Methods and systems for displaying a product

• US 9,474,392 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Howarth, Richard P., Hamm, Wesley Bryan, Tio, Federico F., Thaler, Frank Craig, Heirakuji, Russell John Kaaihue
• Primary Examiner(s): MARSH, STEVEN M
• Application Number:
  US13/652,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 248/121, 248/122.1, 248/127, 248/918, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340/568.3, 340/568.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0246 for rectangular articles, e.g. books, cassettes on the article itself E05B73/0023
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A display system may include a retaining puck for retaining a product, the retaining puck including a main body having a side surface and a bracket recess, wherein at least a portion of the side surface is continuous except for the bracket recess, and a bracket having a mounting flange configured to mate with the bracket recess, wherein the mounting flange is received by the bracket recess, and an outer surface of the mounting flange is aligned with the continuous portion of the side surface of the main body.

Claims

1. A retaining puck for retaining a product, the retaining puck comprising:

a main body; and

two bracket arms extending from the main body in opposite directions, wherein each of the bracket arms is attached to the main body by a mounting flange received in a bracket recess of the main body,

wherein an outer surface of each mounting flange has an arcuate curvature around a portion of the main body; and

wherein the arcuate curvature defines a portion of a side surface of the main body.

2. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of each mounting flange defines a portion of a cylindrical shape.

3. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein the side surface of the main body and the outer surface of each mounting flange together define a cylindrical shape.

4. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein the side surface of the main body and the outer surface of each mounting flange have the same radius of curvature.

5. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein each mounting flange has an inner surface that has a different shape from its outer surface.

6. The retaining puck of claim 5, wherein each inner surface is defined by one or more flat surfaces, and

wherein each outer surface is defined by a continuously curved surface.

7. A display system, comprising:

the retaining puck of claim 1; and

a display stem having an interior cavity at its proximal end for receiving a portion of the puck,

wherein the outer surface of the mounting flange aligns with an outer surface of the display stem at its proximal portion when the portion of the puck is received within the interior cavity of the display stem.

8. The display system of claim 7, wherein the side surface of the main body, the outer surface of each mounting flange, and the outer surface of the proximal portion of the display stem together define a cylindrical shape.

9. The display system of claim 7, wherein an outer diameter of the retaining puck is the same as an outer diameter of the display stem.

10. The display system of claim 7, wherein the outer surface of the display stem at its proximal portion is aligned with the outer surface of each mounting flange when the portion of the retaining puck is received within the interior cavity of the display stem.

11. The display system of claim 7, comprising:

a product connector cable having a product cable plug coupled to the retaining puck, wherein the product cable plug is configured to receive power or data through the coupling with the retaining puck and to transmit the power or data to a product coupled to a product connection end of the product connector cable.

18. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein each bracket arm has an end portion opposite its mounting flange, and wherein the end portion of each bracket anti curves to point toward the end portion of its opposing bracket arm.

19. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the retaining puck is formed in part by top surfaces of the bracket arms.

20. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein the bracket arms together define a space within which a product can be retained relative to the retaining puck by the bracket arms.

21. The retaining puck of claim 1, wherein the mounting flanges and the main body are not movable relative to each other when the bracket arms are attached to the main body.

12. A display system, comprising:

a retaining puck comprising a bracket having a mounting flange and a bracket arm extending from the mounting flange and configured to extend around a portion of a product to thereby couple the product to the retaining puck, wherein the retaining puck has a side surface defined at least in part by the mounting flange; and

a display stem having a side surface defining a shape at its proximal portion that corresponds to a shape defined by the side surface of the retaining puck,

wherein the side surface of the retaining puck defined by the mounting flange is aligned with the proximal portion of the side surface of the display stem when the retaining puck is coupled to the display stem, and

wherein the side surface of the retaining puck defined in part by the mounting flange has a cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the proximal portion of the side surface of the display stem.

13. The display system of claim 12, wherein the outer surface of the display stem at its proximal portion and at least a portion of the side surface of the retaining puck together define a cylindrical shape.

14. The display system of claim 12, wherein the retaining puck further comprises a second bracket having a mounting flange,

wherein at least a portion of the side surface of the retaining puck is defined by the second mounting flange,

wherein the side surface of the retaining puck defined by the second mounting flange is aligned with the proximal portion of the side surface of the display stem when the retaining puck is coupled to the display stem, and

wherein the first bracket and the second bracket each comprise a bracket arm, and wherein the bracket arms extend in opposite directions.

15. The display system of claim 12, wherein the outer surface of the display stem and the side surface of the retaining puck together define at least a semi-cylindrical shape.

16. A method for displaying a product, the method comprising:

fixing a product to a retaining puck, wherein the retaining puck comprises;

a main body; and

two bracket arms extending from the main body in opposite directions, wherein each of the bracket arms is attached to the main body by a mounting flange received in a bracket recess of the main body, wherein an outer surface of each mounting flange has an arcuate curvature around a portion of the main body, and wherein the arcuate curvature defines a portion of a side surface of the main body; and

aligning the outer surface of each mounting flange with an outer surface of at least a proximal portion of a display stem.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising positioning a mating surface of the retaining puck in contact with a mating surface of the display stem.

22. The retaining puck 12, wherein the side surface of the retaining puck defined in part by the mounting flange has a circular cross-sectional shape and the proximal portion of the side surface of the display stem has a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the side surface of the retaining puck defined in part by the mounting flange.