Patent Abstract:
An adjustable bracket assembly has a hooked attachment prong or flange that is adjustable at the end of a faceout by way of a threaded screw between the end of the faceout and the bracket flange. The hooked attachment flange is shaped to fit within all slots within the various manufacturers&#39; standards. Generally, once the attachment flange is inserted within a slot, the flange end cannot turn within the standard. The faceout is attached to the standard from outside the display by remotely inserting the flange into a slot and turning the faceout bar, thereby screwing the faceout tightly against the standard. The faceout bar could be telescoping to allow the attachment flange to be inserted within the slot from an even greater distance away.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to the field of support systems for use in display devices and other elements. More particularly, this invention relates to support bracket assemblies for adjustably securing a horizontal mounting bar to an upright member for height-adjustable support of display shelves.  
           [0002]    In the field of retail sales, items for sale or other merchandise is generally displayed on a display or support system. Many different forms of custom-built support systems are known, and these generally include partition walling and upright support posts. The upright support posts of such retail merchandise display units, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 1, often called “standards,” are generally made of roll formed steel sections mounted into weighted bases. Such standards typically have vertically-oriented slots cut into the front of the standards along the height of the standard, from top to bottom, and these slots are of varied height, width, depth (thickness of the standard), slot-to-slot spacing and slot-to-edge spacing. Wall structures, themselves also often having apertures formed therethrough, are typically held between the standards.  
           [0003]    Other elements, such as horizontal pole brackets or bars (called “faceouts”), shelves, drawers or the like, can be adjustably secured to the standards by interaction between the slots and hooked prongs or flanges that are formed on the attachment portion of the faceouts, shelves or other attachments, also as shown in FIG. 1. These prongs or flanges are either integrally formed as part of the attachment portion of the faceout or are welded or soldered onto the attachment end of the faceout after manufacture. A typical prior art attachment flange has a gripping gap, as shown in FIG. 1, within which the bottom edge of the slot, i.e., the thickness of the standard, fits snugly when the attachment flange is inserted into the slot and forced downwards. By removing the attachment flange from one slot in the standard and setting it within another slot, faceout bars and other attachments can be vertically adjustable relative to the upright, so as to allow the retailer to raise or lower these attachments and the items displayed thereon, as desired.  
           [0004]    Typically, however, once a display unit is constructed, adjusting the height and positions of shelves or individual faceouts can be very difficult, and adjusting the height and position of an entire shelving unit can be that much more onerous. This is especially so where the shelves or standards are placed in close relation to one another, where the shelving units project away from the wall and where the items are already loaded onto the display unit. In each of these instances, it will be very difficult to maneuver the hooked attachment prongs or flanges into the slots for height adjustment, and often the entire display must be deconstructed in order to adjust even just one portion of the display. A means to remotely adjust the faceout position without having to break apart the entire display is needed.  
           [0005]    In retail situations, there is a need for a faceout to be quickly and easily adjustable so that a salesperson can change the retail display without using tools. In addition, because these displays are often changed and moved about by people who are not skilled technicians, the adjustability of the faceouts should be foolproof, sturdy and tight-fitting so that the displays will not be broken during adjustment and so that, once adjusted, the position of the faceout will not change. Unfortunately, many of the assemblies that use screws or other external attachment mechanisms for adjustment are not suitable, because tools are generally required for adjustment of these mechanisms, and there is often little or no room for manipulation of tools at the retail site. In addition, even if tools were not required and they can be installed by hand, there is often very little room between or among display units for manipulation of hands in installation of faceouts.  
           [0006]    In addition, the slots that are cut into the front of the standards along the height of the standard, from top to bottom, are very often unique from manufacturer to manufacturer and from standard to standard, often varying in height, width, spacing between slots, spacing from slot to edge and particularly depth, i.e., the thickness of the material of the standard. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical prior art attachment flange has a gripping gap within which the bottom edge of the slot fits snugly when the attachment flange is inserted into the slot and forced downwards. Accordingly, the hooked attachment flanges that are used with the standards are likely to be slot-specific, meaning that each attachment flange will fit tightly and best onto the bottom edge of one sized slot and will be loosely-fit or will be too small for other slots. This often causes confusion and improperly constructed shelving units, as hooked attachment flanges that are meant to be used with one standard and its slots may be used with another standard and its slots. Even worse, a display unit constructed using attachment flanges that do not match the standard may collapse due to the improper construction of the display unit. Moreover, if a particular retailer possesses a specific standard or wall unit, any display that is built for that retailer using that standard or wall unit will necessarily have to employ only hooked attachment flanges that are specific for and fit within the slots of that standard or wall unit of the retailer. This is inconvenient for the display designer, who is now obligated to use the attachment flanges that match the standard possessed by the retailer instead of other, perhaps more appropriate, attachment flanges. Thus, there is a need for a universal faceout attachment flange that is adjustable so as to be used with all different sizes of slots.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an improved assembly for securely attaching a horizontal faceout display bar to an upright standard or wall unit for retail display purposes.  
           [0008]    It is another object of this invention to provide an improved retail display apparatus that would allow a horizontal faceout display to be easily and quickly removed from and secured to an upright standard or wall unit while still providing a secure and stable attachment.  
           [0009]    It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved display apparatus having an attachment assembly that allows a horizontal faceout display bar to be easily and securely attached to an upright standard or wall unit from a distance away.  
           [0010]    It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved display apparatus having an attachment assembly that is universal such that it could be used with most if not all display unit attachment slots.  
           [0011]    These and other objects and advantages of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the invention by providing a hooked attachment prong, flange or bracket that is adjustable at the end of a faceout by way of a threaded screw between the end of the faceout and the bracket prong. The hooked attachment prong or flange is shaped to fit within all slots within the various manufacturers&#39; standards. Generally, once the attachment flange or prong is inserted within a slot, the prong end cannot turn within the standard. The faceout is attached to the standard from outside the display by remotely inserting the prongs into a slot and turning the faceout bar, thereby screwing the faceout tightly against the standard. The faceout bar could be telescoping to allow the attachment flange to be inserted within the slot from an even greater distance away.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the reference characters refer to like parts throughout and in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art slotted standard and faceout having an attachment flange;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 shows a side view of the prior art apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 shows a side and partially transparent view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the attachment flange. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art upright support post or standard  10  of a retail merchandise display unit, which is generally made of roll formed steel and is mounted into a weighted base. Standard  10  typically has vertically-oriented slots  12  cut into the front side  14  of the standard  10  along its height. Standard  10  may also have sides  11  on either side of front side  14  for support of standard  10 . Separate attachment elements, collectively called faceouts  16 , can be adjustably secured to standard  10  by interaction between slots  12  and hooked prongs or flanges  18 , one or more of which are formed on the attachment portion of faceouts  16 . Attachment flanges  18  are generally either integrally formed as part of faceout  16  or are welded or soldered onto the end of faceout  16  after manufacture. A typical prior art attachment flange  18  has a gripping gap  24  between the tip  20  and base  22  of flange  18 , within which the bottom edge  13  of slot  12 , i.e., the thickness of standard  10 , fits snugly when attachment flange  18  is inserted into slot  12  and forced downwards onto bottom edge  13  of slot  12 , as shown in FIG. 2. Faceout  16  and other attachments can be vertically adjustable relative to the standard  10  by removing attachment flange  18  from one slot  12  in standard  10  and setting it within another slot  12 .  
         [0019]    Referring to the drawings, in particular to FIG. 3, the retrofit faceout bracket of the present invention consists preferably of an attachment flange  28  that cooperates with a faceout  26 . Attachment flange  28  is shaped preferably as the letter “T”, having two distal, free ends  30 , 31 , an elongated proximal base portion  32  for adjustable mounting to faceout  26 , and a neck  33  between free ends  30 , 31  and base portion  32 . Elongated base portion  32  is most preferably a threaded bolt. Attachment flange  28  could be formed in any of many known ways and with any of many known materials, but is preferably formed of a molded plastic or a metal, such as roll formed steel or aluminum, for strength and relative inexpensiveness, and made such that free ends  30 , 31 , neck  33  and attachment base  32  are all integrally formed.  
         [0020]    Faceout  26  can have any shape, as it normally would, as a horizontal pole bracket or bar, shelf, drawer or the like. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, faceout  26  has a shaft  25 , at the proximal, attachment end  27  of which attachment flange  28  is adjustably mounted. A second, telescoping faceout portion  26 ′ may be used in order to provide faceout  26  with additional extension when used in a tight spot. Attachment end  27  preferably has an end cap  34  with a flat face  35 . Attachment end  27  preferably also has an annular bore  36 , which is most preferably threaded, in at least the region closest to end cap  34 . Threaded bolt  32  fits into annular bore  36  and is adjustable relative thereto due to cooperation between the respective threads on threaded bolt  32  and annular bore  36 .  
         [0021]    As shown in FIG. 4, faceout  26  is attached to standard  10  by first threading bolt  32  part of the way into annular bore  36 . Attachment flange  28  is then inserted into slot  12  within standard  10  and moved downward so that neck  33  of attachment flange  28  rests on bottom edge  13  of slot  12 . In order to set attachment flange  28  within slot  12 , shaft  25  of faceout  26  is then twisted (screwed), preferably clockwise, so that bolt  32  proceeds farther into bore  36  and so that free ends  30 , 31  are drawn closer to cap  34 . Generally, free ends  30 , 31  do not turn within standard  10 ; this is often due either to friction between free ends  30 , 31  and the back side of standard  10  or to the fact that free ends  30 , 31  are prevented from turning because they abut against and are braced by the sides of standard  10 . In order to create friction between free ends  30 , 31  and the back side  15  of standard  10 , faceout  26  is pulled away from standard  10  at the time shaft  25  is being twisted or screwed, such that free ends  30 , 31  abut the back side  15  as bolt  32  is being screwed into bore  36 .  
         [0022]    Faceout  26  is twisted to such an extent and bolt  32  proceeds into bore  36  until the point that free ends  30 , 31  of flange  28  and flat face  35  of end cap  34  grip and clamp standard  10  between them. In this position, once attachment is complete, flat face  35  abuts the front side  14  of standard  10 , and free end  30  of attachment flange  28  abuts the back side  15  of standard  10 . As such, faceout  26  is thereby screwed tightly against standard  10 . Because the gripping gap between flange  28  free ends  30 , 31  and flat face  35  is adjustable due to the threading action of bolt  32  in bore  36 , faceout  26  can be used with a standard of any front wall thickness.  
         [0023]    If desired, a washer  38  having a flat face  39  may be placed between attachment flange  28  and end cap  34  of faceout  26 , as shown in FIG. 3. Washer  38  has a central aperture  40  through which threaded bolt  32  of attachment flange  28  is passed. When washer  38  is used with attachment flange  28 , as shown in FIG. 4, attachment flange  28  is set within slot  12  such that standard  10  is gripped and clamped between free ends  30 , 31  and flat face  39  of washer  38 . In this position, flat face  39  abuts the front side  14  of standard  10 , and free end  30  of attachment flange  28  abuts the back side  15  of standard  10 .  
         [0024]    In an alternative embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 5, attachment flange  28 ′ is shaped as the letter “L” and has only one distal, free end  30 ′, which is bent downward. When this alternative embodiment is used, the attachment of faceout  26  to standard  10  is accomplished without much change from its attachment using the first embodiment of FIG. 3. Bolt  32 ′ is first threaded into annular bore  36  of faceout  26 , and attachment flange  28 ′ is then inserted into slot  12  within standard  10  and moved downward so that neck  33 ′ of attachment flange  28 ′ rests on bottom edge  13  of slot  12  and so that free end  30 ′ points downward. Faceout  26  is then twisted, preferably clockwise, so that bolt  32 ′ proceeds further into bore  36  and so that free end  30 ′ is drawn closer to cap  34 . Faceout  26  is twisted further such that standard  10  is gripped and clamped between free end  30 ′ and flat face  35  of end cap  34 . In this position, flat face  35  abuts the front side  14  of standard  10 , and free end  30 ′ of attachment flange  28 ′ abuts the back side  15  of standard  10 .  
         [0025]    When it is desired for the vertical position of faceout  26  to be changed, shaft  25  of faceout  26  is twisted (unscrewed), preferably counterclockwise, so that attachment flange  28  is threaded out of bore  36 , and the grip of free ends  30 , 31  and end cap  34  is loosened. Again, free ends  30 , 31  turn within standard  10  due only either to friction between free ends  30 , 31  and the back side of standard  10  or to the fact that free ends  30 , 31  are prevented from turning because they abut against and are braced by the sides of standard  10 . Friction between free ends  30 , 31  and the back side  15  of standard  10  can be created by pulling faceout  26  away from standard  10  at the time shaft  25  is being twisted or screwed, such that free ends  30 , 31  abut the back side  15  as bolt  32  is being screwed out of bore  36 . Once attachment flange  28  has been loosened from slot  12 , faceout  26  is lifted slightly, in order to allow free ends  30 , 31  of attachment flange  28  to be disengaged from back side  15  of standard  10 , free ends  30 , 31  are removed from slot  12 , and attachment flange  28  is pulled away from standard  10 . The height of the faceout  26  relative to standard  10  can then be readjusted by resetting attachment flange  28  into another slot  12 .  
         [0026]    In order to allow the faceout  26  to easily and firmly attach to slotted standard  10 , even when standard  10  is equipped with custom designed slots  12  whose widths, depths or spacing is not typical, attachment flange  28  need not necessarily match slots  12  in standard  10  in both depth and spacing, provided that the width of attachment flange  28  from the farthest edge of free end  30  to the farthest edge of free end  31  is less than the length and width of slot  12 , in order that attachment flange  28  will fit within slot  12 .  
         [0027]    Thus, an adjustable universal faceout bracket has been provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0