Offset locking device for display channels

• US 5,904,256 A
• Filed: 02/13/1998
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Display Technologies, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Display Technologies, Inc. (Rhode Island)
• Inventors: Jay, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US09/023,509
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 211/74, 211/184, 211/175, 312/42, 312/45
• US Class Current: 211/59.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0025 having separate display containers or trays on shelves or on racks

Abstract

The display rack includes a plurality of separate and distinct longitudinally elongate channels. Each channel has a front, a track and a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending sides. Additionally, each channel has on one side thereof a plurality of widely longitudinally spaced apart male engaging means (lugs) projecting laterally outwardly from the channel side; and, for each one of the male engaging means, the other channel side has an associated set of at least three relatively narrowly longitudinally spaced apart female engaging means (slots). The associated slot sets are widely longitudinally spaced apart, and each female engaging means of the associated slot sets is configured and dimensioned to receive one of the male engaging means. The male and female engaging means are configured and dimensioned to releasably retain an adjacent pair of the channels in a side-by-side, longitudinally parallel relationship in a common horizontal plane, with the fronts of the adjacent pair of channels in horizontal alignment or horizontal non-alignment depending on which female engaging means of the associated sets the male engaging means are disposed in.

Claims

1. A display rack comprising:

a plurality of separate and distinct longitudinally/elongate channels disposed longitudinally parallel to each other in a common horizontal plane, each said channel having;

(A) a front, a track and a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending sides;

(B) a plurality of widely longitudinally spaced apart male engaging means projecting laterally outwardly from one of said channel sides; and

(C) for each one of said male engaging means, an associated set of at least three relatively narrowly longitudinally spaced apart female engaging means defined by the other of said channel sides, said associated sets being widely longitudinally spaced apart, and each female engaging means of said associated sets being configured and dimensioned to receive one of said male engaging means;

said male engaging means and female engaging means being configured and dimensioned to releasably retain an adjacent pair of said channels in a side-by-side longitudinally parallel relationship, with said fronts of said adjacent pair of said channels in horizontal alignment or horizontal non-alignment depending on which female engaging means of said associated sets said male engaging means are disposed in.

2. The rack of claim 1 wherein said fronts of said adjacent pair of said channels are in horizontal alignment when said male engaging means are disposed in a middle female engaging means of each associated set.

3. The rack of claim 1 wherein said fronts of said adjacent pair of said channels are in horizontally stepped non-alignment when said male engaging means are disposed in a respective end female engaging means of each associated set.

4. The rack of claim 3 wherein said channel fronts in combination define a stepped convex curve when said male engaging means are disposed in respective rear end female engaging means of each associated set.

5. The rack of claim 3 wherein said channel fronts in combination define a stepped concave curve when said male engaging means are disposed in respective front end female engaging means of each associated set.

6. The rack of claim 1 wherein each set of female engaging means has only three narrowly longitudinally spaced apart female engaging means.

7. The rack of claim 1 wherein each of said male engaging means is a lug, and each of said female engaging means is a slot.

8. A display rack comprising:

a plurality of separate and distinct longitudinally elongate channels disposed in a common horizontal plane, each said channel having;

A. a front, a track, and a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending sides;

B. a plurality of widely longitudinally spaced apart male lugs projecting laterally outwardly from one of said channel sides; and

C. for each one of said lugs, an associated set of at least three relatively narrowly longitudinally spaced apart female slots defined by the other of said channel sides, said associated sets being widely longitudinally spaced apart, and each slot of said associated sets being configured and dimensioned to receive one of said lugs;

said lugs and slots being configured and dimensioned to releasably retain an adjacent pair of said channels in a side-by-side longitudinally parallel relationship with said fronts of said pair of said channels in horizontal alignment or horizontal non-alignment depending on which slots of said associated sets said lugs are disposed in, said fronts of said adjacent pair of said channels being in horizontal alignment when said lugs are disposed in a middle slot of each associated set, and said fronts of said adjacent pair of said channels being in a horizontally stepped non-alignment when said lugs are disposed in a respective end slot of each associated set, said tray fronts in combination defining a stepped curve when said lugs are disposed in respective end slots of each associated set.