Display device

• US 6,389,991 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albums Df Ltée
• Original Assignee: Albums Df Ltée
• Inventors: Morrisson, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US09/619,267
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 108/61, 108/60, 211/184, 211/42, 211/43
• US Class Current: 108/61
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/585 with connection means slidable in a rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0056 made of tubes or wire

Abstract

An article display device adapted for use with a shelving structure including a flat shelf. The display device includes a curved article retaining element for retaining articles placed side by side on the shelf. The curved article retaining element is spaced above the shelf and is connected to the shelving structure. The display device further includes support members for connecting the retaining curved element to the shelving structure.

Claims

1. An article display device adapted for use with a shelving structure including a flat shelf having front and back edges, said display device comprising:

an article retaining element including an article-engaging side having a concavely curved configuration for engaging articles thereon, said article retaining element being spaced above the shelf and being connected to the shelving structure and spanning a length equal to about the distance between the front edge and back edges of the shelf, and

support members for connecting said article retaining element to the shelving structure, for spacing said article retaining element above the shelf, wherein when said display device is mounted to the shelving structure articles to be displayed are placed on the shelf side by side along the article-engaging side.

2. An article display device according to claim 1, wherein the articles are photo albums.

3. An article display device according to claim 1 wherein the article retaining element is substantially diagonal with respect to the plane of the shelf and wherein the support members include opposite free ends of the article retaining element and the shelving structure further includes a backboard, wherein one said free end is mounted to the shelf and the other free end is mounted to the backboard.

4. An article display device according to claim 1 wherein said article retaining element is a substantially horizontal member, wherein one of said support members is a leg member mounted to the horizontal member, said leg member being mounted to the shelf.

5. An article display device according to claim 4 wherein said shelving structure further includes a backboard and wherein another of said support members is a free end of the horizontal member, said free end being mounted to the backboard.

6. An article display device mountable on a flat shelf having a front edge and a back edge adjacent to a back structure, said display device comprising:

a substantially vertical upstanding portion having a shelf engaging end for being mounted near the front edge of the shelf, said upstanding portion substantially vertically upstanding from the shelf when mounted thereto; and

a substantially horizontal article retaining portion comprising a back structure engaging end and spanning a length equal to about the distance between the back structure engaging end and the upstanding portion, said article retaining portion comprising an article-engaging side having a concavely curved configuration for articles to be engaged thereon,

wherein when said article display device is mounted to the shelf, articles to be displayed are placed on the shelf adjacent to one another along the article-engaging side.

7. An article display device according to claim 6, further comprising a track rail mountable to the back structure, said back structure engaging end including a connector said track rail being configured and sized to slidably receive the connector when mounted to the back structure.

8. An article display device according to claim 7, wherein the back structure includes an upper shelf having an front edge carrying the track rail.

9. An article display device according to claim 7, wherein the connector comprises a snap member.

10. An article display device according to claim 7, wherein the connector comprises a magnet and the track rail comprises a magnetic or metallic portion for mutual magnetic engagement therewith.

11. An article display device according to claim 6, wherein the shelf includes a display device receiving portion near the front edge to releasably mount the shelf-engaging end thereto.

12. An article display device according to claim 11, wherein the display device receiving portion comprises a lined recess near the front edge of the shelf for snugly fitting the shelf-engaging end therein.

13. An article display device according to claim 11, wherein the shelf-engaging end comprises a magnet and the display device receiving portion comprises a metallic or magnetic portion for mutual magnetic engagement therewith.

14. An article display device according to claim 6, wherein the articles are photo albums.

15. An article display device mountable to a flat shelf having a front edge and an opposite back edge, said display device comprising:

a substantially vertical upstanding front portion having a free front edge engaging end for being mounted near the front edge of the shelf, said front edge upstanding portion substantially vertically upstanding from the shelf when mounted thereto;

a substantially vertical upstanding back portion having a free back edge engaging end for being mounted near the back edge of the shelf, said front back edge upstanding portion substantially vertically upstanding from the shelf when mounted thereto; and

a substantially horizontal article retaining portion spanning a length equal to about the distance between said upstanding front and back portions, said article retaining portion comprising an article-engaging side having a concavely curved configuration for articles to be engaged thereon, wherein when said display device is mounted to the shelf, articles to be displayed are placed on the shelf adjacent to one another along the article-engaging side.

16. An article display device according to claim 15, wherein the shelf includes a front display device receiving portion near the front edge to releasably mount the front edge end thereto and a back display device receiving portion near the back edge to releasably mount the back edge end thereto.

17. An article display device according to claim 15, wherein the front and back display device receiving portions are respective lined recesses near the front edge and back edge respectively for snuggly fitting the front edge end and the back edge end therein respectively.

18. An article display device according to claim 15, wherein the articles are photo albums.

19. An article display device and shelf structure combination comprising:

a shelf structure including;

a flat shelf having a front edge and a back edge; and

a back structure adjacent to said back edge;

a display device including;

a substantially vertical upstanding portion having a shelf engaging end for being mounted near said flat shelf front edge, said upstanding portion substantially vertically upstanding from said flat shelf; and

a substantially horizontal article retaining portion having a back structure engaging end and spanning a length equal to about the distance between said back structure engaging end and said vertical upstanding portion, said article retaining portion having a concavely curved article-engaging side for articles to be engaged thereon, wherein, articles to be displayed are placed on said flat shelf adjacent to one another along the article-engaging side.

20. A combination according to claim 19 wherein, said back structure engaging end includes a connector and said back structure includes a track rail mounted thereto for slidably receiving the connector.

21. A combination according to claim 20, wherein said shelf structure further includes an upper flat shelf mounted to said back structure, said upper flat shelf having an upper shelf front edge carrying the track rail.

22. An article display device according to claim 19, wherein the shelf includes a display device receiving portion near the front edge to releasably mount the shelf-engaging end thereto.

23. An article display device according to claim 22, wherein the display device receiving portion comprises a lined recess near the front edge of the shelf for snugly fitting the shelf-engaging end therein.

24. An article display device according to claim 19, wherein the articles are photo albums.

25. An article display device and shelving structure

combination comprising:

a shelving structure including a flat shelf having a front edge and an opposite back edge; and

a display device including;

a substantially vertical upstanding front portion having a free front edge engaging end for being mounted near said flat shelf front edge, said front edge upstanding portion substantially vertically upstanding from said flat shelf,

a substantially vertical upstanding back portion having a free back edge engaging end for being mounted near said flat shelf back edge, said front back edge upstanding portion substantially vertically upstanding from said flat shelf; and

a substantially horizontal article retaining portion spanning a length equal to about the distance between said upstanding front and back portions, said article retaining portion comprising an article-engaging side having a concavely curved configuration for articles to be engaged thereon,

wherein articles to be displayed are placed on the shelf adjacent to one another along the article-engaging side.

26. A combination according to claim 25, wherein said flat shelf includes a front display device receiving portion near the front edge to releasably mount the front edge end thereto and a back display device receiving portion near the back edge to releasably mount the back edge end thereto.

27. An article display device according to claim 26, wherein said front and back display device receiving portions are respective lined recesses near the front edge and back edge respectively for snuggly fitting the front edge end and the back edge end therein respectively.

28. An article display device according to claim 25, wherein the articles are photo albums.