Display-stand for placement and displaying of products

Abstract

 The invention relates to a display stand for arranging and displaying products, comprising product supports on which or from which products can be placed or suspended, which display stand is provided with attention-attracting elements disposed near the product supports for drawing attention to predetermined products, wherein a control panel is provided for selectively activating the attention-attracting elements, and a sensor is provided near the attention-attracting elements, wherein the attention-attracting elements are activated subject to the sensor detecting a customer.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a display stand for arranging and displaying products, comprising product supports on which or from which products can be placed or suspended, which display stand is provided with attention-attracting elements disposed near the product supports for drawing attention to predetermined products.

[0002] Such a display stand is known from JP-A-08/160.897. It is known that there is continuous competition for shelf space in the shop situation. Shelf space is scarce and the suppliers of products compete for the prime positions on the display stand. According to the average consumer's experience, one thing and another means that it is often problematical to find products again, especially if the product to be acquired is purchased less frequently. The fact that the shop situation is regularly subjected to restructuring is also partly to blame.

[0003] It is the object of the invention to make it easier for the consumer to find the products again or to attract his attention more effectively to the products, so that their acquisition can progress more smoothly, more swiftly and hence more pleasurably.

[0004] To this end a display stand is proposed in accordance with the invention, characterised by one or several of the appended claims.

[0005] With the display stand according to the invention it is possible to selectively draw the attention to a previously selected product so that it can easily be found again.

[0006] This is preferably simply realised by providing a control panel for selectively activating the attention-attracting elements, and by providing a sensor near the attention-attracting elements, wherein the attention-attracting elements are activated subject to the sensor detecting a customer. Conveniently, on the control panel one can indicate the product one is looking for. The products to be selected may be identified on the control panel, for example, by symbols. However, it is also possible to embody to embody the control panel as keypad via which the name of the product can be entered. In this embodiment the control panel is preferably coupled with a computer, in which the available products as well as the location in the display stand, are stored. As soon as the customer looking for the product is near the display stand, the attention-attracting elements near the product being sought light up.

[0007] It is usually possible to place the control panel proximally in relation to the attention-attracting elements. This facilitates a direct feedback to the customer detected by the sensor.

[0008] Sometimes it is, however, advantageous for the control panel to be placed distally in relation to the attention-attracting elements, for example, at the beginning of the display stand or at the entrance of the shop.

[0009] Although it is possible to position the products in the display stand at random, it is preferred for the product supports and the respective attention-attracting elements to be grouped for related products.

[0010] A simple manner of drawing attention to the products in the display stand may be to embody the attention-attracting elements as light-emitting objects.

[0011] The light-emitting objects may, for example, take the form of light bulbs. However, for reasons like maintenance, it is advantageous for the light-emitting objects to be glass fibres. In this embodiment the light source may be formed by light-emitting diodes, which in comparison to light bulbs, are low-maintenance and energy-efficient.

[0012] Hereinbelow the invention will be further elucidated, without limiting the appended claims, by way of an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawing.

[0013] The drawing shows in:

• Figure 1, a front view of a preferred embodiment of a display stand according to the invention.
• Figure 2, a shop situation in which the display stand according to the invention is used with a distally placed control panel.

[0014] Similar parts in the figures are identified by the same reference numerals.

[0015] The display stand shown in Figure 1 is embodied in the usual manner with uprights 2, 3 and shelves 4, 5, 6, 7, provided between the uprights 2, 3, upon which products can be placed that are to be arranged and displayed on the display stand.

[0016] It should be noted, that instead of the shelves 5, 6, 7 shown in the figure, it is also possible to employ brackets projecting from a rear wall of the display stand from which the products to be arranged and displayed can be suspended.

[0017] In the case illustrated, the display stand 1 according to the invention is provided with attention-attracting elements 8, 9, 10, 11 arranged in rows that correspond with the shelves 4, 5, 6, 7. These attention-attracting elements are preferably embodied as the light-emitting ends of glass fibres.

[0018] The attention-attracting elements 8, 9, 10, 11 can be activated selectively by means of control via a control panel 12, which for this purpose is provided with control keys 13-18.

[0019] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the control unit 12 is located near the display stand 1 and the attention-attracting elements 8, 9, 10, 11 accommodated therein. However, it is also possible to place the control unit 12 at a distance from the display stand 1 and the attention-attracting elements 8, 9, 10, 11, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 further shows that a sensor 19 is provided near the display stand 1, wherein the activating members 8, 9, 10, 11 are activated subject to the sensor detecting a customer 20 who operated the panel at an earlier time to enter the sought product or products.

[0020] As further exemplification, the Figures 1 and 2 show that control key 13 is activated and that in this connection the attention-attracting elements 8, 9, 10, 11 identified by arrows 'a' are activated for selectively drawing attention to the products placed near the attention-attracting elements.

[0021] Within the scope of the invention there are still further variations on the display stand. For example, it is possible to group related products together and to arrange them in concentration in the display stand 1.

[0022] Another possibility is to embody the control panel 12 with a keypad via which the sought product can be entered so that the display stand 1 subsequently causes the attention-attracting element near the sought product to light up.

[0023] The protective scope due the appended claims is therefore not considered to be limited to the above exemplary embodiment, which merely serves to elucidate said claims without limiting them to said given example.

Claims

1. A display stand for arranging and displaying products, comprising product supports on which or from which products can be placed or suspended, which display stand is provided with attention-attracting elements disposed near the product supports for drawing attention to predetermined products, characterised in that a control panel is provided for selectively activating the attention-attracting elements, and by providing a sensor near the attention-attracting elements, wherein the attention-attracting elements are activated subject to the sensor detecting a customer.

2. A display stand according to claim 1, characterised in that the control panel is placed distally in relation to the attention-attracting elements.

3. A display stand according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the product supports and the respective attention-attracting elements are grouped into related products.

4. A display stand according to one of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the attention-attracting elements are light-emitting objects.

5. A display stand according to claim 4, characterised in that the light-emitting objects are glass fibres.

Drawing