Display stand

Claim 1

In a collapsible, self-erecting stand for an integral merchandise display tray, which includes a back wall and a lower end wall, the combination of: a. a pair of front and rear panels hingedly interconnected at their upper ends and having corresponding sides connected to each other by a pair of generally triangular gusset panels to form a structure which is generally wedge-shaped when in erected condition; b. said front panel having an upper section secured to said tray back wall and having a lower section separated from said upper section by a transverse slit disposed in the plane of said tray lower end wall; c. said front panel lower section including side portions which diverge rearwardly when the stand is in erected condition; d. each of said gusset panels including a pair of front and rear panel sections hingedly connected to side edges of said front and rear panels, respectively, and hingedly connected to each other along a fold line extending longitudinally of said gusset panel; e. said rear and gusset panels being cut and scored in areas aligned with said plane to permit the stand to be collapsed and folded upon itself flat against said tray back wall; f. a retaining flap having a free front end and having a rear end hingedly connected to the inside of said rear panel, at an area aligned with said plane, and having a length greater than the width of said gusset panels at said plane; g. resilient means extending between an upper area of said stand and said retaining flap free front end and operable upon the unfolding of said front, rear, and gusset panels, to urge said retaining flap front end upwardly until it engages the inside of said front panel lower section to urge said lower section forwardly of the plane of said tray back wall so that the upper edge of said lower section engages said tray lower end wall.