corners, which are interconnected to each of the upwardly extending poles. Thus, the spaced-apart support wires are so dimensioned and configured to receive product brackets that are shaped to attach to the spaced-apart supports so that products may be displayed from each of the sides of the product display tower. Further, and importantly the product display tower is so configured and dimensioned that corner brackets, which also carry product (probably larger product) may be attached to spaced-apart supports on adjacent sides of the product display tower so that the corner brackets may be attached about the corners of the tower. Thus, products may be displayed around the entire periphery, i.e., 360 degrees, of the product display tower. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the product display tower in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the product display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a close-up view of a portion of one of the horizontally spaced-apart support member of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the base assembly of the display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cut-away view of a portion of the tower of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the placement and configuration of the support assemblies; 
         FIGS. 5 ,  5 A and  5 B illustrate the configuration and mounting details of a support assembly on each side of the product display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 6 and 6A  are top perspective and top views, respectively, of the header assembly of the product display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are top perspective views of two exemplary corner brackets suitable for attachment on the product display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are perspective and side views respectively of the hanger plates used to attach a corner bracket to the adjacent sides of the product display tower of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIGS. 8C and 8D  are perspective and top views respectively of a corner bracket illustrating how the legs of the bracket are arranged and connected to the hanger plates. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, which, of course, is limited only by the claims below. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, modifications, and improvements are within the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to the Figures in general, and to  FIGS. 1 through 2A , in particular, the present invention is directed to a product, or merchandise display tower, designated generally as  100 , for the retail display of tools, accessories, and like items in a retail showroom environment, and which addresses the problems described above. While the tower is described for displaying tools and the like, it could also be used for other lengthy items such as brooms, some appliances, vacuums, and others. 
     As used herein, the term “tower” may refer to a display of varying height and width, and which is generally free-standing on a retail showroom floor. The product display tower  100  of the present invention, in one embodiment, comprises a base  110 , corner poles  120 , a support assembly  130 , and a header  150 . 
     A simplified environmental view of the product display tower  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . Tools T and T 2 , shown here as edgers/trimmers, are displayed on the corners of the tower  100 . Other items T 3  can be attached to the sides. The power heads of the tools T 1 , T 2  are supported by corner brackets  200  ( FIG. 7A ) and the lower portions of the shafts of tools T 1 , T 2  are supported, maintained substantially vertical, and limited in transverse movement by the boom channels  370  of corner brackets  300 . Corner brackets  200  and  300  are but two exemplary corner brackets that may be constructed utilizing the common corner bracket structure described herein and illustrated in  FIGS. 8A-8D . Other brackets may have the tool carrier configured differently. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the base assembly  110  is shown as being generally square, having four sides; however, it will be appreciated that the baseframe assembly  110 , and thus the product display tower  100 , may comprise as few as three sides and more than four sides, as is determined to be most practical and desirable for display of the particular types of tools and accessories. In the embodiment shown, the four-sided base assembly  110  comprises four baseframe feet  112 , a baseframe mount  114  centered within the four-sided assembly, and baseframe cross-members  116 , which interconnect the mount  114  with opposed feet  112 . 
     The baseframe feet  112  are formed of 1.5 inch×1.5 inch, 16 gauge steel tubing, and the baseframe cross-members  116  are formed of 1 inch by 1 inch, 16 gauge steel tubing. The baseframe mount  114  comprises a solid baseplate  114   a  that is formed of 0.125 ( 1/8 ) inch stainless steel. Flanges  114   b  extend downwardly from each of the four sides to form a box-like, hollow structure. As shown in  FIG. 3 , mounting holes  114   c  are formed proximate the four corners of the baseplate  114   a  for mounting of each pole assembly, as described in greater detail below. Notches  114   d  are formed in the flanges, corresponding in cross-section to the cross-members  116 , whereby the baseplate  114   a  is in contact with and directly supported by the cross-members  116 . The baseframe feet  112 , baseframe mount  114 , and cross-members  116  are interconnected by a suitable welding technique. As will be appreciated, the materials comprising the components of the base assembly  110  may be any suitable load-bearing, rigid metals. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the base assembly  110  is approximately 24 inches square and the baseframe mount  114  is approximately 12 inches square; however, dimensions may be varied to form a larger base assembly, or the base assembly may be elongated into a rectangular geometry, so long as stability of the tower is sufficiently maintained for the intended application. Further, the entire base assembly  110  may comprise a singular baseframe mount  114 , which incorporates baseframe feet. Optionally, the baseframe feet  112  may include adjustable levelers  115  (not shown) beneath at least two of the opposing baseframe feet  112  for adjustment when the product display tower is positioned on an unlevel floor space. Again where the tower is to be other than four sided, the base would be shaped and constructed correspondingly. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the embodiment shown comprises four 2 inch×2 inch corner poles,  122  formed of 14-gauge steel to be mounted to the four corner holes  114   c  of the baseframe mount  114 . Note the corner posts illustrated and used in this embodiment are actually angle bars (2 sides). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a generally 2 inch×2 inch mounting tab  124  is welded at each end of each pole  122 , having a mounting hole or aperture  126  formed therethrough. The mounting tabs  124  are also 14 gauge steel, approximately 0.188 inches in thickness. The mounting hole  126  in each tab  124  is approximately 0.30 inches in diameter. Welded to the inner side of each mounting hole  126  is a 0.25 inch 20 weldnut  127  to facilitate threaded attachment. Each of the four poles  122  is subsequently mounted to the baseframe mount  114  baseplate  114   a  with a threaded bolt (not shown), wherein the bolt is inserted from beneath the baseframe mount  114  through the holes  114   c  and  126 , and then threaded through the weldnut  127 , and tightened. 
     A series of holes  129  also is formed in each side of each pole  122 . Referring again to  FIG. 4 , a series of four holes  129 , evenly spaced apart, are formed through each side, the holes being approximately 0.38 inches in diameter. As explained below, the holes  129  are formed on approximately 24-inch centers, with the holes  129  at either end of each pole  122  being formed approximately 2 inches from each end. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 2A ,  5  and  5 A through  5 C, the support assembly  130  of the product display tower  100  comprises a support panel  132  for attachment to each side of the tower  100 . As best shown in  FIG. 5 , each support panel  132  comprises a pair of vertical stretcher wires  133  to which are affixed spaced pairs  135  of horizontally extending, spaced-apart support wires  135   a, b . The vertical wires  133  are formed of steel and are approximately 0.25 inches in diameter, and evenly spaced apart horizontally at about 9.0 inches, center-to-center. 
     Each spaced pair  135  of horizontally extending spaced-apart support wires  135   a, b  are also formed of steel, with diameters of approximately 0.25 inches. Each support wire  135   a, b  is dimensioned to support up to about 75 pounds. Each wire is spot-welded proximate its opposed ends to each of the vertical wires  133  sufficiently to support the loads for which they are intended, As best shown in  FIG. 2A , each pair of wires  135  is spaced apart vertically approximately 0.63 inches center to center (dimension A), with the top support wires  135   a  of adjacent pairs  135  spaced apart vertically approximately 3.0 inches center-to-center (dimension B). This spacing has been selected to accommodate the attachment of both conventional existing pegboard-style hooks and the hanger plates of the corner brackets of the present invention. In the pegboard hooks, the upper hooks would protrude through the opening between the wires of a pair and the bottom of the hook would rest against the next lower pair. When used with the hanger plates of  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, end  210   b  would loop over the upper wire of one set of wires and tab  210   d  would snap beneath the lower wire of the next lower set. See  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     To attach each panel  132  to an adjacent pair of poles  122 , as well as to ensure stability, rigidity, and integrity of the product support tower  100 , each support panel  132  is attached to adjacent pairs of poles  122  with weldnuts  137  through the spaced holes  129 , best shown in  FIGS. 4 through 5B . As best shown in  FIG. 5B , the weldnuts  137  are situated between selected pairs of support wires  135 , the weldnuts  137  also having a center-to-center spacing of about 24 inches, corresponding to the center-to-center spacing of holes  129  formed through the poles  122 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 6A , the header assembly  150  of the product display tower  100  is shown. The header assembly comprises a boxlike structure having four rectangular-shaped face panels  152 , each face panel formed of 16 gauge steel pieces that are joined together by welding. Slots  152   e  are formed inside the corner of each face  152  for the interchangeability of signage or other graphics  158  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). 
     A pair of cross-members  155  extends between two opposing faces  152  and are preferably interconnected by welding to the bottom member  152   a  of each opposing face  152 . Each of the cross-members  155  comprises a pair of spaced-apart holes  156 . The spaced-apart holes  156  in each cross-member  155  are spaced to ensure that all four holes  156  (two per cross-member  155 ) properly align with the holes in the mounting holes  126  in the tabs  124  at the top end of each pole  122 , so that threaded fasteners (not shown) may be inserted through holes  156  and  126 , and then threaded into weldnuts  137  of the mounting tabs  124 , and tightened. This completes construction of the product display tower  100 . 
     Having fully described the construction of the product display tower  100  itself, the design of the novel brackets will now be described. Numerous bracket types for supporting different items may be designed for attachment to the product display tower  100  described herein, including those for attachment to the individual side support panels  132 ; however, one aspect of a product display tower  100  configuration, as described herein, is that it permits a novel corner bracket to be attached to two adjacent sides of the display tower  100  so that products may hang outwardly from the corners of the display tower  100 . Thus, products, such as power trimmers/edgers, may now be more easily displayed on a rectangular or square product display tower  100 , which also increases the number of products that may be displayed on a single tower. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  8 A-D, the construction of the corner bracket of the present invention is illustrated. The basic component upon which the corner bracket is constructed is the hanger plate shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . The hanger plate  210 ,  310 , etc. (which is common to all corner brackets) is a vertical elongate steel plate, having a substantially flat outer surface  210   a,    310   a.  As best shown in  FIG. 8B , the hanger plate  210 ,  310  comprises a upper inverted U-shaped end  210   b,    310   b  at its upper end for looping over and engaging the upper horizontal support wire  135   a  in each support wire pair  135 . An arcuate inwardly turned lower end  210   c,    310   c,  in combination with the vertical length of the hanger plate, positively engages the lower horizontal support wire  135   b  in the wire pair  135  immediately below. A tab  210   d,    310   d  extends inwardly from the turned lower end  210   c,    310   c  for releasing the hanger plate from engagement with the support wires  135   a  (upper pair) and  135   b  (lower pair). Further, as best shown in  FIG. 8B , the intermediates support wires  135   b  (upper pair) and  135   a  (lower pair) provide additional support and stability to the hanger plate  210 ,  310 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8C and 8D , beginning with the hanger plates  210 ,  310 , the common structure of one of the many possible corner bracket designs is illustrated. As shown in the Figures, the corner bracket construction requires a pair of hanger plates  210 ,  310  for attachment to adjacent support sections  132  of the product display tower  100 . Attached, to each hanger plate, preferably by welding, is a 90 degree (shown as θ in  FIG. 8D ) corner bridge wire  220 ,  320 , which adjoins the hanger plates  210 ,  310  together proximate the lower edges of the outer surface  210   a,    310   a  of each hanger plate. A corner hook support wire  240 ,  340  comprises a vertical leg  240   a,    340   a  that is attached to each of the hanger plate outer surfaces  210   a,    310   a,  and then turns outwardly at its upper end at about a 90 degree angle with a leg  240   b,    340   b  extending horizontally outwardly. As shown in the Figures, the legs  240   b,    340   b  are angled to merge toward the center of the corner bracket, at which point horizontal support wires  240   c,    340   c  extend outwardly substantially parallel therefrom. Lastly, a upwardly-angled and outwardly-extending, U-shaped gusset wire  250 ,  350  interconnects the corner bridge wire  220 ,  320  to the horizontal support wires  240   c,    340   c  to provide additional bracing support to the horizontal support wires  240   c,    340   c.    
     Turning lastly to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , two of many exemplary embodiments of corner brackets are shown, each comprising the common structure described above.  FIG. 7A  is an exemplary corner bracket  200  for a power tool such as an edger or other elongated tool having a shaft and a power head. Extending transverse to and then turning outwardly is a price hook  260 , to which pricing information/tags, etc. may be affixed or hung. The price hook  260  is also spot welded to the horizontal support wires  240   c.  Affixed to the free ends of the horizontal support wires  240   c  is a product carrier member in the form of a cradle wire  270 , which comprises a C-shaped cradle that is dimensioned for receiving the shaft and supporting the power head of the tool. Also extending downwardly from the ends of the support wires is a stabilizing support  280  to provide stability for the tool and to hold the shaft of the tool in a substantially vertical position so that it does not swing inwardly on the product display tower  100 . 
       FIG. 7B  is an exemplary corner bracket  300 , similar to bracket  200  except having product carrier member in the form of a boom channel  370 . This type of corner bracket  300  is intended to be attached to the product display tower at a lower position for the purpose of supporting the boom, or shaft of a power tool, such as a trimmer. An inverted U-shaped support  340   d  extends upwardly from the free ends of the support wires  340   c  for attachment, by welding to the rear surface of the boom channel  370 , which is mounted in a substantially vertical orientation. All other features of the corner bracket  300  are common to the corner bracket  200 . 
     Although the present invention has been described with exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.