US3865248A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wall mounted display system
Assignee: Hallmark Cards Inc
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Filing: 1973-11-12
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Granted: 1975-02-11
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Expires: 1993-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A prefabricated, fully adjustable, modular article display system is provided which not only gives the appearance of a built-in, customized design but also may be installed against a wall surface in hiding relationship thereto so that overall finishing of the wall prior to installation of the display units is obviated. This significantly reduces the costs which a property owner or leaseholder must pay for finishing the interior of a retail area in which the units are used. The system is made up of a number of display modules each having a pair of upright, slotted standards which rest on the floor adjacent the wall and that are held thereagainst by clips on the standards which interlock with a Z-shaped tie bar adapted to be secured to the wall. A cantilever mounted valance and soffit assembly adjustably carried by each pair of standards immediately below the ceiling has illuminating means therein for directing light onto the displayed articles therebelow. A finished back panel held in a frame supported by the standards hides the wall therebehind and decorative colored valance panels covering the front portion of each soffit and valance assembly may be easily reversed or replaced as desired with a different outwardly facing colored panel for correlation with seasonal merchandising promotions. The entire system is prefabricated in a manner permitting rapid installation thereof at the site of use by relatively unskilled labor with a minimum of tools.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W Donovan
- 👤 Harvey L Kolster
- 👤 Herbert H Broeker
- 👤 George W Bailey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:43
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21V; F21V33/00; A; A47; A47B; A47B57/00; A47B57/06; A47F; A47F5/00; A47F5/08; A47F5/0807; A47F5/0846
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
In article display apparatus for an area having an upright wall surface extending upwardly from the floor thereof to an overhead ceiling, the improved combination comprising: a pair of upright standards adapted to be located adjacent the wall surface in disposition to be supported by the floor; at least one tie element adapted to be mounted on the wall surface intermediate the ends of the standards; means for coupling the standards to the tie element for preventing swinging movement of the standards away from the wall surface; means mounted on the standards for receiving articles to be displayed; and a soffit and valance assembly carried by the standards above the article receiving means and including support structure extending forwardly from each standard, upright valance means mounted on the support structure and extending upwardly therefrom toward said ceiling, and soffit defining means carried by the support structures in disposition extending rearwardly from the valance means to a location proximal to the standards.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
In article display apparatus for an area having an upright wall surface extending upwardly from the floor thereof to an overhead ceiling, the improved combination comprising: a pair of upright standards adapted to be located adjacent the wall surface in disposition to be supported by the floor; at least one tie element adapted to be mounted on the wall surface intermediate the ends of the standards; means for coupling the standards to the tie element for preventing swinging movement of the standards away from the wall surface; means mounted on the standards for receiving articles to be displayed; and a soffit and valance assembly carried by the standards above the article receiving means and including support structure extending forwardly from each standard, upright valance means mounted on the support structure and extending upwardly therefrom toward said ceiling, and soffit defining means carried by the support structures in disposition extending rearwardly from the valance means to a location proximal to the standards.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Article display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valance means is of dimensions to extend upwardly from the support structures to a location proximal to said ceiling.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
Article display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided interengageable means on the valance means and said support structures permitting lift off removal of the valance means from the support structures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tie element coMprises an elongated bar adapted to be mounted on the wall surface in closer proximity to the upper ends of the standards than the lower extremities thereof and having an upwardly opening hook defining section, said coupling means comprising a clip on each standard located to be received in said hook section for securing the standards to said wall surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said bar is of Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration with the upper L-portion thereof defining said hook shaped section, said clips being transversely Z-shaped and each provided with a lower downwardly opening L-shaped leg releasably interlocking with the L-portion of the bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valance means includes decorative panel means and means removably receiving the panel means for ready reversal thereof or interchange with another panel means receivable therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said valance means includes a generally planar sheet of rectangular material, and said means for receiving the panel means includes groove defining means carried by the support structures for removably receiving the side and lower margins respectively of said sheet material to permit the sheet material to be removed therefrom as desired for said reversal or interchange thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided means for removably mounting the valance means on said support structures including plate means carried by each of the support structures, each of said plate means being provided with an elongated keyhole slot therein, said valance means comprising a panel provided with headed fasteners on the normally rearmost face thereof positioned to be removably received in a corresponding slot in said plate means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said plate means is provided with a bulged area presenting a dimple for each slot, said dimpled areas being bulged in a direction to cause the concave face threof to be in direct opposition to the inner face of said panel, each of said dimpled areas increasing in depth as the narrowest cross-sectional area of each of the keyhole slots is approached to cause the fasteners to releasably lock the panel on said support structures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the keyhole slots in the plate means on one of the support structures are oriented with said narrowest areas thereof facing away from the corresponding narrowest areas of the keyhole slots in the plate means on the other support structure to assist in releasable locking of the panel to said support structures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said standards has a plurality of slot-defining openings therein spaced longitudinally of a respective standard, said article receiving means and the soffit and valance assembly being provided with hook presenting extensions thereon configured and arranged to be removably received in corresponding selected openings in the standards for releasably supporting the article receiving means and the soffit and valance assembly on the standards.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein is provided a base unit at the lower ends of the standards and provided with hook presenting extensions thereon removably received in openings adjacent the lower extremities of the standards.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said base unit is provided with adjustable levelers thereon remote from the standards located in positions to rest on said floor in supporting relationship to the base unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided at least two sets of said pair of standards with one standard of each set being in adjacent, side-by-side, parallel relationship to a standard of a proximal set, there being one type of support structure for each pair of side-by-side standards and operable to engage both of the same in interlocking relationship therewith, and another type of support structUre releasably mounted on and supported by the endmost standards of the side-by-side sets thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said standards and frame means thereon are cooperable to receive a finished backing board filling the space between said standards and the overhead soffit and valance assembly.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided vertically adjustable means on the lower end of each standard engageable with the floor for varying the effective height of respective standards relative to the floor surface on which they rest.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided horizontally adjustable means on the lower end of each standard positioned to engage a proximal portion of said wall surface for limiting movement of respective standards toward said wall.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-10 | 1978-08-12 | 1979-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-08-12 | 1983-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-10 | 1986-08-12 | 1987-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |