Patent Publication Number: US-6698598-B1

Title: Greeting card display apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to greeting card displays and more particularly pertains to a new greeting card display apparatus for displaying greeting cards. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of greeting card displays is known in the prior art. More specifically, greeting card displays heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,376; U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,526; U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,566; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 344,248; U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,317; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,360. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new greeting card display apparatus. The inventive device includes a housing having a channel designed to rest on a support surface. The housing has a plurality of display arm assemblies which are selectively couplable to the housing and pivot sideways with respect to the housing for the purpose of paging through the greeting cards. The display arms are telescopic thereby allowing them to adjust to various sizes of cards. There is a lighted section at the top of the housing for ornamental purposes, and the housings are designed as a stand-alone version, one that can encompass a circular member such as a Christmas tree, or one designed to be coupled to a flat or corner wall surface. 
     In these respects, the greeting card display apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of displaying greeting cards. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of greeting card displays now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new greeting card display apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for displaying greeting cards. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus which has many of the advantages of the greeting card displays mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new greeting card display apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art greeting card displays, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing having a channel designed to rest on a support surface. The housing has a plurality of display arm assemblies which are selectively couplable to the housing and pivot sideways with respect to the housing for the purpose of paging through the greeting cards. The display arms are telescopic thereby allowing them to adjust to various sizes of cards. There is a lighted section at the top of the housing for ornamental purposes, and the housings are designed as a stand-alone version, one that can encompass a circular member such as a Christmas tree, or one designed to be coupled to a flat or corner wall surface. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new greeting card display apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the greeting card displays mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new greeting card display apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art greeting card displays, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new greeting card display apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new greeting card display apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such greeting card display apparatus economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus which provides in the apparatuses of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus for displaying greeting cards. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus which includes a housing having a channel designed to rest on a support surface. The housing has a plurality of display arm assemblies which are selectively couplable to the housing and pivot sideways with respect to the housing for the purpose of paging through the greeting cards. The display arms are telescopic thereby allowing them to adjust to various sizes of cards. There is a lighted section at the top of the housing for ornamental purposes, and the housings are designed as a stand-alone version, one that can encompass a circular member such as a Christmas tree, or one designed to be coupled to a flat or corner wall surface. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus that displays cards in a fashion that allows them to be clearly seen and enjoyed. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new greeting card display apparatus that is producible in various sizes and designs to accommodate a number of different cards and room decor. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the standard stand-alone version of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the lower portion of the housing of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of an example of the different types of globes of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collar version of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the two different types of telescopic arms of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the telescopic arm assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the telescopic arm assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the corner wall-mounted version of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the flat wall-mounted version of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 10 thereof, a new greeting card display apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10, the greeting card display apparatus  10  generally comprises a housing  14  designed for resting on a surface. The housing  14  has at least one channel  16 . 
     A plurality of display arm assemblies  18  is coupled to the housing  14 . Each of the display arm assemblies  18  is selectively couplable to the channel  16  of the housing  14 . Each of the display arm assemblies  18  is designed for displaying greeting cards  20 . 
     The housing  14  has a lower end  22  couplable to a stanchion assembly  24 . The stanchion assembly  24  is designed for resting on a surface and supporting the housing  14  from the surface. 
     The stanchion assembly  24  has a stanchion member  26  selectively coupled to the lower end  22  of the housing  14 . The stanchion assembly  24  has a base member  28  couplable to the stanchion member  26  opposite the housing  14 . The base member  28  is designed for resting on the surface and supporting the housing  14 . 
     The base member  28  has a plurality of legs  30 . Each of the legs  30  is positioned diametrically from another of the legs  30 . Each of the legs  30  is designed for engaging the surface. 
     The housing  14  has an upper end  32 . The upper end  32  receives a lighting assembly  34  designed for emitting light. 
     The light assembly has a base portion  36 . The base portion  36  is couplable to the upper end  32  of the housing  14 . A light emitting member  38  is positioned within the base portion  36  of the light assembly. The light emitting member  38  is designed for emitting light. 
     The light assembly has a globe portion  40 . The globe portion  40  is coupled to the base portion  36 . The globe member is designed for dispersing light emitted by the light emitting member  38 . 
     The light emitting member  38  is operationally coupled to a switch  42 . The switch  42  is operationally coupled to a power source and is designed for controlling power from the power source to the light emitting device. 
     Each of the display arm assemblies  18  has a plurality of telescopic arms  44 . Each of the telescopic arms  44  is telescopically extendable with respect to an adjacent one of the telescopic arms  44  for permitting a variable length of the telescopic arms  44 . 
     Each of the display arm assemblies  18  has a connector member  46 . The connector member  46  has a pair of locking pins  48 . Each of the locking pins  48  engages one of a plurality of bores  50  of the channel  16 . 
     The telescopic arms  44  have a base arm  52 . The connector member  46  is for receiving the base arm  52  such that the locking pins  48  of the connector member  46  permit the telescopic arms  44  to be rotated with respect to the housing  14 . 
     As an alternate embodiment, the housing  14  has a perimeter wall  54 . The channel  16  extends into the perimeter wall  54 . The perimeter wall  54  comprises a first collar member  56  and a second collar member  58 . The second collar member  58  is coupled to the first collar member  56  such that the first collar member  56  and the second collar member  58  are designed for being positioned around a support member  60 . 
     The first collar member  56  and the second collar member  58  each have an arcuate inner face  62 . The arcuate inner face  62  of the first collar member  56  and the second collar member  58  is designed for engaging the support member  60  for supporting the housing  14  and display arm assemblies  18 . 
     The first collar member  56  and the second collar member  58  each have a locking flange  64 . The first collar member  56  is hingably coupled to the second collar member  58 . The locking flange  64  of the first collar member  56  is aligned with the locking flange  64  of the second collar member  58  when the first collar member  56  and the second collar member  58  engage the support member  60  such that the locking flange  64  of the first collar member  56  is engagable with the locking flange  64  of the second collar member  58  for securing the first collar member  56  to the second collar member  58 . 
     As an alternate embodiment, the housing  14  has a plurality of tabs  66 . Each of the tabs  66  has an aperture  68 . The aperture  68  of each of the tabs  66  is designed for receiving a fastener  70  for securing the housing  14  to a wall surface. 
     As an alternate embodiment, the base arm  52  of the telescopic arms  44  has a pair of the locking pins  48 . Each of the locking pins  48  engages one of the plurality of bores  50  of the channel  16 . The locking pins  48  permit the telescopic arms  44  to be rotated with respect to the housing  14 . 
     In general, the globes positioned atop the lighting assembly can be of a variety of designs to allow the user to vary the amount of light emitted, or to display different ornamental designs for particular occasions. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.