Front panel for a display rack

• US 6,068,142 A
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Inventors: Primiano, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US09/321,037
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 211/74, 211/183, 312/45, 312/72
• US Class Current: 211/183
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0486 for charging, displaying or discharging the articles

Abstract

A front panel for a display rack has a base, upstanding sidewalls connected along their bottom end portions to the base, face members connected to the front edges of the sidewalls, and an elongate connecting member connected to the top end portions of the face members. The base, face members and connecting member define a viewing window for the display rack through which a beverage container in a display rack in a refrigerator can be viewed. The base and connecting member curve outward to position a beverage container forward in the display rack.

Claims

1. A front panel for a display rack, comprising:

a base;

a first upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge, said first sidewall being connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a second upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge, said second sidewall being laterally spaced from said first sidewall and connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a first face member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion and being connected to said front edge of said first sidewall, said first face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall;

a second face member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion and being connected to said front edge of said second sidewall, said second face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall; and

an elongate connecting member having a first end connected to said top end portion of said first face member and a second end portion connected to said top end portion of said second face member, said base, face members and connecting member defining a viewing window for said display rack.

2. A front panel, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second face members are connected to said base.

3. A front panel, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elongate connecting member curves outward away from said face members.

4. A front panel, as set forth in claim 1, including a foot on said base for supporting said base.

5. A front panel, as set forth in claim 1, including a clip-on holder having a connecting base, a first pair of legs extending upward from said connecting base, a plurality of protrusions on said first pair of legs engaging said bottom face members, a decal holding member attached to said first pair of legs extending vertically upward from said connecting member and laterally between said top face members.

6. A front panel, as set forth in claim 5, including a second pair of legs extending downward from said connecting base to said base of said front panel to space said connecting base from said base of said front panel.

7. A front panel for a display rack, comprising:

a base;

a first upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge extending between said top and bottom end portions, said first sidewall being connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a second upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge extending between said top and bottom end portions, said second sidewall being laterally spaced from said first sidewall and connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a first top face member connected to said front edge along said top end portion of said first sidewall, said first top face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall;

a second top face member connected to said front edge along said top end portion of said second sidewall, said second face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall; and

an elongate connecting member having a first end connected to said first top face member and a second end portion connected to said second top face member, said base, face members and connecting member defining a viewing window for said display rack.

8. A front panel, as set forth in claim 7, including:

a first bottom face member connected to said front edge along said bottom end portion of said first sidewall, said first bottom face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall; and

a second bottom face member connected to said front edge along said bottom end portion of said second sidewall, said second bottom face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall.

10. A front panel, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first and second bottom face members are connected to said base.

11. A front panel, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said connecting member curves outward away from said face members.

12. A front panel, as set forth in claim 7, including a foot on said base for supporting said base.

9. A front panel, as set forth in claim wherein said elongate connecting member, base, and top and bottom face members define said viewing window for said display rack.

13. A front panel assembly for a display rack, comprising:

a base;

a first upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge, said first sidewall being connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a second upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge, said second sidewall being laterally spaced from said first sidewall and connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a third upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge, said third sidewall being laterally spaced from said second sidewall and connected along its bottom end portion to said base, said second sidewall being intermediate said first and third sidewalls;

a first face member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion and being connected to said front edge of said first sidewall, said first face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall;

a second face member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion and being connected to said front edge of said second sidewall, said second face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall and extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said third sidewall;

a third face member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion and being connected to said front edge of said third sidewall, said third face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said third sidewall toward said second sidewall;

a first elongate connecting member having a first end connected to said top end portion of said first face member and a second end portion connected to said top end portion of said second face member, said base, face members and connecting member defining a first viewing window for said display rack; and

a second elongate connecting member having a first end connected to said top end portion of said second face member and a second end portion connected to said top end portion of said third face member, said base, face members and connecting member defining a second viewing window for said display rack.

14. A front panel, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first, second and third face members are connected to base.

15. A front panel, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said connecting members curve outward away from said face members.

16. A front panel, as set forth in claim 13, including a foot on said base for supporting said base.

17. A front panel for a display rack, comprising:

a base;

a first upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge extending between said top and bottom end portions, said first sidewall being connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a second upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge extending between said top and bottom end portions, said second sidewall being laterally spaced from said first sidewall and connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a connecting member spaced from said base and having a first side connected to said first sidewall, a second side connected to said second sidewall and a decal area extending laterally between said first and second sides and vertically a preselected distance above said sidewalls;

a first bottom face member connected to said front edge along said bottom end portion of said first sidewall, said first bottom face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall; and

a second bottom face member connected to said front edge along said bottom end portion of said second sidewall, said second bottom face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall, said connecting member being positioned above said bottom face members and spaced therefrom forming a window between said base, bottom face members and said connecting member.

18. A front panel for a display rack, comprising:

a base;

a first upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge extending between said top and bottom end portions, said first sidewall being connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a second upstanding sidewall having a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a front edge extending between said top and bottom end portions, said second sidewall being laterally spaced from said first sidewall and connected along its bottom end portion to said base;

a first top face member connected to said front edge along said top end portion of said first sidewall, said first top face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall;

a second top face member connected to said front edge along said top end portion of said second sidewall, said second face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall;

a first bottom face member connected to said front edge along said bottom end portion of said first sidewall, said first bottom face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said first sidewall toward said second sidewall;

a second bottom face member connected to said front edge along said bottom end portion of said second sidewall, said second bottom face member extending laterally a preselected distance from said second sidewall toward said first sidewall;

an elongate connecting member having a first end connected to said first top face member and a second end portion connected to said second top face member, said base, face members and connecting member defining a window; and

a clip-on holder having a connecting base, a first pair of legs extending upward from said base, a plurality of clips on said first pair of legs engaging said bottom face members, a decal holding member attached to said first pair of legs extending vertically upward from said connecting member and laterally between said top face members.

19. A front panel, as set forth in claim 18, including a second pair of legs extending downward from said connecting base to said base of said front panel to space said connecting base from said base of said front panel.