Beverage display rack with head locking keyway

• US 6,209,733 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Inventors: Robertson, James David, Higgins, Mark A., Whiten, James Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US09/617,196
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 211/74-75, 211/71.01, 211/181.1, 211/85.18, 211/85.31, 211/85.29, 211/106, 211/119, 211/196, 211/205, 211/144, 211/163, D 7/701-702, D 7/704, D 7/707-708, 248/153, 248/175, 248/227.1, 248/304-305, 248/311.2-311.3, 248/312-312.1, 248/222.51, D 6/566, D 6/462-465, D 6/458, 206/476, 206/806
• US Class Current: 211/74
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14

Abstract

A display rack for displaying all sizes of beverage bottles has a support column with a plurality of keyways. Each keyway receives and holds a beverage bottle by its neck ring. Each keyway limits upward movement of one head of one bottle inserted therein while allowing the body of the bottle to tilt downward to thereby hold the bottle by its neck. A plurality of brackets, each having a keyway, can be fastened to the support column with each bracket having a lower connecting flange fastened to the support column and an upper positioning flange. The brackets can be fastened to one another forming a vertical column without the vertical support member. Each bracket has a lower horizontally oriented connecting flange and an angled upper positioning to cause a bottle to tilt downward when inserted in the keyway. The keyways can be formed in the support column without brackets or the brackets can surround the support column forming platforms.

Claims

1. A display rack for a plurality of beverage bottles, each of said plurality of beverage bottles having a body, a shoulder atop said body, a neck, a protruding ring about said neck, and a head atop said neck, said display rack holding said bottles by said protruding ring when inserted into said display rack, said display rack comprising:

a vertical support column;

a plurality of brackets fastened to said support column, each of said brackets having a lower connecting flange fastened to said support column and an upper positioning flange; and

means on each of said brackets for receiving and holding one of said beverage bottles by said protruding ring, said means including a keyway in said upper positioning flange having an arcuate upper portion, an arcuate lower portion larger in dimension than said upper portion, and an intermediate portion connecting said upper and lower portions, said keyway limiting upward movement of said head of said bottle when inserted therein while allowing said body of said bottle to tilt downward, said upper positioning flange being bent at an angle so that a lower portion of said upper positioning flange and a portion of said keyway therein extend farther away from said support column than an upper portion of said upper positioning flange and a portion of said keyway therein to thereby cause a bottle to tilt downward when inserted in said keyway.

2. A display rack for a plurality of beverage bottles, each of said plurality of beverage bottles having a body, a shoulder atop said body, a neck, a protruding ring about said neck, and a head atop said neck, said display rack holding said bottles by said protruding ring when inserted into said display rack, said display rack comprising:

a plurality of brackets fastened to one another forming a vertical column with a vertical axis, each of said brackets having a lower horizontally oriented connecting flange and an upper positioning flange; and

means on each of said brackets for receiving and holding one of said beverage bottles by said protruding ring, said means including a keyway having an arcuate upper portion, an arcuate lower portion larger in dimension than said upper portion, and an intermediate portion connecting said upper and lower portions, said keyway limiting upward movement of said head of said bottle when inserted therein while allowing said body of said bottle to tilt downward, said upper positioning flange being bent at an angle so that a lower portion of said upper positioning flange and a portion of said keyway therein extend farther away from said vertical axis than an upper portion of said upper positioning flange and a portion of said keyway therein to thereby cause a bottle to tilt downward when inserted in said keyway.

3. A display rack for a plurality of beverage bottles, each of said plurality of beverage bottles having a body, a shoulder atop said body, a neck, a protruding ring about said neck, and a head atop said neck, said display rack holding said bottles by said protruding ring when inserted into said display rack said display rack comprising:

a vertical support member;

a plurality of platforms mounted on said support member with each of said platforms being mounted at a different height with each higher elevated platform being smaller in dimension than the platform below it forming a truncated cone;

means on each of said platforms for receiving and holding one of said beverage bottles by said protruding ring, said means including a keyway limiting upward movement of said head of said bottle when inserted therein while allowing said body of said bottle to tilt downward to thereby hold said bottle by said neck,

a conical cap attached to said vertical support member above said platforms; and

a decal holder atop said conical cap.

4. A display rack for a plurality of beverage bottles, each of said plurality of beverage bottles having a body, a shoulder atop said body, a neck, a protruding ring about said neck, and a head atop said neck, said display rack holding said bottles by said protruding ring when inserted into said display rack, said display rack comprising:

a base member;

a vertical support column mounted on said base member; and

means on said vertical support column for receiving and holding said plurality of beverage bottles by said protruding rings, said means including a plurality of keyways, each of said keyways having an arcuate upper portion, an arcuate lower portion different in dimension than said upper portion, and an intermediate portion connecting said upper and lower portions, each of said keyways limiting upward movement of a head of a bottle when inserted therein while allowing said body of said bottle to tilt downward to thereby hold said bottle by said neck, said keyways arranged in spiral patterns about said vertical support column.

5. A display rack, as set forth in claim 4 including a cap atop said vertical support column configuring said display rack to resemble a beverage bottle.

6. A display rack, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said keyways are arranged in horizontal rows with each key way tilted at an angle relative to horizontal.

7. A display rack, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said keyways are arranged in vertical columns with each key way tilted at an angle relative to vertical.