Abstract:
An exhibition cabinet including a console having a first console attachment and a second console attachment. The first console attachment has an upper side and a lower side that is spaced apart from the upper side by a first distance and extends parallel thereto. The second console attachment has an upper side and a lower side that is spaced apart from the upper side by a second distance and extends parallel thereto. A method of exhibiting products is also described.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to an exhibition cabinet that is suitable, for example, for exhibiting products in a retail store. The exhibition cabinet should be suitable, in particular, for exhibiting different types of products on a console attachment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention pertains to an exhibition cabinet that is suitable, for example, for exhibiting products in a retail store. 
         [0003]    Patent 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. 
         [0004]    Offenlegungsschrift 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. 
         [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    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. Despite the dissimilarity of the exhibited products, the arrangement should have a uniform overall appearance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    This is achieved with: an exhibition cabinet that comprises an inclined console and at least a first console attachment and a second console attachment, wherein the first console attachment has an upper side and a lower side that is spaced apart from the upper side by a first distance and extends parallel thereto, wherein the second console attachment has an upper side and a lower side that is spaced apart from the upper side by a second distance and extends parallel thereto, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance. 
         [0008]    The inventive exhibition cabinet comprises an inclined console. The term “console” refers to an inclined surface that is carried by suitable mounting means. The surface typically is arranged approximately at the chest height of a customer, wherein the front edge of the console may be arranged, for example, at a height of 1.20 m to 1.60 m. The console should be inclined toward the customer, i.e., its height should increase from the front edge of the exhibition cabinet that the customer approaches toward the rear. Depending on the intended use, the console may be inclined by flat angles of 10 to 30° or by steep angles of approximately 40 to 60°. Due to the console attachments, this invention provides a particularly large number of options for realizing a console with significantly different inclinations. A steep console provides the significant advantage of saving space on small exhibition surfaces. 
         [0009]    According to this invention, the console initially comprises a first console attachment. This console attachment may be realized, for example, in a cuboid fashion. The surfaces of the cuboid structure that form the upper side and the lower side of the console attachment usually are much larger than the lateral surfaces or end faces. According to an alternative embodiment, the console attachment may also be realized in a trapezoidal fashion. In this case, all end faces are preferably aligned vertically. 
         [0010]    The second console attachment may be realized analogous to the first console attachment, but the distance between the upper side and the lower side is greater in the second console attachment than in the first console attachment. This distance is respectively measured parallel to the surface normal of the upper side and the lower side. The longest diagonal of the upper side typically has a length between 20 and 100 cm, for example, between 30 and 50 cm. A typical first distance amounts to 1/10 of this diagonal length, wherein the first distance may be shorter than the longest diagonal of the upper side, for example, by a factor of 0.025 to 0.25. The second distance preferably is longer than the first distance by a factor of 1.25 to 5 or 2 to 3. 
         [0011]    Consequently, different types of products can be exhibited for interested buyers at different heights depending on their nature and size. Since the console attachments are not rigidly connected to the console, they can be easily adapted to different products. 
         [0012]    The console attachments can be positioned on the console without mounting means, particularly if they are held by static friction. It would also be conceivable to provide suitable mechanical mounting means (for example, projections, plug-type connections, screws, Velcro fasteners) or other types of mounting means (for example, adhesives). 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the exhibition cabinet not only features a first and a second console attachment, but also a third console attachment. The third console attachment differs from the other console attachments in that its upper side is inclined relative to its lower side in such a way that the upper side provides a horizontal exhibition surface. This third console attachment consequently could also be described as being wedge-shaped, wherein the point of the wedge is directed toward the rear side of the console, i.e., in the direction in which the height of the inclined console increases. Although an inclined exhibition surface is quite suitable for certain products, a horizontal exhibition surface like the one provided by the third console attachment is preferred for other products. 
         [0014]    In addition to the third console attachment, it would also be possible to provide a fourth console attachment with a lower side that is also inclined relative to the upper side in such a way that the upper side provides a horizontal exhibition surface. 
         [0015]    The invention proposes, in particular, an exhibition cabinet, in which the third console attachment is positioned on the first console attachment and the fourth console attachment is positioned on the second console attachment. In this case, the third and fourth console attachments may be respectively held in position by static friction only or with the aid of other suitable mounting means as described above. 
         [0016]    In one preferred exhibition cabinet, the third console attachment may be arranged in such a way that its exhibition surface lies below the exhibition surface of the fourth console attachment. This arrangement makes it possible to combine horizontal and inclined exhibition surfaces of different heights such that the exhibition cabinet is optimally suited for products of different size and nature. 
         [0017]    Since the first console attachment and the second console attachment have inclined exhibition surfaces, it would be conceivable to respectively provide product holders on these exhibition surfaces. However, such product holders preferably are not provided on the third console attachment and on the fourth console attachment because they are not required at these locations. 
         [0018]    However, anti-theft devices may be provided independently of product holders. These anti-theft devices may also be arranged on the third and the fourth console attachment. However, these anti-theft devices usually do not hold the products sufficiently. 
         [0019]    An inventive exhibition cabinet may also be equipped with strip lights. These strip lights can be quite advantageously arranged underneath the inclined console. This makes it possible to provide sufficient illumination without directly subjecting a customer to the light source. 
         [0020]    In an inventive exhibition cabinet, the front side of the cabinet may also be concavely indented. This means that the front edge of the console curves away from the customer. Consequently, the customer is invited to step closer to the console. 
         [0021]    An inventive exhibition cabinet may also comprise a shelf that features a shelf body and shelf bases. The shelf body may consist of base holders such as, for example, a rail system or of a base plate, side walls and a cover plate. The shelf features an uppermost shelf base that may also be formed by the cover plate of the shelf body. In an inventive exhibition cabinet, this uppermost shelf base may carry the console attachment. 
         [0022]    In one preferred exhibition cabinet that comprises a shelf with shelf body and shelf bases, the uppermost shelf base may form part of the shelf body. 
         [0023]    The invention also pertains to methods of exhibiting products and/or offering products for sale. 
         [0024]    Hence, the claimed exhibition cabinet can be used in the method for exhibiting products or for offering products for sale. Any of the cabinets described herein are useful for such a method. 
         [0025]    In a further aspect the invention comprises a method for exhibiting a first group and a second group of products. The second group comprises at least one product different from the first product, and is thereby distinguishable from the first group of products. It can also be that all products in the second group of products are different from all products in the first group of products. In each group of products are offered at different sales prices and hence a certain price range exists corresponding to the group of products. The price range allows the calculation of a mean price. The mean price is calculated by adding up the prices of individual products of the group and by dividing the sum by the number of products in the group. In the context of the presently described exhibition method the second group of products has a higher mean price than the first group of products. According to this method the exhibition cabinet is positioned on a floor, typically the floor of a sales room. The exhibition cabinet comprises a first console attachment and a second console attachment in any suitable form, for example in the form described above for the first console attachment and the second console attachment. The nature of the console attachment allows to exhibit at least one product selected from the second group of products at a higher height above the floor level than at least one product selected from the first group of products. It may therefore be that only one second product is displayed at a higher height above the floor than one first product. This second product then can have a higher sales price than the first product. The second product can be and will often be representative of a higher quality product which is therefore expected to be sold at a higher price. The method for exhibiting the two groups of products makes it easier for the shopper to intuitively link a certain typical or mean sales price to the products displayed. The method for exhibiting these products can make use of a console, such as an inclined console. 
         [0026]    Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of an exhibition cabinet; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  depicts a side view of the exhibition; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  illustrates a partial exploded side view of the console having a first and a second console attachment, and 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  shows a partial exploded side view of the console having a first, second, third, and fourth console attachment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    According to  FIG. 1 , the inventive exhibition cabinet ( 10 ) comprises a console ( 20 ) that is typically arranged at the chest height of a customer. The exhibition cabinet ( 10 ) comprises suitable means for supporting the console ( 20 ). This can be realized with numerous means that merely serve for holding the console (for example, a carrier system on rails) or means that also provide stowing options. This figure shows a shelf arrangement for supporting the console. This shelf comprises a shelf body ( 12 ) and shelf bases ( 14 ). The console is carried by the uppermost shelf base ( 16 ) that forms the upper termination of the shelf body ( 12 ) in the embodiment shown. The console ( 20 ) may stand on legs, for example, on four legs.  FIG. 1  furthermore shows a shelf rear wall ( 22 ) that rises behind the console ( 20 ). In the embodiment shown, the rear wall ( 22 ) also carries an information sign ( 24 ). 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the exhibition cabinet according to  FIG. 1 . This figure shows how legs of the console ( 20 ) stand on the uppermost shelf base ( 16 ). The height of the console increases from the front side toward the rear side. The rear wall ( 22 ) that also protrudes over the upper rear end of the console ( 20 ) is spaced apart from the console by a certain distance. This figure clearly shows a strip light ( 34 ) arranged on the lower side of the console. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows an enlarged detail of  FIG. 2 . In this case, the console ( 20 ) carries a first console attachment ( 26 ) and a second console attachment ( 28 ). Since the respective upper sides of these console attachments extend parallel to the lower sides, the upper sides of the console attachments ( 26 ,  28 ) are inclined by the same angle as the console ( 20 ) itself. However, the respective console attachments provide exhibition surfaces of different heights due to the different distances between the upper sides and the lower sides of the console attachments. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows a preferred embodiment of the exhibition cabinet in the form of a representation that corresponds to that shown in  FIG. 3 . In addition to the first console attachment ( 26 ) and the second console attachment ( 28 ), a third console attachment ( 30 ) and a fourth console attachment ( 32 ) are also provided in this case. The third and the fourth console attachment ( 30 ,  32 ) respectively provide a horizontal exhibition surface. This exhibition surface may have the same size as the exhibition surface of the respective console attachment situated thereunder. However, this exhibition surface may also be realized smaller as illustrated in the figure. This makes it possible, in particular, to utilize part of the exhibition surface of the lower console attachments, as well as part of the exhibition surfaces of the console attachments arranged on top thereof. The position of the third and the fourth console attachment ( 30 ,  32 ) can be varied relative to the position of the console attachments situated thereunder. The console attachments therefore can be positioned near the front edge of the console ( 20 ) or near the rear edge of the console ( 20 ), as well as in any position therebetween. This provides great flexibility with respect to the arrangement of the exhibition surfaces. In one preferred embodiment, the third console attachment ( 30 ) may be realized such that the exhibition surface provided by this third console attachment lies lower than the exhibition surface of the fourth console attachment ( 32 ). In this case, the exhibition surface of the first console attachment ( 26 ) lies lower than the exhibition surface of the second console attachment ( 28 ) and the exhibition surface of the third console attachment ( 30 ) arranged on the first console attachment ( 26 ) lies lower than the exhibition surface of the fourth console attachment ( 32 ). This arrangement allows a clearly laid out exhibition of objects. 
         [0035]    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.”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. 
         [0036]    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.