Computer video game pak display cabinet

• US 5,405,193 A
• Filed: 01/08/1993
• Issued: 04/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank Barker Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Frank Barker Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Herrenbruck, Jeffery J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCARE, NANCY C
• Application Number:
  US08/002,406
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 312/117-118, 312/120, 312/123, 312/125, 312/136, 312/216, 312/249.2, 312/249.7, 312/287, 211/168-169, 211/7, 40/104.17, 40/104.2, 40/102, 40/72, 40/1
• US Class Current: 312/118
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0087 movable around an axis

Abstract

A display cabinet is provided for displaying two sides of a computer video game pak or similar merchandise in a secure enclosure. The display cabinet includes an elongated vertical enclosure unit or paddle with a set of spaced apart shelves between transparent facings or panels to form a set of vertically arranged compartments. The game paks or other merchandise are held within the compartments. The enclosure unit or paddle is pivotable back and forth in order to expose the transparent front and back facings of the paddle, thereby enabling the purchaser to view front and back sides of the merchandise, respectively. A lockable access door on the paddle is slidable between open and closed positions, and lockable in the closed position to provide security for the merchandise. Several enclosure units or paddles are pivotably mounted upon a frame by either a hinge or by pivot pins for either flipping or spinning the paddles for viewing. The frame may alternatively be either a self-standing frame, wall mounted frame, or carousel-type frame, and may further include a storage locker for stocking extra merchandise.

Claims

1. A display cabinet for computer video game pales, each game pak being packaged in a box having a standardized width, height and thickness, and information being printed on front and back sides of the game pak box, the display cabinet comprising:

a set of elongated vertical paddles;

each paddle having a number of compartments for holding game pak boxes therein, with each paddle further having transparent front and back facings for viewing front and back sides of the game pak boxes, respectively, and each paddle including an access door which is slidable about an outer edge of the paddle for access into compartments; and

each paddle being pivotally mounted for rotation upon a frame for exposing for viewing the from and back sides of the game pak boxes.

2. The display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein each paddle has a hinge on a rearward edge thereof for mounting the paddle onto the frame, and the paddle is flippable back and forth about the hinge a sufficient distance to expose the front and back facings for viewing.

3. The display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein each paddle is mounted onto the frame by an upper pivot pin on an upper center portion of the paddle and by a lower pivot pin on the lower center portion of the paddle, and the paddle is spinnable about the pivot pins.

4. The display cabinet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the compartments are arranged vertically on top of each other.

5. The display cabinet according to claim 4, wherein the compartments within the paddles are formed by a set of shelves spaces apart at intervals between the front and back facings of the paddle.

6. The display cabinet according to claim 5, wherein each shelf includes a removable spacer pin.

7. The display cabinet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the slidable door comprises a metal band inserted between a groove around an outer edge in each of the front and back facings of the paddle, and the metal band is vertically slidable between open and closed positions.

8. The display cabinet according to claim 7, wherein the metal band is coated with a plastic film or tape.

9. The display cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the plastic film or tape is printed with graphic displays identifying a manufacturer of the game pak.

10. The display cabinet according to claim 7, wherein each paddle includes a lock for locking the metal band in a closed position.

11. The display cabinet according to claim 10, wherein the lock is mounted on a lower metal flange on a lower portion of the paddle, and the lock includes a rotatable bar engageable with a slot in a lower end of the metal band, and wherein an upper metal flange on an upper portion of the paddle includes an interlocking clip engageable with a corresponding clip on an upper end of the metal band.

12. The display cabinet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the frame comprises a self standing metal framework.

13. The display cabinet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the frame comprises wall mounted brackets.

14. The display cabinet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the frame comprises a carousel including a rotatable carrier on a support stand, whereby the paddles are pivotable with respect to the carrier, and the carrier is rotatable with respect to the support stand.

15. The display cabinet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the frame further includes a storage locker for stocking extra game paks.

16. A merchandise display, wherein the merchandise to be displayed comprises a number of relatively thin box-like items with information printed on front and back sides thereof, the display comprising;

a plurality of enclosure units mounted side by side on a frame;

each enclosure unit including transparent front and back facings, and including a number of spaced apart shelves between the facings, thereby forming a number of vertically arranged compartments for holding the merchandise;

each enclosure unit having an access door slidable around an edge of the enclosure unit between open and closed positions for access into the compartments, and the access door being lockable in a closed position;

pivot means for exposing the front and back facings of the enclosure unit for viewing the front and back sides of the merchandise, respectively; and

each enclosure unit being pivotable independently of the other enclosure units.

17. The display according to claim 16, wherein a back edge of the enclosure unit is hinged to the frame, and the enclosure unit if flippable back and forth a sufficient distance for viewing the front and back sides of the merchandise.

18. The display according to claim 16, wherein an upper center portion and a lower center portion of the enclosure unit are mounted on the frame by upper and lower pivot pins, respectively, and the enclosure unit is spinnable about the pivot pins for viewing the from and back sides of the merchandise.

19. The display according to claim 18, further including means for, upon release, automatically returning the enclosure unit to a front facing forward position.

20. The display according to claim 19, wherein the means for returning the enclosure unit comprises a locator pin slidable about a washer having an inclined surface and a notch for holding the locator pin at the front facing forward position.

21. The display according to claim 17 or 18 wherein the compartments are arranged vertically on top of each other.

22. The display according to claim 17 or 18, wherein each shelf includes a removable spacer pin.

23. The display according to claim 17 or 18 wherein the access door comprises a metal band inserted between a groove round an outer edge in each of the front and back facings of the enclosure unit.

24. The display according to claim 23, wherein the metal band is coated with a plastic film or tape.

25. The display according to claim 24, wherein the plastic film or tape is printed with graphic displays identifying a manufacturer of the game pak.

26. The display according to claim 23, wherein each paddle includes a lock for locking the metal band in a closed position.

27. The display according to claim 26, wherein the lock is mounted on a lower metal flange on a lower portion of the enclosure unit, and the lock is engageable with a slot in a lower end of the metal band, and wherein an upper metal flange on an upper portion of the enclosure unit includes an interlocking clip engageable with a corresponding clip on an upper end of the metal band.

28. The display according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the frame comprises a self-standing metal framework.

29. The display according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the frame comprises wall mounted brackets.

30. The display according to claim 17 and 18, wherein the frame comprises a carousel including a rotatable carrier on a support, whereby the enclosure units arc pivotable with respect to the carrier, and the carrier is rotatable with respect to the support stand.

31. The display according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the frame further includes a storage locker for stocking extra game paks.