Bottle display device with stackable modules

• US 6,505,747 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2001
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Inventors: Robertson, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US09/933,509
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 211/74, 211/194, 211/77, 211/78, 248/312, 248/314, 248/312.1
• US Class Current: 211/74
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/283 Show stands or the like having a compartment for each container

Abstract

A display rack for holding bottles by the neck has stackable units with keyways for holding the bottles. Each unit has a vertically extending central hub with a horizontally extending flange attached thereto. A downwardly extending skirt is attached to the flange. The keyways are formed in the skirt alone or in the flange and skirt. An upper portion of each hub has a smaller dimension than a lower portion of the hub so that one unit may be stacked on top of another unit to accommodate a desired number of bottles.

Claims

1. A merchandising display device for holding a plurality of bottles, said device holding each bottle by a neck of said bottle, said display device, comprising:

a hub having a vertically extending longitudinal axis;

a flange attached to said hub and extending horizontally from said hub; and

a skirt attached to said flange and extending downward from said flange, said skirt having a plurality of keyways adapted to receive and hold a bottle by a neck of said bottle, each of said keyways having an arcuate upper portion and an arcuate lower portion larger in dimension than said upper portion.

2. A merchandising display device, as set forth in claim 1, including a generally straight intermediate portion connecting said upper and lower arcuate portions.

3. A merchandising display device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said skirt has an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion extending downward from said flange at an acute angle from horizontal, said lower portion extending vertically downward from said upper portion.

4. A merchandising display device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said upper portion of said skirt extends a greater distance from said hub than said flange.

6. A merchandising display device, as set forth in claim 1, including a horizontally extending reinforcing rib about a lower portion of said skirt.

5. A merchandising display device for holding a plurality of bottles, said device holding each bottle by a neck of said bottle, said display device, comprising:

a hub having a vertically extending longitudinal axis;

a flange attached to said hub and extending horizontally from said hub; and

a skirt attached to said flange and extending downward from said flange, said skirt having a plurality of keyways adapted to receive and hold a bottle by a neck of said bottle, said skirt having a reinforced lower portion free of keyways.

7. A modular display device for holding a plurality of bottles by necks of said bottles, comprising:

a first module, comprising;

a first hub having a vertically extending longitudinal axis, said first hub having an upper portion, a lower portion and a middle portion intermediate said upper and lower portions;

a first flange attached to said middle portion of said first hub and extending horizontally from said first hub; and

a first skirt attached to said first flange and extending downward from said first flange, said first skirt having a plurality of keyways adapted to receive and hold a bottle by a neck of said bottle; and

a second module, comprising;

a second hub having a vertically extending longitudinal axis, said second hub having an upper portion, a lower portion and a middle portion intermediate said upper and lower portions;

a second flange attached to said middle portion of said second hub and extending horizontally from said second hub; and

a second skirt attached to said second flange and extending downward from said second flange, said second skirt having a plurality of keyways adapted to receive and hold a bottle by a neck of said bottle, said upper portion of said first hub being smaller in dimension than said lower portion of said second hub so that said second module receives said first module to stack said module one atop the other.

8. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said keyways has an arcuate upper portion and an arcuate lower portion larger in dimension than said upper portion.

9. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 8, including a generally straight intermediate portion connecting said upper and lower arcuate portions.

10. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said skirts has an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion extending downward from an associated flange at an acute angle from horizontal, said lower portion extending vertically downward from said upper portion.

11. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said upper portion extends a greater distance from an associated hub than said flange.

12. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said lower portion of said second hub rests on said first flange.

13. A modular display device for holding a plurality of bottles by necks of said bottles, comprising:

a first module, comprising;

a first hub having a vertically extending longitudinal axis, said first hub having an upper portion, a lower portion and a middle portion intermediate said upper and lower portions;

a first flange attached to said middle portion of said first hub and extending horizontally from said first hub; and

a first skirt attached to said first flange and extending downward from said first flange, said first skirt having a plurality of upper openings each adapted to receive a bottle and a plurality of lower openings each adapted hold a bottle by a neck of the bottle; and

a second module, comprising;

a second hub having a vertically extending longitudinal axis, said second hub having an upper portion, a lower portion and a middle portion intermediate said upper and lower portions, said upper portion of said first hub being smaller in dimension than said lower portion of said second hub so that said second module receives said first module to stack said modules one atop the other;

a second flange attached to said middle portion of said second hub and extending horizontally from said second hub; and

a second skirt attached to said second flange and extending downward from said second flange, said second skirt having a plurality of upper openings each adapted to receive a bottle and a plurality of lower openings each adapted to hold a bottle by a neck of the bottle, each of said upper openings of said first skirt mating with one of said lower openings of said second skirt to form a keyway adapted to receive and hold a bottle by a neck of the bottle.

14. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said lower portion of said second hub rests on said first flange.

15. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first flange defines a plurality of flange openings each associated with one of said upper openings of said first skirt.

16. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 15, wherein each said flange opening and its associated upper opening form a single opening.

17. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said upper and lower openings of said first skirt are horizontally displaced from one another to stagger said keyways so that a bottle hanging from one keyway does not interfere with a bottle hanging from a keyway above it.

18. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first hub, first flange and first skirt are integrally formed.

19. A modular display device, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said skirt of said first module extends downward a greater distance than said lower portion of said first hub so that said first module can rest on said first skirt.