Display having self-orienting mounting area

• US 7,740,214 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Belden, Dennis D. Jr., Marsilio, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WUJCIAK, ALFRED J
• Application Number:
  US11/431,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20070145209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 248/177.1, 248/178.1, 248/187.1, 248/206.5, 248/229.11, 248/521, 248/523, 248/289.31, 340/568.1, 340/568.8, 340/572.6
• US Class Current: 248/178.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/024 with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/22 with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs F16M11/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A display assembly for automatically orienting a display item includes a base and a mounting member for mounting thereon the display item. The mounting member is removably mounted on the base to allow handling of the display item when removed and when mounted automatically moves from an unaligned orientation to an aligned display orientation. One alignment mechanism is magnetically operable and preferably includes first and second magnets respectively mounted on the base and mounting member wherein north and south poles of the first magnet align respectively with south and north poles of the second magnet to align the mounting member in the display orientation. Another alignment mechanism includes at least one camming surface for facilitating alignment of the mounting member and preferably camming surfaces respectively on the base and the mounting member which engage one another to facilitate to alignment.

Claims

1. A display assembly for displaying an item of merchandise, comprising:

a base;

a mounting member adapted for mounting thereon a display item;

wherein the mounting member is movable between a mounted position in which the mounting member is in contact with the base and a removed position in which the mounting member is movable so that the mounting member is adapted to facilitate viewing and handling of the display item;

wherein the mounting member when in the mounted position is rotatably movable between an unaligned orientation and an aligned display orientation; and

a magnetically operable alignment mechanism for automatically moving the mounting member from the unaligned orientation to the aligned display orientation;

wherein the alignment mechanism includes a first magnet mounted on the base and a second magnet mounted on the mounting member for magnetically rotating the mounting member to the aligned display orientation;

wherein north and south poles of the first magnet align respectively with south and north poles of the second magnet in the aligned display orientation; and

wherein one of the first and second magnets is a ring magnet which defines an opening in which the other of the first and second magnets is disposed when the mounting member is in the mounting position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the base and mounting member comprises a post and the other of the base and mounting member defines a base opening for removably receiving therein the post.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first magnet is the ring magnet;

the ring magnet circumscribes the base opening defined by the other of the base and the mounting member; and

the second magnet is mounted on the post.

4. A display assembly for displaying an item of merchandise, comprising

a base;

a mounting member adapted for mounting thereon a display item;

wherein the mounting member is movable between a mounted position in which the mounting member is in contact with the base and a removed position in which the mounting member is removed from contact with the base and movable relative to the base so that the mounting member facilitates viewing and handling of the display item;

wherein the mounting member when in the mounted position is rotatably movable between an unaligned orientation and an aligned display orientation; and

a magnetically operable alignment mechanism for moving the mounting member from the unaligned orientation to the aligned display orientation in response to a magnetic attraction;

wherein a tether is connected to and extends between the base and the mounting member to secure the mounting member to the base while allowing movement of the mounting member relative to the base when in the removed position;

the tether having a first end connected to the base and a second opposed end connected to the mounting member so that the tether extends from the base to the mounting member.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the mounting member when in the mounted position is rotatable about an axis which extends in an axial direction and passes through a post on the mounting member;

and the mounting member when in the mounted position rotates about the axis from the unaligned orientation to the aligned display orientation without moving in the axial direction.

6. The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a base opening formed in the base and a post on the mounting member removably received within the base opening;

and wherein no portion of the tether is disposed within the base opening.