Abstract:
A modular display platform comprises at least two sections of the same shape. Each section is fixedly disposed next to an adjacent section in staggered relationship such that a perimeter sections form a stepped pattern for facilitating the abutting and interlocking of additional platforms thereat. The sections form a support surface for products disposed thereon. A sidewall is disposed generally along at least a portion of the perimeter and has an edge for engaging an external mounting surface. The support surface and the sidewall cooperate to define a recess. At least one standoff is disposed within the recess and has a surface extending in a direction generally parallel to that of the sidewall from a proximal end adjacent to the support surface to a distal end for engaging the external surface in order to strengthen the support surface at locations inwardly of the perimeter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/459,597 filed on Apr. 2, 2003 entitled “Modular Display Platform”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to platforms for supporting and displaying products, and more particularly to modular platforms that can be abutted with one another in various permutations to provide a display of products that cooperate to form numerous three dimensional patterns or shapes. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Platforms supporting and displaying products for purchase are well-known. Such platforms can serve several purposes. For example, one purpose is to provide a slight space between the products and the floor in order to minimize water damage should the floor become wet or to enable air to circulate beneath the products. Another purpose is to dispose the products at an elevated position closer to eye level for enhanced visibility. 
   A drawback with prior platforms is that such platforms can be extremely heavy and therefore difficult to move. Prior platforms, such as wooden crate platforms, can be an eye sore as well as dangerous to handle because of rough surfaces that can release splinters. Such platforms are typically square or rectangular, and require additional components to interlock adjacent platforms together in order to enhance stability to the overall structure. Further, prior platforms that are significantly larger than the products stacked thereon can be wasteful in consuming floor space when not completely covered with products. Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to overcome the above-identified drawbacks of prior display platforms. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A modular display platform comprises at least two sections of substantially the same shape for supporting products such as, for example boxes or crates holding cans of beverages such as soda or beer. More specifically, the number of sections can range, for example, from two to ten. The sections are preferably fabricated from a material including high density polyethylene (HPDE) such as HPDE injection molded plastic. The sections are preferably rectangular and integrally molded with one another to form a unitary structure. Each section is fixedly disposed next to at least one adjacent section in staggered relationship such that a perimeter of the at least two sections cooperate to form a stepped pattern for facilitating the abutting and interlocking of additional platforms at the perimeter. The at least two sections cooperate to include a support surface for products disposed thereon and extends generally over an area bounded by the perimeter. In a preferred embodiment, each section has a width of about 10 inches, a length of about 19 inches, and a height of about 3 inches. Moreover, each section is preferably offset from an adjacent segment by about 4.75 inches in a direction along a length of the sections. 
   A sidewall is disposed generally along at least a portion of the perimeter and extends in a direction generally transverse to that of the support surface from a proximal end adjacent to the support surface to a distal end having an edge for engaging an external mounting surface. In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall is disposed substantially along the entire perimeter. The support surface and the sidewall cooperate to define a recess in order to reduce the overall weight and cost of the platform. 
   At least one standoff is disposed within the recess and has a surface extending in a direction generally parallel to that of the sidewall from a proximal end adjacent to the support surface to a distal end for engaging the external surface in order to strengthen the support surface at locations inwardly of the perimeter. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the standoffs are generally cylindrical and define a generally hollow interior in order to minimize the additional weight and cost of the platform as a result of providing the standoffs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a modular display platform embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the modular display platform of  FIG. 1A  with the support surface removed. 
       FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking crates of two-liter beverages on the modular display platform of  FIG. 1A . 
       FIG. 1D  is a perspective view of the visual display resulting from stacking boxes containing cans of beverage on the modular display platform of  FIG. 1A . 
       FIG. 1E  is a perspective view of the visual display resulting from stacking a combination of crates and boxes on the modular display platform of  FIG. 1A . 
       FIG. 2A  is a top plan view schematically illustrating an overall shape of abutting together four modular display platforms. 
       FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking boxes on the modular display platforms abutted together a shown in  FIG. 2A . 
       FIG. 3A  is a top plan view schematically illustrating another overall shape of abutting together four modular display platforms. 
       FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking boxes on the modular display platforms abutted together a shown in  FIG. 3A . 
       FIG. 4A  is a top plan view schematically illustrating another overall shape of abutting together two modular display platforms. 
       FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking boxes on the modular display platforms abutted together a shown in  FIG. 4A . 
       FIG. 5A  is a top plan view schematically illustrating another overall shape of abutting together four modular display platforms. 
       FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking boxes on the modular display platforms abutted together a shown in  FIG. 5A . 
       FIG. 6A  is a top plan view schematically illustrating another overall shape of abutting together four modular display platforms. 
       FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking boxes on the modular display platforms abutted together a shown in  FIG. 6A . 
       FIG. 7A  is a top plan view schematically illustrating another overall shape of abutting together four modular display platforms. 
       FIG. 7B  is a perspective view of a visual display resulting from stacking boxes on the modular display platforms abutted together a shown in  FIG. 7A . 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a two-section modular display platform embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a three-section modular display platform embodying the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1A–1E , a modular display platform embodying the present invention is designated generally by the reference number  10 . The platform  10  is made of a strong and durable material for supporting several stackable layers of boxes and/or crates. Preferably, the platform  10  includes a high density polyethylene (HPDE) in the form of injection molded plastic. However, other strong and durable plastics or other materials may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
   The modular display platform  10  indudes a support surface  14 , and one or more sidewalls  16 ,  16  depending from at least a portion of a perimeter  17  of the support surface. The sidewalls  16 ,  16  may be used to provide advertisements for products such as those to be displayed on the platform  10 . The one or more sidewalls  16 ,  16  each extend from a proximal end  18  of the sidewall adjacent to the support surface  14  to a distal end  20  of the sidewall at an underside of the platform  10  or side opposing the support surface for engaging an external floor or other surface. Preferably, as shown in the figures, the sidewalls  16 ,  16  depend from generally the entire perimeter of the support surface to provide strength to the platform  10 . 
   An underside of the platform  10  or side opposing the support surface  14  is preferably generally open-ended such that the distal end  20  of the sidewalls  16 ,  16  serve to bear the weight of the platform and products to be supported on the platform. In other words, the support surface  14  and the sidewalls  16 ,  16  cooperate to define a recess or open-ended structure on the underside of the platform  10 . The open-ended structure provides a lightweight and inexpensive platform relative to either a solid or hollow platform including a substantial floor surface. 
   The platform  10  preferably defines a plurality of projections or standoffs  22 ,  22  disposed within the recess and depending from the support surface  14  inwardly of and generally in the same direction as the one or more sidewalls  16 ,  16 . More specifically, the standoffs  22 ,  22  each extend from a proximal end  24  of the standoff adjacent to the support surface  14  to a distal end  26  of the standoff at the underside of the platform  10  or side opposing the support surface for engaging an external floor or other surface to assist the distal ends  20  of the sidewalls  16 ,  16  in bearing the weight of the platform and products supported thereon. The standoffs  22 ,  22  provide structural integrity to the platform  10  to prevent the support surface  14  from sagging, collapsing or otherwise failing under the weight of several stackable layers of products supported thereon. As shown in  FIG. 1B , the standoffs  22 ,  22  depending from the support surface  14  are generally cylindrical, but may be rectangular, square or other shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, the standoffs  22 ,  22  may include a floor or be substantially or partially open-ended at the distal end  26 . As shown in the figures, the support surface  14  defines openings  27 ,  27  exposing a generally hollow interior defined by the standoffs  22 ,  22 . Alternatively, the standoffs  22 ,  22  can be covered by the support surface  14 . 
   As shown in the figures, the perimeter  17  of the platform  10  has a generally repeatable stepped or zigzagged shape that facilitates the abutting or interlocking together of a plurality of platforms to form an almost endless variety of configurations for visually enhancing the display of products supported on the platforms. More specifically, the perimeter  17  of each platform  10  generally takes the overall form of a plurality of repeatable shapes or sections that are located in side-by-side and slightly staggered relationship to one another. Preferably, the repeatable shapes or sections are rectangles. As shown in  FIGS. 1A–1E , for example, the platform  10  defines a perimeter  17  that generally takes the overall form of a plurality of four rectangles or sections  28  located in side-by-side and slightly staggered relationship to one another. Preferably, each platform  10  is a unitary structure. However, each of the repeatable shapes or sections  28  cooperating to provide the overall form of the platform  10  can be separate units that are coupled together either releasably or permanently without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, although the repeatable shapes or sections being illustrated are in the form of staggered rectangles, it should be understood that any repeatable shape that permits abutting or interlocking of platforms together is within the scope of the present invention. 
   The modular display platform  10  is especially suited for supporting and displaying products for sale such as, for example, beverages either packaged in boxes or openly displayed in crates. For example, each of the sections  28  generally in the form of a rectangle is ideally shaped for accommodating rectangular boxes or cases  30 ,  30  holding cans of beverages such as soda or beer as shown in  FIG. 1D , or rectangular crates  32 ,  32  for openly holding two liter bottles of beverages as shown in  FIG. 1C , or a combination of cases and crates as shown in  FIG. 1E . 
   Preferably, each section  28  of the platform  10  is sized and shaped to accommodate two cases or “fridge packs” wherein each fridge pack is sized to be two 12 oz. beverage cans wide by six 12 oz. cans deep. Moreover each section  28  is sized and shaped to accommodate standard industry injection molded two liter crates or trays that hold 8 two liter beverage bottles. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1B , the width A of the platform  10  is about 40 inches; the width B of each section  28  is about 10 inches; the height C of the platform  10  is about 3 inches; the length or depth D of each section is about 19 inches, and the overall length or depth of the platform is about 33.25 inches for accommodating fridge packs and two liter crates. 
   Each platform  10  preferably accommodates up to about 80 fridge packs or 30 conventional cases  30 ,  30  of soda (see  FIG. 1D ), or up to about 128 two liter bottle crates  32 ,  32  wherein each section  28  can hold up to about 4 stackable layers of crates (see  FIG. 1C ), or a combination of cases and crates (see  FIG. 1E ). 
   In operation, the perimeter  17  of a plurality of platforms  10  can be abutted or interlocked together in an almost endless variety of ways to form various multiple platform configurations for visually enhancing the display of products supported on the platforms. Moreover, no additional parts are needed to couple adjacent platforms together. The different zigzag configurations of the displayed items resulting from abutting and interlocking the platforms in a variety of ways produces what is called the “dissolve effect”. Consumers first see the graphic panel that is angled directly towards them. Then out of their peripheral vision they catch the next panel towards their side. This can stop them in their tracks and can make them take a step or two back just so that they do not think they have missed anything. An offset of about 4.75 inches per section accommodates an exact full bottle view when two liter trays are stored on the platforms. 
   Examples of different visually appealing patterns are illustrated. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , four platforms  10  are abutted generally one-behind-the-other. As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , two platforms  10  forming a first row are abutted end-to-end, and two additional platforms forming a second row are abutted end-to-end and interlocked behind the first row. As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , two platforms  10  are abutted end-to-end. As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , two platforms  10  forming a first row are abutted end-to-end, and two additional platforms forming a second row are abutted end-to-end and interlocked behind the first row in a different manner as was shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , four platforms  10  are abutted and interlocked generally one-behind-the-other in a different manner as was shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . As shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , four platforms  10  are abutted and interlocked generally one-behind-the-other in a yet different manner. 
   As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art, numerous modifications and substitutions may be made to the above-described embodiment of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, platforms having a number of sections other than the four-section platform  10  can be substituted or combined with a four-section platform. The number of sections can typically range from two to ten depending upon the available area for display. For example, a two-section platform  110  is shown in  FIG. 8 , and a three-section platform  210  is shown in  FIG. 9 . Moreover, the platforms can take different shapes such as mirror images of those illustrated. Accordingly, the preceding portion of this specification is to be taken in an illustrative, as opposed to a limiting sense.