Display systems and methods

• US 10,206,522 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Sheng, Schwalbach, Charles A., Heirakuji, Russell John Kaaihue, Marasco, Carly Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita M
• Application Number:
  US14/600,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 248551, 2482065, 2481811, 2481812, 2481833, 24828831, 24828851
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/002 Devices for protection against sunlight or theft
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/004 adjustable, foldable or easily dismountable
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0246 for rectangular articles, e.g. books, cassettes on the article itself E05B73/0023
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/00 Devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal; Miscellaneous locking devices motorcycle helmets A42B3/0413; supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening helmets B62J11/24; gun racks A47B81/005; showcases with theft protection A47F3/002; anti-theft means for peg-boards, grids or rods for hanging merchandise A47F5/0861; show stands, hangers, shelves with provision against unauthorised removal A47F7/024; for self-service hand-carts A47F10/04; locking skis A63C11/004; locking bolts, nuts or pins F16B41/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/021 for rotational movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/02 Mechanical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18

Abstract

A display system and method for displaying a product is disclosed. The system may include a display stem and a retainer for holding the product. The retainer may include a bracket and a retainer body having a substantially smooth surface. The display stem may include a recess for receiving at least a portion of the retainer body. The retainer may be oriented on top of the display stem in one or more predetermined positions through the use of magnetic forces. The retainer may be returned to and held on top of the display stem using a retaining cable. The retainer body and recess may include charging contacts for delivering power to a product held by the retainer when the retainer body is received within the recess.

Claims

1. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:

a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising;

a retainer body, wherein at least a portion of the retainer body defines a hemispherical shape; and

a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to extend around opposing sides of the product; and

a display stem defining a hemispherical recess at a proximal end thereof, the hemispherical recess shaped to receive the hemispherical portion of the retainer body, p1 wherein the hemispherical recess is configured to allow the retainer body to rotate 360 degrees while the hemispherical portion of the retainer body is received within the hemispherical recess.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the hemispherical recess is shaped to receive the entire hemispherical portion of the retainer body.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the recess defines an opening located at a bottom of the recess, and wherein the hemispherical recess is configured to allow the retainer body to rotate 360 degrees about an axis that extends through the center of the opening.

4. The display system of claim 1, further comprising a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, wherein the retaining cable extends through an opening in the recess of the display stem.

5. The display system of claim 4, wherein the retaining cable is coupled to a retraction mechanism, the retraction mechanism configured to apply tension to the retaining cable to automatically retract the retaining cable, when the hemispherical portion of the retainer body is not in the hemispherical recess of the display stem.

6. The display system of claim 5, wherein the retraction of the cable causes the hemispherical portion of the retainer body to enter the hemispherical recess of the display stem.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein a majority of the hemispherical portion of the retainer body conforms exactly to the shape of the hemispherical recess of the display stem.

8. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:

a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising;

a retainer body having at least one first magnet coupled thereto; and

a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to extend around opposing sides of the product; and

a display stem defining a recess at a proximal end thereof, the recess defining an opening located at the bottom of the recess, and the display stem comprising at least one second magnet disposed adjacent to the opening,

wherein the at least one first magnet is configured to cause rotation of the retainer body to a predefined orientation when at least a portion of the retainer body is disposed within the recess of the display stem, if the retainer body is not in the predefined orientation, and

wherein the at least one first magnet is configured to cause the rotation by magnetic attraction to the at least one second magnet.

9. The display system of claim 8, further comprising a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, wherein the retaining cable extends through the opening in the recess of the display stem.

10. The display system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first magnet comprises a plurality of first magnets disposed radially about the retaining cable.

11. The display system of claim 9, wherein the at least one second magnet comprises a plurality of second magnets disposed radially about the opening.

12. The display system of claim 8, wherein the retainer has more than one predefined orientation with respect to the display stem.

13. The display system of claim 8, comprising at least two first magnets and at least two second magnets, wherein the at least two first magnets are disposed equidistant from each other about a center axis of the retainer body, and the at least two second magnets are disposed equidistant from each other about the opening in the recess.

14. A display system for retaining a product, the display system comprising:

a retainer comprising;

a retainer body having a peak area, a base area, and a substantially smooth curved outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the substantially smooth curved outer surface has a continuously changing slope extending from the peak area to the base area and wherein the continuously changing slope has a constant curvature,

a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, and

a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to retain the product with respect to the retainer; and

a display stem defining a recess at a proximal end thereof, the recess comprising a shape that matches the shape of the substantially smooth curved outer surface of the retainer body,

wherein the retainer body rotates to a predefined orientation with respect to the display stem when at least a portion of the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem, if the retainer body is not in the predefined orientation, and

wherein the retainer has more than one predefined orientation with respect to the display stem.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein the continuously changing slope has a continuously increasing slope.

16. The display system of claim 14, wherein the substantially smooth curved outer surface is hemispherical.

17. The display system of claim 14, wherein the base area is immediately adjacent the bracket.

18. The display system of claim 14, wherein the proximal end of the display stem comprises a circular perimeter shape.

19. The display system of claim 14, wherein the substantially smooth curved outer surface of the retainer body comprises a positive shape protruding from the base area of the retainer body and the shape of the recess comprises a negative shape recessed below the proximal end of the display stem, and

wherein the positive shape of the substantially smooth curved outer surface is the same as the negative shape of the recess.

20. The display system of claim 14, wherein the retainer has four predefined orientations with respect to the display stem.

21. The display system of claim 20, wherein the four predefined orientations are separated by 90 degrees of rotation of the retainer body within the recess.

22. The display system of claim 14, wherein the retainer body is hidden from view when the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem.

23. The display system of claim 14, further comprising a product fixed to the retainer by the bracket.

24. The display system of claim 23, wherein the display stem comprises an exterior shape selected from the group consisting of:

a cylindrical shape and a frustoconical shape, and

wherein the exterior shape of the display stem comprises a maximum diameter that is smaller than a maximum width and a maximum length of the product fixed to the retainer.

25. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:

a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising a retainer body comprising a plurality of first magnets; and

a display stem defining a recess and an opening at a proximal portion thereof, the display stem comprising a plurality second magnets disposed adjacent to the opening, the plurality of second magnets having alternating positive and negative polar orientations,

wherein the plurality of first magnets cause rotation of the retainer body to at least one predefined orientation when at least a portion of the retainer body is disposed within the recess of the display stem, if the retainer body is not in the predefined orientation, and

wherein the plurality of first magnets cause the rotation by magnetic attraction to a plurality of the second magnets having the opposite polarity as the plurality of first magnets.

26. The display system of claim 25, wherein the retainer has a plurality predefined orientations with respect to the display stem, and wherein the predefined orientations are based on the positions of the first and second magnets.

27. The display system of claim 26, wherein the predefined orientations are radially separated by at least 90 degrees of rotation of the retainer body within the recess.

28. The display system of claim 26, wherein the predefined orientations are radially separated by 90 degrees of rotation of the retainer body within the recess.

29. The display system of claim 25, wherein the first magnets are evenly radially spaced about a central axis of the retainer.

30. The display system of claim 25, wherein the first magnets are radially spaced about a central axis of the retainer at 90 degree intervals.

31. The display system of claim 25, wherein the second magnets are evenly radially spaced about a central axis of the display stem.

32. The display system of claim 25, wherein the second magnets are radially spaced about the display stem at 45 degree intervals.

33. The display system of claim 25, wherein the first magnets are radially spaced about a central axis of the retainer at 90 degree intervals, and

wherein the second magnets are radially spaced about the display stem at 45 degree intervals.

34. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:

a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising;

a retainer body comprising a plurality of first magnets coupled to the retainer body, wherein at least a portion of the retainer body defines a hemispherical shape, and

a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to extend around opposing sides of the product; and

a display stem defining a recess at a proximal end thereof and comprising a plurality of second magnets coupled to the display stem, wherein the recess defines a hemispherical shape configured to receive the hemispherical portion of the retainer body and defines an opening located at the bottom of the recess,

wherein the plurality of second magnets are disposed adjacent to the opening defined by the recess, and

wherein the plurality of first magnets are configured to cause rotation of the retainer body to a predefined orientation by magnetic attraction to the plurality of second magnets when at least a portion of the retainer body is disposed within the recess of the display stem, if the retainer body is not in the predefined orientation.

35. The display system of claim 34, further comprising a retaining cable attached to the retainer body and extending through the opening defined by the recess of the display stem.

36. The display system of claim 35, wherein the plurality of second magnets are disposed radially about the opening.

37. The display system of claim 34, wherein the retainer body comprises a plug recess inset from an outer surface of the retainer body for receiving at least a portion of an auxiliary cable.

38. The display system of claim 34, further comprising a support surface, wherein the display stem is coupled to the support surface and extends from the support surface at an oblique angle.

39. A display system for retaining a product, the display system comprising:

a retainer comprising;

a retainer body having a peak area, a base area, and a substantially smooth curved outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the substantially smooth curved outer surface has a continuously changing slope extending from the peak area to the base area and wherein the continuously changing slope has a constant curvature,

a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, and

a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to retain the product with respect to the retainer; and

a display stem defining a recess at a proximal end thereof, the recess comprising a shape that matches the shape of the substantially smooth curved outer surface of the retainer body,

wherein the retainer body comprises a first charging contact disposed on the substantially smooth curved outer surface of the retainer body and the recess comprises a second charging contact disposed on an interior surface of the recess, and

wherein the first charging contact and the second charging contact are in electrical communication when the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem.

40. The display system of claim 39, wherein the retainer body is rotatable between a plurality of predefined orientations with respect to the display stem when the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem, and

wherein the first charging contact and the second charging contact are in electrical communication at each predefined orientation.

41. The display system of claim 39, wherein the retainer body is rotatable with respect to the display stem when the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem, and

wherein the first charging contact and the second charging contact are in electrical communication when the retainer body is received in the recess at any orientation of the retainer body with respect to the recess.

42. The display system of claim 39, wherein the retaining cable extends through an opening in the recess of the display stem, and

wherein the first charging contact comprises a charging contact ring disposed radially about a location of attachment between the retaining cable and the retainer body.

43. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:

a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising;

a retainer body, wherein at least a portion of the retainer body defines a hemispherical shape; and

a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to extend around opposing sides of the product; and

a display stem defining a hemispherical recess at a proximal end thereof, the hemispherical recess shaped to receive the hemispherical portion of the retainer body,

wherein the hemispherical recess provides power to the retainer through a charging contact disposed on a surface of the hemispherical recess when the retainer body is received within the hemispherical recess.

44. The display system of claim 43, wherein the retainer comprises a charging contact ring extending around an outer surface of the retainer body that receives the power from the charging contact disposed on the surface of the hemispherical recess.

45. The display system of claim 43, wherein the retainer body is rotatable with respect to the display stem when the hemispherical portion of the retainer body is received within the hemispherical recess.

46. The display system of claim 43, further comprising a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, wherein the retaining cable extends through an opening in the hemispherical recess of the display stem.