CONFIGURABLE DISPLAY SYSTEM AND MODULAR DISPLAY ARRANGEMENT FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20070272631A1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Blake, Guiden, Aaron, Scholen, Jonah, Romerio, Raul
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/26
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0846 Display panels or rails with elongated channels; Sliders, brackets, shelves, or the like, slidably attached therein
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/02 for jewellery, dentures, watches, eye-glasses, lenses, or the like

Abstract

A method of displaying consumer electronic devices comprises supporting a plurality of rails on a frame in a generally parallel, spaced relationship and configuring each rail for slidable movement relative to the frame in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each rail. A first row of display units is supported between a first adjacent pair of the rails and a second row of display units between a second adjacent pair of the rails, with each display unit comprising at least one of a device support unit and a plate. The plurality of display units are reconfigurable by exchanging the display units between different lateral positions within at least one of the first and second rows of display units and/or by exchanging at least one display unit between the first row and the second row of display units.

Claims

1. A modular display, comprising:

a plurality of generally rectangular-shaped base modules with each base module including a front portion and a device display system configured to support an array of device support units, wherein each device support unit is configured to removably secure a consumer electronic device; and

at least one connecting module including a front portion and interspersed between one adjacent pair of the respective base modules of the plurality of base modules to enable the front portion of the base modules and the front portion of the at least one connecting module to define a substantially continuous front display surface.

2. The modular display of claim 1 wherein the at least one connecting module comprises:

a pair of sides with each respective side including a first end and a second end, the first end of the respective sides joined together to define a vertex; and

a generally arc-shaped end member extending between the second end of each respective side of the at least one connecting module.

3. The modular display of claim 2 wherein the sides of the at least one connecting module define an angle of about 45 degrees relative to one another.

4. The modular display of claim 2 wherein the plurality of base modules comprises five base modules and the at least one connecting module comprises four connecting modules with each respective connecting module interspersed between adjacent pairs of the base modules to enable the respective base modules and the respective connecting modules to form an alternating pattern.

5. The modular display of claim 4 wherein the five base modules and the four connecting modules are arranged together to define a 180 degree panoramic configuration in which two of the five base modules define opposite ends of the 180 degree panoramic configuration.

6. The modular display of claim 1 wherein the at least one connecting module defines a pair of sides forming an angle of no greater than 90 degrees relative to one another and wherein at least two base modules of the plurality of base modules are arranged consecutively in series.

7. The modular display of claim 1 wherein the at least one connecting module is configured to support at least one consumer electronic device.

8. The modular display of claim 7 wherein the at least one connecting module includes a display area comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and a vertical surface, wherein the vertical surface is interposed between and extends between the upper surface and the lower surface of the display area of the respective connecting module.

9. The modular display of claim 1, wherein the array of device support units of the device display system of each respective base module comprises:

a first row of the device support units and a second row of the device support units; and

a plurality of plates with at least one plate interposed between adjacent device support units within at least one of the first row and the second row of device support units to form an alternating pattern of the plates and the respective device support units;

wherein the respective device support units are configured for repositioning relative to each other within the first row, within the second row, or between the first row and the second row.

10. The modular display of claim 1, wherein the device display system of each respective base module comprises:

a base including a front portion and a rear portion wherein a height of the rear portion is greater than a height of the front portion;

a plurality of support members extending from the front portion to the rear portion of the base of the device display system; and

wherein the array of device support units is supported by, and extends in series, along a length of each respective support member from the front portion to the rear portion of the base.

11. The modular display of claim 10 wherein the plurality of support members comprises:

a plurality of lids arranged side-by-side with each lid having a first end pivotally mounted to the rear portion of the base and a second end supportable by the front portion of the base, wherein each respective lid is pivotally movable independently relative to the other lids, and each respective lid supports at least one series of the respective device support units to extend from the first end of each lid to the second end of each lid.

12. The modular display of claim 11 wherein the base of the device display system and the plurality of lids define an interior space which is accessed via pivotal movement of at least one of the respective lids relative to the base of the device display system.

13. A method of displaying consumer electronic devices, the method comprising:

forming a substantially continuous front display surface via a plurality of base modules and a plurality of connecting modules and arranging the respective base modules and the respective connecting modules in an alternating pattern relative to each other; and

displaying a plurality of consumer electronic devices in a reconfigurable arrangement on the respective base modules.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein forming the substantially continuous front display surface comprises:

providing the base modules to include a generally rectangular shape; and

providing the respective connecting modules to include a pair of sides defining an angle of no more than 90 degrees relative to each other.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein forming the substantially continuous front display surface comprises arranging the respective connecting modules and respective base modules to define a 180 degree panoramic configuration.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the angle between the sides of the respective connecting modules comprises about 45 degrees.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the substantially continuous front display surface comprises defining a vertex between a first end of the respective side portions and defining a generally arc shaped member extending between a second end of the respective side portions of the connecting module.

18. A modular display comprising:

means for displaying multiple rows of consumer electronic devices in a reconfigurable pattern; and

means for supporting the means for displaying and for arranging the means for displaying in a 180 degree panoramic configuration.

19. The modular display of claim 18 wherein the means for supporting comprises a plurality of rectangular-shaped base modules and a plurality of connecting modules wherein one of the respective connecting modules is positioned between adjacent pairs of the base modules, wherein opposite ends of the 180 degree panoramic configuration are defined by the respective base modules and each respective connecting module includes a pair of sides defining an angle of no more than 90 degrees relative to each other.

20. The modular display of claim 19 wherein the means for displaying comprises:

a first row of device support units and a second row of device support units; and

a plurality of plates with at least one plate interposed between adjacent device support units within at least one of the first row and the second row of device support units to form an alternating pattern of the plates and the device support units;

wherein the respective device support units are configured for repositioning relative to each other within the first row, within the second row, or between the first row and the second row.