WO1993022955A1

WO1993022955A1 - A product display unit and dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO1993022955A1
Application number: PCT/IE1993/000029
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard O'farrell
Original assignee: Farrell Richard O
Priority date: 1992-05-19
Filing date: 1993-05-19
Publication date: 1993-11-25
Also published as: AU4086693A

Abstract

A product display unit and dispenser (1) has a box shaped holder (4) within which a number of magazines (3) carrying products such as shoe laces (2). Each magazine (3) comprises an open fronted box within which the shoe laces are stacked in vertical columns separated by divider panels (35). The holder (4) has a transparent acrylic front wall (15) to display the products in the magazines (3). A dispensing opening (20) is formed between a lower end of the front wall (15) and a base (10) of the holder (4).

Description

"A product display unit and dispenser"

This invention relates to a product display unit and dispenser.

According to the invention, there is provided a product display unit and dispenser, comprising an open sided magazine for reception of a number of products, a holder for the magazine having a window for viewing products in the magazine, and a dispensing opening in the holder for dispensing products from the magazine.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holder is generally box-shaped having a base with upstanding side walls and a rear wall and a transparent front wall extending between the side walls, the dispensing opening being formed between a lower end of the front wall and a front of the base, the holder having an open top for insertion and removal of the magazine which is an open fronted box.

Conveniently, the magazine may be provided with one or more dividers for partitioning the magazine to support a number of stacks of products. The dividers may be removable. In some cases also the positioning of the dividers within the magazine may be adjustable. The magazine and dividers may have interengageable formations for releasably securing the dividers within the magazine.

To facilitate removal of the magazine from the holder, a through hole may be provided in the base of the holder to allow engagement with the bottom of the magazine to push it out of the holder.

The front wall may conveniently be formed by a transparent sheet of material, such as acrylic for example. To secure the sheet to the sides of the holder, each end of the sheet may be bent to form a flange for abutment against the sides of the holder to which they are adhesively secured. To facilitate the dispensing of products from the magazine, a lower end of the sheet may be terminated above the base- to allow the products to be slid substantially horizontally from the magazine.

Ideally, the rear wall of the holder extends upwardly of the side walls to form a flap which can be folded down to meet upper ends of the side walls and the front wall. Thus the flap when folded down can be used to retain the magazine in the holder for transport or the like and when in an upright position the flap can be used to display advertising for the products on display.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the holder is formed from a cardboard blank, which on assembly forms the interconnected base, side walls and rear walls to which the acrylic sheet can be attached to complete the holder. Preferably, also each magazine is formed from a cardboard blank.

In another aspect the invention also provides magazines for use with the product display unit and dispenser.

In a further aspect the invention provides a product display unit and dispenser, comprising a container for reception of a number of the products with a dispensing opening for dispensing products from the container and a divider unit for mounting within the container to partition the container. Preferably the dispensing opening is formed at an open top of the container and the divider unit has a number of spaced-apart substantially parallel partition walls which on insertion of the divider unit within the container extend substantially vertically upwardly from a base of the container. In this way products such as greeting cards, magazines, disks and the like can be supported in an upright position in the container.

Conveniently each product display unit and dispenser may be provided with a Velcro strip or strips on an exterior of the unit for engagement with a complementary Velcro strip at a display site for securely supporting the display unit at the display site. Typically the Velcro strip might be provided on the base of the display unit.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a holder forming portion of a display unit according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side, partially sectioned view, of the holder,

Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the holder,

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of a magazine forming portion of the display unit,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a set of shoe laces, a number of which can be mounted in the magazine for display and dispensing,

Fig. 6 is a perspective exploded view of the magazine,

Fig. 7 is a side, partially sectioned, view of the magazine, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a divider for use with the magazine.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. 1 to 7 thereof, there is illustrated a product display unit and dispenser according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. In this case the display unit 1 is for shoe laces 2 which can be stacked in a magazine 3 which can be mounted on a holder 4 for displaying and dispensing the shoe laces 2.

The holder 4 is generally box-shaped having a base 10 with upstanding side walls 11, 12 and a rear wall 13. The rear wall 13 extends upwardly of the side walls 11, 12 to form a flap 14. A transparent acrylic front wall 15 extends between the side walls 11, 12. Flanged ends 16, 17 of the front wall 15 are stuck to the side walls 11, 12 to secure the front wall 15 to the side walls 11, 12.

It will be noted that a lower end 18 of the front wall 15 terminates above the base 10. Also the side walls 11, 12 project forwardly of the base 10. Thus, a dispensing opening 20 is formed between the front wall 15 and base 10 for dispensing the shoe laces 2 from the magazine 3 when it is mounted on the holder 4. Except for the front wall 15 the holder 4 is formed from a single blank of cardboard which can be folded to produce the holder 4, the front wall 15 being attached when the blank has been assembled.

In this case, the holder 4 is sized such that three magazines 3 can be arranged side by side on the holder 4. The magazines 3 can be slid into and out of the holder 4 through an open top of the holder 4. When mounted on the holder a top of each magazine 3 is substantially flush with upper edges of the side walls 11 _r 12 and front wall 15. Through holes 22 in the base 10 allow the insertion of a finger to push the magazines 3 upwardly out of the holder 4.

Each magazine 3 comprises an open fronted box having a base 26 and top 27 interconnected by upright side walls 28, 29 and a rear wall 30. Each magazine 3 is also formed from a blank of cardboard which can be folded to form the magazine 3 as shown. Both the base 26 and top 27 of the magazine 3 are double walled, in each case the inner wall having a number of spaced-apart slots 34 for releasable engagement with complementary divider panels 35 for partitioning the magazine 3 as shown in Fig. 4 to support a number of the shoe laces 2 in several vertical columns. Projections 36, 37 at the bottom and top of each panel 35 engage within the slots 34 to secure the panel 35 within the magazine 3.

It will be noted that front lower edges of the sides 28, 29 of the magazine 3 and the panels 35 are scalloped to allow easy access to the lowermost set of shoe laces 2 in each column which can be gripped and withdrawn substantially horizontally out of the magazine 3 through the dispensing opening 20.

In use, a number of sets of shoe laces 2 are stacked in columns within each magazine 3 as shown in Fig. 4 and the _ three magazines mounted on the holder 4 side by side. For packaging and transport of the display unit 1 the flap 14 can be folded down against upper ends of the side walls 11 and front walls 15 to retain the magazines 3 on the holder 4. An outer shrink-wrap cover retains the flap 14 in the folded position and protects the display unit 1 during transport. For display purposes, the flap 14 is arranged in the upwardly extending position and a front face of the flap 14 may carry a logo or advertising message relating to the product. It will be noted also that the front wall 15 may also carry advertising indicia or logos. The display unit 1 can conveniently be mounted on a shelf in the retail outlet to display the product in an attractive and eye catching manner. To dispense the products from the magazine 3, the lowermost product in each stack within the magazines 3 can be drawn forwardly through the dispensing opening 20.

Advantageously, the display unit 1 is reusable by simply recharging the magazines 3. Thus, there is less wastage than with conventional blister pack packaging. Furthermore, for a given shelf space, more product can be displayed .

In the particular embodiment described above, the holder is of a size similar to that of a conventional shoe box and can conveniently be mounted on display shelving for shoes such as the commonly used slatline display systems.

The display unit 1 is extremely versatile and for display purposes can be mounted on a shelf, at a point of sale table top or on top of a cash register for example. In some cases a Velcro strip may be provided on an exterior of the display unit 1 for engagement with a complementary Velcro strip at the display position to firmly hold the display unit in place to prevent dislodgement during use and to facilitate dispensing products from the display unit.

It will be noted also that a number of the display units may be stacked one on top of the other and also side by side if desired to build up a large display comprising a number of the display units. Colour blocking can readily easily be achieved with the display units for attractively displaying products. The holder can be preferably made of biodegradable material which may be recycled material.

The invention advantageously provides a product display and dispensing unit of relatively simple and cheap construction.

Referring now to Fig. 8, an alternative type of divider 40 for the magazines 3 is shown. In this case, the divider 40 is formed from a single sheet of cardboard material bent as shown to form a number of spaced-apart upright divider panels 41 for partitioning the magazine 3. Projections 42 at the top and bottom of each panel 41 engage the slots 34 in the magazine 3.

It is also envisaged that a display unit and dispenser may be provided by a combination of a container similar to the holder of the display unit of Figs. 1 to 7, and one or more divider units similar to the divider shown in Fig. 8. Each divider unit would be inserted into the container seating on a base of the container with the spaced-apart divider panels extending vertically upwardly of the base. This type of display unit could be used for displaying cards, magazines, disks and the like products. They would be removed from the container through an open top of the container. In this case the container may or may not have a window in the side wall of the container for viewing the contents.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

1. A product display unit and dispenser, comprising an open sided magazine for reception of a number of products, a holder for the magazine having a window for viewing products in the magazine, and a dispensing opening in the holder for dispensing products from the magazine.

2. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the holder is generally box-shaped having a base with upstanding side walls and a rear wall and a transparent front wall extending between the side walls, the dispensing opening being formed between a lower end of the front wall and a front of the base, the holder having an open top for insertion and removal of the magazine which is an open fronted box.

3. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the magazine is provided with one or more dividers for partitioning the magazine to support a number of stacks of products.

4. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein the dividers are removable.

5. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the positioning of the dividers within the magazine is adjustable.

6. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the magazine and dividers have interengageable formations for releasably securing the dividers within the magazine.

7. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a through hole is provided in the base of the holder to allow engagement with the bottom of the magazine to push it out of the holder.

8. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the front wall is formed by a transparent sheet of material.

9. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 8 wherein each end of the sheet is bent to form a flange for abutment against the sides of the holder to which they are adhesively secured.

10. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein a lower end of the sheet is terminated above.the base to allow the products to be slid substantially horizontally from the magazine.

11. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the rear wall of the holder extends upwardly of the side walls to form a flap which can be folded down to meet upper ends of the side walls and the front wall.

12. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the holder is formed from a cardboard blank, which on assembly forms the interconnected base, side walls and rear walls to which the acrylic sheet can be attached to complete the holder.

13. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each magazine is formed from a cardboard blank.

14. A product display unit and dispenser, comprising a container for reception of a number of the products with a dispensing opening for dispensing products from the container and a divider unit for mounting within the container to partition the container.

15. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 14 wherein the dispensing opening is formed at an open top of the container and the divider unit has a number of spaced-apart substantially parallel partition walls which on insertion of the divider unit within the container extend substantially vertically upwardly from a base of the container.

16. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a Velcro strip or strips is provided on an exterior of the unit for engagement with a complementary Velcro strip at a display site for securely supporting the display unit at the display site.

17. A product display unit and dispenser as claimed in claim 16 wherein the Velcro strip is provided on the base of the display unit.

18. A product display unit and dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. A magazine for use with the product display unit and dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim.