WO1993008556A1

WO1993008556A1 - Rolled up message display

Info

Publication number: WO1993008556A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/001089
Authority: WO
Inventors: Douglas B. Leeds; Glenn M. Carlin
Original assignee: Thomson-Leeds Company, Inc.
Priority date: 1991-10-25
Filing date: 1992-04-22
Publication date: 1993-04-29
Also published as: EP0564606A4; CA2099288A1; EP0564606A1

Abstract

An article display device (10) comprises an article support bracket (12) including a pair of longitudinally space transverse arms (16) with depending parallel legs (17) whose bottoms are formed by a longitudinal casing (13) with a bottom longitudinal slot (26). A longitudinal spool (46) spring biased to rotate in a rewind direction is housed in the casing and the inner end of an information carrying web (14) is secured to the spool and the web extends through the slot and terminates in a pull member (57) and is urged to a withdrawn position by the spring biased spool. Mounting members (15) of different constructions are separably connected to the rear faces (37) of the bracket arms and permit the mounting of the device to different supports (11) or may be connected to the casing.

Description

ROLLED UP MESSAGE DISPLAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to improvements in display devices and it relates particularly to an improved device for supporting and exhibiting an article and for providing information relating to the article.

In point of sales article display devices, it is a common practice to locate the article on a counter or shelf where it often occupies considerable space and to present information in connection with the article, describing and explaining the article and its application and its various parameters. The space available for such information is generally limited, accordingly limiting not only the amount of information which can be presented but also the space available for properly exhibiting the article. The arrangements and expedients heretofore proposed or employed for overcoming the aforesaid drawbacks are of limited application, difficult and inconvenient to use, of unattractive appearance and of little versatility and adaptability and otherwise leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved display device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for displaying an article or product and provide extensive information in connection therewith. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved point of sale article display and information furnishing device which is compact and occupies a minimum of space.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an article support and information providing device which may be separably mounted in many positions and on many support structures.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above-nature characterized by its low cost, ease of operation, attractive appearance and great versatility and adaptability.

The above and other obj cts of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof.

A display device in accordance with the present invention includes a bracket for supporting an article to be displayed, means for separably mounting the bracket on a support, for example, a peg board, a shelf member or the like and an information display member carried by the bracket and including a longitudinally- extending casing housing a spool rotatable about a longitudinal axis in opposite wind and unwind directions, an information carrying web secured to the spool and being vertically extendable with the unwinding of the spool and being withdrawn and wound on the spool with its rotation in a wind direction, and spring means biasing the spool to rotate in a wind direction.

In its preferred form, the bracket includes a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending parallel coplanar arms having a pair of depending parallel legs intermediate the ends thereof. The casing extends between the lower portions of the leg and includes a bottom wall with a longitudinal slot. A stationary shaft extends longitudinally in the casing and coaxially rotatably supports a tubular spindle or spool which is biased in a wind direct by a helical spring located in the spool and encircling the shaft with one end of the spring being affixed to the spool and the other end being affixed to the shaft. The information carrying web passes from the spool through the slot and terminates at its free end in a stop defining pull having a dimension greater than a corresponding dimension of the slot. A mounting or mounting members are separably secured to the rear faces of the bracket side arms and may include eye members for engaging hooks or the like for attachment to a peg board or a vertical wall, vertical fingers for engaging a horizontal slot, clip members, a self- fastening hook and loop pile fabric and the like.

The improved display device is highly versatile and adaptable and is easily adjusted and operated. It may conveniently be mounted on many support structures and may separably support or carry one or more articles for display. The observer, to obtain an extensive description or explanation of the supported article, merely pulls the information web downwardly by means of the pull and is presented with explanatory material, diagrams and pictures and other information. Upon release of the pull, the web is withdrawn and wound on the spool under the influence of the loaded biasing spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing a support to which the device may be mounted.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in Figure 1 but showing the information web in withdrawn position and partially broken away;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view, partially foreshortened, of the web rewind assembly; Figure 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the bracket rear portion showing a modified bracket mounting assembly;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, showing a modified bracket mounting assembly;

Figure 6A is a fragmentary perspective view showing the mounting assembly shown in Figure 6 but with a different support; Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view of another mounting assembly showing the bracket coupled to a vertical peg board;

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figure 6, showing further modifications of the bracket mounting; and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing a still further mounting modification;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the present;

Figure 12 is a fragmented side elevational view of a modified structure of the embodiments shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 14 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 14-14 in Figure 13; and

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14 but showing a modified mounting of the improved device. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 to 7 thereof which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the improved display device is designated by the reference numeral 10 and is shown for mounting on an rear vertical support panel 11. The device 10 includes and article support or bracket 12, a casing 13 housing a retractable extendable web 14 and a bracket mounting member 15.

The bracket 12 comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending coplanar hollow arms 16 of square longitudinal cross section closed at their front ends by end walls 17. Depending from each arm 16 intermediate its ends is a hollow leg 17 with outer and inner vertical side walls 18 and 19 respectively, integral and coplanar with respective outer and inner side walls 20 and 21 of arms 16, the legs 17 being parallel. The casing 13 is of ϋ-shape, extending longitudinally between leg inside walls 19 and includes a vertical relatively high rear wall 22, a relatively shallow vertical front wall 23, and a curved cylindrical bottom wall 24 extending between the bottom edges of walls 22 and 23. A longitudinal slot 26 is formed in the bottom of bottom wall 24. Formed on the inside face of each inside wall 19 along its bottom border and intermediate its front and rear-edge is a vertically extending shelf support projection, one of which has a wide vertical slot 28 and the other of which has a narrow vertical slot 29.

The top of casing 13 is closed by a removable rectangular panel or lid 30 having depending longitudinally extending lips 32 which engage the upper borders of the confronting faces of casing walls 22 and 23. An article A to be exhibited is attached to the top face of lid 30 by a pair of longitudinally spaced straps 34 which encircle article A resting on lid 30 and traverse slots formed in lid 30 and lips 32. Mating projections and recesses are formed in lips 32 and the inside upper borders of walls 22 and 23 to releasable lock lid 30 in closed position. It should be noted that another article to be exhibited may rest on and be supported by bracket arms 16.

The bracket mounting member 15 extends between the rear faces 37 of bracket arms 16 and includes a front vertical web 38, having along its top edge a coextensive rearwardly projecting horizontal web 39 terminating along its rear edge in an upwardly projecting flange 40. Web 38 is secured to arm rear end walls 37 in any suitable manner, preferably by screws to permit the detachment and replacement by other mounting members.

Support panel 11 has formed thereon a horizontal channel 41 communicating with the front face 42 thereof by way of a medially located horizontal slot 43. In mounting bracket member 12 to panel 11, the bracket member 12 is tilted upwardly and flange 40 is inserted through slot 42 and the bracket member is then swung to its horizontal position to swing flange 40 to a vertical condition engaging the upper front face of channel 41 thereby retaining bracket member 12 in a horizontal position to panel 11.

Housed in casing 13 is a retractable web assembly 44 which includes a longitudinally extending rod or axle 46 which is flatted at one end as at 47 and is provided with a diametric bore 48 proximate its other end. Axle 46 extends longitudinally in casing 13 with flattened end 47 engaging slot 29 to prevent to rotation of axle 46 about its axes and the axle opposite end resting on the base of slot 28.

A tubular cylindrical spool or spindle 49 is coaxial with and extends along the length of axle 46 and a stepped hub 50 tightly telescopes each end of spool 49 to be rotatable therewith, each hub 50 having an axial bore and being rotatable on axle 46. Each hub 50 includes a main body portion 51 firmly engaging the spool inside face and terminating at its outer end in a peripheral flange 52 abutting an end face of spool 49 and also includes an inner cylindrical section 53 of outside diameter less than the inside diameter of spool 46.

A helical rewind biasing spring 55 extends along and encircles axle 46 and terminates at one end in a radially extending arm 54 which engages axle bore 48 and at its opposite end encircles and tightly engages a hub section 53 to be rotatable therewith. A flexible web 56 of fabric or other suitable material and having information imprinted or otherwise applied to a face thereof has its inner end border extending along the length of and affixed to spool 49. Web 56 extends through slot 26 and has secured to its outer end a pull member 57 of greater length than slot 26 to function as a stop to prevent the complete withdrawal of web 56 into casing 13.

In the application and use of the device 10, it is mounted on vertical panel 11 in the manner earlier described so that bracket 12 is horizontal and projects forwardly. An article A is secured to lid 30 and another article to be displayed rests on bracket arms 16. To obtain information relative to the displayed articles, one merely pulls pull 57 downwardly to withdraw it through slot 24 and load spring 55. Upon release of pull 57, the spool 49 is rotated by spring 55 in a rewind direction to rewind and spool web 56.

The other illustrated embodiments of the present invention differ from that described above primarily in the construction of the mounting means. Thus, in the structure shown in Figure 5, the mounting includes a longitudinally extending flat vertical bar 58 terminating at its opposite ends in forwardly offset depending square plates 59 having central openings 60 and bottom rearwardly projecting flanges. Adhered to the rear face of bar 58 is a Velcro band 60 of self- adherent loop and hook pile fabric. The bar 58 is secured to bracket 12 by abutting plates 59 to the rear faces of bracket arms 16 and securing them to the bracket arms by screws 61 engaging holes 60 and nut members supported within arms 16, for example, in the manner shown in Figures 7 and 10. A band 63 similar to confronting band 60 is secured to a vertical support and the bracket is secured thereto by pressing band 60 to band 63.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the support panel is a vertical peg board 65 having regularly spaced holes 66. A mount member 67 includes a vertical square coupling plate 68 contiguous and screw fastened to the rear face of each bracket arm 16 in the manner earlier described. Projecting rearwardly from the top edge of each plate 68 is a pair of laterally spaced parallel arms 69 terminating in upwardly projecting fingers 70. The fingers 70 engage corresponding pairs of holes 66 and the bracket swings to a horizontal position as limited by the flange along the bottom of plate 68 abutting peg board 65.

The mounting arrangement shown in Figure 6A differs from that last described only in that for the peg board 65 there is substituted a suitably supported horizontal rearwardly flanged bar 71 having longitudinally spaced aligned longitudinally extending slots which are releasable engaged by the vertical fingers 72 of the mount member of the construction of mount member 67.

Referring to Figure 7 which shows an alternative structure for mounting the bracket on a peg board, the mounting member 73 is secured to the rear face of each bracket arm 16 and includes a square vertical coupling plate 74 abutting the rear end face of each arm 16 and secured thereto by a screw 76 engaging aligned holes in plate 74 and the rear end wall of respective bracket arms 16 and threaded into aligned openings in a U- shaped clip nut 77 clamped onto the elevated base section of a vertical panel 78 formed in each bracket arm 16. Projecting upwardly from the front face of plate 74 is suspension arm 79 having a coupling hole 80 and terminating at its top in an upwardly forwardly inclined finger 83. Plate 74 terminates at its bottom in a rearwardly projecting flange. The bracket is suspended from a peg board by means of conventional peg board hooks 81 having upper portions engaging respective peg board holes and bottom hook portions engaging holes 80 and having upwardly extending legs 82 bearing on fingers 83.

The mounting structure shown in Figure 8 is similar to that last described except that the suspension arm 84 is a modification of suspension arm 79 in that it is provided with a vertical keyhole slot 86 with an enlarged bottom portion. A suction cup 87 for separable attachment to a vertical support face is provided and has a forwardly projecting axial shank 88 having an enlarged head for releasable engagement with keyhole slot 86 in the known manner.

In the mounting illustrated in figure 9, a clip mount member formed of a resilient metal includes a square medial plate 90 screw connected to each bracket arm rear end face in the manner described above and extending from its top and bottom edges are upwardly rearwardly inclined arm 91 and downwardly rearwardly inclined arm 92 terminating in outwardly projecting vertical flanges 94. The bracket support includes a suitably positioned longitudinally extending channel member 96 having a cross web 97 and longitudinal side wall 98 terminating in inwardly projecting flanges 99, delineating vertically spaced longitudinal tracks 100. The bracket member is coupled to channel member 96 by snap inserting flanges 94 into engagement with respective tracks 100.

In Figure 10, there is shown a mounting member 101 for supporting the display bracket on the front of a shelf or counter 105. The mount member 101 and its attachment to the bracket arms is similar to that shown in Figure 7 except that the flange 102 along the bottom of coupling plate 103 is narrower than the plate bottom flange of the Figure 7 embodiment and the suspension arm 73 is replaced by rearwardly projecting horizontal plates 104 connected to plates 103 by depending walls 106 with rear faces coplanar with the rear faces of flanges 102. The confronting horizontal faces of plates 104 and counter 105 are mutually cemented by a preferably pressure sensitive separable adhesive.

The embodiments of the present invention illustrated in Figures 11 to 15 include mounting means which may be employed in the embodiments earlier described and include retractable information carrying web assemblies broadly similar in construction to the web retractable assembly 44 earlier described. Thus, the device 110 shown in Figure 11 of the drawings includes a longitudinally extending casing 111 formed of top and bottom complementary separable shells 112 and having a bottom wall with a longitudinal slot and a rear vertical flat rear wall 113 with parallel longitudinal top and bottom edges.

Formed on the rear face of rear wall 113 and coextensive with the top and bottom edges thereof are top and bottom longitudinal track defining grooves 114 delineated by rear wall 113 and rearwardly projecting L-shaped flanges 116. A support member defining vertical peg board 117 is located rearwardly of casing 111 and has coupled thereto a coupling horizontal loop member 118.

A wire formed transverse coupling arm 119 includes a horizontal upper leg 120, a lower leg 121 parallel to, below and shorter than upper leg 120 and a vertical cross leg 122 traversing loop member 118 and joining and integral with the rear ends of legs 120 and 121. A vertical square coupling plate 123 is suitably affixed- to the front of upper leg 119 and is embraced between flanges 116 with its upper and lower borders slidably engaging track grooves 114 and its front face engaging casing rear wall 113. The junction of bottom leg 121 and cross leg 122 bears on the front face of peg board 117. A web retraction assembly similar to assembly ₄₄ is housed in casing 111 and is spring biased to retract and rewind an information carry web traversing the casing bottom slot and terminating in a pull member 125.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 12 differs from that shown in Figure 11 only in the construction of the support member and the attachment of the coupling arm thereto. Specifically, the coupling arm 126 is similar to coupling arm 119 except that a vertical rear square coupling plate 127 is affixed to the rear cross leg of coupling arm 126 and is parallel to front coupling plate 129.

The support member 130 which may be a wall, shelf or the like includes a vertical front face 131 to which is affixed a label track 132 including a rear cross web 133 affixed to front face 131 and having upper and lower longitudinal tracks 134. The top and bottom longitudinal border of coupling plate 127 slidably engage respective tracks 134.

The improved device 136 illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 of the drawings comprises a longitudinal circular cylindrical casing 137 including a semicircular upper shell section 138 and a semicircular bottom shell section 139, the upper section terminating in circular end walls 140, the bottom halves of which nest in the inside end borders of bottom shell section 139. A retractable web assembly of the nature of assembly 44 is housed in casing 137 and is biased to retract and rewind and permit the withdrawal of an information carrying web 141 terminating in a pull member 142 and traversing a longitudinal bottom slot in casing bottom section 139.

The support for device 136 includes a horizontal shelf 143 having a flat top face 144 and terminating proximate its front in a depending label track 146. Integrally formed with and projecting rearwardly from the upper rear border of casing bottom section 139 is a longitudinal rectangular coupling plate 145 divided into front and rear sections 147 and 148 respectively by a medially located hinge forming longitudinal groove 149. Plate 145 is separably secured to shelf top face 144 by a layer 150 of a pressure sensitive adhesive. Casing 137 extends along the front edge of shelf 143 with pull 142 being forward of track 146. A plurality of longitudinally spaced projections 151 are formed along the bottom rear face of casing 137 and bear on a front ridge on shelf 143.

As shown in Figure 15, the casing 137 may be alternatively mounted to the underface of shelf 143 by folding coupling plate front section 147 downwardly about hinge groove 149 to a depending position at a right angle to rear plate section 148. Plate rear section 148 is secured to the underface of shelf 143 by a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 156 and plate front section 147 is secured to the depending vertical section 157 of label track 146 by a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 158. In the above mounted position, casing 137 is below track 146 and the web passage slot in casing section 139 is above the lowermost point of the casing.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a forwardly transversely projecting article supporting bracket, a bracket mounting means located at the rear of said bracket, a longitudinally extending casing carried by said bracket and having a longitudinal opening in its lower part, a longitudinally extending spool housed in said casing and rotatable about the axis of said spool, an information carrying web having an inner end secured to said spool and winnable thereon and withdrawable through said longitudinal opening to rotate said spool and spring means biasing said spool to retract and wind said web on said spool.

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein said mounting means is separably secured to said bracket.

3. The display device of claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a pair of longitudinally space transversely extending parallel coplanar arms.

4. The display device of claim 3 including a pair of legs depending from said arms, said casing extending between said legs.

5. The display device of claim 1 including an axle located in and extending along the length of said casing and being restricted against rotation, said spool including a tubular body extending along and coaxial with said body and a pair of hubs telescoping and affixed to opposite ends of said tubular body and rotatable on said axis and said biasing means comprising a helical winding spring encircling said axle and having one end anchored to said axle and the other end secured to said tubular body.

6. The display device of claim 5 wherein said casing includes a bottom wall having a longitudinal slot formed therein defining said longitudinal opening, and further comprising a pull member secured to the face end of said web and of at least one dimension greater than a corresponding dimension of said slot.

7. The display device of claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending coplanar arms having rear end faces, said mounting means being separably secured to said end faces.

8. The display device of claim 7 wherein said mounting means comprises a cross-bar extending between and separably secured to said arm rear end faces and having a longitudinally extending vertical flange along its rear edge.

9. The display device of claim 8 wherein said mounting means includes a self fastening fabric band having hook and loop pile secured to the rear face of said flange.

10. The display device of claim 7 wherein said mounting means includes a coupling member separably secured to each of said end plates.

11. The display device of claim 10 wherein said mounting means includes an arm projecting rearwardly from said coupling member and terminating in an upwardly projecting leg.

12. The display device of claim 10 wherein said mounting means includes a plate extending upwardly from said coupling member and having an aperture therein and a suspension hook engaging said aperture.

13. The display device of claim 10 wherein said mounting means includes a plate extending upwardly from said coupling member and having a vertically extending keyhole slot formed therein with a lower enlarged portion.

14. The display device of claim 10 wherein said mounting means includes upwardly rearwardly and downwardly rearwardly inclined arms extending from the top and bottom of said coupling member and terminating in vertical flanges.

15. The display device of claim 7 wherein said mounting means includes a transversely projecting horizontal web terminating at its front in a depending arm separably secured to at least one of said end faces.

16. An information display device comprising a support member, a longitudinally extending casing having a longitudinal opening in its lower part, a longitudinally extending spool housed in said casing and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said spool, an information carrying web having an inner end secured to said spool and winnable thereon and withdrawable through said longitudinal opening to rotate said spool, spring means biasing said spool to retract and wind said web on said spool and mounting means for separably mounting said casing to said support means.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said casing has a rear face and vertically spaced longitudinally extending parallel first channels with confronting openings formed therein and said mounting means includes a first coupling plate with upper and lower borders slidably engaging said channels and a rearwardly projecting coupling arm affixed to said plate.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said support member comprises a peg board and a horizontal loop member coupled to said peg board and said arm includes rearwardly extending vertically spaced upper and lower sections, said upper section being affixed to said coupling plate and said lower section having a front end rearward of said coupling plate, said upper and lower sections being joined at their rear by a vertical leg engaging said loop member.

19. The display device of claim 17 wherein said support member comprises a longitudinally extending plate with vertically spaced longitudinally extending parallel second channels formed therein and having confronting openings and said mounting means includes a second coupling plate affixed to the rear of said coupling arm and slidably engaging said second channels.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein said support member includes a horizontal top face and said mounting means includes a longitudinally extending coupling plate projecting rearwardly from said casing and overlying and separably affixed to said top face.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said coupling plate includes front and rear sections joined by a horizontal hinge defining horizontal groove.

22. The device of claim 16 wherein said support member includes a horizontal bottom face and a depending front label receiving channel having a vertical rear face and said mounting means includes a coupling plate first section projecting upwardly from said casing and separably secured to said vertical rear face and a second coupling plate section projecting rearwardly from the top edge of said first section and separably secured to said horizontal bottom face.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 28 October 1992 (28.10.92); original claims 9-14 and 17-22 cancelled; original claims 1,3,5-8 and 15 amended; new claims 11 and 12 added; claim 16 renumbered as claim 10; other claims unchanged (3 pages)]

1. An article comprising a forwardly transversely projecting longitudinally extending article supporting bracket including a rear, a bracket mounting means located at said rear of said bracket, and having a lower part with a longitudinal opening therein, a longitudinally extending spool housed in said casing and rotatable about the axis of said spool, an information carrying web having an inner end secured to said spool and winnable thereon and withdrawable through said longitudinal opening to rotate said spool, spring means biasing said spool to retract and wind said web on said spool and an article to be displayed supported by said bracket.

3. The display device of claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending parallel coplanar linear arms.

5. The display device of claim 1 including an axle located in and extending along the length of said casing and being restricted against rotation, said spool including a tubular casing extending along and coaxial with^" said body and a pair of hubs telescoping and affixed to opposite ends of said tubular body and rotatable on said axis and said biasing means comprising a helical winding spring encircling said axle and having one end anchored to said axle and the other end secured to said tubular body.

6. The display device of claim 5 wherein said casing includes a bottom wall having a longitudinal slot formed therein defining said longitudinal opening, and further comprising a pull member secured to said free end of said web and of at least one dimension greater than a corresponding dimension of said slot.

7. The display device of claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending coplanar linear arms having rear end faces, said mounting means being separably secured to said end faces.

8. The display device of claim 7 wherein said mounting means comprises a cross-bar extending between and separably secured to said arm rear end faces and having a rear edge including a longitudinally extending vertical flange along said rear edge.

9. The display device of claim 7 wherein said mounting means includes a transversely projecting horizontal web having a front terminating in a depending arm separably secured to at least one of said end faces.

10. An information and display device comprising a support member, a longitudinally extending casing having a lower part with longitudinal opening therein, a longitudinally extending spool housed in said casing and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said spool, an information carrying web having an inner end secured to said spool and winnable thereon and withdrawable through said longitudinal opening to rotate said spool, spring means biasing said spool to retract and wind said web on said spool, mounting means for separably mounting said casing to said support means and an article to be displayed supported by said bracket.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said article to be displayed is supported above the level of said casing.

12. The device of claim 1 including means releasably securing said article to said bracket.