Transportable merchandise display unit

• US 6,837,378 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terry Smith Group Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Terry Smith Group Ltd.
• Inventors: Mason, David G., Youngs, Robin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): PICKETT, JOHN G
• Application Number:
  US10/240,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20030150771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 206/499, 206/730, 206/735, 206/736, 206/738, 206/740, 206/745, 206/756, 206/757, 206/759, 206/765, 206/767, 206/774, 206/804, 206/805, 248/174, 229/103, 229/117, 229/913
• US Class Current: 206/745
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/112 hand-folded from sheet material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/805 Rubber band

Abstract

A transportable merchandise display unit (10) is provided comprising: an outer container (20) containing an inner display case (30) removable via an opening in the top of said outer container, the outer container including display case support means (50, 50′); the support means arranged to move from a first position to a second position; the first position is resiliently retained by an elastic band until the inner display case is vertically displaced from an initial transit position to a display position, at which instant the support means resiles to the second position to engage and support the inner display case thus preventing the inner display case from returning under the force of gravity to the initial transit position.

Claims

1. A transportable merchandise display unit comprising:

an outer container containing an inner display case, the inner case being slidable along a predetermined path relative to the outer container through an opening in the top of said outer container, the outer container including retractable display case support means positioned at a predetermined location along said path, the support means being urged for movement from a retracted position out of said path to an extended position extending into said path, the inner display case being arranged to hold said support means in its retracted position until it is vertically displaced from an initial transit position inside the outer container to a position beyond said predetermined location where the inner display case projects through said opening, at which instant the support means resiles to the extended position into the predetermined path to provide support for the inner display case at that location and prevent the inner display case from returning under the force of gravity to its initial transit position;

wherein the outer container includes retaining means for securing the outer container against movement while the inner container is displaced along said path relative thereto.

2. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means includes a first articulated hinge portion hingedly connected to an inner wall of the outer container, a second articulated hinge portion hingedly connected to an inner wall of the outer container opposed to the inner wall connected to the first portion, and a resilient member connected therebetween;

the first and second articulated binge portions being resiliently urged towards each other by the resilient member.

3. A transportable merchandise display unit as in claim 2, wherein the resilient member is an elastic band.

4. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the the inner display case includes at least one shelf.

5. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner display case includes a handle portion.

6. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportable merchandise display unit is constructed from corrugated cardboard.

7. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportable merchandise display unit includes an outer transit cover.

8. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner display case includes at least one shelf.

9. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner display case includes a handle portion.

10. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transportable merchandise dislay unit is constructed from corrugated cardboard.

11. A transportable merchandise display unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transportable merchandise display unit includes an outer transit cover.