GB2074355A - Display Stands - Google Patents

Abstract

A display stand is erected from panels 1 connected to uprights 2 by spring clips 4, each clip being U- shaped with its web 4B abutting the edge of the panel that carries it so that no gap exists between upright and panel when the upright is locked with the panel. With this construction, the run of panels and upright(s) is gap- free, and is opaque if the panels are opaque whereby activity behind the panels is visually screened from persons viewing the display carried by the panels. Each clip 4 may be made of spring steel and carries an anti-slip rubber pad 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display Stands This invention relates to display stands that are erected from a plurality of components so as to be free standing, providing panels on which items can be displayed by securing the items to upright faces of the panels, and if desired also by placing the items on shelves or racks extending from the panels.

According to the present invention there is provided a display stand that can be erected from a plurality of panels and at least one upright, the panels having along edges that are to be upright in the erected stand clips for engagement with the upright(s) to lock the panels and the upright(s) together; the lowermost panels in the erected stand extending from ground level with at least one upright having two such lowermost panels locked to it at an angle to one another as viewed in plan so that the stand is supported by these panels in free-standing manner As the erected stand is supported from lowermost panels that extend from the floor, rigid support is achieved with a minimum of components.Furthermore, if the panels are opaque the stand as a whole is opaque from ground level and this is an important advantage as compared with known display stands in which the lowermost panels are some distance from the floor and a person viewing the displayed items can therefore be distracted by, for example, a partial sighting of other people moving behind the display stand.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of an erected display stand, Figure 2 is an end view of an edge of a panel of the stand of Figure 1 which is an upright edge in the erected stand, Figure 3 is a front view of a portion of the panel of Figure 2 that terminates at the edge shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of the panel edge portion of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a sectional end view of part of a panel that is a lowermost panel in the erected stand, Figure 6 is a sectional end view showing a fitting that can be mounted on a panel that is an uppermost panel in the erected stand, and Figures 7 and 8 are sectional end views showing two forms of shelf that can be provided in the erectedstand.

The display stand, shown erected in Figure 1, consists of panels 1 and uprights 2. Each panel 1 has along its edges 3 that are upright in the erected stand U-shaped clips 4 (Figures 2 to 4) the opposed limbs 4A, 4A of which taper inwardly towards one another as viewed in plan (Figure 4).

Pariels 1 are secured to the uprights 2 by pressing the uprights into the clips 4, forcing the limbs 4A, 4A apart. On the web 4B of each clip 4 there is a pad 5 of, for example, rubber against which the upright bears to be held in an anti-slip manner in the clip. Each clip 4 can be formed, for example, of nickle plated spring steel.

The panels can be formed of any suitable material such as customarily used in display stands, preferably of a fire-retardent nature, and preferably opaque. The uprights can be chromium plated poles with screw end fittings such that the overall length of each upright is selected by screwing together a desired number of poles.

The panels 1 A that are to be lowermost in use have fitted along their lower edges kickboards 6 (Figure 5) which in the form illustrated are Usectioned channels. Conveniently these kickboards can be made of anodised aluminium.

Similar channels 7 (Figure 1) can be fitted to the panels 1 B that are uppermost in use, along the upper edges of these panels, for decorative purposes. If desired the top channels can be fitted over electrical wiring which is thus held in place, concealed from view. The top channel 7 can have lighting fittings secured thereto. Alternatively there can be fitted to the upper edge of one or more uppermost panels 1 B a lighting fitting as schematically illustrated at 8 in Figure 6. Such a fiting can be disposed on one side of the other of a panel, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6, and can include a cable trough 9.

The panels in the erected stand can have fitted thereto, during erection, shelves such as the horizontally extending shelf 10 illustrated in Figure 7 and the inclinded shelf 1 1:.illustrated in Figure 8.

It is to be noted that the lighting fittings 8 and shelves 10 and 11 are simply fitted to the panels by engaging inverted U-sectioned channel portions 8A, 1 OA, or 1 A over the uppermost edges of the panels. It will be understood that other fittings such as leaflet holders could be provided in similar fashion, but that the provision of any fittings, or of the kickboards, is optional, any or all could be dispensed with if so desired.

A display stand is simply erected from the components described above utilising at least two panels that are to be lowermost panels, these panels being clipped to at least one upright to lock these panels and this upright together. By disposing these two panels at an angle to one another as viewed in plan, this assembly of panels and upright will stand freely with the lower edges of the panel resting on the ground. From this basic configuration, the stand can be extended laterally and/or upwardly desired, utilising further panels and uprights as necessary, the height of each upright being increased by screwing on further poles. Preferably an upright is included at each free upright edge of the completed stand to give a neat overall appearance to the stand. As the stand is erected, shelves and/or other fittings, such as the shelves and fittings 10, 11 and 8 described above, are incorporated as desired.

In the fully erected stand, panels defining wings of the stand, such as indicated at A and B in Figure 1, are angles to other panels such as indicated at C in Figure 1 in a manner such as to ensure that the stand is rigid and this rigidity is enhanced by the fact that the lowermost panels rest on the ground. As already mentioned, if the panels are opaque then the stand as a whole is opaque from ground level and any activity behind the stand is visually screened from persons viewing the display carried by the stand.

Claims (10)

Claims

1. A display stand that can be erected from a plurality of panels and at least one upright, the panel(s) having along edges that are to be upright in the erected stand clips for engagement with the upright(s) to lock the panels and the upright(s) together; each clip being U-shaped with its web abutting the edge of the panel that carries it so that no gap exists between upright and panel when the upright is locked with the panel.

2. A display stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opposed limbs of each clip taper inwardly towards one another such that clip/upright locking is achieved by pressing the upright into the clip forcing the limbs of the clip apart.

3. A display stand as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upright is such that it is compressed by the clip in the clip/upright locked condition.

4. A display stand as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein on the inner face of the web of each clip there is an anti-slip pad against which the upright bears in the clip/upright locked condition.

5. A display stand as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each clip is formed of nickle plated spring steel.

6. A display stand as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each upright is made up of poles with screw end fittings, the overall length of the upright being selected by screwing together a desired number of poles.

7. A display stand as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lowermost panels in the erected stand are positioned to extend from ground level with at least one upright having two such lowermost panels locked to it at an angle to one another as viewed in plan so that the stand is supported by these panels in free-standing manner.

8. A display stand as claimed in claim 7, wherein the panels that are to be lowermost in the erected stand have kickboards fitted along what are to be their lowermost edges.

9. A display stand as claimed in claim 8, wherein the kickboards are U-sectioned channels into which the panels are entered.

10. A display stand that can be erected from a plurality of panels and at least one upright, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.