IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO DISPLAY UNITS

The present invention relates to display units for use in displaying objects and products and to assemblies and components usable with such units.

One application for a display unit constructed in accordance with the invention is for displaying products for purchase in an aircraft or train or a ship. Another application for such a display unit is as a temporary display in shops and at exhibitions.

Display and storage units are known from the likes of FR 633222, US 5032957, GB 2270468, FR 2595560, US 4253578, DE 580045 and CH 191108.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a display unit is provided which is characterized by being self-contained and mobile or portable; said display unit have a box-like frame with end walls, a top wall, a base and visually open sides (ie. an interior which is visually accessible) and mounting means within the interior serving to permit objects to be set up and displayed within the interior of said display unit discretely in a variety of three dimensional dispositions and an in-built lighting system independent of exterior cables for illuminating the interior, said mounting means including a plurality of sub-assemblies composed of mounting structures detachably fitted inside the interior of said display unit and having an array of legs which project in different directions and components with display regions and platforms for receiving said objects which are detachably fitted onto at least some of said legs of said mounting structures,

characterised in that each of said mounting structures have a base plate which is slidably engaged in a channel of an elongate track mounted within the interior of said display unit.

Conveniently the interior of the display unit can be illuminated by light emitters distributed around the interior and energized by an independent power source carried by the unit.

The sub-assemblies can each take the form of several platforms each set in a horizontal or inclined disposition and detachably fitted onto one of several legs of a mounting structure. This mounting structure can itself be detachably and slidably fitted on a track mounted inside the interior of the unit. Preferably, each mounting structure has a base plate which slides into a channel of the associated track which may take a horizontal disposition internally of the unit. Access to the channel and the track can be obtained by removing a detachable panel or wall of the unit. Each leg of the mounting structure can be a narrow strip set edge uppermost and the platforms have a pair of depending walls adapted to fit onto any one of the legs. Such sub-assemblies provide great versatility so that attractive displays of products or goods of various shapes and sizes can be accommodated by selection of the mounting structures and the platforms from groups of such components.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an assembly according to independent claim 6.

One or more assemblies as defined above may be mounted into a transportable and lockable carrying case which can be stacked with other similar cases with similar assemblies. The carrying case can also be formed with transparent walls and with a track for receiving the mounting structure of the or each assembly. Products can be placed onto the reception regions within the carrying case and then re-located, if desired in toto, into a mobile display as defined above.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other aspects and features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a side view of a display unit constructed in accordance with the invention;
• Figure 2 is an end view of the unit shown in Figure 1 with an end panel removed;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the unit shown in Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a plan view of the unit shown in Figures 1 to 3;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of another display unit constructed in accordance with the invention;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the mounting tracks of the display unit shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of a mounting structure usable with the display unit shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 8 is a perspective view of another mounting structure usable with the display unit shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of a further mounting structure usable with the display unit shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 10 is composed of perspective view of further mounting structures usable with the display unit shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 11 depicts as perspective views a variety of components with platforms or the like for coupling to the mounting structures shown in Figures 7 to 10;
• Figure 12 depicts as perspective views a variety of combinations of components and mounting structures in assembled and disassembled states;
• Figure 13 depicts as perspective views a variety of combinations of components and mounting structures in assembled and disassembled states;
• Figure 14 is a perspective view of a display assembly and unit composed of various mounting structures and components;
• Figure 15 is a perspective view of another display assembly composed of various mounting structures and components installed in a carrying case and
• Figure 16 is a perspective view of the unit shown in Figure 5 as fitted with various mounting structures and components.

DESCRIPTION OF BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a display unit 10 constructed in accordance with the invention takes form of a mobile trolley with dimensions based on that of a standard trolley used for serving food and drinks to aircraft passengers.

The unit or trolley 10 has end walls 11, 12, a base 13 and a top wall 14. Wheels or castors 15 are fitted to the base 13. The sides of the trolley 10 are open, or closed off with transparent removable sheets of plastics material, to permit visual access to the interior space of the trolley 10. The trolley 10 is used to display products set up in its interior. The trolley 10 has a compartment 16 containing a power and light source such as one or more battery packs driving light bulbs which are connected via fibre optic cables to provide light emitters 17 distributed around the interior of the trolley 10. The emitters 17 preferably employ directional and focusing controls.

In the modified unit 10 shown in Figure 5 like reference numerals denote like parts to Figures 1 to 4. This unit 10 has a pair of tracks 18, 19 which are conveniently accessible as shown by removing a detachable end panel forming the end wall 12. Each track 18, 19 takes the form of an elongate rail with a channel 22 of T-shaped cross-section as shown in Figure 6 Crosspieces 20 serve for mounting the rail to the interior of the trolley 10.

A mounting structure 21 such as any of those represented in Figures 7 to 10 can be detachably fitted onto one of the tracks 18, 19 by sliding a base plate 23 of the structure 21 into the channel 22 of the track 18, 19. Figures 7 to 9 show a variety of mounting structure 21 which form a group of similar components which all have an array of strip-like limbs or legs 24 extending in three-dimensions above the base plate 23 in various directions like the branches of a tree. Each leg 24 is orientated with one of its longitudinal edges 32 uppermost. Figure 10 depicts two other modified mounting structures 21', 21" each with a base plate 23 for fitting into the channel 22 of the track 18, 19 and an upstanding column 33 surmounting the base plate 23. In the case of the structure 21', an angled strip is set onto a plate 35 connecting the column 33 to the base plate 23 and constitutes one of the limbs or legs 24. The mounting structures 21, 21', 21" are designed to be used with a number of components 25 as illustrated in Figures 11, 12 and 13 which collectively form a second group of components. Each component 25 has a pair of spaced-apart walls 26, 27 adapted to fit onto one of the limbs or legs 24 of one of the mounting structures 21, 21'. Each component 25 has some region which serves to receive and support a product for display in a discrete location within the interior of the unit 10. In most cases the product reception region is on one or several platforms 38 which take a horizontal or inclined disposition and define an area. Also shown in Figure 11 are components 25', 25" without such a platform 38. The component 25' has a cross-like reception region 38' and the component 25" is a hollow cylinder, both useful for draping or hanging objects. Some of the platforms 38 are in the form of trays with one or more lips 40 at the edges. The mounting structures 21', 21" shown in Figure 10 may also serve directly as the display components 25.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate how a variety of combinations of the mounting structures 21, 21', 21", and components 25, 25', 25" can be assembled to provide sub-assemblies 39 usable in the display unit 10, while Figure 16 depicts such sub-assemblies 39 when fitted into the display unit 10.

Figure 14 depicts a portable display assembly or unit 80 which has transparent exterior walls which can be secured against entry or unlocked. The unit 80 employs tracks 18, 19 as before for accommodating the mounting structures 21, 21', 21" of the sub-assemblies 39.

Figure 15 depicts a lockable carrying case 90, preferably with transparent walls, for containing the sub-assemblies 39 made up of the structures 21, 21', 21" and components 25,25',25". Products can be placed on the product reception regions 38,38',38" inside the case 90 with the mounting structures 21, 21', 21" slid into a track 19 in the base of the case 90 in the manner described for the mobile display unit 10. A removable end wall 91 permits access to the track 19. The case 90 is rectangular and can be stacked with other cases 90 also containing sub-assemblies 39 and other products. When the products are to be sold they can be removed from the cases 90 along with the sub-assemblies 39 and then re-located into the mobile units 10 by fitting the mounting structures 21, 21', 21" into the tracks 18, 19 as described.