Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 62/271,427 filed on Dec. 28, 2015. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM (EFS WEB) 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR 
       [0005]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0007]    The present invention relates to merchandise display stands, and more particularly, this invention relates to an easy to replenish display and storage stand for store merchandise displays. 
         [0008]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0009]    Conventional means for displaying merchandise for sale have included stacking of merchandise boxes in stores and cutting the top off of the uppermost merchandise box in the stack to act as a display box. Alternatively, other means have included display trays for holding merchandise. 
         [0010]    However, practitioners of that method have become aware of certain problems which are presented by those prior art methods. One particular problem that has plagued sellers has been that restocking of popular selling merchandise that sells quickly has been burdensome and unwieldy. In order to replenish the available merchandise, stock clerks have to travel to the stock room, load up with new merchandise, and then bring it back to the display area. Since there is usually no readily available storage for replenishing stock, this situation creates inefficiency and requires more hours per day traveling back and forth to the stock room. 
         [0011]    It would be desirable to the merchandise distribution industry for a customized display and storage stand that will allow for easy restocking without any undue physical requirements by stock room clerks and salespeople. Safety concerns are also needing to be address, as many of the unopened merchandise boxes are quite heavy, some are so heavy that it creates physical requirements not capable by all workers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In accordance with the above-noted desires of the industry, the present invention provides various aspects, including a display stand for storage and display of at least two boxes of merchandise for ease of restocking. Although the present invention includes the display, storage and easy capability of restocking of all merchandise included within its scope, it is most advantageous for heavy items such as bottles, cans and the like. Because it is well known that merchandise is most easily sold when the merchandise is more or less displayed at eye level, or at the very least at an easy to reach height, that merchandise sells quickly and needs to be replenished frequently. When the merchandise needs to be replenished, stock clerks would find an advantage if the merchandise to be replenished would be conveniently located at the site of display, rather than having to go back into the stockroom each time to bring the new merchandise back out onto the showroom floor. It would be aesthetically pleasing if the boxes of the new merchandise would be stored in an attractive storage area underneath the display shelf. 
         [0013]    The present invention is especially helpful for heavy items, such as bottled liquids, cans of soup, dog food, carbonated drinks, and high density solid foods, such as candy. These items sell especially fast, and the display for this type of merchandise must be replenished on a nearly hourly basis, necessitating a lot of stock room visits. With the present invention having on-site storage, a single stock room trip can carry enough replenishing stock to last all day or longer. 
         [0014]    In that regard, and realizing that any type of boxed merchandise, as discussed hereinabove, is within the scope of the invention, the present display stand will be described mostly in terms of the display and storage of wine boxes being displayed and stored, as they are especially heavy. Wine boxes are usually about 14 inches tall for a standard wine bottle, and they usually contain a case of wine with 12 bottles in each box. Trying to catch the eye of a customer, a most advantageous height for its display is from 28 inches high to about 48 inches high. Because a store keeper would not want to wait until the display box is entirely empty before opening the storage box immediately underneath, as this can curtail customer appeal and consequent sales, replenishing creates a problem. The problem is that now a stock clerk has a display box with diminishing numbers of wine bottles in the uppermost display box. To keep the display box looking nearly full, the store keeper will want to keep it replenished. The store keeper tells his stock clerk to lift up the display box, put it somewhere nearby so that the stock clerk can open the unopened box to take some bottles out to replenish the upper display box. Now there&#39;s a new problem. Now we have a partially full storage box that will be partially crushed by the weight of the now full display box, causing instability. This can cause the entire display to fall over, which clearly is undesirable. The present invention solves this problem by providing a rigid support of the display and storage stand. By partially emptying the storage box, the display box stays securely on top of the display stand, without any chance of tipping over. 
         [0015]    These wine boxes in my display stand can most advantageously have one or more sliding shelves for replenishing stock with locking or securement devices to prevent tipping over of the display stand when a full tray of wine is pulled out, ready for restocking. 
         [0016]    A first aspect of the present invention includes certain features including a multi-level display stand with the top level being an open display so that wine purchasers can readily access the bottles for purchase. Thereunder, there is at least one pull-out tray for storing at least one unopened box of wine bottles, which is readily accessible for easy restocking of the emptying open upper display box. 
         [0017]    In practice, boxes of wine are stacked on one another to raise the display box to a desirable height for customer convenience. As the number of wine bottles from the display box are purchased, the supply of wine bottles in the open display box on the top level dwindles, and will need restocking. In the prior art methods, where the wine boxes are merely stacked one on top of the other, wine bottles from the lowest level may need to be accessed, causing the personnel of the wine shop to have to lift numerous boxes in order to access the lowest level for restocking. 
         [0018]    In the present invention, a wine shop employee can roll out the tray holding the new wine bottles and stand next to the open tray and lift the bottles back up into the upper display box to replenish the display box. 
         [0019]    Numerous aspects of this invention are envisioned by the present inventor, with numerous configurations of locking devices to hold the rolling tray in place to prevent accidents, and the like. 
         [0020]    Although the invention will be described by way of examples hereinbelow for specific aspects having certain features, it must also be realized that minor modifications that do not require undo experimentation on the part of the practitioner are covered within the scope and breadth of this invention. Additional advantages and other novel features of the present invention will be set forth in the description that follows and in particular will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination or may be learned within the practice of the invention. Therefore, the invention is capable of many other different aspects and its details are capable of modifications of various aspects which will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art all without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the rest of the description will be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    For a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the expected scope and various aspects of the present invention, reference shall be made to the following detailed description, and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are given the same reference numerals, and wherein; 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of my display box made in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side elevational view of a new aspect of my display box, made in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a bottom-plan view of my display box made in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of my display box showing where guide wheels and locking tabs are located; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5A and 5B  both show a side elevational view of two different aspects of my display box made in accordance with the present invention 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a perspective elevational view of a single unit; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is the single unit of  FIG. 6  illustrating the sliding storage shelf in a slid out configuration; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  shows the sliding storage unit with the lock points for the locking mechanism; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  shows an elongated slide-out storage shelf; 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  shows a multi-level display and storage stand; 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  shows a multi-level display with a single slide-out elongated storage shelf; 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  shows a quadruple display stand with three slide-out storage shelves; 
           [0034]      FIG. 13  shows another aspect of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  shows yet another aspect of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 15  shows canned goods in the display and storage stand with a slide-out storage compartment; 
           [0037]      FIG. 16A  is a perspective elevational view of a storage compartment; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 16  B is a close-up of toggle-type mechanism. 
           [0000]    
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS  
                 
                 
                   UTILIZED IN THE DRAWINGS 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                     
                    10. 
                   Display Stand 
                 
                 
                     
                    12. 
                   Open Top 
                 
                 
                     
                    14. 
                   Pull-out Tray 
                 
                 
                     
                    16. 
                   Rigid Side Members 
                 
                 
                     
                    18. 
                   Upper Wine Box 
                 
                 
                     
                    20. 
                   Wine Bottle 
                 
                 
                     
                    22. 
                   Lower Wine Box 
                 
                 
                     
                    24. 
                   Display Wine Box 
                 
                 
                     
                    26. 
                   Permanently Affixed Shelf 
                 
                 
                     
                    30. 
                   Floor Rollers 
                 
                 
                     
                    40. 
                   Display Stand 
                 
                 
                     
                    42. 
                   Upper Display Area 
                 
                 
                     
                    44. 
                   Intermediate Display Area 
                 
                 
                     
                    46. 
                   Lower Display Area 
                 
                 
                     
                    48. 
                   Telescoping Sliding Base 
                 
                 
                     
                    50. 
                   Display Stand 
                 
                 
                     
                    52. 
                   Slide Frame 
                 
                 
                     
                    54. 
                   Slide Tray 
                 
                 
                     
                    56. 
                   Floor Rollers 
                 
                 
                     
                    58. 
                   Frame Rollers 
                 
                 
                     
                    60. 
                   Locking Tab 
                 
                 
                     
                    66. 
                   Wine Box 
                 
                 
                     
                    68. 
                   Rolling Shelf 
                 
                 
                     
                    70. 
                   Display Stand 
                 
                 
                     
                    72. 
                   Guide Wheels 
                 
                 
                     
                    74. 
                   Locking Tabs 
                 
                 
                     
                    80. 
                   Slide Frame 
                 
                 
                     
                    82. 
                   Hooking Tab 
                 
                 
                     
                    84. 
                   Display Stand Tube 
                 
                 
                     
                    86. 
                   Recess 
                 
                 
                     
                    90. 
                   Single Unit 
                 
                 
                     
                    92. 
                   Single Box 
                 
                 
                     
                    94. 
                   Wine Bottles 
                 
                 
                     
                    96. 
                   Storage Compartment 
                 
                 
                     
                    98. 
                   Front Face 
                 
                 
                     
                   100. 
                   Tray 
                 
                 
                     
                   102. 
                   Sliding Mechanism 
                 
                 
                     
                   104. 
                   Rollers 
                 
                 
                     
                   106. 
                   Positioning Indents 
                 
                 
                     
                   110. 
                   Locking Storage Compartment 
                 
                 
                     
                   112. 
                   Toggle Lock 
                 
                 
                     
                   114. 
                   Sliding Member 
                 
                 
                     
                   116. 
                   Vertical Support Post 
                 
                 
                     
                   118. 
                   Positioning Rivet 
                 
                 
                     
                   120. 
                   Sliding Compartment 
                 
                 
                     
                   122. 
                   Sliding Tray Side 
                 
                 
                     
                   124. 
                   Storage Compartment 
                 
                 
                     
                   126. 
                   Horizontal Support Member 
                 
                 
                     
                   128. 
                   Horizontally Oriented Upper Flat Surface 
                 
                 
                     
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0039]    Referring now to the drawings in detail,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a display stand made in accordance with the present invention, generally denoted by numeral  10 , including a cage-like display stand  12  having a lower pull-out tray  14 . Pull-out tray  14  is encased within four rigid side members  16 , supporting therein an upper wine box  18  for display and a lower storage wine box  22  containing wine bottles  20 . Permanently affixed shelf  26  is attached to the four side rigid side members  16  and in a position that will support and display a conventionally sized display wine box  24 . Pull-out tray  14  has affixed thereto some floor rollers for supporting the wine boxes being stored thereon, so that the weight of the wine boxes on the pull-out tray  14  does not tip over the entire display stand when it is extended. Further aspects will be described more fully hereinbelow. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates yet another aspect of the present invention including a display box generally denoted by numeral  40  including an upper display area  42 , an intermediate display area  44 , and a lower display area  46 . Each of these is supported in a telescoping fashion on top of telescoping sliding base  48  and may be retracted into a nesting arrangement while supporting storage boxes of wine on the intermediate and lower display areas  44  and  46 , respectively. The telescoping sliding base  48  will retract so that it is supporting all of the display areas from beneath. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a bottom-plan view of the display stand of  FIG. 1 , showing the relative placement of the elements of a display stand generally denoted by the numeral  50 , including a slide frame  52  with a slide tray  54  having floor rollers  56  integral therewith. Slide tray  54  is kept on a track by frame rollers  58  which are engaged in place by locking tabs  60 , described below with reference to  FIGS. 4, 5A, and 5B . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  shows relative placement of wine box  66  on top of rolling shelf  68 . Guide wheels  72  are attached underneath rolling shelf  68  within display stand  70 . Locking tabs  74  secure the rolling shelf  68  so that it does not roll away. 
         [0043]    Looking next to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , more careful detail is shown of locking tabs  82  attached to rolling shelf  80 . Recesses  86  in display stand tube  84  are adapted to receive locking tab  82  when it is in its downward orientation. When the tray is to be moved, locking tabs  82  must be placed into the unsecured position to allow rolling tray  80  to be moved. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  illustrates a single unit generally denoted by  90  having a single box  92  on the horizontal upper surface with a single storage compartment underneath. Single display box  92  being the original merchandising box with wine bottles therein showing advertising space on the side of the box. Box  92  is cut out on its front to display wine bottles  94  ready to be purchased by a customer. Box  92  is shown with some of the bottles already purchased. Underneath box  92  is a storage compartment  96  having a front face  98  with a hand cut-out to facilitate pulling out a tray  100 . Sliding mechanism  102  permits easy sliding by pulling on front face  98 , such that wine bottles within tray  100  (not shown) so that we can see the tray  100 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 7  shows the single unit  90  of  FIG. 6  with its tray  100  pulled out to reveal the storage contents sliding mechanism  102  shows tracks for rollers  104 . As can be seen from this view, wine display box  92  remains in position, ready to be replenished by the contents of tray  100 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 8  shows the sliding mechanism  102  of storage compartment  96 . Tray  100  with rollers  104  are viewed in its original position within storage compartment  96 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 9  shows a single storage compartment  96  with its tray  100  pulled out by front face  98  on rollers  104 . Positioning indents  106  are illustrated on the top of the storage box  96  ready to receive another storage box thereon. Positioning indents  106  prevent the storage box being placed thereon from sliding out of position. 
         [0048]    With combined reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11  there is shown variations of multiple storage units under display box  92 . In these aspects, multiple display areas for display box  92  are shown with wine bottles  94  selling different brands or types of wine.  FIG. 10  shows a slide-out tray  100  behind the second tier of display area. In the lowest storage compartment, an elongated tray  100  is easily pulled out by pulling on front face  98 , while  FIG. 11  shows a triple tier of display areas for multiple brands or types of wine in their original storage box  92 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 12  is yet another variation where the display boxes  92  are displayed on multiple levels with storage compartment  96  behind the display areas. Trays  100  may be slid out to retrieve content within the storage compartment  96 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 13  shows yet another aspect of the present invention with multiple display box configurations, as is common in a wine shop. Customers can walk up to the ninety-degree angle display stand and make a selection amongst the various contents of the display boxes  92 . Such a configuration is appealing to customers and may be placed in the corner of the wine store to minimize footprint within the retail operation. Slide-out storage compartments  96  are shown with rollers  104  attached to the bottom of tray  100  for ease of access to replenish the contents  94  of the display boxes  92 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 14  shows merchandise  91  within display box  92  that is boxed instead of wine bottles, such as boxed tissues or candy or any other boxed merchandise. Storage compartment  96  holds additional boxed merchandise  91  ready to be slid out by front face  98  for ready access to replenish display box  92 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 15  shows a final aspect of the present invention with canned goods  93  in display box  92  on top of storage compartment  96  having a slide-out tray  100  and concealed by front face  98 . 
         [0053]    With combined reference to  FIGS. 16A and 16B , a locking storage compartment generally denoted by  110  includes a toggle lock  112  with a sliding member  114  in communication with a vertical support post  116 . A positioning rivet  118  holds the vertical support post  116  in place relative to sliding compartments  120 . Sliding tray side  122  being held in place within storage compartment  124 . A horizontal support member  126  delineates separate storage compartments  124 . A horizontally oriented upper flat surface  128  acts as the display area for products being sold. As toggle lock  112  is slid in and out of the storage compartment, it activates the sliding member  114  to secure the sliding compartment in place, thereby preventing multiple storage compartments  120  from sliding out at the same time, so that the storage compartment will not become top-heavy and tip over. 
         [0054]    In summary, numerous benefits have been described which result from employing any or all of the concepts and the features of the various specific aspects of the present invention, or those that are within the scope of the invention. The display stand acts to provide a new, novel, and non-obvious display stand for storing and displaying wine bottles in an attractive, economical, and unburdensome manner. 
         [0055]    The foregoing description of a preferred aspect of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings with regards to the specific aspects. The aspect was chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various aspects and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims which are appended hereto.

Technology Category: 1