Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/798,836, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,126,490, filed Mar. 11, 2004, and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/503,626, filed Sep. 17, 2003, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a point of sale display which will have specific, but not limited, application to the sale of lighting fixtures. 
     2. Description of the Background of the Invention 
     A lighting fixture can be an expression of an owner&#39;s personality. In order to satisfy a broad range of users, lighting fixtures often come in different styles, including different shapes and appearances. It has been common in the industry to manufacture and retail stock for controlled lighting fixtures with sensor and transmitter modules and uncontrolled lighting fixtures separately. A retailer is required to maintain a large stock of many different lighting fixtures, covering a wide spectrum of combinations of both controlled and uncontrolled models. This can be onerous to the retailer&#39;s operating costs and confusing to a consumer, having to make a decision on the purchase of a controlled or uncontrolled lighting fixture from a variety of options. Therefore, it would be advantageous to be able to present to a consumer a variety of optionally controlled lighting fixtures and separate sensor and transmitter modules that may be individually selected and then easily assembled by the consumer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A controlled lighting fixture or similar item may be assembled from subcomponents such as by selecting an optionally controlled lighting fixture from a plurality of lighting fixtures and combining it with either a sensor module, a transmitter module or both. 
     The method of this invention of presenting lighting fixtures to a consumer includes providing a point of purchase display board near a parts bin in an area accessible to the consuming public. The display board displays different examples of the various combinable lighting fixture subcomponents from which the customer may choose. A supply of each subcomponent is stored in its own compartment in the storage bin. Identifiers associated with each subcomponent on the display board are placed near the displayed subcomponent and also on the corresponding compartment in the parts bin. The customer can retrieve the chosen subcomponent from the parts bin by matching the identifier on the display board with the identifier on the parts bin compartment, retrieving the appropriate subcomponent from the compartment. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a new method of presenting various combinable subcomponents to a consumer in a manner allowing the consumer to choose an item from several possible combinations that pleases that consumer&#39;s unique aesthetic predilections. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a line of lighting fixture parts including various lighting fixtures, sensor modules, and transmitter modules that may be easily interchanged to allow a purchaser to mix and match fixtures with optional control mechanisms. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded front elevational view of one embodiment of a lighting fixture and attachable sensor module; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of a lighting fixture and attachable sensor module and transmitter module; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an embodiment of a display arrangement for selling the lighting fixtures and modules of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of a display board for use in the display arrangement of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     A lighting fixture  10  includes a housing space  12  to receive a sensor module  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . An additional embodiment of a lighting fixture  16  includes a sensor module  18  provided with a housing space  20  to receive a transmitter module  22 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     A point-of-purchase sales display  23  for use in a retail setting includes a product display board  24  and preferably an adjacent parts bin  26 . Display board  24  is shown set up over parts bin  26  in an area where a customer  28  can access the display and parts bin. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a display board  24  may be divided into five main regions  30   a - e , each region for displaying different subcomponents of a lighting fixture assembly. Regions  30   a - e  display various styles of lighting fixtures and various styles of both sensor and transmitter modules. Each region  30   a - e  preferably includes appropriate signage designating what subcomponents are displayed in that particular region. Each of the various lighting fixtures  10 , 16  displayed on the display board  24  is preferably supplied with electrical power so as to demonstrate the different capabilities of sensor modules  14 , 18  and transmitter module  22 . An identification code  32  is preferably associated with each subcomponent displayed on the display board  24 . 
     Parts bin  26  includes a plurality of compartments  34  corresponding to the number of different parts available as indicated on the display board  24 . Each compartment  34  is labeled with an identification code  32  that corresponds with one of the identification codes  32  on the display board  24 . Each compartment contains the same subcomponent displayed on the display board  24  associated with that identifier. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the display board  24  also includes a set of instructions  36  visible and readable by a consumer  28  standing near the display  23 . Instructions  36  detail a set of distinct steps on how to use the display. The consumer is first directed to choose a first subcomponent, such as a lighting fixture  10 , 16 . The consumer is then directed to select a second subcomponent, if desired, such as a sensor module  14 , 18 . The consumer is then directed to select one or more additional subcomponents, if desired, such as a transmitter module  22 . These instructions, along with the hereinbefore described sales display  23 , enable a consumer to simply and easily select an uncontrolled or controlled lighting fixture. 
     A method of presenting a lighting fixture  10 , 16  with interchangeable subcomponents for sale to the retail public includes using the sales display  23  in conjunction with lighting fixtures  10 , 16  in a publicly accessible retail setting. Initially, a retailer sets up the sales display  23  in an area of a retail store where a consumer  28  can easily conceive the display board  24 , activate sensor modules  14 , 18  and transmitter module  22 , and access compartments  34  in parts bin  26 . For example, a retailer might set up the sales display  23  in an open aisle area accessible to the public in a retail store. The retailer may then stock each of the compartments  34  with the appropriate subcomponents corresponding to the subcomponents shown in the display  23  as hereinbefore described. A consumer  28  interested in purchase is allowed to approach the display  23  are the consumer may read the instructions  36 . The consumer  28  then follows the instructions and selects the subcomponent or suhcomponents he or she wishes to purchase. The consumer  28  then reads the identification code  32  on the display board  24  associated with the selected subcomponent or subcomponents, identifies the appropriate compartment  34  with the same identification code or codes  32 , and removes one of the corresponding subcomponents contained within the compartment  34  for each selected subcomponent. 
     The foregoing description discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms and utilize other materials without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: 3