Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Products and merchandise in retail settings are displayed in a variety of different ways, including by the use of pegboard/hook display systems. Such systems generally consist of a stationary mounted planar pegboard which has spaced horizontal and vertical rows of holes, generally positioned at intervals of one to two inches. Cooperating bent wire hooks are configured at one end to be inserted in any given hole and, at the other end, to directly support products or merchandise. The hooks are removable and so they can be inserted in different holes, to vary the location and placement of the merchandise on the pegboard, depending on the size of the merchandise and the visual appearance required by the presentation of merchandise. The hooks which are used are formed in varied sizes and configurations, conditioned upon the size and shape of the merchandise to be displayed. Examples of these systems are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,663, 5,224,609, 5,785,187, and 5,927,517. The systems disclosed in this prior art are largely directed to the display of individually mounted products. 
     Other systems employ product display racks in a variety of configurations, are also designed to be used in combination with pegboard systems. Examples of these are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,944,390 and 6,340,091. However, these racks are specifically designed for and thus generally restricted to the display of one particular product. 
     The prior art does not contemplate a product rack display system which has the versatility to efficiently and effectively display many different types of merchandise in a vast variety of sizes and shapes and in a multitude of different product containers. The present invention allows product merchandise to be so displayed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a merchandise rack display system which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of prior systems. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a merchandise rack display system which allows product merchandise to be fully displayed in an attractive and organized manner on a single pegboard mounted display frame. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a merchandise rack display system which has the versatility to effectively and efficiently, using economy of space to display a variety of different merchandise. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a merchandise rack display system which can display a great variety of merchandise of different sizes, shapes, and in a multitude of different product containers, in unlimited display configurations. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a merchandise rack display system which uses a novel rack component in combination with a pegboard system and uniquely designed basket containers to obtain the product display versatility. 
     These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a merchandise rack display system which uses a vertical pegboard surface onto which a uniquely designed rack component is to be mounted. The rack component has front and rear rack panels interconnected by support elements. A spaced opening between the front and rear panels permits the handles of elongated products, such as mops and brooms which are mounted and hung from the pegboard surface, to extend through the opening. The rack also has provision for mounting a variety of display hooks for hanging or suspending merchandise in various locations on the front panel of the rack. Container baskets, uniquely configured to be mounted on the rack, provide added versatility to the system. 
     The novel features which are considered as being characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its design, construction, and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon a review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view showing the merchandise rack display system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view, partly broken-away, showing the merchandise rack display system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view showing the container basket of the merchandise rack display system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a display mounting bracket used in the merchandise rack display system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows another display mounting bracket used in the merchandise rack display system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows still another display mounting bracket used in the merchandise rack display system of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Merchandise rack display system  2  comprises vertically standing, stationary mounted pegboard  4  having a plurality of holes  6  which are arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, optimally spaced in one inch intervals, although the invention is not to be considered restricted by the spacing of the holes or type of pegboard being used. Display rack  8  comprises front panel  10  made up of spaced rail members  11  horizontally extending the width of panel  10 , and rear panel  12  made up of spaced rail members  13  extending horizontally across the width of panel  12 . Front panel  10  and rear panel  12  of rack  8  are interconnected by upper support members  14  and  15  and interconnecting brace supports  16  and  17  located near the upper sections of the panels and lower support members  18  and  19  and interconnecting supports  20  and  21  located near the lower sections of the panels. 
     Support members  14  and  15  are connected at their outboard ends to support plate  22  and support members  18  and  19  are connected at their outboard ends to support plate  23 . Support plates  22  and  23  are secured by welding, brazing, or similar means to the back surface of front panel  10 . The inboard ends of support members  14  and  15  are connected to plate hooks  24  and  25  and the inboard ends of support members  18  and  19  are connected to plate hooks  26  and  27 . Each plate hook has a curved, unshaped upper end section. 
       FIG. 1  shows upper support members  14  and  15  and lower support members  18  and  19  with their respective brace supports, support plates and plate hooks located on the left side of rack  8 . Identical support components are located on the right side of the upper and lower sections of panels  10  and  12  of rack  8 . 
     The curved ends of plate hooks  24  and  25  at the ends of support members  14  and  15  are hooked onto two rail members  13  of rear panel  12 ; and the curved ends of plate hooks  26  and  27  at the ends of support members  18  and  19  are hooked onto two other rail members  13  of rear panel  12 . As discussed above, the identical support components interconnect panels  10  and  12  on the right side of rack  8 . 
     The interconnecting configuration of upper support members  14  and  15  and lower support members  18  and  19  and the identical support components on the right side of rack  8 , result in front panel  10  being well-supported in spaced relation to rear panel  12 . It is also seen that space  30  is formed between panels  10  and  12 . 
     Rear panel  12  of assembled rack  8  is hooked onto pegboard  4  by means of hook members  32  and  33  inserted into and extending from pegboard holes  6 . Rail members  13  are positioned on hooks  32  and  33  to support rear panel  12  and hence rack  8  in vertical relation to pegboard  4 . 
     By this design, the entire assembled rack  8  can be removed from pegboard  4  by unhooking rear panel  12  from hook members  32  and  33  on the pegboard. Rack  8  can then be re-positioned anywhere on pegboard  4 , including above a surface, like platform  40 , which would allow merchandise to be placed on the platform, below the rack. Alternatively, plate hooks  24 ,  25 ,  26 , and  27  and those identical plate hooks on the right side of rack  8  can be unhooked from rear panel  12 , if it is desired or necessary to remove only front panel  10  of the rack. 
     Cardboard, plastic, or like rigid material inserts  34 ,  35 ,  36 , and  37  can be inserted between vertical rail members  38  of panel  10  and in front of horizontal rail members  39  which are attached to and traverse behind panel  10 . The inserts can provide manufacturer/seller signage for the merchandise being displayed. 
     Container basket  50  is configured to be positioned and mounted over rail members  11  and  13  of panels  10  and  12  respectively. Front hook legs  52  and rear hook legs  53  of basket  50  extend over the rail members. Hook legs  52  and  53  are configured to allow basket  50  to be placed both over the topmost rail member or on the second rail member of panels  10  and  12 . Front face  54  of basket  50  comprises receptacle  53  for receiving a signage insert, once again identifying the product being displayed and stored in the basket. Of course, several baskets  50  can be used in the display system and the baskets are readily removable and re-positionable on rack  8 , based on user preference. 
     Display mounting bracket  60 , shown in  FIG. 1  and more particularly in  FIG. 4 , consists of hooks  62  configured to be inserted into holes  6  of pegboard  4 , and a pair of substantially horizontal, spaced elongated arm members  64  and  66 , extending outwardly from hooks  62 . Mounting bracket  60  is configured to support and suspend product merchandise with elongated handles, like mops  100 . 
     When bracket  60  is mounted in the upper region of pegboard  4 , elongated handles  102  of mops  100  extend from the bracket downwardly into space  30 , formed by rack panels  10  and  12 . It can thus readily be seen that by positioning bracket  60  in different locations on pegboard  4 , a variety of different sized tools with elongated handles can be mounted on the pegboard and extend into space  30 , without interfering with the other items being displayed on or in rack system  2 . 
       FIG. 5  specifically shows alternate display mounting bracket  70 , comprising base member  72  with curved upper and lower sections configured to mount onto and slide along intermediate rail members  11  of panel  10 . Bracket  70  has a pair of horizontally spaced elongated arm members  74  and  76  which extend outwardly from base  72 . Bracket  70  provides an alternate display tool which can be mounted on panel  10  to hang and display smaller tools with handles or other compatibly mounted products. 
     It is contemplated that display mounting bracket  80 , particularly shown in  FIG. 6 , can also be used to display smaller tools with holed handles or tool and/or accessory containers. Bracket  80  consists of a base member  82  with curved upper and lower portions configured to mount onto and slide along intermediate rail members  11  of panel  10 . Bracket  80  has a pair of vertically spaced, elongated arm members  84  and  86 , extending outwardly from base  82 . Arm members  84  and  86  accept product merchandise like packaged accessories  104 , through openings in the merchandise or its packaging. At the end of arm  84  is plate  88 , which can be used for mounting a label or other product signage. 
     It can thus be appreciated that when rack  8  is positioned and mounted on pegboard  4 , an almost unlimited variety of product display configurations is possible. Mops  100  can be displayed in many different locations using brackets  60  with their elongated handles extending into and through space  30 , between panels  10  and  12  of rack  8 . The elongated handles of mops  100  can be positioned to extend between baskets  50 , when these baskets are used with system  2 . One or more baskets  50  can be used to hold mop accessories or other product items and moved and re-positioned on rack  8  as needed. Additionally, brackets  70  and  80  can be selectively placed on intermediate rails  11  of panel  10 , depending on the merchandise to be displayed and the display configuration desired. These brackets, of course, can be repositioned, removed, or other brackets added, as necessary. As described above, the entire rack  8  can be removed from pegboard  4  and repositioned or placed on another pegboard system. 
     The components of merchandise rack display system  2  make this system highly versatile, presenting an efficient and attractive way to display merchandise, while emphasizing economy of space. 
     Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

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