MODULAR WALL SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING A PRODUCT

• US 20180184817A1
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Granted Patent: US 11,166,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/002 Corner cabinets; Cabinets designed for being placed in a corner or a niche corner cabinets provided with trays revolving on a vertical axis A47B49/006
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/00 Furniture or installations specially adapted to particular types of service systems, not otherwise provided for conveyor aspects B65G; building aspects E04H; coin-freed apparatus G07F
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/02 Removable walls , scaffolding or the like; Pillars; Special curtains or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/004 adjustable, foldable or easily dismountable
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/005 with glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/063 with pull-out receptacles, e.g. drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/14 Display trays or containers combined with racks A47F5/0025; tray partitions A47F5/005; as racks and transportable with merchandise A47F5/108; made of cardboard A47F5/11; stackable A47B87/02; packing boxes used subsequently as display trays B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/10 Adjustable or foldable or dismountable display stands foldable racks in general A47B43/00; dismountable racks in general A47B47/00; assemblies of elements of the same kind, e.g. stackable A47B87/00; publicity panels G09F15/0068
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0078 for plants or flowers
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/58 with elongated members of metal
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/08 Built-in cupboards; Masks of niches; Covers of holes enabling access to installations inspection openings in bathtub aprons A47K3/1615; covers for electrical distribution boxes H02G3/14; movable ceiling parts E04B9/003; removable wall partitions E04B2/74; clean-out doors of chimneys F23J

Abstract

A system for displaying a product is disclosed. The system includes a wall having a recess therein and a display structure that defines the recess. The display structure extends through a front surface of the wall and includes a frame having a top panel, a bottom panel, and two side panels. The top and bottom panels are longer than the side panels. The system further includes a plurality of modular display units disposed within the display structure. Each modular display unit extends from the bottom panel to the top panel. At least a first one of the modular display units includes a frame open to a front exterior of the display structure and at least a second one of the modular display units is not open to the front exterior of the display structure. The system further includes a plurality of display elements disposed within the plurality of display units.

Claims

1. A retail environment having a side wall, the retail environment comprising:

a display structure built into and extending along the side wall, the display structure having a frame and a cavity open to a front side of the wall, the frame defining the outer periphery of the cavity, the cavity being recessed within the frame, the cavity having a total cavity length N, the total cavity length N being configured in increments of n; and

at least two modular display units disposed within the cavity, the modular display units having a unit length of n, 2n, 3n, or 4n, the total length of all the modular display units being equal to the total cavity length N, at least two of the modular display units having different display characteristics formed at least in part by products presented for sale in different configurations,

wherein the side wall extends from a floor to a ceiling of the retail environment, and wherein the side wall comprises structural support beams.

2. The retail environment of claim 1, wherein the at least two modular display units comprises nine modular display units.

3. The retail environment of claim 1, wherein n is five feet.

4. The retail environment of claim 1, wherein N is at least fifty feet.

5. The retail environment of claim 1, wherein the side wall further comprises electrical infrastructure that provides power to the modular display units.

6. The retail environment of claim 5, wherein at least one of the modular display units comprises a graphic light box that comprises a fabric graphic panel and a light source disposed behind the fabric graphic panel.

7. The retail environment of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a bottom panel defining a bottom of the cavity,

wherein the retail environment further comprises a plurality of trays disposed on the bottom panel,

wherein the plurality of trays are movable along the bottom panel, and

wherein the at least two modular display units are disposed on the plurality of trays.

8. The retail environment of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a bottom panel defining a bottom of the cavity, and

wherein the retail environment further comprises:

tracks disposed on an inner surface of the bottom panel; and

a rolling system disposed on an outer surface of a bottom of each modular display unit, wherein the rolling system interfaces with the tracks to allow the display units to slide along the bottom panel.

9. The retail environment of claim 8, wherein the frame comprises a top panel defining a top of the cavity, and

wherein the retail environment further comprises:

tracks disposed on an inner surface of the top panel; and

a rolling system disposed on outer surface of a top of each modular display unit, wherein the rolling system interfaces with the tracks to allow the display units to slide along the top panel.

10. The retail environment of claim 1, further comprising a rear panel, wherein at least one of the modular display units is mounted to the rear panel.

11. A system for displaying a product, the system comprising:

a wall of a room, the wall comprising structural support beams;

a display structure defining a recess through the wall, wherein the display structure comprises a frame having a top panel, a bottom panel, and two side panels, wherein the top and bottom panels are longer than the side panels;

a plurality of modular display units disposed within the display structure, wherein each modular display unit extends from the bottom panel to the top panel; and

a plurality of display elements disposed within the plurality of display units,

wherein the wall further comprises electrical infrastructure that provides power to the modular display units.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a rear panel that defines at least one opening through which the electrical infrastructure is provided.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a data box is integrated into the rear panel to provide power and data to at least one of the modular display units.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of modular display units further comprises an outer frame disposed around an outer perimeter of the modular display unit, wherein each outer frame is open to a front side of its modular display unit.

15. A modular display unit for displaying a product, the modular display unit disposed in a display structure and comprising:

a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, and a rear wall, wherein the top wall, bottom wall, two side walls, and rear wall together define a cavity;

a plurality of display elements disposed within the cavity;

an electronics panel disposed on an outer surface of the rear wall;

a roller bar fixed to an outer surface of the bottom wall and configured to constrain motion of the modular display along a lower straight track; and

a roller system fixed to an outer surface of the top wall and configured to constrain motion of the modular display along an upper straight track.

16. The modular display unit of claim 15, wherein the roller bar further comprises wheels that move along a track disposed on the display structure.

17. The modular display unit of claim 15, further comprising an outer frame disposed around an outer perimeter of the modular display unit.

18. The modular display unit of claim 17, further comprising vertical rails and horizontal rails, wherein the vertical rails and the horizontal rails are adjustable within the modular display unit to provide different configurations of the plurality of display elements.

19. The modular display unit of claim 18, further comprising shelves supported by the horizontal rails, wherein at least one of the vertical rails and the horizontal rails provides electricity to or data to or from the shelves.

20. A display system comprising two or more of the modular display units of claim 15 disposed side-by-side within a cavity formed by an outer frame of a display structure built into a wall.