Display unit

Abstract

 A display unit 200 is constructed by mounting a flexible display container 204 in a wire frame 202 having two horizontally-spaced end pieces joined by four transverse rails 210, 212, 214, 216 (fig.11). The display container is formed by folding a flat plastic sheet and, when not mounted in the frame, has a vertical rectangular rear wall 222, from which two side walls 224, 226 and a flat rectangular base 228 extend forwards (fig.10). When the display container is mounted in the frame, the base is held by the frame in an elastically deformed state so that the base curves upwards towards its front edge. The lower edges of the side walls are curved to match the curved base and so the container forms, in the frame, a display receptacle for holding goods for display.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a display unit suitable for example for displaying merchandise for sale in a retail outlet such as a supermarket.

[0002] The invention provides a display unit comprising a frame and a flexible display container removably mountable in the frame, the display container when mounted in the frame being supported or braced by the frame and defining a receptacle for receiving items for display.

[0003] The display container is preferably made by bending or folding a flat sheet of transparent plastics material. Good results have been obtained using PETG (a polyester) as the plastics material, particularly using 1.5mm thick sheet. The frame is preferably constructed of wire and/or thin metal tubing.

[0004] The display container must be shaped in use to form a receptacle for goods for display. This can be achieved very effectively and cheaply by cutting and folding a flat sheet of material. However, unless portions of the edges of the sheet are then bonded together, the folded sheet may not be able by itself to retain its shape as a display receptacle. When the display container is mounted in the corresponding frame however, it is automatically held in its shape as a display receptacle. Thus the invention may allow expensive manufacturing steps such as bonding or moulding, by which a self-supporting display receptacle may be made, to be avoided. The display unit may therefore be simple and cheap to construct.

[0005] This construction also leads to other important advantages. First, it allows goods placed in the display unit to be extremely effectively displayed. The display container can be entirely transparent so that it does not obstruct visibility of the displayed goods at all, and while the frame is conveniently made of metal and so may not be transparent, because the frame is only required to support or brace the display container, it may be made very inconspicuous.

[0006] While achieving maximum visibility of the displayed goods, it is necessary to retain sufficient mechanical strength in the display unit.

[0007] When the display container is mounted in the frame the mechanical properties of the frame and the display container may advantageously work together so that the display unit is stronger and more rigid than either the frame or the display container individually. As a result, less material may be needed in the construction of the two components so that their weight and cost may be reduced. For example, the display container may be made of a thinner, more flexible plastic sheet than would be possible if it were not supported or braced by the frame when in use, and the frame may be made of finer gauge wire than would be possible if it were not braced by the display container. The reduction in weight of the display unit and its components advantageously makes them easier to transport and to handle, for example when assembling them to form displays or dismantling them for cleaning.

[0008] The flexibility of the container may also assist in mounting the container in, and removing it from, the frame.

[0009] The container may also be held in an elastically deformed state in the frame in order to further stiffen the structure of the display unit. The frame and the container may advantageously be designed so that the forces exerted between the frame and the flexed container stiffen and strengthen the combined structure. In addition, it may be advantageous for the shape of the display receptacle to incorporate curved surfaces, for example for aesthetic reasons. This can easily be achieved without the need for permanently bending the display container during manufacture if the frame is designed to hold a previously flat portion of the display container in a curved shape when mounted in the frame. This advantageously increases design options without increasing manufacturing costs.

[0010] Since the display container may be removed from the frame, it can easily be cleaned. Also, if the display container is of sheet plastic, it may conveniently be made of a material which is hygienic and easy to clean. This is particularly important if it is to be used to display foodstuffs.

[0011] A particularly preferred application of the invention is for displaying packets of snacks such as crisps, chocolate bars or sweets in retail outlets. In retail outlets, such items are commonly displayed in the cardboard boxes in which they were transported, which severely hampers the customer's view of the product. This problem is particularly effectively overcome by the use of a transparent display container.

[0012] Each individual frame may also advantageously comprise one or more container-mounting portions, preferably positioned horizontally adjacent one another.

[0013] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention provides a modular display unit. The frames of a number of such units can advantageously be releasably fastened together in a modular fashion to form a display unit of any required shape or size. Such frames may then advantageously be fastened in a stack, above one another or beside one another, to form a larger modular display unit of any height or width providing an array of any required number of display containers of any required sizes. The modular display unit can thus be adjusted to suit any desired display area.

[0014] Alternatively, one or more display units may advantageously be mounted on a separate supporting structure, such as a backing of slatwall or pegboard or the like. The display units can comprise mounting means for this purpose. This form of mounting may advantageously be combined with the modular fastening of frames described above in order to make a larger, modular display unit.

[0015] The container-mounting portions of each frame in a modular system may be of any predetermined size for holding correspondingly sized display containers. By selecting the sizes of the frames and display containers, a display unit can be tailored to display any volume or number of types of goods or products thereby advantageously making maximum use of available display space.

[0016] According to preferred embodiments, several types of container are provided. A first type has a flat base sloping downwards towards the rear of the container, and two side walls and a rear wall extending upwardly from the base. This type of container is suitable for holding larger items for display. A second type has a flat base sloping downwards towards the front of the container and a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls extending upwardly from the base. This is suitable for holding smaller items, such as small packets of snacks or the like. A third type of container has a rear wall, and a base and two side walls extending forwards therefrom. When this type of container is mounted in a frame its base is advantageously forced into a curved shape, curving upwards towards its front edge. The sides are preferably cut to match the curved shape.

[0017] Each of these types of container is advantageously easy to fill and can be of convenient size appropriate to the goods for display.

[0018] Particularly when implemented in accordance with preferred features as set out above, the display unit of the invention can thus provide a display system which is more adaptable, more aesthetically pleasing (particularly in that goods displayed therein are extremely visible), and cheaper and more easily maintained than known systems currently used for the display of packets of snacks, chocolate bars or sweets or the like, such as solid, static shelving or cardboard boxes (as described above). Shelving for example is relatively expensive to fit, limits the customer's view of the product and is time-consuming and cumbersome (and therefore expensive) to stack. Also, it disadvantageously allows no movement of the display, for example for promotion purposes, without unstacking and then restacking the static shelves. By contrast, display units according to the invention can easily be arranged in any format as desired, even while goods are stacked in the display containers.

[0019] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a display unit comprising two, three-container frames according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a three-container frame similar to those of the first embodiment;

Figure 3 shows a display container according to the first embodiment;

Figure 4 shows a one-container frame according to a second embodiment of the invention stacked above a one-container frame for holding a container according to the first embodiment;

Figure 5 shows a container according to the second embodiment;

Figure 6 shows a frame according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 shows a container according to the third embodiment for mounting in the frame of Figure 6:

Figure 8 shows a display unit according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 shows the container of the fourth embodiment in its elastically deformed shape, in the position to which it is constrained when mounted in the frame;

Figure 10 shows the container of figure 9 in its unconstrained, relaxed shape;

Figure 11 shows the frame of the fourth embodiment;

Figure 12 shows a detail of the front rail of the frame of figure 11 with a label mount fitted;

Figure 13 shows a detail of the mounting hook of the frame of figure 11;

Figure 14 shows an alternative mounting hook for the frame of figure 11;

Figure 15 shows a mounting arrangement for modular stacking of the frame of figure 11; and

Figure 16 shows a display unit according to the fourth embodiment mounted on mounting hooks as shown in figure 14.

[0020] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a modular display unit comprising two frames 2, 4, each having three horizontally-spaced container-mounting portions 2a,2b,2c,4b,4c. Figure 1 also shows two display containers 6,8, the first mounted in container-mounting portion 2a and the second in position for mounting in container-mounting portion 2b. The two frames 2,4 are shown in position for fastening in a stack one above the other.

[0021] The structure of the frames in Figure 1 can be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2 which shows a single frame 10 of similar design on a larger scale. The frame is constructed of wire and tubing, for example of brass or steel, and brazed, soldered or welded at joints. The frame has a flat, substantially horizontal base formed from three transverse wire rails, a front rail 12, a centre rail 14 and a rear rail 16 and four evenly spaced longitudinal rails 18,20,22,24 extending perpendicularly between and joining the front and rear transverse rails 12,16. The endmost longitudinal rails 18,24 define the left and right ends of the base. A rear wall of the frame extends upwards from the rear rail 16 of the base and comprises two corner posts 26,28, a central pillar 30 and a horizontal upper transverse rail 32 linking and joined to the upper ends of the corner posts and the central pillar. The corner posts are joined at their lower ends to the rear rail 16 and side rails 18,24 at the rear corners of the base and the central pillar 30 is joined to a central portion of the rear transverse rail 16. The central pillar 30 and the upper rail 32 are of wire and the corner posts 26,28 are of tubing.

[0022] The tubular corner posts increase the strength and rigidity of the structure but also provide locating means for positioning one frame on top of another. At the upper end of each corner post a cylindrical peg 34,36 of external diameter equal to the internal diameter of the tubing is fastened within the tubing of the corner post and extends upwards from the upper end thereof. The lower end of the tubing of each corner post is left open. Consequently, when one frame is placed on top of another the peg extending upwards from each corner post of the lower frame can be inserted into the lower end of each corner post of the upper frame to locate the frames relative to one another.

[0023] The frame 10 further comprises four dividing rails extending between the upper transverse rail 32 of the rear of the frame and the front transverse rail 12 of the base of the frame and evenly spaced along the transverse length of the frame. The sidemost dividing rails 38,44, together with the corner posts 26,28 and side rails 18,24 of the base form substantially vertical side walls of the frame and the inner dividing rails 40,42 are evenly spaced within the frame above the inner longitudinal rails 20,22 of the base. The dividing rails are of similar shape, each having a horizontal portion extending forward from the upper rail 32 of the rear of the frame, an angled, diagonal portion extending downwardly therefrom towards the front of the frame and a vertical portion extending downwardly from the angled portion to the front rail 12 of the base. The space between each adjacent pair of dividing rails defines a container-mounting portion 10a, 10b, 10c of the frame.

[0024] On each longitudinal rail 18,20,22,24 of the base, two clips 46,48 are fastened. Each clip is of inverted-U-section and, when the frame is stacked on top of another frame, the downward-facing limbs of each clip straddle the horizontal upper portion of one of the dividing rails of the frame beneath. Together with the engagement of the pegs and corner posts of the frames, the clips locate and fasten the frames together.

[0025] In the frame of Figure 2 and both the frames of Figure 1, the longitudinal rails of the base are longer than the horizontal portions of the dividing rails of the same frame. Because the foremost clips on each longitudinal rail are near the front of the longitudinal rail in each frame, each frame can only be stacked on top of a larger frame, in which the horizontal portions of each dividing rail in the lower frame are as long as the longitudinal rails of the base of the upper frame. This is indicated in Figure 1, in which the lower frame 4 is larger than the upper frame 2. In practice, this provides a modular display unit with an attractively sloped front face, in which the front edges of the lower frames extend beyond the front edges of the upper frame.

[0026] Optionally, the forward clip on each longitudinal rail of the base of a frame may be positioned further toward the rear of the frame so that a frame can be stacked on top of an identical frame. Alternatively, the shape of the dividing rails of the frames could be modified appropriately to include a longer horizontal portion.

[0027] Figure 1 shows two display containers 6,8 suitable for mounting in the frames of Figures 1 and 2. A similar display container is shown on an enlarged scale in Figure 3. The display container is made of transparent sheet plastics material, such as polymethyl methacrylate. The container 6,8,50 is formed by cutting the sheet and bending or folding it while applying heat to form a display container having a rectangular base 52 and four substantially vertical walls; a rear wall 54, side walls 56 and 58 and a front wall 60. Two hooks 62,64 are formed, also by bending the plastic sheet, at an upper edge of the rear wall 54. The dimensions and shape of the display container are determined so that, when mounted in a corresponding container-mounting portion of a frame, the hooks 62,64 engage the upper rail of the rear of the frame and the rear wall of the container depends downwardly therefrom. The container is also supported at its front end where a front portion of the base of the container 52 near the front wall 60 rests on the front transverse rail 12 of the frame. The side walls 56,58 are shaped so that their upper edges match the shape of the dividing rails of the frame when the container is mounted therein. The front wall of the container extends upwardly from the base only as far as the angle between the vertical and diagonal portions of the diagonal rails. This provides an opening between the top edge of the front wall of the container and the base of a container in a frame stacked above it to allow access for stocking of goods for display in the container and removal of goods by customers.

[0028] The base 52 of the container when mounted in the frame is not horizontal, but slopes towards the front of the container so that goods on display tend to accumulate at the front of the container against the front wall. This improves the display effect.

[0029] In the frames 2,4 in Figure 1, a wire loop or tab 66 extends upwardly from the rear rail of the base of each frame at the centre of each container-mounting portion. Each tab engages in a slot 68 at the rear of the base of a container to improve location of the container.

[0030] On the front wall of each display container, a support 70 may be provided for mounting a label to describe, for example, the character or price of the goods displayed in the container.

[0031] The upper frame in Figure 1 is designed as the uppermost frame in a stack and consequently embodies certain minor modifications. Since no frame is to be mounted on top of the upper frame 2, no pegs extending upwards from its corner posts are required. Also, inverted-U-section clips are fastened to the horizontal portion of each dividing rail so that the downward facing limbs engage with the side walls of display containers mounted in the frame. Since the display containers are formed by folding plastic sheet, the walls of the containers are not bonded together at their junctions unless an additional bonding process is carried out. The clips 72 support the side walls of the containers in use and can eliminate any need to join the side and rear walls of the containers to each other. The clips 46,48 on the longitudinal base rails of frames for use in stacking frames on top of each other can similarly support the side walls of display containers mounted in lower frames. The frame-fastening clips may therefore be constructed with sufficiently long downwardly extending limbs to engage the container walls below.

[0032] Figure 4 shows two frames 80,82 stacked on top of each other. Each frame is constructed in the same way as the frames of Figures 1 and 2 already described but each comprises only one container-mounting portion. The lower frame 82 is suitable for mounting the container of Figure 3 already described but the upper frame 80 is constructed so as to receive a second type of container as shown in Figure 5. The frame 80 consequently has no transverse rail at the front of its base but has a raised front transverse rail 84 fastened between the vertical portions of the dividing rails 86,88 of the frame. The container 90 shown in Figure 5 for mounting in the frame 80 is constructed in the same way as the container of Figure 3 except that its base 92 slopes upwardly towards the front of the container and its front wall 94 extends downwardly from the front of the base.

[0033] When mounted in the frame 80, hooks 96 at the upper edge of the rear wall of the container 90 engage the upper rear rail 98 of the frame 80 in the same way as for the containers and frames of Figures 1,2 and 3. However, a front portion of the base 92 of the container rests on the raised front rail 84 of the frame and the front wall 94 of the container depends downwardly therefrom. The front wall may be used for mounting labels or advertising information but does not serve to retain goods for display in the container. Goods are retained solely by the slope of the base 92 of the container.

[0034] In the container of Figure 5, hooks 100 are provided at the upper edge of each side wall for engagement with the horizontal portions 102 of the side rails of the frame 80. This arrangement could also be used for containers of the first type as an alternative to engagement of side walls of the containers with clips on the frame as described above.

[0035] In contrast to the frames of Figure 1, no wire loop or tab is provided on the rear transverse rail 104 of the base of the frame 80 and no corresponding slot is formed in the container 90 of Figure 5. For relatively small containers the additional location and security provided by the tab and corresponding slot are advantageous but not essential. For larger containers they are of more importance.

[0036] In the frames in Figure 4, only one clip 106 is provided near the front of each longitudinal rail. The rear end of the upper frame is located above the rear end of the lower frame by the interengagement of pegs extending from the corner posts of the lower frame with corresponding recesses in the corner posts of the upper frame and so rear clips on the longitudinal rails, as provided in the frame in Figures 1 and 2, while advantageous are not essential. As for the provision of tabs and slots, in larger frames their importance increases however.

[0037] Figures 6 and 7 show a frame 110 and a display container 112 of much larger width than the containers of Figures 1,3 and 5. The construction of the frame and container are the same as those of the frames and containers already described and so will not be discussed in detail. However, it should be noted that because of the greater width of the container, tabs 114 and slots 116 are provided at the rear of the frame and container respectively to improve location of the container. Also, a central longitudinal rail 118 is provided at the base of the container to support the centre of the raised front rail 120.

[0038] Frames may be constructed to contain any number or size of display containers and frames for different numbers of containers can be stacked on top of on another as long as appropriate location means are provided. For example, if the overall width of the frame 110 of Figure 6 is the same as that of the frame 10 of Figure 2, one may be mounted on top of the other to provide a modular display unit having one large container 112 and three smaller containers 50. Further, the container 112 has a base sloping towards the rear of the container and the container 50 has a base sloping towards the front of the container and an upwardly extending front wall. These two type of container are suitable for displaying different types of goods, the rearwardly sloping base being suitable for retaining larger items and the forwardly sloping base and front wall for retaining smaller items. The modular display system proposed above can therefore advantageously display a range of different types of item. For example, the small items may be individual packets of snacks and the larger items family-sized packets or bulk packets of snacks.

[0039] Frames may be linked or fastened horizontally adjacent to one another for example by increasing the width of the clips on the side most longitudinal rails of the bases of the frames so as to engage the corresponding rail of an adjacent frame. This would allow displays of any width or height to be assembled.

[0040] A fourth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in figures 8 to 13. Figure 8 shows a display unit 200 comprising a frame 202 as shown in figure 11 and a display container 204 as shown in figures 9 and 10.

[0041] The frame 202 is constructed of wire or tubing as for the frames of the previous embodiments and comprises two parallel end pieces 206,208 separated by four transverse rails 210, 212, 214, 216. Each end piece is a closed wire loop comprising a straight vertical rear portion 218 and a forwardly extending curved portion 220. The rear portions 218 are fastened to upper and lower rear transverse rails 210, 212, and the curved portions 220 are fastened at the front of the frame to upper and lower front transverse rails 214, 216.

[0042] The display container 204 is formed by cutting and bending, or folding, a flat transparent plastic sheet. It comprises a vertical, rectangular rear wall 222, and two end walls 224, 226 and a base 228 extending forwards from the left, right and bottom edges of the rear wall respectively. The end walls have curved forward edges shaped substantially to match the shapes of the end pieces 206, 208 of the frame. The base is rectangular. The upper edge of the rear wall 222 is provided with four spaced, rearward-facing hooks 230 formed by bending tabs cut from the plastic sheet. The front edge of the base is provided with four similar, spaced, upwardly-facing hooks 232, but the two hooks nearest to the centre of the front edge of the base are each divided into two halves, with a narrow gap 234 between the halves.

[0043] To assemble the display unit, the hooks 232 on the base of the display container are engaged with the lower front transverse rail 216 of the frame, with the display container positioned above the frame with its rear wall 222 uppermost. The display container is then rotated downwards about the lower front rail into the frame. To do this, the base 228 of the display container must be elastically deformed, or flexed, into a curved shape. Thus, when the display container is mounted in the frame its rear wall 222 abuts the rear lateral rails 210, 212 of the frame with the hooks 230 engaging the upper rear transverse rail 210, and the base 228 is prevented from relaxing fully and is forced to adopt a downwardly curved shape following approximately the curved shape 220 of the adjacent frame end pieces 206, 208. To retain this curved shape, in which the display container is elastically deformed, and so is stressed and therefore exerting a force on the frame, the front edge of the base 228 of the display container is restrained by the upper front rail 214 of the frame. To ensure that the base 228 is restrained in this way the frame comprises a flat metal strip 236 extending downwardly and forwardly from the upper front rail 214. The base 228 abuts the strip 236.

[0044] When the display container is mounted in the frame it is thus forced to adopt the stressed position shown in figure 9. It then forms a display receptacle having a flat rear wall 222, flat end walls 224, 226 and a curved base 228. The display unit is suited to the display of, for example, chocolate bars or sweets and, apart from the inconspicuous frame, is entirely transparent. Items therein are therefore advantageously clearly visible from either side, above, below and even behind the display unit.

[0045] The strip 236 at the front of the frame serves several purposes. It constrains the display container as described above, it hides the hooks 232 on the front edge of the base 228 and so gives a tidy appearance, and it allows a display strip to be mounted on the frame to carry information, for example about the contents of the display unit. Figure 12 illustrates a portion of a mount 238 for such a display strip. The mount 238 is a transparent plastic extrusion which clips over the strip 236 and the upper front rail 214 and comprises a lateral slot 240 into which a display card may be inserted.

[0046] The display unit may be subdivided into a number of separate receptacles by inserting longitudinal dividers 242. Two such dividers are shown in figure 9 and comprise flat sheets shaped to match the interior of the display container when mounted in the frame and have angled tabs 244 at their rear edges to engage with slots 246 in the rear wall 222 of the display container. Front edges of the dividers locate in the gaps 234 in the hooks 232 on the front edge of the base of the display container.

[0047] The display unit as shown in figures 8 to 13 can be mounted for use by means of cranked hooks 246 at the upper ends of two spaced vertical rails 248 of the frame fastened between the upper and lower rear transverse rails 210, 212. Figure 13 shows one such cranked hook 246 engaged with a hole 250 in a mounting pillar 252 from which the display unit hangs.

[0048] A display unit of any size may be constructed by hanging a number of individual display units 202 above one another on the same mounting pillars or other suitable support, such a slatwall or pegboard.

[0049] Figure 14 shows an alternative mounting arrangement in which the cranked hooks 246 are replaced by curved hooks 254. These may be engaged over a fixed horizontal wire 256 or the like to support the display unit 202. A display unit mounted in this way is shown in Figure 16. However, the horizontal wire 256 may advantageously be the lower rear transverse rail of another similar display unit which is itself hanging from a fixed support. In this way a column of display units may be hung from each other to form a larger modular display.

[0050] Another way to use the display unit 202 in a modular fashion to construct larger displays is to stand the units on top of one another. The hooks 246 would not be provided and the vertical rails 246 would end at their upper and lower ends in cylindrical stubs 258 as shown in figure 15. Two display units could then be located one above the other by engagement of the downwardly extending stubs 258 on the upper unit and the upwardly extending stubs on the lower unit with short lengths of tubing 260, the internal diameter of the tubing matching the external diameter of the stubs. To provide additional support, further locating means may be provided, similar to those described above in relation to the first, second and third embodiments of the invention.

[0051] It is clear that display units according to any of the embodiments described may easily be adapted for use in a modular display system in combination with any of the other units described so as to advantageously enhance the flexibility of the display system of the invention.

[0052] Different overall shapes of frame and container to those described above may clearly be used. For example the containers may be provided with openable lids, and the shapes of the forward rails of the frames may be varied as desired.

Claims

1. A display unit comprising a frame and a display container formed by folding flexible sheet material mounted in the frame, the display container when mounted in the frame being supported or braced by the frame and defining a receptacle for receiving items for display.

2. A display unit according to claim 1, in which the display container must be flexed in order to mount it in the frame and, when mounted, is restrained by the frame from relaxing fully.

3. A display unit according to claim 1 or 2, in which the frame is of wire or tubing.

4. A display unit according to any preceding claim, in which the frame comprises more than one container-mounting portion, in each of which a display container is mountable.

5. A display unit according to any preceding claim, in which the sheet material of the display container forms a hook removably engageable with a corresponding rail or lip on the frame.

6. A display unit according to any preceding claim, comprising means for attaching a display label thereto.

7. A display unit according to any preceding claim comprising a means for detachably fastening or locating the frame with respect to a frame OL a second display unit so as to form a modular display unit.

8. A display unit according to any preceding claim, in which the display container comprises a rear wall, and a flat base and side walls extending forwards therefrom, the base being held in a curved shape by the frame when mounted therein and the lower edges of the side walls being shaped to match the curved shape of the base.

9. A display unit according to any preceding claim, comprising a divider mounted in the display container to divide the display receptacle into more than one receptacle portion.

10. A display unit according to any preceding claim, comprising a means for fastening or supporting the display unit on a support such as slatwall, pegboard or the like.

Drawing