Abstract:
A shelf arrangement for storing and exhibiting products of at least a first product type and a second product type in a showroom including a first shelf of a first shelf type having at least two shelf bases and a second shelf of a second shelf type having at least two shelf bases. The first shelf base provides a first surface for exhibiting products and the second shelf base has a console attachment that provides a second surface for exhibiting products.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to a shelf arrangement. This shelf arrangement is intended for storing and exhibiting products of at least a first product type and a second, different product type in a showroom. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention pertains to a shelf arrangement intended for storing and exhibiting products. DE 19809496 discloses a console, on which compact electric appliances can be exhibited, wherein said console features a cavity for storing, for example, electric cables. DE 4002763 A1 discloses a shelf system, in which the shelf bases have a reduced depth in certain regions. This system is intended to improve the visibility of the exhibited products. JP 2006 334275 A1 discloses a shelf system that is equipped with a certain illumination arrangement for advantageously emitting, for example, blue or red light. 
         [0003]    Based on this prior art, the invention aims to make available a shelf arrangement that is suitable for an inexpensive mass production. However, the shelves should still appropriately exhibit high-quality products in a showroom. The shelf arrangement should be suitable, in particular, for different and possibly also very different products, namely at least products of a first and a second type. Despite the dissimilarity of the exhibited products, the arrangement should have a uniform overall appearance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This is achieved with: a shelf arrangement that is suitable for storing and exhibiting products of at least a first product type and a second product type in a showroom and comprises at least one first shelf of a first shelf type and at least one second shelf of a second shelf type (that differs from the first shelf type), wherein the first shelf comprises at least two shelf bases, one of which forms an uppermost shelf base, and the second shelf comprises at least two shelf bases, one of which forms an uppermost shelf base, wherein the uppermost shelf base of the first shelf provides a first surface for exhibiting products and the uppermost shelf base of the second shelf carries a console attachment that provides a second surface for exhibiting products, and wherein the uppermost shelf base of the first shelf and the uppermost shelf base of the second shelf have the same height. 
         [0005]    Consequently, an inventive shelf arrangement comprises at least two shelves, namely a shelf of a first shelf type and another shelf of a second shelf type that differs from the first shelf type. The first shelf has at least two shelf bases, but may also have three or four or more shelf bases. One of these shelf bases forms the uppermost shelf base. Analogously, the second shelf may have two, three, four or more shelf bases, one of which forms the uppermost shelf base. 
         [0006]    The uppermost shelf base of the first shelf provides a first surface for exhibiting products, i.e., products essentially can be placed over the entire surface on this shelf base. The uppermost shelf base of the second shelf, in contrast, is not primarily intended for exhibiting products. More than 60 or 70 or 80 or 90% of its surface are covered by a console attachment. This console attachment is primarily intended for exhibiting products and provides a second surface for this purpose. Although the exhibition surface of the second shelf provided by the console attachment lies higher than the exhibition surface of the first shelf, the uppermost shelf base of the second shelf has the same height as the uppermost shelf base of the first shelf. 
         [0007]    The height of these shelf bases is their height above the floor when the first and the second shelf are properly installed. 
         [0008]    The uppermost shelf base of the first shelf and the second shelf may form part of a shelf body. 
         [0009]    The shelves may be open on one side or both sides. If the shelves are open on one side, the front side is the side, from which products can be placed on the shelves. The console attachment on the second shelf is preferably inclined, particularly inclined toward the front side. In other words, the height of the console increases toward the rear side. 
         [0010]    The console attachment can be attached to the second shelf in many different ways. In one embodiment, the console stands on the uppermost shelf base of the second shelf with four legs. 
         [0011]    Individual platforms for exhibiting different products may be arranged on the console. These platforms may respectively provide a horizontal exhibition surface on an inclined console surface. The platforms may provide horizontal exhibition surfaces of different heights. 
         [0012]    The first shelf and the second shelf may respectively feature a rear wall. The rear wall may be respectively realized in such a way that it protrudes over the respective uppermost shelf base. It preferably also protrudes over the console attachment. The rear walls therefore form an optical rear boundary of the first and the second shelf. 
         [0013]    It may be advantageous to realize the rear wall of the first shelf and the rear wall of the second shelf with the same height. 
         [0014]    The rear walls may also carry information signs. These information signs may also be arranged at the same height, i.e., at least the lower edges have the same height or the upper edges have the same height or the upper edges and the lower edges have the same height. 
         [0015]    Additional product carriers may be provided on the exhibition surface of the first shelf. These product carriers may be individually adapted to different products if the exhibition surface of the first shelf carries different products. 
         [0016]    It is advantageous to offer a shelf arrangement, in which the first product type exhibited on the first shelf on average has a greater volume than the second product type exhibited on the second shelf. It may therefore be advantageous if the second shelf features more shelf bases than the first shelf. It would be possible to arrange a carrier system laterally on the first and/or on the second shelf, wherein products such as, e.g., replacement parts can either be directly suspended on said carrier system or the carrier system carries additional bases for storing and exhibiting products. 
         [0017]    The shelf arrangement may be advantageously combined with a lighting system that features lamps of a first type on the first shelf and lamps of a second type that differs from the first type on the second shelf. It would be possible, in particular, to provide lamps of the first type on the uppermost shelf base of the first shelf. It would furthermore be possible to provide lamps of the second type on the underside of the console attachment of the second shelf. In this case, a lamp of the first type may be realized in the form of a closed strip light and a lamp of the second type may be realized in the form of an open strip light. 
         [0018]    In the context of this invention, the term closed strip light refers to a strip light that comprises lamps and an enclosure that protects these lamps. The lamps may consist, for example, of light bulbs or LED lamps. The enclosure may be rigid or flexible, wherein a suitable rigid enclosure consists of a tube of translucent glass or an alabaster- colored tube with a round or angular profile, for example, a circular, elliptical, rectangular, square or triangular profile. In an open strip light, in contrast, the lamps are not covered by an enclosure (other than their own outer shell). 
         [0019]    Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a shelf arrangement; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a first shelf of the shelf arrangement; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  depicts a side view of a second shelf of the shelf arrangement. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    According to  FIG. 1 , the inventive shelf system ( 10 ) comprises a first shelf ( 11 ) and a second shelf ( 12 ). Both shelves respectively feature shelf bases ( 14 ). The first shelf ( 11 ) has an uppermost shelf base ( 16 ) and the second shelf ( 12 ) has an uppermost shelf base ( 18 ). The schematic representation indicates that the respective uppermost shelf bases form a shelf body together with the two sidewalls and a base plate. The second shelf ( 12 ) features a console attachment ( 20 ). Both shelves have a rear wall ( 22 ) that protrudes over the respective uppermost shelf bases. The rear wall of both shelves carries an information sign ( 24 ). 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the first shelf ( 11 ). The shelf body ends with the uppermost shelf base ( 16 ). This shelf base provides an exhibition surface that is rearwardly limited by the rear wall ( 22 ). This rear wall may be realized in one piece such that it simultaneously forms the rear wall of the body and the rear limitation of the exhibition surface of the uppermost base ( 16 ). According to the invention, it would also be possible, however, to utilize a multipart rear wall. The rear wall may advantageously carry an information sign ( 24 ), particularly if it protrudes over the uppermost base ( 16 ). According to  FIG. 2 , a closed strip light ( 32 ) may be provided in the rear region of the uppermost base ( 16 ). This strip light may either be mounted on the uppermost base ( 16 ) or on the rear wall ( 22 ) if it protrudes over the uppermost base. It may be positioned exactly along the rear edge of the uppermost base ( 16 ) that is defined by the rear wall ( 22 ). A closed strip light of circular cross section is illustrated in this figure. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the second shelf. The uppermost shelf base ( 18 ) carries the console attachment ( 20 ), the height of which increases in the direction of the shelf rear wall ( 22 ). The console attachment stands on the uppermost shelf base ( 18 ) with front and rear legs. The console attachment also carries an illuminating device. This illuminating device is realized in the form of an open strip light ( 30 ) arranged on the underside of the console. It would be conceivable to provide such an open strip light ( 30 ) on the rear side of the console or on the front side of the console or on the front and the rear side of the console. In addition, the right side and the left side of the console may also carry a strip light. Such lateral strip lights are preferably also arranged on the underside of the console. 
         [0026]    In addition to the console attachment ( 20 ), this figure also shows a rear wall ( 22 ) and an information sign ( 24 ) for orientation purposes. The console ( 20 ) features a platform with a first height ( 26 ) and a platform with a second height ( 28 ). Both platforms provide a horizontal surface that is suitable as an exhibition surface. It should be noted that this figure shows a purely schematic representation and the inclined surfaces of both platforms actually lie flush on the console attachment ( 20 ). Even if the platforms lie flush on the console attachment, the exhibition surface of the platform with the first height ( 26 ) lies much lower than the exhibition surface of the platform ( 28 ). This provides numerous options for exhibiting products in a space-saving and appealing fashion. Platforms of this type may be useful, in particular, for exhibiting small electric appliances. 
         [0027]    The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.” 
         [0028]    Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern. 
         [0029]    While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.