CN87105767A

CN87105767A - Products display fixture system

Info

Publication number: CN87105767A
Application number: CN198787105767A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 罗伯特·彼特森
Original assignee: Ready Metal Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Ready Metal Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1986-08-22
Filing date: 1987-08-22
Publication date: 1988-05-11
Also published as: AU7716987A; EP0262374A1; JPS63111817A; KR880002486A

Abstract

Product support and display systems for providing interchangeable and uniformly sized components that can be assembled into freestanding or wall-mounted shelves, panel supports, and showcases and windows that can be introduced into retail stores and maintain the entire system design continuity. There is a basic support structure suitable for mounting various configurations of mounting brackets which support the shelf at horizontal or vertical angles and several angles in between. The special form of this kind of installation frame and shelf can utilize this same basic supporting member to form counter and window.

Description

Product display shelf system

The present invention relates to a shelf system for supporting products for display in retail stores, and more particularly to a multi-purpose shelf system comprised of interchangeable components of uniform size and configuration to allow a retail store apparel system to be configured to suit the display requirements of a particular product while at the same time creating structural and aesthetic continuity between the various components of the system.

Throughout the world, retail business for consumer products has evolved in the form of department stores, wholesale stores, convenience stores and specialty product stores, where products are displayed on long, multi-level shelves in rows, as well as in counters and displays. The retail cost of such products has been greatly reduced by the reduction of sales personnel in the sales area, by informing the consumer of the contents of the package, the nature of the product concerned and the reason why the consumer should purchase the product by way of the packaging and display of the product. Thus, an important aspect of the success of retail operations is the display of products in an attractive manner such that the shelves holding the products do not interfere with, or even become invisible to, the random view of the customers. Also, such shelves and counters must be adapted to the retail thoughts of the store, and also to create a coherent structure and flow pattern that creates a comprehensive, attractive environment.

There are many forms of store shelf devices currently on the market. Wall units support shelves by posts attached to the walls around or inside the store. Free standing shelf units are provided in most wholesale stores, for example, to form aisles through which goods are displayed and along which customers can shop. Counters are distributed throughout the retail space for displaying more expensive goods, for example as stations for buying and selling in cash and for carrying out packaging-related operations, and there has heretofore been no single shelf system readily available for providing wall-mounted support means, stand-alone means, and counter or window-mounted means, and which includes such accessories, which are uniformly designed to provide an aesthetic flow of goods between the various different goods display components, and which can be altered to suit specific retail business requirements without disrupting structural continuity. In addition, the above-described features have not been realized in a shelf system that is simple in construction, can be delivered in a compact form from a manufacturer to a point of sale at a retail store, and can selectively customize a portion of the shelf system to meet specific requirements.

Some currently available store cargo support systems are comprised of a plurality of upright support members from which a mounting rack is suspended and a shelf attached to the mounting rack. An upper cross member may be fitted between the upright support members but this is merely to maintain the upright support members in an upright position and not to provide any load bearing or structural aspect to maintain the rectangular configuration of such support members. In view of the above, prior cargo support systems have employed attaching a back plate to such vertical supports, whereby lines of force are directed diagonally through such back plate to form the necessary triangular network that maintains the desired rigidity of the system.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, coordinated and unified system of wall-mounted shelves, free-standing displays, and counter-mounted subsystems that can be assembled to form a customized and aesthetically pleasing display system for consumer products using such accessories.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shelf and counter type product display system which does not require a back plate connected to a pair of upright support members to maintain the system in a rectangular configuration, but rather provides horizontal tie rods which are connected to the upright support members to form a self-contained, substantially structurally strong support unit.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose shelf and counter type retail product display system that simplifies design and includes components of uniform form and size that are interchangeable between subsystems, thereby allowing different subsystems to be combined together while maintaining aesthetic overall continuity.

A further object of the invention is to provide an easily assembled shelf and counter system which contains components which can be densely packed for easy transport as standard components from the manufacturer to the retail location and which are completely non-flammable.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a shelf and counter system that provides high clarity to the displayed products, maximizes the use of available space, is rugged, and is designed such that the shelf members thereof appear to disappear behind the displayed products.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shelf and counter system that is reversible and adaptable to fit on a variety of different mounting racks, where the shelves may be positioned at different angles to allow products on the lower shelves to be more easily viewed.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system of shelves or wall-mounted displays that can be interchanged within the same unit or rotated from one unit to an adjacent unit without compromising the consistency of the design.

The above objects are achieved in the present invention which comprises in one of its broad embodiments! The rack assembly includes a hollow slotted vertical support, a mounting bracket movably mounted on the vertical support and having a rack mounting flange of various angles, a cantilevered support attached to the mounting bracket as a horizontal support such as a rack platform or counter platform extending from the vertical support, and a spacer connected between adjacent vertical supports and extending uniformly in a horizontal direction. In some individual embodiments, such vertical supports may be attached directly to the wall or to the support base. The joining portion of the base member and the upright support member may form an L-shape or an inverted T-shape. The shelf member, which can be used in all embodiments, includes a long leg and a short leg that intersect at a right angle. Depending on the type of merchandise displayed, the long or short legs may be used to directly support such merchandise. To support heavier items, some rigid members may be supported by the rack mount immediately below the rack. The system includes an auxiliary member such as a stand for displaying a graphic, a plate-like mounting member instead of a shelf member, and a basket adapted to be mounted on the mounting frame for displaying small commodities. The base and upright supports are also suitable for supporting a counter-window assembly, and a shelf may be provided in conjunction with the assembly.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by various embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a base member, hollow slotted upright support member and horizontal spacer member forming a base unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of one of the horizontal spacers of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a modified embodiment of the horizontal pull rod of FIGS. 1 and 2, the pull rod being angled proximate a middle portion thereof;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the manner of engagement between the base member and the vertical support member in an embodiment of the present invention wherein the base member and the vertical support member form an inverted T-shape;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the invention showing the engagement between the base member and the vertical support member, wherein the base member and the vertical support member form an L-shape;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the end of the base member showing how a metal foil is wrapped thereover to form a decorative end cap;

FIG. 6 illustrates the direct mounting of a vertical hollow slotted support of another embodiment of the present invention to a wall to form a wall rack unit;

fig. 7 and 8 illustrate two types of shelf members for use in the present invention;

figures 9, 10 and 11 illustrate mounting brackets of unequal length for pallets and for graphic displays;

FIG. 12 is an elevational view for supporting a pallet or other component from the upright support, illustrating the different length and forward angle configurations of such mounting brackets;

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of the mounting bracket of FIG. 2 illustrating how a shelving assembly of FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 is mounted on the angled forward face of the mounting bracket;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a horizontal shelf support frame used to support the shelf in a flat or horizontal position;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another mounting bracket suitable for holding shelves in a horizontal or lying position, such as in the form of a bookshelf in a library;

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of a library book shelf type combination utilizing the mounting bracket of FIG. 15 and the shelf of FIG. 7;

FIG. 17 is an elevational view of the mounting bracket of FIG. 15 illustrating how the shelf of FIG. 7 is mounted to the mounting bracket;

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view showing how the mounting bracket of FIG. 14 supports a rigid member;

FIG. 19 is a partial perspective view of a chart support or guide plate for attaching a billboard to the shelf and counter assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is an elevational view of a mounting bracket for mounting the billboard bracket or chute plate to the upright support, illustrating how the billboard is retained in that chute plate;

fig. 21 illustrates how the mounting bracket of fig. 9, 10 and 11 is assembled in the hollow slotted upright support of fig. 1 and 6;

FIG. 22 is an exploded view illustrating the basket attachment mounted to the mounting bracket of FIG. 12;

FIG. 23 details the apparatus used to attach the perforated plate for product display to the vertical support in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a detail perspective view of a panel mount used in conjunction with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an exploded partial perspective view of the base member and the cover member that form an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is an elevational view of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 25 showing the upright support members, the shelf members, and the relative positions of the base member and the cover member of FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention employing the wall-mounted vertical support of FIG. 6, the shelf mount of FIGS. 12 and 13, and the shelf assembly of FIG. 8;

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of one of the racks of FIG. 27, illustrating the manner of mounting the rack and its support brackets to a hollow slotted support;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a shelving unit similar to that shown in FIG. 27, but mounted on separate upright supports;

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view showing another manner of incorporating a billboard holder into the invention;

FIG. 31 is an exploded view of components configured as a display counter or window in accordance with the spirit of the present invention;

FIGS. 31A and 31B are cross-sectional views of a side panel member and a shelf member, respectively, as used in the embodiment of FIG. 31;

fig. 32 is a perspective view of a display counter or window designed in accordance with the spirit of the invention with the addition of vertical supports upstanding from the top surface of the counter or window to facilitate increased shelf capacity.

Referring to fig. 1, there is shown the layout of one of the basic structural units that make up the present invention, namely the layout of the individual support members 10. The support member 10 includes a base member 12 which may be used to mount a base plate, or other support member, of a display and merchandiser for retail or other merchandise. A pair of hollow slotted upright supports 14 extend through apertures 16 (fig. 3) in base 12 and are welded or otherwise suitably attached to the base. The bottom end of the vertical support member 14 is passed through the hole 16 until it reaches enough to the bottom surface of the bottom member 12 to increase the supporting force for the vertical support member 14. A series of vertically oriented slots 18 are provided on the opposite face 20 of the vertical support member 14 to receive hooks for attachment to a shelf mount and to receive mounts for attachment of other components of the system as will be described later.

To secure the basic structural unit 10, a pair of horizontal spacers 22 extending therebetween are provided between the pair of vertical supports 14. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the spacer 22 comprises an inverted U-shaped channel plate having two pairs of hooks or tabs 24 at each end adapted to be inserted into corresponding pairs of slots 26 in the upper and lower portions of the upright support member. The slot 26 is provided on the opposite face 28 of the upright support member 14. The number of horizontal spacers used in a particular support structure 10 depends on the height of the unit. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, two horizontal spacers 22 are required, but when it is necessary to add another spacer, slots 26 are provided in the spacers 22.

The spacer 22, in combination with the upright support member 14, forms a strong structural unit that maintains its rectangular configuration under load and does not allow the support member 10 to swing, by creating a self-supporting form of the support unit, it is not necessary to rely on a back plate or other cross member to maintain the load bearing capacity of the support member and maintain its overall profile integrity. This allows the spacers 22 to be mounted at different heights on the upright supports 14 so that different height base structure units 10 can be abutted against units of different heights to complete a unified cargo support system having several different heights.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, at the end of the horizontal partition 22 there is provided a downwardly extending flange 30 which is formed as an extension of one side 32 of the channel plate forming the partition. Fig. 2 illustrates in partial perspective view how this flange 30 is formed and bent downwardly at the end of the horizontal partition 22. A portion of the flange 30 extends below the lower edge of the spacer 30 and has a hole 34 therethrough. The apertures 34 themselves align with corresponding apertures in the face 28 of each horizontal spacer 22 when the spacer is attached to the upright support 14 by the hooks 24 passing through the slots 26. In the preferred embodiment, a plastic fastener is inserted through the hole 30 and into a corresponding hole in the vertical support 14 to secure the horizontal spacer 22 to the vertical support 14 while preventing displacement of the horizontal spacer 22 when an unexpected upward force is applied to the horizontal spacer 22.

The present invention contemplates the use of a spacer 22' (fig. 2A) that is bent at a 45 angle at the intermediate portion 23, and may be bent at other suitable angles as necessary. The use of such angled spacers in the individual support elements 10 shown in fig. 1 allows the basic structural unit constructed according to the invention to be maintained in a plane at an angle of 45 ° or some other suitable angle to the immediately adjacent support element 10. Wedge-shaped shelf members (not shown) may be mounted to the mounting frame and extend between the upright support members 14 connected to the ends of the angled spacer members 22'.

In one embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 4, a vertical support member 14 is attached to an end of a modified base member 36 such that the junction between the base member 36 and the vertical support member 14 is formed in an L-shape, as opposed to the inverted T-shape in the support member shown in fig. 1. A slot 38 is formed in one end of the base member 36 and the lower end of the upright support member 14 is inserted into and welded or otherwise suitably attached to the base member. It has been found that the L-shaped base of figure 4 is sufficient to properly support a freestanding support structure 10 if shelf members or other display members to be described are attached to only one side of the structure 10. The inverted T-shaped base in figure 1 is more suitable when it is necessary to hang a shelf from both sides of the member.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the outer end of one of the base members 12 showing how the end of the channel plate forming such base member is cut and folded into a triangular shape at 39 to provide a decorative finish to such base member 12. Through the upper and lower ends of base member 12 is an aperture 40 for mounting a floor mount or manual leveling device as is well known in the art. Identical triangular cutouts 39 and apertures 40 may be formed at the outer ends of the modified base member 36 (fig. 4), if desired.

The vertical support of the present invention also includes a modification adapted to be secured directly to an upright wall or other upright structure such as a post in a store area. Fig. 6 illustrates such a modification, which includes vertical supports 42 secured directly to a wall 44 by attachment members 46 such as screws, wall wedges and the like. The vertical support 42 includes a hollow portion 48 and bore 18 similar to those disclosed in the vertical support 18 of fig. 1, 3 and 4.

The free standing support member 10 of fig. 1, and the wall-mounted support 42, when in a paired arrangement, are adapted to provide a cantilevered support for a shelf or other product display accessory as will be described hereinafter. A shelving unit suitable for use in such a system embodying the invention is illustrated in figures 7 and 8. Fig. 7 discloses a shelving unit having a portion 52 extending in one direction and a second portion 54 extending substantially perpendicular to the portion 52. In the preferred embodiment, the shelf 50 is made of sheet metal, but may be made of other materials as necessary. For mass production, the finishing material used for the pallet 50 is a metal plate due to its high strength-to-thickness ratio and its non-combustible characteristics.

The outer end of shelf portion 52 has a curved flange 56 and the outer end of shelf portion 54 also has a flange 58. The purpose of

such flanges

56 and 58 is to enhance the aesthetics of the shelf, to provide greater strength to the outer edges of the

shelf sections

52 and 54, and to allow the shelving unit 50 to fit around its perimeter with certain mounting brackets forming part of the invention, as will be described later. A pair of spaced apart holes 60 are provided near the end of each shelving unit 50 for attaching such shelving unit to a support bracket to be described later.

The shelving unit 64 shown in fig. 8 is a modification of the shelving unit 50 of fig. 7. Similar parts to those of fig. 7, such as a portion 54 of the shelf, a flange 58 and an aperture 60, are designated by the same numerals in fig. 8. In the modified pallet of fig. 8, the other section 66 of the pallet extends only a short distance in a direction perpendicular to the section 54. Also, the outer end of the shelf portion 66 terminates in a hem flange 58 to reinforce the outer side of the short portion of the shelf unit.

Figures 9, 10 and 11 illustrate three different sizes of chart billboard mounting brackets 70 for supporting the billboard guide channel panels as will be described in detail in figures 19 and 20. Each such mounting comprises a longitudinally extending plate 72 having a flange 74 at one end thereof substantially perpendicular to the plate 72. A pair of holes 76 are provided near the ends of the flange 74. The distance between the two holes 76 in each mounting bracket 70 is preferably the same as the distance between the two holes 60 (fig. 7 and 8) adjacent the edges of the

shelving units

50 and 64, so that such mounting brackets 70 can also be used to mount

shelving units

50 or 64 as desired, in a manner to be described later.

The end of each mounting bracket 70 opposite the flange 74 includes two hook members 78 spaced apart a distance sufficient to allow insertion into the slots 18 of the upright supports 14 (fig. 1) or 42 (fig. 6). Fig. 9 illustrates an alternative configuration for hook 78, including an upwardly extending hooking flange portion 80. When the hooks 78 of the mounting bracket 70 are inserted into the slots 18 of the upright supports 14, 42, the bracket is first tilted upward and then the flange 80 is inserted into the slot 18. The mounting is then raised and the lower portion of the hook 78 is inserted into the slot so that the mounting is fitted to the upright support. The flange 80 also further protects the mounting bracket 70 from accidentally becoming dislodged from its associated upright support.

Fig. 12 discloses a mount form that may be used in various embodiments of the invention. The mounting is designated by the numeral 82 and comprises a plate-like portion having a hook 78 at one end thereof. Such hooks are similar to those described in connection with the mounting bracket of fig. 9-11, and to hook 24 shown in fig. 2. The vertical spacing between adjacent hooks 78 of the mounting bracket 82 is predetermined to correspond to the spacing between adjacent slots of the vertical supports 14 (fig. 1) and 42 (fig. 6). As shown in the partial perspective view of FIG. 12 to the left of the mounting bracket 82, the present invention contemplates the use of a mounting bracket 82 having a vertical flange 86 and a flange 86 that is angled at a number of different angles from the vertical flange, as will be further described below in connection with the shelving assembly shown in FIGS. 27 and 29.

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting bracket 82 of FIG. 12 is adapted to be mechanically secured to a shelving unit, such as unit 64 (FIG. 8). This is illustrated in fig. 13, which discloses a mounting bracket 82 having two holes 88 in its flange 86, spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distance between the two holes 60 in the shelf 64 (fig. 8). The shelf assembly 64 is positioned in the same plane as the outer surface of the angled flange 86 and is secured thereto by fasteners 90 extending through the

apertures

60 and 88. In the preferred embodiment, the fastener 90 is a self-locking type fastener made of plastic, but other suitable fastening means may be employed. Thus, the mounting bracket 82 may support the shelving unit 64 at any angle, depending on the angle of the flange 86 thereon.

The mounting bracket 92 shown in fig. 14 is a modification of the mounting bracket 82 of fig. 12 and 13 and has a flange 94 extending horizontally and at a generally right angle to a plate 96 containing the body of the mounting bracket 92. A pair of apertures 98 are provided in the flange 94 and are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the spacing between two adjacent apertures 60 in the shelving units 50 and 64 (fig. 7 and 8). A series of hooks 100 extend outwardly from one end of plate 96 for passing through slots in upright supports 14 and 42 to seat mounting bracket 92 on such upright supports. Thus, when the

shelving units

50 or 64 are attached to the flanges 94 by suitable fasteners extending through the holes 60 in such shelving and through the holes 98 in the mounting bracket 92, such mounting bracket 92 is adapted to support such shelving units in a cantilevered fashion in a horizontal position on the upright supports 14 and 42.

Another mounting bracket 102 is shown in fig. 15 and is particularly suitable for establishing a library-type shelving system having shelves with closed ends extending horizontally. The mounting bracket 102 includes a generally rectangular plate 104 having a hook 106 extending from one side thereof. The hooks are spaced sufficiently to fit into the slots 18 in the same manner as described with respect to similarly configured hooks on the mounting bracket. A flange member 108 having two

legs

110, 112 bent at a generally right angle to each other is secured to the plate 104 by rivets, spot welds or other suitable means, designated by the numeral 114. The flange portions 116,180 extend from the plate 104, and the vertically extending portion 116 of the flange has a pair of apertures 120 spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the distance between two adjacent apertures 60 in the shelving unit 50 (fig. 7).

As shown in fig. 16 and 17, a library-type shelf assembly is constructed by attaching a plurality of mounting brackets 102 to the separate vertical support by inserting hooks 106 into slots 18 of the vertical support (not shown) so that the brackets are spaced a predetermined vertical distance from each other. The predetermined distance is a function of the desired height of the shelves in the completed assembly. Two parallel vertical supports are then assembled to locate the mounting bracket 102 at the same height. The shelf unit 50 is then placed on the opposing flange members 108 and the shelf is attached to the flange by passing a suitable fastening device 122 through the aperture 60 of the shelf unit 50 and through the corresponding aperture 120 in the flange 108. In this preferred embodiment, the fastening means 122 comprises plastic self-locking means. The flanges 56 of the pallet 50 are either notched near their ends or are widened enough to wrap around the upstanding flange legs 112 so that the ends of the pallet 50 can be trimmed to the plate 104. The horizontally extending portion 118 of the flange leg 110 may provide additional support for the end of the shelving unit 50, where the lower side of the end of the shelf portion 54 lying in a horizontal position rests directly above, and is supported by, this horizontally extending flange portion 118.

The shelving unit of the invention is suitable for supporting heavier or lighter products. For example, the shelving unit may be used to display automotive batteries in an automated parts retail environment. Fig. 18 illustrates how a reinforcing member 124 may be mounted to the shelf 50 or 64 (fig. 7, 8) below and supported by the mounting bracket 92 (fig. 14). The reinforcement 124 is an elongated channel-shaped member having a base 126, upstanding sidewalls 128 and an outwardly extending flange 130. At the ends of the reinforcement 124, there are two notched portions 132 on each side wall 128. Each cut-out portion extends to the underside of the flange 130 to provide a flat bearing surface for the reinforcement on the underside of the flange 130 at both ends thereof. In this preferred embodiment, the reinforcement 124 is made of a material, such as steel, having the same thickness as the thickness of the

shelves

50 and 64. The reinforcement 124 may be made of a thicker material when necessary or as determined for particular load requirements. The notched portions 132 at each end of the reinforcing member 124 are uniformly shaped. In addition, the reinforcement 124 is shorter in length than the

shelving units

50 and 64 by twice the thickness of the metal plate of the mounting bracket 92 (fig. 7, 8).

In use, a pair of mounting brackets (fig. 18) are attached by hooks 100 to a pair of upright supports 14 or 42, which are at the same height and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the standard length of the pallets used in the system. Prior to assembly of the

shelf

14 or 42 to the mounting brackets 92, the reinforcing member 124 is held in place between the mounting brackets 92, and the flanges 94 of the mounting brackets on either end of the reinforcing member are inserted into the cut-out portions 132 of the reinforcing member. The underside of the ends of flange 130 are allowed to drop onto flange 94 so that flange 94 and mounting bracket 92 support the reinforcement at each end. Reinforcing member 124 is not permanently secured to flange 94, but may be moved inwardly or outwardly along flange 94 when reinforcing member 124 is properly in place,

shelf assemblies

50 or 64 may be attached to mounting bracket 92 above the reinforcing member by aligning holes 60 (fig. 7 and 8) of the shelves above holes 98 in mounting bracket 92 and then inserting suitable fastening means, such as plastic self-locking means, into the aligned holes. Since such fasteners 124 are preferably made of relatively thin material and are located midway between the holes 98, any irregularities in the flat surface of the

shelf

50 or 64 caused by the small area of the shelf directly above the mounting bracket 92 will not be significantly affected.

The shelf and counter system of the present invention includes means for supporting billboards and other graphic display materials to enhance merchandising of products displayed on the shelves and counters. To this end, FIG. 19 shows a generic chart frame channel plate 134 having a central portion 136 and

U-shaped flanges

138, 140 facing in opposite directions on either end of the central portion 136. As shown in FIG. 19, the side 142 of the flange 138 is shorter than the side 144 of the flange 140 for a purpose that will be described later. A hole 141 is provided adjacent each end of the slotted guide 134. This generic chart frame guide slot plate 134 is intended to provide a means for forming a chart holding device in conjunction with other standard frame components of the system disclosed herein, and which can be used to support charts of varying sizes with a portion thereof.

The versatility of the chart support of the present invention described above can be more clearly understood by reference to fig. 20, in which a pair of chart frame guide slots 134 are attached to the flanges 74 of the mounting bracket 72 (fig. 9-11). As shown in the partial cross-sectional view of fig. 20, the mounting bracket 72 may have unequal horizontal lengths depending on the desired position of the graphical display. Such chart frame guide slot plate 134 is secured over flange 74 of mounting frame 72 by inserting appropriate fasteners 146 through apertures 141 (fig. 19) and corresponding apertures 76 (fig. 9).

As shown in fig. 20, the upper channel plate 134 is secured to its respective mounting bracket 72 such that the long side 144 of the flange 140 faces outwardly. The lower channel plate 134 is then attached in an inverted manner to its respective mounting bracket 72 with the short side of the flange 138 facing outwardly. Because each of the mounts 72 supporting the slot guide 134 is of uniform length and because of the structural symmetry of the

flanges

138 and 140 of the slot guide 134, as seen in fig. 20, when the slot guide 134 is assembled to its respective mount, the flange 140 is directly above the flange 138, thus forming a space or pocket 140 between the

flanges

138 and 140. A billboard or other graphic display device 150 may be inserted within the pocket 148 by: the top of the billboard is first lifted up the inside top of the flange 140, the bottom of the billboard is then raised above the edge of the side 142 of the flange 138, and the bottom of the billboard is then dropped onto the inside bottom of the flange 138. The top of the billboard is held in place by an additional long section of the side 144 of the flange 140.

The vertical support member holding the mounting bracket 72 includes a series of linearly spaced slots 18 (fig. 2) spaced a short distance from each other to form a large number of height sections to which shelves or other components of the system are attached. Thus, the relative distance between the upper and lower mounting brackets of the combination of FIG. 20 can be adjusted to accommodate billboards of various heights within the pocket 148.

Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how the mounting bracket 72, or any other mounting bracket shown in the relevant figures, is attached to the upright support 14. The same attachment method applies to the vertical support 42 (fig. 6). As shown in FIG. 21, the hooks 78 of the mounting bracket 72 are inserted into the slots 18 where they pass through the hollow interior of the upright support 14. Hook 78 abuts the inside surface of upright support 14 and side 152 of mounting bracket 72 abuts the outside of the upright support. When a load is applied to the upper surface of slot 18, the interface of hook 78 with side 152 resists movement of mounting bracket 72 against the support, thus providing a cantilevered support for the shelf, reinforcement, or any other component supported by mounting bracket 72.

The support system of the invention may also be fitted with various accessories, several examples of which are illustrated in figures 22 to 24. Referring to fig. 22, a basket 154 for holding a large quantity of relatively small items extends rearwardly therefrom to form a batch of sticks 156. The rearward facing side of the basket 154 is angled outwardly at the same angle as the flange 86 on the mounting bracket 82, as previously described in connection with fig. 12 and 13. To mount the basket 154 on the mounting bracket 82, a rod 156 is inserted through the aperture 88 and a locking washer 158 is inserted over the rod against the inner surface of the flange 86 to hold the basket firmly against the mounting bracket 82. The opposite end of the basket 154 is similarly configured and secured to a mirror mount 82. The hooks 78 of each mounting bracket 82 are then inserted through the slots 18 of the upright supports 14 or 42 to attach the basket to the system.

Current marketing and selling techniques also include selling the product in blister packs (blister packs) which are backed by cardboard liners with holes that can be nailed or set. The invention is considered to this end by proposing the attachment to the support system of plates, with holes or slots, to facilitate the housing of nails and shelves of the type described above, for the display purposes of such finished products. Referring to fig. 23 and 24, there is shown a pair of perforated plates 160 supported on the vertical supports 14 (fig. 1) or 42 (fig. 6) by plate clamps 162. Referring to fig. 24, the plate clip 162 includes a plurality of hooks 164 that are substantially identical in shape and size to the

hooks

24, 78, 100 and 106 used in the other mounts described above. In use, the plates 160 are temporarily held above a pair of upright supports 14 adjacent to each other without blocking the slot 18 (fig. 23). The hooks of the panel clip 162 are inserted into the adjacent slots 18 of the pair of upright supports and the panel clip 162 is then pushed inwardly and downwardly until the hooks 164 abut the inner surfaces of the upright supports in the space defined by the inner surfaces of the panel clip and the

upright support

14 or 22. This pushing down action locks the plate clip 162 in place while the plate clip holds the plate 160 to the upright support. The number of plate clips 162 required to hold a particular plate member to the vertical support 14 is a function of the weight of the product supported by the multi-well plate. If only one plate is to be fastened to a given vertical support, a spacer may be interposed between the plate clip 162 and the

vertical support

14 or 42 in place of the plate member 160.

A decorative and functional bottom cover assembly is provided for the free standing or wall mounted support member of fig. 1 and 6. Referring to fig. 25 and 26, the vertical support member 14, which has a linear array of slots 18 on opposite sides thereof, is attached to a base member 36 as previously described in connection with fig. 1 and 4. Slots 26 are provided in the remaining opposite faces 28 of the upright support member 14. The horizontal spacer 22 traverses a similar structure comprising the upright support member 14 and the base member 36 to form a freestanding shelving unit assembly.

The bottom bracket 166, which is formed of a generally U-shaped channel plate, includes a bottom flange 168, a central portion 170, and an upper flange 172. A cover 174 partially covers one end of the bottom mounting bracket 166. The upper flange 172 has a pair of apertures 176 spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between adjacent apertures 60 in the shelving units 50 and 64 (fig. 7 and 8). Above the cover 174, a notched portion 176 is formed in this portion of the bottom mounting bracket. A plurality of hooks 178, similar to those described above in relation to the mounts, extend rearwardly from the bottom mount 166 and are adapted to be inserted into the slots 18 at the bottom end of the upright support member 14 to attach the bottom mount 166 to the upright support member, thereby landing the underside of the bottom flange 168 on the top surface of the bottom member 36.

A modified extender 124 ' having a portion of the upper flange 130 ' cut away is inserted into the hole of the bottom bracket 166 between the upper flange 172 and the bottom flange 168, thereby fitting the upper flange into the cut-out portion of the reinforcement 124 '. The base 126 'of the reinforcement member 124' rests upon and is supported by the base flange 168. Bottom cover 182 is then placed over bottom mounting bracket 166 such that apertures 184 align with apertures 180 of upper flange 172. Bottom cover 182 is similar to shelving units 50 and 64 (fig. 7, 8), or may be made of a thicker sheet material. Fasteners are then inserted through the aligned apertures to secure the bottom cover 182 to the bottom mounting bracket 166 and thus to the upright support 14. The fasteners 124 'are held in place by inserting them between two bottom shelves 124' on opposite ends of the support 10 (fig. 26).

To provide a decorative appearance to the freestanding support structure shown in fig. 1 and 25, a plurality of cover members are adapted to overlie the exterior features (functional features) of the shelving unit designed for utility. The front cover 186, being purely decorative and non-structural, includes a central portion 188, a first horizontally extending flange 192, and a second horizontally extending flange 194. The cover 174 of the bottom bracket 166 abuts the inner surface of the central portion 188 when placed on the assembled bottom unit of the support structure 10, and the flanges 190 and 192 on the top of the front cover 186 extend into the cutout portion 176 of the bottom bracket. Flange 194 is above flange 172 of bottom bracket 166 and below bottom cover 182 creating a decorative appearance between the front facade of bottom cover 182 and facade 188 of front housing 186.

An ornamental sideshield 196 is provided to shield the ends of such base assemblies as described above with reference to fig. 25, the sideshield 196 includes a channel member having a forward face 198 and an upper flange profile 200 incorporating a flange 202. Holes 204 pass through flange 202, and side 196 is attached to bottom cover 182 and bottom frame 166 by fasteners passing through holes 184, 180 and 204 simultaneously. When attached as described above, the forward face 198 of sideshield 196 is attached directly to the edge of the central portion of front housing 186 such that the flange profile 200 is a continuous body of the upper surface of bottom cover 182.

The upright cover 206 (fig. 25) includes an elongated channel plate with spring-like inwardly directed flanges 208 adapted to securely grip and cover the sides of the upright support member 14. The upright cover 206 is provided with holes 210 to receive a fastener that is attached in a corresponding hole 212 of the upright support 14 to further secure the upright cover 206 to the upright support 14.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig. 27 includes a wall mounted shelf assembly that is particularly suited for displaying video cassettes or books. A pair of vertical supports 42 are secured to the wall 214. A series of shelves 64 are attached to the support 42 by a series of mounting brackets 70 and 82 (fig. 11, 12) to form a combination of equal height shelves to allow the consumer to view products displayed on the lower shelves with relative ease, as will be described in more detail below.

The uppermost shelf 64 is preferably attached to the upright support member 14 by a mounting bracket 70 (fig. 11) having a vertically extending flange. The shelf 64 is secured to the mount 70 by fasteners 90 that pass through corresponding holes in both the shelf 64 and the mount 70, as previously described in connection with the embodiment of fig. 13. Since the flanges 74 (fig. 11) of the mounting bracket 70 extend straight up and down, the longer portion of the uppermost shelf 64 in the embodiment of fig. 27 will also extend in a vertical direction.

The next shelves in the shelf assembly of fig. 27 are positioned progressively downward and are attached to the upright support 42 by the mounting bracket 82 (fig. 12) with a forward flange 86 that is angled off the vertical. Fig. 12 shows three mounts 82, each having a flange 86 that is angled away from vertical at a different angle. The next shelves 64 below the highest shelf are preferably mounted to the vertical support 42 using a mounting bracket 82 with a flange having a minimum angle of departure from vertical. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 27, the second to sixth racks are all inclined at the same angle with respect to the vertical direction, gradually facing downward.

The shelf 64 adjacent the bottom in the shelf assembly of fig. 27 is attached to the vertical support 42 by a mounting bracket 82 that is angled away from vertical at a greater angle than the mounting bracket 82 used to mount the first five shelf units. In addition, the plate portion 84 (FIG. 12) of these mounts is longer than previously used mounts. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 27, the next to last shelf is offset from vertical by an angle greater than the shelves above it and also extends further outward than the shelves above it.

The bottom shelf 64 of the combination of fig. 27 is attached to the upright support by a mounting bracket 82 (fig. 12) having a flange 86 that is angled from vertical at an even greater angle than the flange on the mounting bracket used to attach the upper shelf. Also, the plate section 84 of the mounting bracket 82 for this bottom shelf is longer than the other mounting brackets, and also longer than the mounting bracket 82 for the next-to-last shelf. Thus, the long portion of the lowermost shelf 64 is angled away from the vertical at a greater angle than the shelf above it and extends further outwardly away from the wall 214 and the upright support 42. For details of how the shelves 64 are mounted on the mounting 82, reference is made to the above description of the combination illustrated in fig. 13.

When products such as cassette tapes or books are placed on the shelves 64 assembled according to the embodiment of fig. 27, these products are readily visible to the customer at the visual level. The products on the lower two shelves are closer to the customer by the upward angle of the two lower shelves and their extension away from the wall toward the customer. In addition, the overall equivalent curvature of the entire pallet assembly of FIG. 27 provides a clean, fluid and attractive view of the retail environment.

Fig. 28 illustrates how the shelving unit 64 and mounting bracket 82 can be used to assemble a complete set of shelves onto the vertical support member 42. Shelf 64 is fastened to an angled flange 86 with fasteners 90. Hooks 78 of mounting bracket 82 are inserted into slots 18 of vertical support 42 where they fit against the hollow interior surface of support 42 to hold mounting bracket 82 in place with shelf 64.

The combination of contour racks shown in fig. 27 may also be constructed on the free standing support member 10 (fig. 1) or on a wall mounted support 42. An embodiment of such a freestanding support structure of the invention is illustrated in fig. 29, where the same pallet and angled mount combination described in connection with the wall-supported unit of fig. 27 is mounted on a freestanding support structure 10 of the type shown in fig. 1. Referring to fig. 29, the shelf 64 is mounted on a mounting bracket 82 as shown in fig. 28. Hooks 78 on mounting bracket 82 are inserted through slots (not shown) in the two parallel upright support members 14 which are in turn mounted to the two base members 12.

Figure 30 shows another embodiment of the chart billboard frame comprising a mounting bracket 216 having hooks 218 that extend through slots in a vertical support member 14 of the type described above. A U-shaped channel plate 220 is attached by fasteners 222 to a flange 224 of the mounting block 216. A pair of vertically aligned flanges 226 extend from the channel 220. The graphic billboard or billboard 228 is mounted to the shelving system by surrounding the flange 226 at its upper and lower ends, thereby mounting the billboard 228 to the shelving system. The billboard is adapted to carry advertising and informational graphics to aid in the promotion of the merchandise displayed on such a shelf system.

The product display system of the type described above also forms the basis of a counter or window display system, illustrated in fig. 31 and 32, in which each counter or window assembly 230 (fig. 32) is mounted on a pair of upright supports 14 attached to a base member 36 (fig. 4). In this preferred embodiment, a pair of horizontal spacers 22 are mounted by placing hooks 24 into slots 26 in a face 28 of each vertical support 14. The sides of each counter 230 include a thin-walled rectangular plate 232 with a series of hooks 234 extending from the plate at the top and bottom. Such hooks 234 are identical in construction and use to all of the previously described hooks. Ledge 236 horizontally spans the top of panel 232 and forms a support for the glass cabinet top, as will be described. An L-shaped ledge 238 extends vertically along the front edge of the panel 232 to form a vertically oriented glass counter, as will be explained below. The bottom end of the plate 232 includes a support ledge 240 adapted to support a floor 242 of the counter 230.

The base 242 has a slot extending along its front edge adapted to support a glass counter 246, as shown in detail in fig. 31B. When the counter 230 is fully assembled, the ledge 248 of the base 242 is engaged by and supported by the ledge 240 of the side panel 232.

The rear of the base 242 has a slot 250 adapted to receive sliding door hardware (e.g., rails) so that the interior of the counter 230 is accessible through two rear mounted sliding doors (not shown). When the counter 230 is assembled, the slot 250 is directly beneath the open upper horizontal partition 22 and contains hardware (not shown) for mounting and operating a sliding door on the back of the counter. The back of the floor 242 extends downwardly behind the lowermost horizontal partition 22.

In assembling the counter 230, the hooks 234 of the two mirror-image side plates 232 are inserted into the slots 18 of the two parallel vertical supports 14, which are spaced apart by the two horizontal spacers 22, and the hooks 24 of the spacers are inserted into the slots 26 of the vertical supports 14. The floor 242 is then positioned with its sides 248 supported by the ledge 240 of each of the side panels. Sliding door hardware and sliding doors are installed between the slots 250 and the channels of the uppermost spacer 22. A glass counter 246 (fig. 31A) is placed over the side wall 238 on the front side of each side panel 232 and held in place by double-sided adhesive tape or other suitable means. The bottom of the glass counter 246 then falls into and is supported by the channel 244 of the base plate 242.

The glass counter top 252 is then placed on top of the horizontal upper 236 adjacent the top of each side panel 232. The glass counter top 252 is also supported on its front face by resting on the top edge of the glass counter 246. The glass counter top 252 may be adhered to the top edges of the horizontal counter 236 and the glass counter top 246 with double-sided adhesive tape. Additionally, a protective plastic groove strip may be inserted where the edge of the glass counter 246 meets the glass counter top 252.

If desired, shelves may be attached above the counter 230 by extending vertical supports above the back of the counter. As shown in fig. 32, the shelving unit 50, attached to the mounting bracket 70 and having the hooks 78, is fitted to the upper end of the upright support 14 via the slot 18. If desired, another shelf 50 can be mounted in a similar manner below the uppermost shelf 50.

From the above aspects of the invention, it is apparent that a batch of shelf and counter structures for product display can be obtained using the following basic support components: (a) a self-contained or wall-mountable slotted vertical support for a self-contained unit also having a base member, (b) a plurality of mounting brackets having mounting flanges of unequal angle and configuration adapted to be mounted to said vertical support, (c) a limited number of shelf assembly structures adapted to be mounted to said mounting brackets and ultimately supported by said vertical support in an effective and attractive desired arrangement for displaying merchandise, whereby the shelves may be mounted in a horizontal, vertical or inclined manner to form a base unit for a cargo system or to form a counter or window assembly. In supporting heavier products, a reinforcement can be inserted between the shelf and the mounting bracket supporting it. In the structure of the present invention, accessories such as a frame for image display, a perforated plate, a product basket, etc. may be further added. Because of the dimensional consistency of the components of the shelf and counter system disclosed herein, and because of the dimensional consistency of the assembled components (e.g., the mounts and components of the shelf unit), the present invention can be used to construct a collection of wall-mounted shelf units, freestanding shelf units, and freestanding counters and displays arranged in a manner that allows for efficient and varied display of merchandise to produce a good sale while maintaining aesthetic and design structural uniformity among the various units comprising such a system. In addition, the system uses only a few basic components and also allows for shelving, wall panels. The accessories can be quickly replaced on the same wall unit segment as the counter/shop window, or changed from one segment to the next, with the option of changing the specifications for specific requirements.

The shelf and counter system provides high visibility of the products displayed, maximizes storage space, and provides wide flexibility in the configuration. The shelf device can be reversed to change the display characteristics and can be angled to enhance the display of the products on the lower shelf.

In the preferred embodiment of the shelf and counter unit of the present invention, the construction is easy to assemble, change and disassemble due to the dimensional consistency and the use of lightweight steel sheet parts. The disclosed shelf, due to its simple structure, prevents the excessive visual stimulation of the products displayed thereon without sacrificing the required strength when holding heavy products such as automotive batteries.

The system disclosed above is non-flammable by employing metal components throughout, except for plastic fasteners and glass counter tops and surfaces, which is a critical requirement in many municipal fire protection stacks. The seam between the counter and window sides is almost nonexistent when the sides are side by side, since the side panels of each cabinet are relatively thin, 1/8 inch dividers, rather than the 1 inch wide double frame structure seen in previous cabinets. The building block combination can be folded for shipment and assembled on site, and the common breakage phenomenon of pre-assembly equipment is eliminated.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom. Various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A product support and display system, comprising:

A plurality of hollow slotted vertical supports separated from each other;

A horizontal spacer extending between the vertical supports, the spacer providing a structural support for the vertical supports, maintaining a rectangular configuration without appreciable offset, and no other structural members being used between the spacer and the vertical supports;

a plurality of angled mounting brackets, each having a hook adapted to engage a slot in the vertical support member, thereby allowing the mounting bracket to be cantilevered from the vertical support member;

a shelf adapted to be attached to said mounting frame and supported in cantilever fashion by said adjacent and spaced apart vertical supports;

The above-mentioned shelf is suitable for being supported from said support member at an angled position, such angular position being dependent on the angle at which the shelf is attached to the aforementioned mounting frame.

2. The product support and display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom member comprises a bottom member attached to said vertical support member, thereby making the system free-standing;

3. The product support and display shelf system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertical support member is attached to a wall;

4. The product support and display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said horizontally positioned partition comprises an inverted U-shaped guide plate from which another hook extends, such hook being adapted to be inserted into another slot of two adjacent vertical support members, whereby said two vertical support members are such partition members that they are maintained in a fixed relative position to each other;

5. The product support and display system of claim 4, wherein said horizontally positioned spacer includes tabs disposed at both ends thereof adapted to be removably secured to said vertical support to prevent said spacer from being accidentally loosened from said vertical support.

6. The product support and display system of claim 1 wherein each of said mounting brackets includes a flange extending approximately at right angles from the flat plate section forming the mounting bracket, said flange also extending in a vertical direction of said mounting bracket attached to said vertical support member, said flange including fasteners for mounting said shelf to said mounting bracket in a generally vertical position.

7. The product support and display system of claim 1 wherein said mounting frame includes a flange extending approximately at right angles from the flat plate section forming said mounting frame, said flange also extending at a predetermined angle when said mounting frame is attached to said vertical support, said flange including fasteners for attaching said shelf to said mounting frame whereby said shelf may be positioned at an angle off vertical.

8. The product support and display system of claim 1 wherein each of said mounting brackets includes a flange extending approximately at right angles from the flat plate section forming the mounting bracket, said flange also extending horizontally when the mounting bracket is attached to the vertical support member, said flange including fasteners for attaching said shelf to said mounting bracket in an approximately horizontal orientation.

9. The product support and display system of claim 1 wherein each of said mounting frames comprises a plate to which are attached angled legs having flange portions extending toward adjacent vertical supports, said flange portions being provided with fasteners for attaching said shelves to said flange portions, whereby said shelves extend between said plates on two opposing mounting frames and said plates form joints at the ends of said shelves.

10. The product support and display system of claim 1 including a reinforcement member extending below said shelf to increase the supporting capacity of said shelf, said reinforcement member including at each end a first flange overlying and supported by a second flange, said second flange member forming part of said mounting bracket located at each end of said shelf, said first flange being located between said shelf and said mounting bracket.

11. The product support and display system of claim 1, including a chart display device, the device comprising a first chart frame guide plate attached to a first pair of mounting frames, and a second chart frame guide plate attached to a second pair of mounting frames, a chart insertion pocket being disposed between the first and second chart frame guide plates, the distance between the first and second chart frame guide plates being variable so as to accommodate chart signs of different sizes in the pocket.

12. The product support and display system of claim 1, wherein said first chart rack guide plate is generally S-shaped in cross-section, having a long and a short vertically extending flange, and is assembled into said first pair of mounting frames in a first position, and said second chart rack guide plate is substantially identical in cross-section to said first chart rack guide plate, and is assembled into said second pair of mounting frames in a second position, said second position being the inverse of said first position of said first chart rack guide plate, said pocket being formed between the long vertically extending flange of said first chart rack guide plate and the short vertically extending flange of said second chart rack guide plate.

13. A panel system for supporting and displaying products, comprising:

A number of hollow, slotted vertical supports separated from each other:

Plate clamp, comprising a flat plate engaging surface and a plurality of hooks extending at right angles from the plate engaging surface, such hooks being adapted to be inserted into said slots of said vertical support member so that said plate clamp is retained on said vertical support member, thereby providing a gap between said plate engaging surface and said vertical support member;

The product support plate inserted in the above-mentioned gap is held in place on the vertical support by the plate clamps mentioned above.

14. The product support and display system of claim 2, wherein a bottom shelf assembly is included adjacent the bottom end of said display system, said bottom shelf assembly comprising: mutually spaced bottom mounting frames having hooks thereon which are inserted into said slots of said vertical support members so as to attach said bottom mounting frames to said vertical support members, said bottom mounting frames having their lower sides resting directly on corresponding bottom members, said bottom mounting frames including upper flanges extending horizontally, and bottom cover shelf members extending between said bottom mounting frames and attached to said upper flanges of said bottom mounting frames by fasteners.

15. The support and display system of claim 14 wherein said bottom shelf assembly further comprises reinforcement members supported by the bottom mounting frame immediately below said bottom cover shelf member, such reinforcement members providing increased support capabilities to said bottom deck shelf system.

16. The product support and display system of claim 14 including a decorative cover adapted to be attached to the outwardly facing perimeter of said bottom shelf assembly to conceal the edges of said bottom shelf assembly from view.

17. The product support and display system of claim 16 wherein said decorative cover comprises a front cover adapted to be attached to the forward edge of said bottom cover shelf member and to the lateral edges of the bottom mounting frame supporting said bottom cover shelf member.

18. The product support and display system of claim 16, wherein said decorative cover comprises a decorative side cover adapted to be attached to and span over one side of said bottom mounting frame and extend over said corresponding bottom member to conceal said bottom mounting frame and said bottom member from view.

19. The product support and display system of claim 2, including a decorative stand cover adapted to be attached to said vertical support member and cover the outer surface thereof to conceal the outer surface from view.

20. The product support and display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angular position of the shelf is approximately vertical in the upper position of the vertical support member, and deviates from the vertical direction in the lower position of the vertical support member, and at the same time, the shelf between the above-mentioned upper and lower positions of the vertical support member gradually increases its angle of deviation from the vertical direction between the above-mentioned upper and lower positions of the vertical support member, so that the entire shelf equipment of the system forms a gradual and smooth appearance.

21. The product support and display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting frame comprises a pair of spaced apart substantially rectangular vertically disposed side panels, the side panels having a plurality of hooks which are inserted into slots on the aforementioned vertical support members at two vertically spaced apart positions, the vertically disposed side panels having lower support ledges on their lower edges; and the shelf comprises a bottom panel extending between and supporting the lower support ledges of the aforementioned side panels, each of the aforementioned side panels also comprising an upper support ledge extending horizontally between the upper edges of the aforementioned side panels, and an edge support ledge extending vertically along an edge of the aforementioned side panels, and also comprising a cabinet top supported by and extending between the aforementioned upper support ledges of the aforementioned side panels, and a cabinet top supported by and extending between the aforementioned upper support ledges of the aforementioned side panels, and a cabinet top supported by the slot ledges in the aforementioned bottom panel, such cabinet top extending between and bonded to the aforementioned edge support ledges of the aforementioned side panels, whereby the aforementioned side panels, bottom panel, cabinet top and cabinet top together form a cabinet having only one side open and all other sides completely closed.

22. The product support and display system as claimed in claim 21, comprising a groove attached to the aforementioned bottom plate and a partition door whose lower end can slide in the groove, and the aforementioned partition member comprises an inverted U-shaped groove extending transversely between the aforementioned vertical support members, and the upper end of the said partition door can slide in the above-mentioned inverted U-shaped groove in the partition member, whereby the said partition door can open and close the said side of the aforementioned cabinet.

23. The product support and display system of claim 21 wherein a front portion of said top rests on and is supported by an upper edge of the front deck of said cabinet.

24. The product support and display system of claim 21 wherein said cabinet top and cabinet surface are constructed of transparent material.

25. The product support and display system of claim 24 wherein said transparent material is glass.

26. The product support and display system of claim 21 wherein said vertical support member extends a predetermined distance above the cabinet top and another shelf member is supported from said vertical support member and above the cabinet top by said mounting bracket.

27. The product support and display system of claim 21, wherein said vertical support extends a predetermined distance above the cabinet top and said mounting bracket is used to attach a graphic display device including a graphic guide plate to said vertical support.

28. A product support and display system, comprising:

A group of hollow vertical supports separated from each other with slots;

In the vertical support member extending between the horizontal position of the isolation member;

A number of angled mounting brackets, each having a hook adapted to engage with the slot in the vertical support member, whereby such mounting bracket is cantilevered from the vertical support member;

Said mounting frame on each vertical support member is cantilevered in pairs facing each other;

Shelves extending between opposite pairs of mounting frames and supported by flanges of each mounting frame;

The shelf includes holes penetrating therethrough, which holes are suitable for corresponding to the holes on the corresponding flanges;

Self-locking fasteners pass through the holes to secure the shelf to corresponding holes on the mounting frame, whereby the shelf can extend horizontally from the vertical support members.

29. A product support and display system, comprising:

A group of hollow vertical supports separated from each other with slots;

Each of said mounting frames comprises a horizontally extending and a vertically extending flange, said flanges on said pair of mounting frames facing each other are also facing each other;

In each mounting frame of the vertically extending flange and the horizontally extending flange includes a hole extending therethrough;

Having two boards extending in parallel and combined at right angles along their length, the latter extending between the opposite pairs of mounting frames, wherein the ends of the board abut against the aforementioned horizontal flange and vertical flange;

In one of the above-mentioned shelves, the plate includes holes, the positions of the holes are aligned with the holes on one of the vertical flange and the horizontal flange;

Self-locking fasteners passing through a hole on a plate and a flange, said shelf is fastened to said mounting frame;

The mounting frame is generally rectangular in shape and provides lateral support for products supported on the shelf.

30. A product support and display system, comprising:

A group of hollow vertical supports separated from each other with slots;

A number of angled mounting brackets, each having a hook adapted to engage with the slot in the vertical support member, whereby such mounting brackets are cantilevered from the vertical support member in pairs facing each other;

The mounting frame extends from the top position of the vertical support member to the bottom position of the vertical support member;

Each of the mounting brackets includes a flange extending laterally, the flange also deviates from the vertical direction by a prescribed amount at an angle;

Shelves extending between each pair of mounting frames facing each other and supported by corresponding flanges of each mounting frame;

The shelf includes holes extending therethrough, which are adapted to align with the corresponding holes on the flange;

Self-locking fasteners fastening the shelf to the corresponding mounting frame through the holes;

The mounting frame adjacent to the above-mentioned bottom position of the vertical support member has a group of transversely extending flanges, which deviate from the vertical direction at equal and increasing angles. Therefore, the bookshelves distributed at the bottom position of the vertical support member are also installed to deviate from the vertical direction at equal and increasing angles relative to each other. In this way, the bookshelves adjacent to the bottom position of the vertical support member form a smoothly curved appearance, and the products displayed on the shelves at the said lower position can also be seen clearly with equal and increasing gradients.

31. A product support and display system, comprising:

A group of hollow vertical supports separated from each other with slots;

Attached to the above-mentioned vertical supports and support their bottom members;

In a pair of mounting frames in a generally rectangular side plate, the latter having a number of hooks, which are inserted into the slots of the vertical support members in two vertically separated positions;

The side plate disposed in the vertical direction has a lower support help at its lower edge;

In the above-mentioned lower support help of the side panels of the support between the horizontally extending bottom plate;

Each of the side panels mentioned also includes an upper support help, which extends horizontally at the upper edge of said side panels;

Each of the side panels mentioned also includes a side support to help, which extends in a vertical direction along an edge of said side panel;

In the side panels of the upper support between the help and its support cabinet top;

The cabinet surface is supported by the grooves in the bottom plate, and this cabinet surface extends between the edge support sides of the above-mentioned side panels and is bonded thereto. Thus, the side panels, bottom plate, cabinet top and cabinet surface mentioned above are combined to form a cabinet with only one side open and the other sides completely closed.

32. The product support and display system as claimed in claim 31, comprising a groove attached to the aforementioned bottom plate and a partition door whose lower end can slide in the groove, and the aforementioned partition member comprises an inverted U-shaped groove extending transversely between the aforementioned vertical support members, and the upper end of the said partition door can slide in the above-mentioned inverted U-shaped groove in the partition member, whereby the said partition door can open and close the said side of the aforementioned cabinet.

33. The product support and display system of claim 31 wherein a front portion of said top rests on and is supported by an upper edge of the front deck of said cabinet.

34. The product support and display system of claim 31 wherein said top and said surface are constructed of transparent material.

35. The product support and display system of claim 34 wherein said transparent material is glass.

36. The product support and display system of claim 31 wherein said vertical support extends a predetermined distance above said cabinet top and another shelf is supported from said vertical support above said cabinet top by said mounting bracket.

37. The product support and display system of claim 31, wherein said vertical support extends a predetermined distance above the cabinet top and said mounting bracket is used to attach a graphic display device including a graphic display guide plate to said vertical support.