US20050011054A1 - Rug display system - Google Patents
Rug display system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20050011054A1 US20050011054A1 US10/917,116 US91711604A US2005011054A1 US 20050011054 A1 US20050011054 A1 US 20050011054A1 US 91711604 A US91711604 A US 91711604A US 2005011054 A1 US2005011054 A1 US 2005011054A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- rug
- display system
- frame
- clip
- gripping
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- A47F7/00—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials
- A47F7/16—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials for carpets; for wallpaper; for textile materials
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- A47F5/00—Show stands, hangers, or shelves characterised by their constructional features
- A47F5/10—Adjustable or foldable or dismountable display stands
- A47F5/13—Adjustable or foldable or dismountable display stands made of tubes or wire
- A47F5/135—Adjustable or foldable or dismountable display stands made of tubes or wire adapted for regular transport to a display area
- A47F5/137—Adjustable or foldable or dismountable display stands made of tubes or wire adapted for regular transport to a display area having wheels
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- A47F7/00—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials
- A47F7/16—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials for carpets; for wallpaper; for textile materials
- A47F7/163—Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials for carpets; for wallpaper; for textile materials in the form of flat shaped samples
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
- Y10T24/44—Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof
- Y10T24/44641—Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof having gripping member formed from, biased by, or mounted on resilient member
Definitions
- the invention relates to systems for displaying rugs, and more particularly to rug display systems comprising a plurality of frames rotatably supported on a display surface for enabling convenient and full view display of products.
- rugs The typical consumer of rugs desires to view the entire rug prior to purchase. With larger sizes of area rugs, display and access to full view inspection is often space prohibitive. Rugs may be displayed on a surface stacked on one another. However, due to the size and weight of most rugs, the rugs are often difficult to maneuver, and thus, do not allow the consumer to conveniently obtain a complete view of the front and back sides of the rug.
- rugs with hanging assemblies wherein the rugs are supported in hanging relation by a plurality of rotatable rug hangers and movable toward and away from each other so as to allow a consumer to obtain a view of the rug.
- display rugs with a cantilevered pivot type system known as the “swing arm.”
- the swing arm includes a fabricated bar generally extending the width of the rug and is welded to a pivot high above the display floor.
- the rug is secured to the fabricated bar by clamp-style clips so that the rug can hang down toward the floor.
- the fabricated bars are themselves generally pivoted from a relatively large outboard structure mounted to the floor and having base members extending in various directions adjacent to the floor to provide stability to an overall structure having much of its movement, weight and stress near the top, high above the floor.
- the customer tugs on the rug, thereby pivoting the fabricated bar and rug in one direction to view the next rug in the display.
- the present invention recognizes and addresses some of the problems with such swing arm systems.
- the present invention recognizes that the swing arm systems are very large and inherently unstable.
- the weight of the fabricated bars holding the rugs high above the floor requires a relatively large and obtrusive superstructure and base, naturally increasing the size, cost, assembly and space requirements for such structures. Accordingly, there is a desire for improved rug display systems supported on a display surface while utilizing a minimum amount of floor space required.
- the present invention recognizes that it is difficult to attach and detach rugs to the swing arm system as the fabricated bar from which the rugs hang in swing arm systems is located a substantial distance above the floor.
- the fabricated bar is generally not removable from the outboard structure to allow a clerk to mount the rug to the fabricated bar while on the floor.
- more than one clerk is often needed to balance and raise the rug while securing the rug to the fabricated bar high above the floor.
- there is a desire for rug display systems providing a configuration so that a rug can be more easily and conveniently secured to or removed from the rug display systems.
- swing arm systems can allow and even cause damage to the rugs displayed from the systems due, in part, to the method of operation and display provided by the swing arm system.
- consumers wishing to view a rug displayed from swing arm systems are required to pull on the bottom of the hanging rug in order to rotate the swing arm to see the next rug in the display rack.
- This tugging action puts undue stresses on the rug and the attachment clamps holding the rug to the swing arm.
- Such stress can result in the rug being removed from the swing arm and/or damaged as the clamps dig into the rug or the rug is essentially ripped away from the clamps on the fabricated bar.
- the present invention is intended to address and obviate problems and shortcomings and otherwise improve previous rug display systems. More particularly, it is one object of the present invention to provide rug display systems comprising a plurality of frames supported on a display surface which provides improved and full view access to displayed rugs.
- rug display systems herein comprise a base having a plurality of upwardly extending posts and a frame comprising a front, top and rear section. At least a portion of the frame is configured to be rotatably mounted on one of the posts, and a front support member is attached to the frame adjacent the front section and configured to movably support the frame on a display surface in use.
- improved rug clips for use in the rug display system comprise a channel-shaped bracket including a top leg, a bottom leg, and a connecting member.
- the connecting member biases the top leg toward the bottom leg.
- improved rug clips for use in the rug display system may also comprise a gripping member having oppositely disposed gripping elements and a biasing member having a first and second top leg.
- the biasing member may be mounted over at least a portion of the gripping member such that one of the first and second top legs is each biased toward a different one of the oppositely disposed gripping elements.
- a packaging system for shipping a plurality of rug display system frames comprises a crate having a frame cradle positioned along the upper and lower proximate and distal horizontal edges of the crate.
- a plurality of spaced recesses is formed in each cradle.
- Corresponding recesses of the frame cradles are positioned on the upper and lower horizontal edges of the crate in a predetermined alignment to receive and maintain the plurality of frames within the crate in a predetermined spaced orientation relative to one another.
- a packaging system for shipping an at least partially assembled rug display system having a base and a plurality of frames rotatably mounted on the base comprises a front section assembly.
- the front section assembly includes a first securing member positioned on top of the bottom sections of the rug display frames adjacent the front sections and a second securing member positioned below the bottom sections of the frames.
- the bottom sections of the frames are secured between the first and second securing members.
- the packaging system further comprises a rear section securing member positioned to secure the base to at least one of the frames for transportation as a unit.
- FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary rug display system according to the present invention with all but one of the frames omitted for the purpose of clarity, and illustrating a frame mounted to a base;
- FIG. 2 is a close-up perspective view of an exemplary base of the present invention
- FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a partially assembled (i.e., no rug frames shown) exemplary rug display system according to the present invention illustrating multiple accessories contemplated by the present invention;
- FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a frame of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a partial bottom plan view of an exemplary front support member and front support member bumper of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary rug display system made in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a rear bottom perspective view of an exemplary rug clip for use in a rug display system in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a rear side perspective view of the rug clip of FIG. 7 ;
- FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of an exemplary frame according to the present invention illustrating a plurality of rug hangers positioned on the frame for facilitating hanging a rug thereon;
- FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an exemplary packaging system for shipping a plurality of rug display system frames in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 11 a is a partially broken out perspective view of an exemplary packaging system for shipping rug display systems in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 11 b is an exploded view of the front section assembly of the exemplary packaging system illustrated in FIG. 11 a;
- FIG. 11 c is an exploded view of the rear section assembly of the exemplary packaging system illustrated in FIG. 11 a;
- FIG. 12 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a rug clip made in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the rug clip of FIG. 12 ;
- FIG. 14 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a rug clip made in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the rug clip of FIG. 14 .
- FIG. 1 illustrates a rug display system 20 with a single frame 32 mounted to a base 40 .
- the frame 32 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises a top section 36 connected to a front section 34 and a rear section 38 .
- the frame 32 might be configured in any variety of shapes including, but not limited to a square.
- the frame 32 may be sized according to the size of the rugs intended to be displayed. Any shape which can be pivoted on a base 40 and supported with a front support member 52 (e.g., wheel 54 ), can be provided as appropriate.
- the frame may be sized approximately 9′ ⁇ 12′ to display full size rugs, or approximately 6′ ⁇ 9′ or 5′ ⁇ 8′ to display basic rugs, approximately 4′ ⁇ 6′ to display throw rugs, 2′ ⁇ 4′ to display scatter rugs and/or 2′ ⁇ 8′ to display runner rugs.
- a rug can be mounted to a frame narrower than the rug with the excess width of the rug fitting between the rear sections of adjacent frames between adjacent posts 48 .
- the pivoting of adjacent frames on spaced posts 48 explained further below allows portions of supported rugs to extend rearwardly through gaps between adjacent posts without interference in use. This facilitates even more leeway to the retailer on rug size variations, and simplifies rug display and system maintenance.
- the frames 32 may comprise a plurality of shapes to display round, oval or odd shaped rugs as well.
- a frame 32 may be configured to mount to a post 48 of a base 40 regardless of the shape or size of the frame, it is possible to provide a rug display system 20 with a plurality of frames 32 in a variety of shapes and sizes.
- the frame 32 can be advantageously provided in the form of a unified structure comprising various pieces of steel tubing and steel posts welded or otherwise secured together.
- the frame 32 may be constructed of various pieces of steel, plastic, aluminum, composite or other sturdy tubing and posts fastened together by any conventional fastening means so that the display system 20 can be broken down for transportation or storage.
- the front section 34 and rear section 38 might be provided in the form of 18 gauge powder coated steel tubing.
- the top section 36 might be comprised of 11 gauge powder coated steel post.
- the front section 34 , top section 36 and rear section 38 may be comprised of any combination of posts and/or tubing constructed from any combination of steel, plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance.
- the front section 34 of the exemplary frame 32 is shown as including a front support member 52 positioned adjacent the bottom portion of the front section 34 .
- a bottom section e.g., see section 131 of FIG. 4
- Other cross-members or supports could also be provided to frame 32 to augment its rigidity and strength as deemed appropriate.
- the front support member 52 comprises a front support member roller or wheel 54 , an axle (see axle 140 in FIG. 5 ) and bracket assembly (not shown) for mounting the front support member arrangement adjacent to the front section 34 of the frame 32 .
- This assembly could be provided as a relatively standard caster arrangement commonly available in the industry.
- the front support member 52 may include a roller ball or other low friction moving support arrangement extending from the bottom of frame 32 and configured to moveably support the front section 34 of the frame 32 on a display surface.
- the front support member 52 may include a plastic (e.g., Teflon) or fiberglass body or other such friction minimizing interface affixed to the bottom of frame 32 (e.g., adjacent to the front section 34 ) and configured to moveably support the front section 34 of the frame 32 on a display surface.
- a front support member wheel 54 might be constructed of hard polyolefin in order to withstand wear from rigid surfaces.
- the front support member 52 may be constructed from any material suited for support of the weight of the frame and displayed rugs and smooth rotation about a display surface.
- the top section 36 of the exemplary frame 32 includes a first set of rug clips 60 mounted to the frame 32 .
- the rug clips 60 are configured to secure a rug to the frame 32 of the rug display system 20 .
- a second set of rug clips e.g., 60 a
- the rug clips 60 and 60 a may be mounted at any position along frame 32 depending on the size and shape of the rug and/or vendor preferences.
- FIG. 2 an expanded view of an exemplary base 40 of FIG. 1 is illustrated.
- the rear section 38 of the frame 32 is to be mounted onto a post 48 extending upwardly from the base 40 .
- the base 40 comprises a lower base plate 42 , an upper base plate 44 and a plurality of posts 48 .
- the lower base plate 42 and upper base plate 44 might be generally elongated, flat sheets of steel.
- the posts 48 might be welded to the lower base plate 42 .
- the upper base plate 44 may include a plurality of apertures corresponding to the posts 48 that are welded to the lower base plate 42 .
- the plurality of posts 48 engage the plurality of apertures on the upper base plate 44 thereby allowing the upper base plate 44 to be positioned in a spaced relationship to the lower base plate 42 .
- the upper base plate 44 might be positioned approximately 2′′ from the lower base plate 42 leaving about 16′′ of post 48 above the upper base plate 44 for mounting of a frame 32 thereto
- upper base plate 44 is then welded to the plurality of posts 48 .
- upper base plate 44 may be optional, it can advantageously help keep the adjacent posts 48 straight and appropriately spaced, can add to the strength and rigidity of base 40 and posts 48 , and can facilitate fabrication (e.g., welding) of the posts 48 onto base plate 42 .
- posts 48 might be configured so that a frame 32 can be rotatably mounted on any one of such posts, as desired.
- rear section 38 can be provided in the form of a tube, or otherwise comprise a substantially hollow portion at its lower end.
- the inner diameter of the hollow portion of rear section 38 might correspond with and be slightly greater than the outer diameter of the posts 48 of the base 40 .
- the difference between the inner diameter of the frame 32 and the outer diameter of the posts 48 might be such that the friction between the rear section 38 of the frame 32 and the posts 48 is minimized to allow the frame 32 to be supported by and rotated about the posts 48 without much effort.
- the inner diameter of the rear section 38 of the frame may be 11 ⁇ 2 in., whereas the outer diameter of the post 48 may be 11 ⁇ 4 in.
- the rear section 38 of the frame 32 can rotatably fit over the post 48 of the base 40 .
- Grease or another conventional lubricant may be placed either on the posts 48 or within the bottom portion of the rear section 38 of the frame 32 in order to achieve desired friction between the rear section 38 of the frame 32 and the posts 48 .
- any arrangement of bushings/ball bearings might be effectively located adjacent the interface of the rear section 38 of the frame 32 and the post 48 to facilitate desired rotation of the frame 32 relative to the post 48 .
- the upper base plate 44 also provides a resting or support surface on base 40 for the frame 32 .
- the upper base plate 44 adds strength to the base 40 as the posts 48 are rigidified with each other and base plates 42 and 44 , and spacing and upright orientation of posts 48 is further rigidly fixed.
- the distance between the lower base plate 42 and the upper base plate 44 in an exemplary rug display arrangement might be approximately 2′′, but could be easily adapted according to a desired application, post sizing and spacing, weight of articles to be displayed, materials used, and other variables.
- the height of upper base plate 44 can advantageously correspond the pivot height of rear section 38 on base 40 with the height of front support member 52 (e.g., a caster wheel or other movable support arrangement). If the upper base plate 44 is absent, more attention to clean attachment of posts 48 to plate 42 might be required, as the pivot support surface would be plate 42 . In another embodiment, additional upper base plates 44 can be added to further strengthen the base 40 .
- the lower base plate 42 may include a plurality of apertures 46 configured to accept a fastener for securing the base 40 to a horizontal display surface (e.g., a concrete floor).
- the base 40 may be secured to a horizontal display surface by any conventional screw or bolt, including, but not limited to, lag screws, anchor bolts or power driven fasteners. Access to the apertures 46 of the lower base plate 42 with a drill, tools or fasteners may be made more convenient by providing access cutouts 47 .
- the cutouts 47 may comprise a semi-circle cut into a portion of the upper base plate 44 and may be positioned over and slightly larger than the apertures 46 in the lower base plate 42 . While the base 40 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6 can be secured to a display surface, it is understood that the base 40 may stand alone on a surface without being secured to the display surface. Such an arrangement might be desired where the display is to be mobile or otherwise easily moveable within a display area.
- FIG. 2 illustrates an elongated base 40 with sixteen posts 48 arranged in a line extending the length of the lower base plate 42 and upper base plate 44 .
- the base may comprise more or less than sixteen vertically extending posts 48 , and therefore, have more or less than sixteen frames 32 .
- the base 40 may comprise two rows of posts 48 arranged in two lines extending the length of the base 40 so that a number of accessories may be mounted to the base 40 .
- the posts of such two row embodiments may be staggered or aligned, and/or may have variable spacings relative to adjacent posts, as desired.
- the arrangement of posts 48 on base plate 42 need not be in a straight line, as arcuate or angular arrangement may be desired for some applications.
- the base may comprise a variety of shapes including, but not limited to linear, a semi-circle, a full circle, an L-shape, a 45° angle, etc. Such arrangements can be achieved by manipulating the shapes of the lower and upper base plates 42 and 44 .
- the appearance of the rug display system 20 may be manipulated by welding the plurality of posts 48 to the lower base plate 42 in a staggered arrangement and providing an appropriate upper base plate 44 accordingly.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a single exemplary base
- a plurality of bases may be locked, welded or otherwise connected together (e.g. FIG. 3 ), either temporarily or permanently, to form a unified base capable of supporting any number of frames 32 in a variety of arrangements.
- frames can be used on various bases
- bases can be easily arranged in a display layout (e.g., substantially straight line, U-shaped, L-shaped, circular, etc.), and the setup and function of the frames and bases can be mixed and matched to accommodate a wide variety of display needs.
- FIG. 3 Another feature of the present invention is that a variety of accessories can also be selectively mounted to the base 40 of the rug display system.
- three exemplary accessories namely an accessory display assembly 90 , a light pole 98 and a spacer or divider 100 , are shown mounted to a base 140 .
- the base 140 in this example might be comprised of forty-eight posts 148 arranged in a line extending the length of the base 140 .
- the base 140 may comprise a variety of shapes and sizes.
- the base 140 may comprise two rows with any number posts 148 arranged in two lines extending the length of the base 140 , wherein one row may be used for mounting frames and the other row may be used for mounting accessories.
- an accessory display assembly 90 is shown as including two vertically extending poles 92 , two extension arms 94 and a mounting bar 96 .
- the accessory display assembly may be comprised simply of a single pole 92 with one or more of a plurality of accessories secured thereto.
- Each pole 92 can be mounted to a post 148 of the base 140 in the same manner as the rear section of the frame described above.
- Poles 92 might be provided, for example, in the form of 18 gauge powder coated steel tubing or any other appropriately strong and durable materials.
- the poles 92 may extend upwardly from the base 140 any length including, but not limited to, the height of the rear section of a frame, depending on the application and the particular function of the desired accessories.
- the extension arms 94 may similarly be comprised of powder coated steel tube and post, or any other appropriately strong and durable substance.
- the tube and post may be secured together by welding or otherwise securely fastening the tube and post to a steel plate 93 configured to set the steel post at about a 135° angle relative to the steel tube.
- the tubular portion of the extension arm 94 may be sized with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the pole 92 so that each extension arm 94 can be telescopingly mounted to a pole 92 by inserting the tubular portion of the extension arm 94 into the upper end of the pole 92 , such as in an overlapping friction fit arrangement know as a “swedge”.
- the post portion of the extension arm 94 may comprise a bracket 95 welded to the distal end of the post and sized and shaped for securing a mounting bar 96 thereto.
- the mounting bar 96 may be comprised of powder steel coated steel tubing and may be secured to the bracket 95 of the tube portion of the extension arm 94 by any conventional fasting means including, but not limited to metal screws.
- Mounting bar 96 can be utilized to support any number of accessories including, for example, lights, banners, speakers and video/security cameras.
- FIG. 3 illustrates an example where banner 97 is mounted to the mounting bar 96 of the accessory display assembly by sliding the mounting bar 96 through a pocket located on the rear of the banner 97 , and then securing the ends of the mounting bar 96 to the brackets 95 of the extension arms 94 .
- the banner 97 may be used to display decorations, pertinent advertising or sales information.
- accessory display assembly 90 of the present invention may comprise any combination of tubes or posts comprised of steel, plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance.
- accessory display assembly 90 illustrated in FIG. 3 may be comprised of modular components secured together, it is contemplated that the accessory display assembly 90 may similarly be comprised of any component(s) capable of mounting to a base of the present invention and displaying an accessory therefrom, including but not limited to a single pole.
- FIG. 3 illustrates a light pole 98 comprising a standard pole 92 (described above) mounted to the base 140 at its proximal end and including a light 99 secured adjacent to the opposite or distal end.
- the light 99 may be used to illuminate the rugs displayed by the rug display system, a banner on the mounting bar or the display area generally.
- any number of accessories may be secured directly to one pole 92 at any position along the pole 92 including, but not limited to a banner, speaker, security camera, etc.
- rotation of a single pole about the post 148 of the base 140 may be prevented by providing a plate with an aperture (not shown) welded or otherwise secured to the pole 92 .
- such a plate might include a flange or other portion which mounts over the adjacent post 148 and slides down adjacent the upper base plate 144 or otherwise corresponds with a portion of an adjacent post 148 . Therefore, the plate would function to substantially prevent the pole 92 from rotating about the post 148 . Any number of arrangements could similarly be implemented to prevent substantial rotation, such as a set screw or friction fit.
- FIG. 3 also illustrates a divider 100 positioned near the middle of the base 140 .
- the divider 100 may be comprised of a generally U-shaped sheet of metal with two sleeves 101 (best seen in FIG. 11 ) located on backside of the metal adjacent the bottom of the divider 100 .
- the two sleeves 101 slide over the base posts 148 to secure the divider 100 in upright position.
- the divider 100 may comprise a variety of shapes and sizes and may be secured to any number of base posts 148 by any conventional means.
- the divider 100 may be used to separate or space the rug display system into two or more viewing stations to enable more than one consumer to simultaneously view displayed rugs.
- the divider 100 may be used to display pertinent advertising or sales information regarding the rugs displayed by the rug display system.
- the rug display system is widely adaptable, easily modified, and capable of displaying any combination of rugs and accessories therefrom.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a simple frame 32 structure in accordance with the present invention.
- frames for the rug display system of the present invention may be customized or otherwise adapted in accordance with vendor preferences.
- frames may be sized or shaped according to the size and/or shape of rugs intended to be displayed.
- the frames may optionally incorporate a number of features and accessories including, but not limited to those illustrated in the example of FIG. 4 discussed below.
- the frame 132 is generally rectangular in overall shape, and comprises a front section 134 , a top section 136 , a rear section 138 , a bottom section 131 , as well as a crossbar 133 .
- the frame 132 can be provided in a unified structure comprising various pieces of steel tubing and steel posts welded or otherwise secured together.
- the front section 134 and rear section 138 might be provided in the form of powder coated steel tubing (e.g., 18 gauge), while the top section 136 , bottom section 131 and crossbar 133 might be comprised of slightly lighter (e.g., 11 gauge) powder coated steel post. It might be desired to provide the front and/or rear sections as round tubes, while the other members might be more rectangular in shape to maximize their effective thickness profile.
- the front section 134 , top section 136 , rear section 138 , bottom section 131 and crossbar 133 may be comprised of any combination of posts and/or tubing constructed from any combination of steel, plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance.
- the frames 132 may be provided in the form of two or more pieces for convenient shipping and assembly.
- the exemplary frame 132 may comprise an upper section 133 a and a lower section 133 b configured to be telescopically secured to one another in assembled condition.
- swedged tubes 139 with diameters less than the diameters of the rear section 138 and the front section 134 of the frame 132 may be fitted within the rear section 138 and the front section 134 of the lower section 133 b and/or welded thereto.
- the swedged tubes 139 may extend from the rear section 138 and the front section 134 of the lower section 133 b any distance necessary for stabilized mounting of the upper section 133 a thereto.
- the rear section 138 and the front section 134 of the upper section 133 a having a diameter greater than the diameter of the swedged tubes 139 can be removably secured to the swedged tubes 139 .
- the swedged tubes 139 may be fitted within the rear section 138 and the front section 134 of the upper section 133 a and/or welded thereto.
- Such a frame 132 can be easily assembled by placing the base 40 on a display surface, mounting the lower section 133 b to the post 48 of the base, and then mounting the upper section 133 a of the frame 132 to the swedged tubes 139 of the lower section 133 a of the frame 132 .
- the front section 134 of the exemplary frame 132 includes a display sleeve 144 selectively mounted to the frame 132 such as be screw or fastener attachment.
- the display sleeve 144 is configured to hold brochures, sales information and other advertising material relating to a particular rug or numerous rugs displayed.
- the display sleeve 144 can be made of any sturdy material such as plastic or steel, and one or more sleeves 144 can be mounted at any location along the front section 134 of the frame 132 .
- the display sleeve 144 may be comprised of a U-shaped sleeve 144 a that may slide onto the front section 134 of the frame 132 .
- the display sleeve 144 may be secured to the front section by placing a sleeve cap 144 b on the end of the U-shaped sleeve 144 a and inserting a bolt (not shown) through holes in the cap 144 b , the U-shaped sleeve 144 a and front section 134 of the frame 132 , and then screwing a nut (not shown) to the end of the bolt.
- the display sleeve 144 itself might include a pocket for receiving an information card, advertisement or the like. It is contemplated that such a display sleeve 144 might be formed to include peripheral gutters or tabs to hold information cards in place while allowing substantial visual access and easy changeout of the cards by store workers.
- the display sleeve 144 may comprise a variety of shapes and sizes.
- the display sleeve 144 may be interchangeable with a variety of other display sleeves 144 including, but not limited to double-sided display sleeves 144 which effectively wrap around front section 134 so as to allow different literature (if desired) to be placed on the front side or backside of the display frame.
- the display sleeve 144 provides the vendor an alternative to pinning or otherwise attaching pertinent advertising information directly to the rugs.
- the front section 134 of the exemplary frame 132 may also include one or more grips or handles 146 for customers to grab in order to pivot the frame 132 from one position to another.
- the grip 146 can be positioned at any location along the front section 134 of the frame 132 and can be made of a variety of materials including, but not limited to, plastic, rubber, foam, etc. Such grip 146 can also provide a visual cue to customers as to the most efficient place to manipulate the frame in use.
- the front section 134 of the exemplary frame 132 may also include a bumper 148 .
- the bumper comprises a bumper wheel or roller 150 rotatably secured adjacent to the front section 134 of the frame 132 , such as by a fastener 152 .
- an example bumper 148 might comprise a wheel 150 about 3′′ in diameter and constructed of rubber.
- the fastener 152 may be a pin, a screw or any other conventional fastening device which allows free rotation of the bumper wheel in use.
- the bumper 148 might comprise a piece of plastic, rubber or any other conventional friction-minimizing interface mounted adjacent to the top of the frame 132 .
- the diameter of a rotating bumper 148 should normally be greater than the width of the members or tubes making up the front section 134 , top section 136 , rear section 138 , bottom section 131 and crossbar 133 to minimize interference of two frames during rotational display.
- a bumper or similar arrangement serves multiple functions.
- a bumper e.g., 148
- adjacent frames e.g. clips 60
- the individual frames would normally contact one another.
- respective bumpers of adjacent frames will contact one another and prevent other components (such as the hanger clips) of adjacent frames from contacting and/or interfering with one another.
- the bumper 148 may not be needed because the hanger clips would not interfere with one another in normal and proper operation.
- the bumper is a wheel or other effectively low friction arrangement, as respective bumpers 148 come into contact, they rotate or otherwise help smoothly guide both frames past one another throughout their pivot.
- a plurality of bumper wheels 150 may be disposed in the top section 136 of each frame 132 to smoothly guide a plurality of frames 132 throughout their pivot. Any bumper or spacing arrangement to ensure that adjacent frames do not catch or “hang up” on one another during rotation could be utilized.
- the rear section 138 of the exemplary frame 32 is illustrated as being pivotally mounted to a post 48 extending upwardly from the base 40 .
- the rear section 138 can be provided with a hollow lower portion having an inner diameter corresponding with, but slightly larger than the outer diameter of the post 48 so that the rear section can be rotatably mounted to the post 48 of the base 40 .
- the rear section 138 may include a rotation bushing or protector 155 adjacent the bottom of section 138 which might slide over the post 48 of the base 40 and rest on the upper base plate 44 of the base 40 .
- Protector 155 can be used to conceal the point of rotation between the rear section 138 of the frame 132 and the posts 48 of the base 40 to protect against pinching of the fingers, rug snags, etc. This protector 155 might also add strength to the lower portions of rear section 138 and/or serve as a wear bushing to the area of rotation of frame 132 on a post 48 of the base 40 .
- the protector 155 may comprise a generally flat washer welded to the bottom of the rear section 138 .
- this protector or bushing arrangement may include a bearing to aid the rear section 138 of the frame 132 in rotation about the post 48 of the base 40 .
- a ground wire 160 may be used to positively connect the rear section 138 of the frame 132 to provide an electrical ground arrangement so as to reduce the potential build-up of static electricity as the frame 132 pivots on base 40 and front support member 152 movably slides across the display surface.
- a ground wire may be superfluous.
- One or more crossbars 133 may be mounted to the frame 32 depending on the number and size of rugs that a vendor wishes to display.
- the crossbar 133 can serve multiple functions.
- the crossbar may provide additional support for the frame and for rugs extending the length of the frame 132 .
- a rug extending the length of the frame 132 may tend to swing through and out the back of the frame 132 if a crossbar 133 is not present.
- the crossbar 133 may include a plurality of crossbar clips 60 c for mounting additional rugs.
- a first rug may be mounted to the top section 136 of the frame 132 and extend down toward the crossbar 133 and a second rug may be mounted to the crossbar 133 and extend down toward the bottom section 131 . Therefore, it is envisioned that the rug display system of the present invention is capable of displaying one or more rugs of a variety of shapes and sizes.
- the bottom section 131 of the exemplary frame 132 may include a front support member 152 mounted thereto. It is understood that multiple support members 152 can also be utilized with a frame of the present invention. As seen in FIG. 5 , the support member 152 might comprise a support member roller or wheel 154 and an axle 140 . This assembly could be provided on a relatively standard caster arrangement commonly available in the industry. In another embodiment, a support member 152 may include a roller ball arrangement extending from the bottom of the front section 134 or bottom section 131 and configured to moveably support the frame 132 on a display surface (e.g., floor).
- a display surface e.g., floor
- the support member 152 may include a plastic (e.g., Teflon) or fiberglass body or other such friction minimizing interface affixed to the bottom of the front section 134 or bottom section 131 and configured to moveably support the frame 132 on a display surface.
- the front support member wheel 154 might be constructed of hard polyolefin in order to withstand wear from rigid surfaces.
- the support member 152 may be constructed from any material suited for support of the weight of the frame and displayed rugs and smooth rotation about a display surface. If more than one support member is used, they can be spaced along the bottom of a frame as desired to appropriately movably support the weight of the frame and any attached rugs or the like on the display surface.
- the front support member 152 may similarly include a deflector cover or guard 135 located adjacent the bottom of frame 132 .
- a deflector cover or guard 135 located adjacent the bottom of frame 132 .
- Such a cover could be located near the bottom of the front section (e.g., 134 ), near the front of the bottom section (e.g., 131 ) or along the underside 131 a of the bottom section 131 of frame 132 , and might advantageously effectively surround at least a portion of the front support member 152 as illustrated in FIG. 5 .
- the deflector 135 serves a similar purpose as the bumper discussed above in that it can help minimize interference between adjacent frames during rotation.
- deflector 135 may also be configured and located so as to ensure that such support member is substantially free of obstructions which might prevent its free rotation or pivoting. As can be understood, interference with movement, rotation or direction change of such front support member 152 could encumber the movement of a frame and/or make pivoting of the frame by a user less convenient and more difficult.
- an exemplary rug display system 220 for displaying a variety of rugs on a display surface is shown and illustrated in use.
- the rug display system 220 of FIG. 1 is illustrated as comprising a plurality of frames 232 mounted to a base 40 .
- each one of the plurality of frames 232 includes a front support member 252 to moveably support each one of the plurality of frames 232 on a display surface 70 such as a showroom floor.
- a great degree of stability is achieved by the rug display system 220 of the present invention.
- each frame 232 and rugs 110 carried by that frame is supported by the base 40 and front support member 252 on the display floor.
- the combination of the frame with its support base (e.g. 40 ) and appropriate front support member (e.g. 252 ) of the present invention allow for the weight of the system and its displayed products to be kept low and supported directly on the display surface.
- the rugs 110 displayed by the rug display system 220 can be of various sizes and shapes, and are secured to the frames 232 by a plurality of rug clips 60 .
- two rugs 110 a and 110 b are shown as being secured to a single frame 232 .
- a first rug 110 a is mounted to the top section 236 of the frame 232 and extends toward the crossbar section 233 .
- a second rug 110 b is mounted to the crossbar section 233 and extends to the bottom section 231 of the frame 232 .
- a customer may view the rug(s) 110 on each frame 232 by pushing or pulling on the front section 234 of each frame 232 , thereby pivoting a frame 232 on base 40 so that the customer can easily move from sample to sample without having to pull on the displayed rugs themselves.
- the frames 232 of the present invention are capable of rotating up to about 180° relative to the base 40 in an open-book arrangement to provide a customer with a full view of rugs displayed by the rug display system 220 . In this way, the display assembly of the present invention uniquely maximizes rug viewing area for the allotted display area of the showroom.
- the clip 60 might be provided as a single piece of spring steel having a normally closed bias designed in.
- the rug clip 60 may be formed by bending a single piece of spring steel into the general shape of the clip, heat treating the clip and then post-hitting the clip with appropriate compression force in order to preload (create bias).
- the rug clip 60 may be constructed from more than one piece of material (e.g., steel) welded or otherwise secured together to form a clip mechanism for securing a rug (e.g. FIG. 12 ).
- an exemplary rug clip 60 is illustrated as comprising a channel shaped bracket including a top leg 62 , a bottom leg 64 and a connecting member 66 .
- the connecting member 66 can be configured and bent so as to bias the top leg 62 toward the bottom leg 64 in order to securely hold a rug.
- the bottom portion of the bottom leg 64 may include a plurality of teeth 68 for gripping a rug when the rug is inserted into the rug clip 60 .
- a rear perspective view of the rug clip 60 illustrates a plurality of upwardly angled teeth 68 .
- the bottom portion of the bottom leg 64 comprises four spaced teeth 68 in this example.
- bottom leg 64 of the rug clip 60 could alternatively comprise any number of teeth, serrations or other gripping elements 68 as required to mount and hold a rug to a frame.
- the plurality of teeth 68 are biased against the inside surface of top leg 62 and form an acute angle ⁇ with the bottom leg 64 .
- bottom leg 64 of the rug clip 60 may include two bottom leg apertures 80 a and 80 b configured to accept fasteners (e.g., bolts or screws) for mounting the rug clip 60 to a frame.
- the top leg 62 may include one or more access apertures to facilitate placement and manipulation of the fasteners.
- the apertures 82 a and 82 b would be larger in diameter than the apertures 80 a and 80 b so that the fasteners that connect the bottom leg 64 of the rug clip 60 to a frame may be accessed for tightening and/or loosening by a standard tool such as a screwdriver, socket or driver.
- the apertures in the bottom leg 64 may be larger than those in the top leg 62 so that the rug clip 60 can be mounted to a frame in reverse, orientation (i.e., with the gripping teeth or serrations directed inwardly).
- the rug clip 60 is mounted to the frame by placing the bottom leg 64 of the rug clip 60 against a frame and aligning the bottom leg apertures 80 a and 80 b with predrilled holes in the frame. Once aligned, a fastener may be inserted through the upper top leg aperture 82 a to the upper bottom leg aperture 80 a which is aligned with the predrilled aperture. Depending on the type of fastener, a screwdriver, socket or fastener driver may be inserted through the upper top leg aperture 82 a to contact the fastener. The fastener is then tightened into place to secure the rug clip 60 to the frame. These steps may be repeated for the lower bottom and top leg aperture 80 b and 82 b .
- the rug clip 60 can be mounted to the frame in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, a weld or providing a frame configured so that the clips 60 may be removably secured to it. Removal and replacement may be desired to modify the location of clips and/or to replace damaged or broken clips.
- rug clip 160 may comprise a gripping member or center portion 163 and a biasing member 161 .
- Biasing member 161 is shown as having a first top leg 162 a and second top leg 162 b and a connecting member 166 .
- the biasing member 161 may be comprised of spring steel or other at least effectively flexible material which can be configured to provide an inward bias, as will be explained.
- a single piece biasing member 161 might be bent to form a central connecting member 166 having the downwardly extending first and second top legs.
- biasing member may be comprised of a number of individual compartments.
- biasing member 161 is illustrated as having a substantially rounded connecting member 166 (to correspond with a rounded frame section 436 ) associated with each top leg, that need not be the case. Biasing member could likewise be configured to correspond with any variety of frame conformation (e.g., square, rectangular, angular or otherwise), or it might not necessarily match the frame shape.
- a rounded configuration is illustrated as possibly advantageous to simplify the bending process and preloading of biasing force, and to match the exemplary rounded frame shape.
- gripping member or center portion 163 may comprise two bottom legs 164 a and 164 b .
- This gripping member might be formed of a single integral piece of material, or might be provided as several pieces secured together with, for example, a spot weld (see, e.g. FIG. 12 ).
- gripping member 163 may further comprise proximal end 165 and distal end 167 , respectively, wherein proximal end 165 may include one or more flanges or appendages 169 for mounting the gripping member 163 to the top section 436 of frame such as by, for example, a weld, rivets or other fasteners.
- Distal end 167 of gripping member 163 may include a plurality of teeth 168 or other gripping element(s) for gripping a rug when the rug is inserted into the rug clip 160 . Similar to FIGS. 7-8 , the plurality of teeth 168 are pushed or pinched against the inside surface of top legs 162 a and 162 b as a result of the inward bias of the biasing member 161 , and tend to form an acute angle ⁇ with the gripping member 163 .
- the rug clip 160 is mounted to the frame by securing gripping member 163 in an advantageous location on a section of the frame (e.g. top section 436 as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 ).
- Biasing member 161 may then be positioned downward around top section 436 so that top legs 162 a and 162 b generally are biased toward teeth 168 of gripping member 163 .
- Biasing member may thereafter be secured to the frame by, for example, a fastener 181 or weld.
- a metal screw or rivet e.g., 181
- rug clip 160 may be removeably secured to frame such a by providing a bracket or groove (not shown) associated with the frame (e.g., on the underside of frame section 436 ) for selectively securing the gripping member thereto.
- a groove or keyway might be formed along the lower parts of various frame sections (e.g., sections 133 , 136 , 236 , 436 ) to allow for insertion of a corresponding key or flange 165 of a gripping member 163 .
- clips could be easily added, removed, or moved as needed for any particular rug display frame, or to accommodate a custom size or shape of rug.
- rug clip 660 may comprise a gripping member or center portion 663 , a biasing member 661 and a clamping member 670 .
- Gripping member or center portion 663 may comprise two bottom legs 664 a and 664 b similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 12-13 and secured along a central axis A.
- the plurality of teeth 668 e.g. first gripping elements
- the angled teeth might advantageously tend to form an acute angle ⁇ with the gripping member 663 .
- Biasing member 661 is shown as having a first top leg 662 a and second top leg 662 b and a connecting member 666 similar to that of FIGS. 12 and 13 . As will be understood, this configuration provides a generally inverted U-shaped configuration of biasing member 661 which can be correspondingly shaped to match a portion of frame (e.g. 636 ) to facilitate assembly and use of the clip in a display system. As best illustrated in FIG. 14 , however, biasing member 661 may further comprise an additional pair of teeth or second gripping elements 671 each located on first top leg 662 a and second top leg 662 b . Second gripping elements may be cut from first and second top legs of biasing member and extend outwardly from central axis A.
- second gripping elements may extend away from biasing member 661 so as to create a second contact or attachment point to secure additional rugs as described below. Second gripping elements may also extend inwardly toward central axis A in another embodiment. In addition, it is contemplated that second gripping elements may be located on clamping member 670 and extend inward to central axis A.
- clamping member 670 may comprise first and second clamp arms 672 a and 672 b .
- Clamping member 670 may be mounted over at least a portion of the biasing member 661 so that first and second clamp arms 672 a and 672 b are biased against second gripping elements 671 of biasing member 661 .
- a clamping member might advantageously overlie or telescope over a portion of or substantially all of the corresponding biasing member.
- clamping member 670 may comprise a press arrangement 674 between first and second clamp arms 672 a and 672 b .
- press arrangement may be a mechanical arrangement configured to apply pressure to an article to be held (e.g., a rug) and toward a gripping element or other apparatus configured to secure the article.
- press arrangement 674 may be configured to straddle a frame 636 and in the illustrated embodiment, telescope over at least a portion of frame 636 .
- Such configuration while not necessary, allows the clamping member 670 to effectively apply a force at two or more locations of the biasing member (e.g. at the upper portion of first top leg 662 a and second top leg 662 b and at second gripping elements 671 ).
- this configuration provides a generally inverted U-shaped configuration of clamping member 670 which can be correspondingly shaped to match a portion of frame (e.g. 636 ) to facilitate assembly and use of the clip in a display system.
- Rug clip 660 may be mounted to the frame by securing gripping member 663 in an advantageous location on a section of the frame (such as by securement screw 681 or other fastening or adhesive arrangement).
- Biasing member 661 may then be positioned downwardly around top section of frame 636 so that top legs 662 a and 662 b generally are biased toward first gripping elements 668 of gripping member 663 .
- Clamping member 670 may similarly be positioned downwardly around biasing member 661 so that first and second clamp arms 672 a and 672 b are biased toward biasing member 661 .
- Clamping and biasing members may thereafter be secured to the frame by, for example, a screw 681 or weld.
- one advantage of the clips illustrated in FIGS. 12-15 is that they can easily accommodate back to back or multiple rugs for simultaneous display, yet can function well if only a single rug is inserted.
- one rug could be inserted into clips 160 and 660 by pulling an upper edge of the rug 110 upwardly past distal ends 167 and 667 and into the areas 191 and 691 between gripping members 163 and 663 and the inside surface of top legs 162 b and 662 b .
- the inward bias of top legs 162 b and 662 b would tend to push the rug against gripping members 163 and 663 , and teeth 168 or first gripping elements 668 would prevent the rug from easily moving downwardly.
- a second rug (not shown) could be similarly inserted on the other side of the clip 160 and 660 , with the upper edge of such rug being drawn into space 192 and 692 between gripping member 163 and 663 and the inner surface of top leg 162 a and 662 a .
- clips 160 and 660 work equally well with rugs on either side, or both sides.
- this unique clip arrangement thereby obviates a need for having individual clips for particular display “faces” or sides of a display rack.
- additional rugs may be mounted in a similar manner described above such as within spaces 693 and 694 between the biasing member 661 and the clamping member 670 .
- the rug clips 60 , 160 and 660 of the present invention can be mounted at any location on a frame including, but not limited to the front section, the top section, the rear section, the bottom section and the crossbar.
- a rug 110 can be secured in the rug clips 60 , 160 and 660 by placing the edge of a rug 110 up against the teeth (or gripping elements) of the rug clip and then pushing the rug 110 toward the connecting member 66 , 166 and 666 .
- two or more rugs may be mounted (e.g., back to back) from clips 160 and 660 illustrated in FIGS. 12-15 .
- the rug 110 may freely slide upward without damaging the rug 110 . Furthermore, once in place, the upward angle or orientation of the teeth (or gripping elements) prevents the rug from slipping to the floor as the teeth of the clips grab the back of the rug.
- the bias of the clips tend to hold the gripping elements (e.g., teeth, serrations, or knurled surface) against the nap of the rug. Gravity also tends to engage the gripping elements with the rug to secure it in place.
- the rug may be dismounted and removed from such clips by pulling the rug outwardly toward the top legs 62 , 162 and 662 (and/or clamp arms 672 in FIGS. 14-15 ). The rug can then be slid out of a clip without interference. Accordingly, a single clerk can conveniently secure a rug 110 to, or remove a rug 110 from a frame in the rug display system. Moreover, no independent opening or unclamping of individual rug clips is required, as upward pulling of a rug away from bottom leg results in an automatic release from the clip.
- the frames of the rug display system may be easily removed from the base for changing the display and/or placing or removing a rug.
- the frame may be removed from the base by lifting the frame upwardly off of the post of the base.
- Removability of the frames serves a number of functions including efficient assembly and disassembly. For example, a clerk may remove a frame from the rug display system in order to secure a rug to, or remove a rug from the frame. While it is not required that the frame be removed from the base in order to secure a rug to, or remove a rug from the frame, removal of the frame may be desired when a single clerk needs to secure or remove a heavy rug. In this way, it can be understood that a frame could be placed on the floor for placing a rug on the frame, then the frame and rug can be stood up and the frame inserted onto a support post on a base 40 .
- a plurality of rolled rug hangers 400 may be provided for supporting a rolled-up rug 110 adjacent the crossbar section 333 of a frame.
- the rug hangers 400 may have a general shape reminiscent to the number “5” and can be made of flat steel. However, it should be understood that the rug hangers may comprise a variety of shapes and can be made of plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance.
- FIG. 9 illustrated the rug hangers positioned on the crossbar 333 of the frame 332 , it is understood that the rug hangers may be positioned anywhere on the frame including, but not limited to the top section 336 of the frame 332 .
- the rug hangers 400 may be positioned on the crossbar 333 by pushing the channel 402 of the rug hanger 400 downward over the upper portions of crossbar 333 .
- three rug hangers 400 are provided with the first rug hanger 400 positioned at about the center of the crossbar 333 and the remaining two rug hangers 400 positioned adjacent opposite sides of the frame.
- any number of rug hangers 400 may be positioned at any location along the crossbar 333 .
- a rolled-up rug to be hung is then positioned in the rug hangers 400 , and thereafter a single clerk may maneuver the upper edge of the rug 110 into the rug clips 60 as described above. Once the edge of the rug is inserted into the rug clips, the clerk may then remove the remainder of the rolled-up rug 110 from the rug hangers 400 and allow the rug 110 to drape downwardly over the hangers 400 and toward the display surface. The clerk may them remove the rug hangers 400 from the rear of the rug by pulling the rug hanger 400 upward and off of the crossbar 333 and twisting the rug hanger 400 sideways to slide them past crossbar 333 .
- FIGS. 10-11 illustrate exemplary packaging systems for the rug display system of the present invention.
- a packaging system for a disassembled rug display system is shown and illustrated.
- the system may comprise a relatively standard shipping crate 200 generally in the shape of a box.
- the crate (e.g., 200 ) may be sized larger or smaller according to the size of the frames intended to be shipped.
- the crate 200 is also illustrated as including a plurality of cradles 210 positioned adjacent to the upper proximate horizontal edge 212 , the lower proximate horizontal edge 214 , the upper distal horizontal edge 216 and the lower distal horizontal edge 218 .
- the frame cradles 210 can be positioned along the proximate and distal vertical edges of the crate 200 . The same result can be achieved by rotating the crate 200 about the X-axis 180°.
- the crate 200 may include frame cradles 210 adjacent to either the upper and lower proximate horizontal edges 212 , 214 or along the upper and lower distal horizontal edges.
- each cradle 210 includes a plurality of spaced recesses 225 for receiving a plurality of frames 32 .
- the recesses 225 prevent the frames from contacting one another and maintain a predetermined orientation and spacing of the frames during shipment. If desired, the recesses 225 may include padding for further securing the frames during shipment.
- the recesses 225 of the corresponding frame cradles 210 can be vertically aligned to accept and secure the frames 32 .
- the recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 positioned on the upper proximate and distal horizontal edges 212 and 216 are vertically aligned with the recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 on the lower proximate and distal horizontal edges 214 and 218 .
- the recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 positioned on the upper and lower proximate horizontal edges 212 and 214 can be horizontally aligned with the recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 on the upper and lower distal horizontal edge 216 and 218 .
- the crate 200 may include one or more crossbar support member 230 positioned against a wall inside the crate.
- the crossbar support member 230 can be made of wood, steel or any other durable material.
- the crossbar support member 230 adds structural support to the crate and can also provide additional lateral support to a plurality of frames within the crate.
- frames 32 may be inserted into the crate 200 by working the frame between a first set of corresponding recesses 225 , pushing the frame 32 through the crate 200 , and working the frame through a second set of corresponding recesses 225 . Boxes of clips and other accessories may then be placed within the inserted frames and taped, shrinkwrapped or banded in place within the crate.
- the packaging system of the present invention serves multiple functions.
- the packaging system provides a means for shipping a plurality of rug display system frames while minimizing potential damage to the frames.
- the packaging system of the present invention provides for easy and efficient loading and unloading of the packaging system and its contents (e.g., rug display system frames) from a truck.
- the crate of the packaging system may be packed in a warehouse with a plurality of rug display system frames and then loaded onto a truck using a standard forklift. Once the crate bearing the rug display system frames arrives at its destination, a single person may unload the crate by opening the crate and then removing the rug display system frames one at a time. In this way, cranes, lift trucks, loading docks or other specialized equipment is not necessary for a customer to receive a display system of the present invention for installation.
- FIGS. 11 a - c a packaging system for an assembled rug display system is shown and illustrated.
- the display system shown in FIGS. 11 a - c is essentially the same system shown in FIG. 6 .
- the packaging system comprises multiple bands and blocks used to secure the frames 232 and base 40 so that the rug display system may be transported as a unit onto a truck or into a store by use of a pallet jack or other lifting device.
- the exemplary packaging system of FIGS. 11 a - c may secure the rug display system in multiple locations.
- the packaging system may include a front section assembly 500 (as also shown in the partial cross-section of FIG. 11 b ).
- the front section assembly includes a first securing member 502 positioned on top of the plurality of bottom sections 231 and adjacent the plurality of front sections 234 of the frames 232 .
- the first securing member 502 might comprise a 2′′ ⁇ 4′′ piece of wood, but may include steel, pressboard, plastic composite or any other sufficiently sturdy material.
- the 2′′ ⁇ 4′′ 502 extends substantially the entire length of the plurality of adjacent bottom sections 231 .
- a second securing member 504 is then positioned on bottom of the plurality of adjacent bottom sections 231 and adjacent the plurality of front sections 234 of the frames 232 .
- the second securing member 504 comprises a 4′′ ⁇ 4′′ piece of wood, but again may include steel, pressboard, plastic, composite or any other sufficiently sturdy material.
- the 4′′ ⁇ 4′′ 504 may include a channel 505 on the posterior surface for receiving a metal securing band 506 therein.
- the channel prevents the metal band 506 from moving or contacting the surface should the member 504 extend downward beyond the wheel 254 of the front support member 252 .
- the metal band 506 may be wrapped around the securing members 502 and 504 with at least a portion of the band positioned in the channel 506 and then tightened to secure the plurality of front sections 234 together.
- a second metal band 514 may be used to secure the plurality of crossbar sections 233 and/or other portions of the assembly “cube”.
- the rear section assembly 508 singularly includes a securing member 502 positioned on top of the plurality of adjacent bottom sections 231 and adjacent the plurality of rear sections 238 of the frames 232 .
- the securing member 502 might comprise a 2′′ ⁇ 4′′ piece of wood, but may include steel, pressboard, plastic, composite or any other sufficiently sturdy material.
- a plurality of apertures e.g., 509
- a fastener 510 may be inserted into the member 502 , in between two adjacent bottom sections 231 and through the upper plate aperture and then secured by a nut 512 .
- the base 40 may be secured to the member 502 in more than one location as necessary to effectively captivate the base and keep it from falling when the rug display system is lifted.
- an X-bracing 516 may be positioned from corner to corner on the two securing members 502 described above.
- the X-bracing 516 can be made of wood, steel or any other sufficiently sturdy material to help maintain the integrity and dimensional stability of the packaging system cube as it is shipped.
- the X-bracing 516 may be secured to a member 502 by a nail 518 , screw or any other appropriate fastening device.
- rug display system accessories may also be conveniently secured in either of the packaging systems of FIGS. 10 and 11 .
- the divider 100 may be positioned on the posts of the base, just as it would be when the rug display system is in assembled condition for operation.
- FIG. 11 a illustrates the divider 100 mounted in the middle of the base 40 for convenient illustration of all accessories. If the rug display system is shipped as illustrated, a block (not shown) may be positioned between the gap in the front sections 234 to prevent the front sections 234 from swinging into one another.
- the divider 100 may be mounted to the outermost posts of the base 40 .
- components of the accessory display assembly can be broken down and secured in the packaging systems of the present invention.
- the pole 92 for the display assembly may also be mounted to a base post.
- the extension arm 94 may be turned upside down and positioned within the perimeter of the frames 232 with the brackets 95 of the extension arm 94 being mounted to the member 502 by a nail, screw or any other appropriate fastening device, and with the other end (tubular portion) resting against the inner side of the plurality of frames 232 .
- the mounting bar 96 can similarly be positioned diagonally within the perimeter of the frames 232 as well.
- additional components such as the bumper, rug hangers, fasteners for the base, etc. may by packed in boxes and positioned on the plurality of bottom sections 231 . Therefore, all components of the rug display system may be secured together and confined within the packaging cube generally defined by the perimeter of the plurality of frames 232 .
- the rug display system may be easily moved or transported by inserting the legs of a pallet jack or forklift under the bottom sections of the rug display system and lifting upward. If desired, a conventional pallet may also be placed under or secured to the bottom sections of the frames for additional support and guidance.
- the packaging system of the present invention serves multiple functions.
- the packaging system of the present invention provides for easy and efficient loading and unloading of the rug display system from a truck.
- the entire rug display system including accessories and components can be lifted to a truck and subsequently to a store by one trip with a forklift, pallet jack or other lifting device.
- the packaging system allows an assembled rug display system to be delivered to the customer. Delivery of an assembled rug display system can save hours of time otherwise needed to properly assemble the system.
- the rug display system in accordance with the present invention may display rugs of varying sizes and shapes in a variety of different arrangements and can include frames of various sizes and shapes. Accordingly, while some of the alternative embodiments of the rug display system have been discussed specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations that have been discussed herein, and others that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the claims.
Abstract
A rug clip for use in a rug display system includes a gripping member having first gripping elements, a biasing member having second gripping elements overlying at least a portion of the gripping member and a clamping member overlying at least a portion of the biasing member.
Description
- This continuation-in-part application claims the benefit of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 10/744,289, filed on Dec. 23, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 10/269,585, filed Oct. 11, 2002.
- The invention relates to systems for displaying rugs, and more particularly to rug display systems comprising a plurality of frames rotatably supported on a display surface for enabling convenient and full view display of products.
- The typical consumer of rugs desires to view the entire rug prior to purchase. With larger sizes of area rugs, display and access to full view inspection is often space prohibitive. Rugs may be displayed on a surface stacked on one another. However, due to the size and weight of most rugs, the rugs are often difficult to maneuver, and thus, do not allow the consumer to conveniently obtain a complete view of the front and back sides of the rug.
- Heretofore, it has been known to display rugs with hanging assemblies, wherein the rugs are supported in hanging relation by a plurality of rotatable rug hangers and movable toward and away from each other so as to allow a consumer to obtain a view of the rug. More particularly, it has been known to display rugs with a cantilevered pivot type system known as the “swing arm.” The swing arm includes a fabricated bar generally extending the width of the rug and is welded to a pivot high above the display floor. The rug is secured to the fabricated bar by clamp-style clips so that the rug can hang down toward the floor. The fabricated bars are themselves generally pivoted from a relatively large outboard structure mounted to the floor and having base members extending in various directions adjacent to the floor to provide stability to an overall structure having much of its movement, weight and stress near the top, high above the floor. In order to view each rug displayed by such a swing arm system, the customer tugs on the rug, thereby pivoting the fabricated bar and rug in one direction to view the next rug in the display.
- The present invention recognizes and addresses some of the problems with such swing arm systems. First, the present invention recognizes that the swing arm systems are very large and inherently unstable. The weight of the fabricated bars holding the rugs high above the floor requires a relatively large and obtrusive superstructure and base, naturally increasing the size, cost, assembly and space requirements for such structures. Accordingly, there is a desire for improved rug display systems supported on a display surface while utilizing a minimum amount of floor space required.
- Second, the present invention recognizes that it is difficult to attach and detach rugs to the swing arm system as the fabricated bar from which the rugs hang in swing arm systems is located a substantial distance above the floor. Moreover, the fabricated bar is generally not removable from the outboard structure to allow a clerk to mount the rug to the fabricated bar while on the floor. Thus, more than one clerk is often needed to balance and raise the rug while securing the rug to the fabricated bar high above the floor. Accordingly, there is a desire for rug display systems providing a configuration so that a rug can be more easily and conveniently secured to or removed from the rug display systems.
- Also, the present invention recognizes that swing arm systems can allow and even cause damage to the rugs displayed from the systems due, in part, to the method of operation and display provided by the swing arm system. For example, consumers wishing to view a rug displayed from swing arm systems are required to pull on the bottom of the hanging rug in order to rotate the swing arm to see the next rug in the display rack. This tugging action puts undue stresses on the rug and the attachment clamps holding the rug to the swing arm. Such stress can result in the rug being removed from the swing arm and/or damaged as the clamps dig into the rug or the rug is essentially ripped away from the clamps on the fabricated bar. In addition, as the swing arm system does not provide an easily accessible surface to display pertinent sales information concerning the rug, vendors must pin or tag (e.g., by piercing) the pertinent sales information to the back of the rug. Often, information pinned to the rug can fall off. Moreover, pinning or tagging can damage the rug and/or be ripped off of the rug in use. Accordingly, there is a desire for rug display systems that can display rugs and pertinent advertising information conveniently and without damaging the rugs.
- In addition, as mentioned, the outboard structure of swing arm systems is generally very large making it difficult (physically and technically) to assemble, disassemble and ship. Quite often, swing arm systems require skilled construction crews and special equipment to deliver and assemble the systems. Accordingly, there is a desire for rug display systems with a minimal base structure capable of being easily assembled, disassembled and shipped.
- Accordingly, the present invention is intended to address and obviate problems and shortcomings and otherwise improve previous rug display systems. More particularly, it is one object of the present invention to provide rug display systems comprising a plurality of frames supported on a display surface which provides improved and full view access to displayed rugs.
- To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, rug display systems herein comprise a base having a plurality of upwardly extending posts and a frame comprising a front, top and rear section. At least a portion of the frame is configured to be rotatably mounted on one of the posts, and a front support member is attached to the frame adjacent the front section and configured to movably support the frame on a display surface in use.
- To still further achieve the foregoing and other objects of the present invention, improved rug clips for use in the rug display system comprise a channel-shaped bracket including a top leg, a bottom leg, and a connecting member. The connecting member biases the top leg toward the bottom leg.
- To further achieve the foregoing and other objects of the present invention, improved rug clips for use in the rug display system may also comprise a gripping member having oppositely disposed gripping elements and a biasing member having a first and second top leg. The biasing member may be mounted over at least a portion of the gripping member such that one of the first and second top legs is each biased toward a different one of the oppositely disposed gripping elements.
- To yet further achieve the foregoing and other objects in accordance with other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a packaging system for shipping a plurality of rug display system frames comprises a crate having a frame cradle positioned along the upper and lower proximate and distal horizontal edges of the crate. A plurality of spaced recesses is formed in each cradle. Corresponding recesses of the frame cradles are positioned on the upper and lower horizontal edges of the crate in a predetermined alignment to receive and maintain the plurality of frames within the crate in a predetermined spaced orientation relative to one another.
- To even further achieve the foregoing and other objects in accordance with additional exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a packaging system for shipping an at least partially assembled rug display system having a base and a plurality of frames rotatably mounted on the base, comprises a front section assembly. The front section assembly includes a first securing member positioned on top of the bottom sections of the rug display frames adjacent the front sections and a second securing member positioned below the bottom sections of the frames. The bottom sections of the frames are secured between the first and second securing members. The packaging system further comprises a rear section securing member positioned to secure the base to at least one of the frames for transportation as a unit.
- Still other embodiments, combinations, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following descriptions wherein there are shown and described alternative exemplary embodiments of this invention for illustration purposes. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different aspects, objects and the embodiments all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings, objects, and description should be regarded as illustrative and exemplary in nature only and not as restrictive.
- While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed that the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary rug display system according to the present invention with all but one of the frames omitted for the purpose of clarity, and illustrating a frame mounted to a base; -
FIG. 2 is a close-up perspective view of an exemplary base of the present invention; -
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a partially assembled (i.e., no rug frames shown) exemplary rug display system according to the present invention illustrating multiple accessories contemplated by the present invention; -
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a frame of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 is a partial bottom plan view of an exemplary front support member and front support member bumper of the present invention; -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary rug display system made in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 7 is a rear bottom perspective view of an exemplary rug clip for use in a rug display system in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 8 is a rear side perspective view of the rug clip ofFIG. 7 ; -
FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of an exemplary frame according to the present invention illustrating a plurality of rug hangers positioned on the frame for facilitating hanging a rug thereon; -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an exemplary packaging system for shipping a plurality of rug display system frames in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 11 a is a partially broken out perspective view of an exemplary packaging system for shipping rug display systems in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 11 b is an exploded view of the front section assembly of the exemplary packaging system illustrated inFIG. 11 a; -
FIG. 11 c is an exploded view of the rear section assembly of the exemplary packaging system illustrated inFIG. 11 a; -
FIG. 12 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a rug clip made in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the rug clip ofFIG. 12 ; -
FIG. 14 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a rug clip made in accordance with the present invention; and -
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the rug clip ofFIG. 14 . - Referring to the drawing figures in detail, wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the drawing figures,
FIG. 1 illustrates arug display system 20 with asingle frame 32 mounted to abase 40. In this example, theframe 32 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises atop section 36 connected to afront section 34 and arear section 38. In another embodiment, theframe 32 might be configured in any variety of shapes including, but not limited to a square. Theframe 32 may be sized according to the size of the rugs intended to be displayed. Any shape which can be pivoted on abase 40 and supported with a front support member 52 (e.g., wheel 54), can be provided as appropriate. For example, the frame may be sized approximately 9′×12′ to display full size rugs, or approximately 6′×9′ or 5′×8′ to display basic rugs, approximately 4′×6′ to display throw rugs, 2′×4′ to display scatter rugs and/or 2′×8′ to display runner rugs. - Moreover, as a result of the spaced relationship between adjacently mounted frames, a rug can be mounted to a frame narrower than the rug with the excess width of the rug fitting between the rear sections of adjacent frames between
adjacent posts 48. As will be understood, the pivoting of adjacent frames on spacedposts 48 explained further below allows portions of supported rugs to extend rearwardly through gaps between adjacent posts without interference in use. This facilitates even more leeway to the retailer on rug size variations, and simplifies rug display and system maintenance. Furthermore, theframes 32 may comprise a plurality of shapes to display round, oval or odd shaped rugs as well. As the rear section (e.g., 38) of aframe 32 may be configured to mount to apost 48 of a base 40 regardless of the shape or size of the frame, it is possible to provide arug display system 20 with a plurality offrames 32 in a variety of shapes and sizes. - As further described below, the
frame 32 can be advantageously provided in the form of a unified structure comprising various pieces of steel tubing and steel posts welded or otherwise secured together. For example, if desired, theframe 32 may be constructed of various pieces of steel, plastic, aluminum, composite or other sturdy tubing and posts fastened together by any conventional fastening means so that thedisplay system 20 can be broken down for transportation or storage. - In one embodiment, the
front section 34 andrear section 38 might be provided in the form of 18 gauge powder coated steel tubing. In addition, thetop section 36 might be comprised of 11 gauge powder coated steel post. In another embodiment, thefront section 34,top section 36 andrear section 38 may be comprised of any combination of posts and/or tubing constructed from any combination of steel, plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance. - In
FIG. 1 , thefront section 34 of theexemplary frame 32 is shown as including afront support member 52 positioned adjacent the bottom portion of thefront section 34. In another embodiment, a bottom section (e.g., seesection 131 ofFIG. 4 ) may be mounted between therear section 38 and thefront section 34 and provide for attachment of thefront support member 52 thereto. Other cross-members or supports could also be provided to frame 32 to augment its rigidity and strength as deemed appropriate. - In the examples illustrated, the
front support member 52 comprises a front support member roller or wheel 54, an axle (seeaxle 140 inFIG. 5 ) and bracket assembly (not shown) for mounting the front support member arrangement adjacent to thefront section 34 of theframe 32. This assembly could be provided as a relatively standard caster arrangement commonly available in the industry. In another embodiment, thefront support member 52 may include a roller ball or other low friction moving support arrangement extending from the bottom offrame 32 and configured to moveably support thefront section 34 of theframe 32 on a display surface. In still another embodiment, thefront support member 52 may include a plastic (e.g., Teflon) or fiberglass body or other such friction minimizing interface affixed to the bottom of frame 32 (e.g., adjacent to the front section 34) and configured to moveably support thefront section 34 of theframe 32 on a display surface. As an example, a front support member wheel 54 might be constructed of hard polyolefin in order to withstand wear from rigid surfaces. In another embodiment, thefront support member 52 may be constructed from any material suited for support of the weight of the frame and displayed rugs and smooth rotation about a display surface. - Still referring to
FIG. 1 , thetop section 36 of theexemplary frame 32 includes a first set of rug clips 60 mounted to theframe 32. As discussed later, the rug clips 60 are configured to secure a rug to theframe 32 of therug display system 20. If desired, a second set of rug clips (e.g., 60 a) can be mounted to the opposite side (back side) of thetop section 38 so that rugs may be secured and displayed on the opposite side of theframe 32. As described later, the rug clips 60 and 60 a may be mounted at any position alongframe 32 depending on the size and shape of the rug and/or vendor preferences. - Referring more specifically to
FIG. 2 , an expanded view of anexemplary base 40 ofFIG. 1 is illustrated. Therear section 38 of theframe 32 is to be mounted onto apost 48 extending upwardly from thebase 40. In one embodiment, thebase 40 comprises alower base plate 42, anupper base plate 44 and a plurality ofposts 48. Thelower base plate 42 andupper base plate 44 might be generally elongated, flat sheets of steel. In one embodiment, theposts 48 might be welded to thelower base plate 42. Theupper base plate 44 may include a plurality of apertures corresponding to theposts 48 that are welded to thelower base plate 42. The plurality ofposts 48 engage the plurality of apertures on theupper base plate 44 thereby allowing theupper base plate 44 to be positioned in a spaced relationship to thelower base plate 42. In one embodiment, theupper base plate 44 might be positioned approximately 2″ from thelower base plate 42 leaving about 16″ ofpost 48 above theupper base plate 44 for mounting of aframe 32 thereto - Once the
upper base plate 44 is at its desired position, it is then welded to the plurality ofposts 48. Whileupper base plate 44 may be optional, it can advantageously help keep theadjacent posts 48 straight and appropriately spaced, can add to the strength and rigidity ofbase 40 andposts 48, and can facilitate fabrication (e.g., welding) of theposts 48 ontobase plate 42. For example, it might be preferred to weld theposts 48 tobase plates - In one exemplary embodiment, posts 48 might be configured so that a
frame 32 can be rotatably mounted on any one of such posts, as desired. For example,rear section 38 can be provided in the form of a tube, or otherwise comprise a substantially hollow portion at its lower end. The inner diameter of the hollow portion ofrear section 38 might correspond with and be slightly greater than the outer diameter of theposts 48 of thebase 40. The difference between the inner diameter of theframe 32 and the outer diameter of theposts 48 might be such that the friction between therear section 38 of theframe 32 and theposts 48 is minimized to allow theframe 32 to be supported by and rotated about theposts 48 without much effort. For example, the inner diameter of therear section 38 of the frame may be 1½ in., whereas the outer diameter of thepost 48 may be 1¼ in. Thus, in such embodiment, therear section 38 of theframe 32 can rotatably fit over thepost 48 of thebase 40. - Grease or another conventional lubricant may be placed either on the
posts 48 or within the bottom portion of therear section 38 of theframe 32 in order to achieve desired friction between therear section 38 of theframe 32 and theposts 48. In another embodiment, any arrangement of bushings/ball bearings might be effectively located adjacent the interface of therear section 38 of theframe 32 and thepost 48 to facilitate desired rotation of theframe 32 relative to thepost 48. - The
upper base plate 44 also provides a resting or support surface onbase 40 for theframe 32. In addition, theupper base plate 44 adds strength to the base 40 as theposts 48 are rigidified with each other andbase plates posts 48 is further rigidly fixed. As previously stated, in one embodiment, the distance between thelower base plate 42 and theupper base plate 44 in an exemplary rug display arrangement might be approximately 2″, but could be easily adapted according to a desired application, post sizing and spacing, weight of articles to be displayed, materials used, and other variables. For example, the height ofupper base plate 44 can advantageously correspond the pivot height ofrear section 38 onbase 40 with the height of front support member 52 (e.g., a caster wheel or other movable support arrangement). If theupper base plate 44 is absent, more attention to clean attachment ofposts 48 to plate 42 might be required, as the pivot support surface would beplate 42. In another embodiment, additionalupper base plates 44 can be added to further strengthen thebase 40. - Still referring to
FIG. 2 , thelower base plate 42 may include a plurality ofapertures 46 configured to accept a fastener for securing the base 40 to a horizontal display surface (e.g., a concrete floor). The base 40 may be secured to a horizontal display surface by any conventional screw or bolt, including, but not limited to, lag screws, anchor bolts or power driven fasteners. Access to theapertures 46 of thelower base plate 42 with a drill, tools or fasteners may be made more convenient by providingaccess cutouts 47. Thecutouts 47 may comprise a semi-circle cut into a portion of theupper base plate 44 and may be positioned over and slightly larger than theapertures 46 in thelower base plate 42. While the base 40 in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 6 can be secured to a display surface, it is understood that the base 40 may stand alone on a surface without being secured to the display surface. Such an arrangement might be desired where the display is to be mobile or otherwise easily moveable within a display area. - The embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrates anelongated base 40 with sixteenposts 48 arranged in a line extending the length of thelower base plate 42 andupper base plate 44. It is possible that the layout of the display surface may require arug display system 20 configured to fit within certain space requirements. Accordingly, in another embodiment, the base may comprise more or less than sixteen vertically extendingposts 48, and therefore, have more or less than sixteenframes 32. In addition, as discussed later, thebase 40 may comprise two rows ofposts 48 arranged in two lines extending the length of the base 40 so that a number of accessories may be mounted to thebase 40. The posts of such two row embodiments may be staggered or aligned, and/or may have variable spacings relative to adjacent posts, as desired. Moreover, the arrangement ofposts 48 onbase plate 42 need not be in a straight line, as arcuate or angular arrangement may be desired for some applications. Also, the base may comprise a variety of shapes including, but not limited to linear, a semi-circle, a full circle, an L-shape, a 45° angle, etc. Such arrangements can be achieved by manipulating the shapes of the lower andupper base plates rug display system 20 may be manipulated by welding the plurality ofposts 48 to thelower base plate 42 in a staggered arrangement and providing an appropriateupper base plate 44 accordingly. - Also, it should be understood that while
FIG. 2 illustrates a single exemplary base, a plurality of bases may be locked, welded or otherwise connected together (e.g.FIG. 3 ), either temporarily or permanently, to form a unified base capable of supporting any number offrames 32 in a variety of arrangements. Because the system of the present invention is also modular in nature, it is contemplated that frames can be used on various bases, bases can be easily arranged in a display layout (e.g., substantially straight line, U-shaped, L-shaped, circular, etc.), and the setup and function of the frames and bases can be mixed and matched to accommodate a wide variety of display needs. - Another feature of the present invention is that a variety of accessories can also be selectively mounted to the
base 40 of the rug display system. Referring toFIG. 3 , for example, three exemplary accessories, namely anaccessory display assembly 90, alight pole 98 and a spacer ordivider 100, are shown mounted to abase 140. The base 140 in this example might be comprised of forty-eightposts 148 arranged in a line extending the length of thebase 140. However, as previously discussed, thebase 140 may comprise a variety of shapes and sizes. In addition, thebase 140 may comprise two rows with anynumber posts 148 arranged in two lines extending the length of thebase 140, wherein one row may be used for mounting frames and the other row may be used for mounting accessories. - An example of an
accessory display assembly 90 is shown as including two vertically extendingpoles 92, twoextension arms 94 and a mountingbar 96. Alternatively, and discussed, the accessory display assembly may be comprised simply of asingle pole 92 with one or more of a plurality of accessories secured thereto. Eachpole 92 can be mounted to apost 148 of the base 140 in the same manner as the rear section of the frame described above.Poles 92 might be provided, for example, in the form of 18 gauge powder coated steel tubing or any other appropriately strong and durable materials. Thepoles 92 may extend upwardly from the base 140 any length including, but not limited to, the height of the rear section of a frame, depending on the application and the particular function of the desired accessories. - The
extension arms 94 may similarly be comprised of powder coated steel tube and post, or any other appropriately strong and durable substance. The tube and post may be secured together by welding or otherwise securely fastening the tube and post to asteel plate 93 configured to set the steel post at about a 135° angle relative to the steel tube. The tubular portion of theextension arm 94 may be sized with a smaller diameter than the diameter of thepole 92 so that eachextension arm 94 can be telescopingly mounted to apole 92 by inserting the tubular portion of theextension arm 94 into the upper end of thepole 92, such as in an overlapping friction fit arrangement know as a “swedge”. The post portion of theextension arm 94 may comprise abracket 95 welded to the distal end of the post and sized and shaped for securing a mountingbar 96 thereto. The mountingbar 96 may be comprised of powder steel coated steel tubing and may be secured to thebracket 95 of the tube portion of theextension arm 94 by any conventional fasting means including, but not limited to metal screws. - Mounting
bar 96 can be utilized to support any number of accessories including, for example, lights, banners, speakers and video/security cameras.FIG. 3 illustrates an example wherebanner 97 is mounted to the mountingbar 96 of the accessory display assembly by sliding the mountingbar 96 through a pocket located on the rear of thebanner 97, and then securing the ends of the mountingbar 96 to thebrackets 95 of theextension arms 94. Thebanner 97 may be used to display decorations, pertinent advertising or sales information. - It is understood that the
accessory display assembly 90 of the present invention may comprise any combination of tubes or posts comprised of steel, plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance. Moreover, while theaccessory display assembly 90 illustrated inFIG. 3 may be comprised of modular components secured together, it is contemplated that theaccessory display assembly 90 may similarly be comprised of any component(s) capable of mounting to a base of the present invention and displaying an accessory therefrom, including but not limited to a single pole. - For example,
FIG. 3 illustrates alight pole 98 comprising a standard pole 92 (described above) mounted to the base 140 at its proximal end and including a light 99 secured adjacent to the opposite or distal end. The light 99 may be used to illuminate the rugs displayed by the rug display system, a banner on the mounting bar or the display area generally. In addition, any number of accessories may be secured directly to onepole 92 at any position along thepole 92 including, but not limited to a banner, speaker, security camera, etc. If desired, rotation of a single pole about thepost 148 of the base 140 may be prevented by providing a plate with an aperture (not shown) welded or otherwise secured to thepole 92. It is envisioned that as thepole 92 is mounted to thepost 48, such a plate might include a flange or other portion which mounts over theadjacent post 148 and slides down adjacent theupper base plate 144 or otherwise corresponds with a portion of anadjacent post 148. Therefore, the plate would function to substantially prevent thepole 92 from rotating about thepost 148. Any number of arrangements could similarly be implemented to prevent substantial rotation, such as a set screw or friction fit. -
FIG. 3 also illustrates adivider 100 positioned near the middle of thebase 140. Thedivider 100 may be comprised of a generally U-shaped sheet of metal with two sleeves 101 (best seen inFIG. 11 ) located on backside of the metal adjacent the bottom of thedivider 100. The twosleeves 101 slide over the base posts 148 to secure thedivider 100 in upright position. It should be understood that thedivider 100 may comprise a variety of shapes and sizes and may be secured to any number ofbase posts 148 by any conventional means. Thedivider 100 may be used to separate or space the rug display system into two or more viewing stations to enable more than one consumer to simultaneously view displayed rugs. Absent thedivider 100, it may be difficult for two or more consumers to view rugs displayed on a single base section of the rug display system as the consumers might be shifting frames in competing directions. In addition, thedivider 100 may be used to display pertinent advertising or sales information regarding the rugs displayed by the rug display system. As described above, due to the novel design of the present invention, the rug display system is widely adaptable, easily modified, and capable of displaying any combination of rugs and accessories therefrom. - As previously described,
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of asimple frame 32 structure in accordance with the present invention. However, frames for the rug display system of the present invention may be customized or otherwise adapted in accordance with vendor preferences. For example, frames may be sized or shaped according to the size and/or shape of rugs intended to be displayed. Moreover, the frames may optionally incorporate a number of features and accessories including, but not limited to those illustrated in the example ofFIG. 4 discussed below. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , an alternate embodiment of theframe 132 ofFIG. 1 is shown and illustrated. In this example, theframe 132 is generally rectangular in overall shape, and comprises afront section 134, atop section 136, arear section 138, abottom section 131, as well as acrossbar 133. As previously stated, theframe 132 can be provided in a unified structure comprising various pieces of steel tubing and steel posts welded or otherwise secured together. In one embodiment, thefront section 134 andrear section 138 might be provided in the form of powder coated steel tubing (e.g., 18 gauge), while thetop section 136,bottom section 131 andcrossbar 133 might be comprised of slightly lighter (e.g., 11 gauge) powder coated steel post. It might be desired to provide the front and/or rear sections as round tubes, while the other members might be more rectangular in shape to maximize their effective thickness profile. In other embodiments, thefront section 134,top section 136,rear section 138,bottom section 131 andcrossbar 133 may be comprised of any combination of posts and/or tubing constructed from any combination of steel, plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance. - In addition, where
larger frames 132 are desired (i.e. the vendor desires display of large, heavy rugs) and the weight of the frames increases, it is contemplated that theframes 132 may be provided in the form of two or more pieces for convenient shipping and assembly. For example, inFIG. 4 , theexemplary frame 132 may comprise anupper section 133 a and alower section 133 b configured to be telescopically secured to one another in assembled condition. More particularly, swedgedtubes 139 with diameters less than the diameters of therear section 138 and thefront section 134 of theframe 132 may be fitted within therear section 138 and thefront section 134 of thelower section 133 b and/or welded thereto. The swedgedtubes 139 may extend from therear section 138 and thefront section 134 of thelower section 133 b any distance necessary for stabilized mounting of theupper section 133 a thereto. Therear section 138 and thefront section 134 of theupper section 133 a, having a diameter greater than the diameter of the swedgedtubes 139 can be removably secured to the swedgedtubes 139. In another embodiment, the swedgedtubes 139 may be fitted within therear section 138 and thefront section 134 of theupper section 133 a and/or welded thereto. Such aframe 132 can be easily assembled by placing the base 40 on a display surface, mounting thelower section 133 b to thepost 48 of the base, and then mounting theupper section 133 a of theframe 132 to the swedgedtubes 139 of thelower section 133 a of theframe 132. - Still referring to
FIG. 4 , thefront section 134 of theexemplary frame 132 includes adisplay sleeve 144 selectively mounted to theframe 132 such as be screw or fastener attachment. Thedisplay sleeve 144 is configured to hold brochures, sales information and other advertising material relating to a particular rug or numerous rugs displayed. Thedisplay sleeve 144 can be made of any sturdy material such as plastic or steel, and one ormore sleeves 144 can be mounted at any location along thefront section 134 of theframe 132. As illustrated inFIG. 4 , thedisplay sleeve 144 may be comprised of aU-shaped sleeve 144 a that may slide onto thefront section 134 of theframe 132. Thedisplay sleeve 144 may be secured to the front section by placing asleeve cap 144 b on the end of theU-shaped sleeve 144 a and inserting a bolt (not shown) through holes in thecap 144 b, theU-shaped sleeve 144 a andfront section 134 of theframe 132, and then screwing a nut (not shown) to the end of the bolt. Thedisplay sleeve 144 itself might include a pocket for receiving an information card, advertisement or the like. It is contemplated that such adisplay sleeve 144 might be formed to include peripheral gutters or tabs to hold information cards in place while allowing substantial visual access and easy changeout of the cards by store workers. Of course, thedisplay sleeve 144 may comprise a variety of shapes and sizes. - In one embodiment, the
display sleeve 144 may be interchangeable with a variety ofother display sleeves 144 including, but not limited to double-sided display sleeves 144 which effectively wrap aroundfront section 134 so as to allow different literature (if desired) to be placed on the front side or backside of the display frame. Thedisplay sleeve 144 provides the vendor an alternative to pinning or otherwise attaching pertinent advertising information directly to the rugs. - The
front section 134 of theexemplary frame 132 may also include one or more grips or handles 146 for customers to grab in order to pivot theframe 132 from one position to another. Thegrip 146 can be positioned at any location along thefront section 134 of theframe 132 and can be made of a variety of materials including, but not limited to, plastic, rubber, foam, etc.Such grip 146 can also provide a visual cue to customers as to the most efficient place to manipulate the frame in use. - The
front section 134 of theexemplary frame 132 may also include abumper 148. In one exemplary embodiment, the bumper comprises a bumper wheel orroller 150 rotatably secured adjacent to thefront section 134 of theframe 132, such as by afastener 152. In use, anexample bumper 148 might comprise awheel 150 about 3″ in diameter and constructed of rubber. Thefastener 152 may be a pin, a screw or any other conventional fastening device which allows free rotation of the bumper wheel in use. In another embodiment, thebumper 148 might comprise a piece of plastic, rubber or any other conventional friction-minimizing interface mounted adjacent to the top of theframe 132. In use, the diameter of arotating bumper 148 should normally be greater than the width of the members or tubes making up thefront section 134,top section 136,rear section 138,bottom section 131 andcrossbar 133 to minimize interference of two frames during rotational display. - The provision of a bumper or similar arrangement serves multiple functions. First, such a bumper (e.g., 148) can prevent the components of adjacent frames (e.g. clips 60) from interfering contact with one another as adjacent frames are rotated on a base in use. For example, in one embodiment, when at least two
adjacent frames 132 are simultaneously moved, the individual frames would normally contact one another. In such a case, it will be understood that respective bumpers of adjacent frames will contact one another and prevent other components (such as the hanger clips) of adjacent frames from contacting and/or interfering with one another. Of course, where the hanger clips are flush with the frame (e.g. see,FIGS. 12 and 13 discussed below), thebumper 148 may not be needed because the hanger clips would not interfere with one another in normal and proper operation. - In addition, if the bumper is a wheel or other effectively low friction arrangement, as
respective bumpers 148 come into contact, they rotate or otherwise help smoothly guide both frames past one another throughout their pivot. In another embodiment, a plurality ofbumper wheels 150 may be disposed in thetop section 136 of eachframe 132 to smoothly guide a plurality offrames 132 throughout their pivot. Any bumper or spacing arrangement to ensure that adjacent frames do not catch or “hang up” on one another during rotation could be utilized. - As illustrated in
FIG. 3 , therear section 138 of theexemplary frame 32 is illustrated as being pivotally mounted to apost 48 extending upwardly from thebase 40. As previously described, therear section 138 can be provided with a hollow lower portion having an inner diameter corresponding with, but slightly larger than the outer diameter of thepost 48 so that the rear section can be rotatably mounted to thepost 48 of thebase 40. Furthermore, therear section 138 may include a rotation bushing orprotector 155 adjacent the bottom ofsection 138 which might slide over thepost 48 of thebase 40 and rest on theupper base plate 44 of thebase 40.Protector 155 can be used to conceal the point of rotation between therear section 138 of theframe 132 and theposts 48 of the base 40 to protect against pinching of the fingers, rug snags, etc. Thisprotector 155 might also add strength to the lower portions ofrear section 138 and/or serve as a wear bushing to the area of rotation offrame 132 on apost 48 of thebase 40. In one embodiment, theprotector 155 may comprise a generally flat washer welded to the bottom of therear section 138. In another embodiment, this protector or bushing arrangement may include a bearing to aid therear section 138 of theframe 132 in rotation about thepost 48 of thebase 40. - A
ground wire 160 may be used to positively connect therear section 138 of theframe 132 to provide an electrical ground arrangement so as to reduce the potential build-up of static electricity as theframe 132 pivots onbase 40 andfront support member 152 movably slides across the display surface. Generally, if steel tubing is utilized for the frame, base posts and base, such a ground wire may be superfluous. - One or
more crossbars 133 may be mounted to theframe 32 depending on the number and size of rugs that a vendor wishes to display. Thecrossbar 133 can serve multiple functions. First, the crossbar may provide additional support for the frame and for rugs extending the length of theframe 132. For example, if a customer pivots the frame ofFIG. 3 quickly to the left, a rug extending the length of theframe 132 may tend to swing through and out the back of theframe 132 if acrossbar 133 is not present. In addition, as illustrated inFIG. 4 , thecrossbar 133 may include a plurality of crossbar clips 60 c for mounting additional rugs. For example, a first rug may be mounted to thetop section 136 of theframe 132 and extend down toward thecrossbar 133 and a second rug may be mounted to thecrossbar 133 and extend down toward thebottom section 131. Therefore, it is envisioned that the rug display system of the present invention is capable of displaying one or more rugs of a variety of shapes and sizes. - The
bottom section 131 of theexemplary frame 132 may include afront support member 152 mounted thereto. It is understood thatmultiple support members 152 can also be utilized with a frame of the present invention. As seen inFIG. 5 , thesupport member 152 might comprise a support member roller orwheel 154 and anaxle 140. This assembly could be provided on a relatively standard caster arrangement commonly available in the industry. In another embodiment, asupport member 152 may include a roller ball arrangement extending from the bottom of thefront section 134 orbottom section 131 and configured to moveably support theframe 132 on a display surface (e.g., floor). In still another embodiment, thesupport member 152 may include a plastic (e.g., Teflon) or fiberglass body or other such friction minimizing interface affixed to the bottom of thefront section 134 orbottom section 131 and configured to moveably support theframe 132 on a display surface. As an example, the frontsupport member wheel 154 might be constructed of hard polyolefin in order to withstand wear from rigid surfaces. Thesupport member 152 may be constructed from any material suited for support of the weight of the frame and displayed rugs and smooth rotation about a display surface. If more than one support member is used, they can be spaced along the bottom of a frame as desired to appropriately movably support the weight of the frame and any attached rugs or the like on the display surface. - As best seen in
FIG. 5 , thefront support member 152 may similarly include a deflector cover orguard 135 located adjacent the bottom offrame 132. Such a cover could be located near the bottom of the front section (e.g., 134), near the front of the bottom section (e.g., 131) or along theunderside 131 a of thebottom section 131 offrame 132, and might advantageously effectively surround at least a portion of thefront support member 152 as illustrated inFIG. 5 . Thedeflector 135 serves a similar purpose as the bumper discussed above in that it can help minimize interference between adjacent frames during rotation. However, where a wheel, roller, caster or the like is utilized in the front support member (e.g., 152),deflector 135 may also be configured and located so as to ensure that such support member is substantially free of obstructions which might prevent its free rotation or pivoting. As can be understood, interference with movement, rotation or direction change of suchfront support member 152 could encumber the movement of a frame and/or make pivoting of the frame by a user less convenient and more difficult. - Referring to
FIG. 6 , an exemplaryrug display system 220 for displaying a variety of rugs on a display surface is shown and illustrated in use. Therug display system 220 ofFIG. 1 is illustrated as comprising a plurality offrames 232 mounted to abase 40. In addition, each one of the plurality offrames 232 includes afront support member 252 to moveably support each one of the plurality offrames 232 on adisplay surface 70 such as a showroom floor. As the plurality offrames 232 are supported on thedisplay surface 70 by thebase 40 and by thefront support member 252, it will be understood that a great degree of stability is achieved by therug display system 220 of the present invention. Particularly, the weight of eachframe 232 andrugs 110 carried by that frame is supported by thebase 40 andfront support member 252 on the display floor. In contrast to swing arm and other previously available display systems which had significant weight and structure located high above the floor, the combination of the frame with its support base (e.g. 40) and appropriate front support member (e.g. 252) of the present invention allow for the weight of the system and its displayed products to be kept low and supported directly on the display surface. - As mentioned, the
rugs 110 displayed by therug display system 220 can be of various sizes and shapes, and are secured to theframes 232 by a plurality of rug clips 60. For example, inFIG. 6 , tworugs single frame 232. Afirst rug 110 a is mounted to thetop section 236 of theframe 232 and extends toward thecrossbar section 233. Asecond rug 110 b is mounted to thecrossbar section 233 and extends to thebottom section 231 of theframe 232. - A customer may view the rug(s) 110 on each
frame 232 by pushing or pulling on thefront section 234 of eachframe 232, thereby pivoting aframe 232 onbase 40 so that the customer can easily move from sample to sample without having to pull on the displayed rugs themselves. As envisioned herein, theframes 232 of the present invention are capable of rotating up to about 180° relative to the base 40 in an open-book arrangement to provide a customer with a full view of rugs displayed by therug display system 220. In this way, the display assembly of the present invention uniquely maximizes rug viewing area for the allotted display area of the showroom. - Referring to
FIGS. 7-8 (and 12-13), examples of individual rug clips 60 (and 160) which might be used in therug display system 20 are shown and illustrated. As illustrated inFIGS. 7-8 , in one embodiment, theclip 60 might be provided as a single piece of spring steel having a normally closed bias designed in. In such embodiment, therug clip 60 may be formed by bending a single piece of spring steel into the general shape of the clip, heat treating the clip and then post-hitting the clip with appropriate compression force in order to preload (create bias). It is understood however, that therug clip 60 may be constructed from more than one piece of material (e.g., steel) welded or otherwise secured together to form a clip mechanism for securing a rug (e.g.FIG. 12 ). - In
FIG. 7 , anexemplary rug clip 60 is illustrated as comprising a channel shaped bracket including atop leg 62, abottom leg 64 and a connectingmember 66. The connectingmember 66 can be configured and bent so as to bias thetop leg 62 toward thebottom leg 64 in order to securely hold a rug. In addition, the bottom portion of thebottom leg 64 may include a plurality ofteeth 68 for gripping a rug when the rug is inserted into therug clip 60. Referring briefly toFIG. 8 , a rear perspective view of therug clip 60 illustrates a plurality of upwardlyangled teeth 68. As best seen inFIG. 8 , the bottom portion of thebottom leg 64 comprises four spacedteeth 68 in this example. However, it is understood that thebottom leg 64 of therug clip 60 could alternatively comprise any number of teeth, serrations or othergripping elements 68 as required to mount and hold a rug to a frame. In the exemplary embodiments ofFIGS. 7-8 , the plurality ofteeth 68 are biased against the inside surface oftop leg 62 and form an acute angle α with thebottom leg 64. - Referring again to
FIG. 7 ,bottom leg 64 of therug clip 60 may include twobottom leg apertures rug clip 60 to a frame. Additionally, thetop leg 62 may include one or more access apertures to facilitate placement and manipulation of the fasteners. In one embodiment, theapertures apertures bottom leg 64 of therug clip 60 to a frame may be accessed for tightening and/or loosening by a standard tool such as a screwdriver, socket or driver. In another embodiment, the apertures in thebottom leg 64 may be larger than those in thetop leg 62 so that therug clip 60 can be mounted to a frame in reverse, orientation (i.e., with the gripping teeth or serrations directed inwardly). - In one embodiment, the
rug clip 60 is mounted to the frame by placing thebottom leg 64 of therug clip 60 against a frame and aligning thebottom leg apertures top leg aperture 82 a to the upperbottom leg aperture 80 a which is aligned with the predrilled aperture. Depending on the type of fastener, a screwdriver, socket or fastener driver may be inserted through the uppertop leg aperture 82 a to contact the fastener. The fastener is then tightened into place to secure therug clip 60 to the frame. These steps may be repeated for the lower bottom andtop leg aperture rug clip 60 can be mounted to the frame in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, a weld or providing a frame configured so that theclips 60 may be removably secured to it. Removal and replacement may be desired to modify the location of clips and/or to replace damaged or broken clips. - In an alternative embodiment, such as that illustrated in
FIGS. 12 and 13 ,rug clip 160 may comprise a gripping member orcenter portion 163 and a biasingmember 161.Biasing member 161 is shown as having a firsttop leg 162 a and secondtop leg 162 b and a connectingmember 166. The biasingmember 161 may be comprised of spring steel or other at least effectively flexible material which can be configured to provide an inward bias, as will be explained. As illustrated, a singlepiece biasing member 161 might be bent to form a central connectingmember 166 having the downwardly extending first and second top legs. Such configuration might provide a natural bias of the first and secondtop legs member 163 in order to securely hold a rug. In another embodiment, biasing member may be comprised of a number of individual compartments. - While biasing
member 161 is illustrated as having a substantially rounded connecting member 166 (to correspond with a rounded frame section 436) associated with each top leg, that need not be the case. Biasing member could likewise be configured to correspond with any variety of frame conformation (e.g., square, rectangular, angular or otherwise), or it might not necessarily match the frame shape. Here, a rounded configuration is illustrated as possibly advantageous to simplify the bending process and preloading of biasing force, and to match the exemplary rounded frame shape. - In one embodiment, gripping member or
center portion 163 may comprise twobottom legs FIG. 12 ). As illustrated, grippingmember 163 may further compriseproximal end 165 anddistal end 167, respectively, whereinproximal end 165 may include one or more flanges orappendages 169 for mounting the grippingmember 163 to thetop section 436 of frame such as by, for example, a weld, rivets or other fasteners.Distal end 167 of grippingmember 163 may include a plurality ofteeth 168 or other gripping element(s) for gripping a rug when the rug is inserted into therug clip 160. Similar toFIGS. 7-8 , the plurality ofteeth 168 are pushed or pinched against the inside surface oftop legs member 161, and tend to form an acute angle α with the grippingmember 163. - In one embodiment, the
rug clip 160 is mounted to the frame by securing grippingmember 163 in an advantageous location on a section of the frame (e.g.top section 436 as illustrated inFIGS. 12 and 13 ).Biasing member 161 may then be positioned downward aroundtop section 436 so thattop legs teeth 168 of grippingmember 163. Biasing member may thereafter be secured to the frame by, for example, afastener 181 or weld. As an example, after biasingmember 161 is placed over the frame section (e.g., 436) and in proper biasing orientation relative to the grippingmember 163, a metal screw or rivet (e.g., 181) might be placed throughmember 161 and into the frame section to keep biasingmember 161 from moving along the frame or otherwise being knocked loose. It is also contemplated thatrug clip 160 may be removeably secured to frame such a by providing a bracket or groove (not shown) associated with the frame (e.g., on the underside of frame section 436) for selectively securing the gripping member thereto. For example, a groove or keyway might be formed along the lower parts of various frame sections (e.g.,sections flange 165 of a grippingmember 163. In this way, clips could be easily added, removed, or moved as needed for any particular rug display frame, or to accommodate a custom size or shape of rug. - In yet another alternative embodiment, such as that illustrated in
FIGS. 14 and 15 ,rug clip 660 may comprise a gripping member orcenter portion 663, a biasingmember 661 and a clampingmember 670. Gripping member orcenter portion 663 may comprise twobottom legs FIGS. 12-13 and secured along a central axis A. Similar toFIGS. 7-8 and 12-13, the plurality of teeth 668 (e.g. first gripping elements) extend outwardly from central axis A and are pushed or pinched against the inside surface oftop legs member 661 in use as a result of the inward bias of the biasingmember 661. As illustrated in this example, the angled teeth might advantageously tend to form an acute angle α with the grippingmember 663. -
Biasing member 661 is shown as having a firsttop leg 662 a and secondtop leg 662 b and a connectingmember 666 similar to that ofFIGS. 12 and 13 . As will be understood, this configuration provides a generally inverted U-shaped configuration of biasingmember 661 which can be correspondingly shaped to match a portion of frame (e.g. 636) to facilitate assembly and use of the clip in a display system. As best illustrated inFIG. 14 , however, biasingmember 661 may further comprise an additional pair of teeth or secondgripping elements 671 each located on firsttop leg 662 a and secondtop leg 662 b. Second gripping elements may be cut from first and second top legs of biasing member and extend outwardly from central axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, second gripping elements may extend away from biasingmember 661 so as to create a second contact or attachment point to secure additional rugs as described below. Second gripping elements may also extend inwardly toward central axis A in another embodiment. In addition, it is contemplated that second gripping elements may be located on clampingmember 670 and extend inward to central axis A. - As illustrated, clamping
member 670 may comprise first and second clamparms member 670 may be mounted over at least a portion of the biasingmember 661 so that first and second clamparms gripping elements 671 of biasingmember 661. In various embodiments, a clamping member might advantageously overlie or telescope over a portion of or substantially all of the corresponding biasing member. To achieve a desired bias to be exerted by the clamping member in use, clampingmember 670 may comprise apress arrangement 674 between first and second clamparms FIGS. 14-15 ,press arrangement 674 may be configured to straddle aframe 636 and in the illustrated embodiment, telescope over at least a portion offrame 636. Such configuration, while not necessary, allows the clampingmember 670 to effectively apply a force at two or more locations of the biasing member (e.g. at the upper portion of firsttop leg 662 a and secondtop leg 662 b and at second gripping elements 671). As will be understood, this configuration provides a generally inverted U-shaped configuration of clampingmember 670 which can be correspondingly shaped to match a portion of frame (e.g. 636) to facilitate assembly and use of the clip in a display system. -
Rug clip 660 may be mounted to the frame by securing grippingmember 663 in an advantageous location on a section of the frame (such as bysecurement screw 681 or other fastening or adhesive arrangement).Biasing member 661 may then be positioned downwardly around top section offrame 636 so thattop legs gripping elements 668 of grippingmember 663. Clampingmember 670 may similarly be positioned downwardly around biasingmember 661 so that first and second clamparms member 661. Clamping and biasing members may thereafter be secured to the frame by, for example, ascrew 681 or weld. - As will be appreciated, one advantage of the clips illustrated in
FIGS. 12-15 is that they can easily accommodate back to back or multiple rugs for simultaneous display, yet can function well if only a single rug is inserted. For example, referring toFIGS. 13 and 15 , one rug could be inserted intoclips rug 110 upwardly past distal ends 167 and 667 and into theareas members top legs top legs members teeth 168 or firstgripping elements 668 would prevent the rug from easily moving downwardly. A second rug (not shown) could be similarly inserted on the other side of theclip space member top leg member member clips exemplary clip 660 illustrated inFIGS. 14 and 15 , additional rugs may be mounted in a similar manner described above such as withinspaces member 661 and the clampingmember 670. - As previously stated, the rug clips 60, 160 and 660 of the present invention can be mounted at any location on a frame including, but not limited to the front section, the top section, the rear section, the bottom section and the crossbar. In
FIGS. 6, 12 and 14, once the exemplary rug clips 60, 160 and 660 are mounted to a frame, arug 110 can be secured in the rug clips 60, 160 and 660 by placing the edge of arug 110 up against the teeth (or gripping elements) of the rug clip and then pushing therug 110 toward the connectingmember clips FIGS. 12-15 . As the teeth (or gripping elements) are oriented upwardly, therug 110 may freely slide upward without damaging therug 110. Furthermore, once in place, the upward angle or orientation of the teeth (or gripping elements) prevents the rug from slipping to the floor as the teeth of the clips grab the back of the rug. The bias of the clips tend to hold the gripping elements (e.g., teeth, serrations, or knurled surface) against the nap of the rug. Gravity also tends to engage the gripping elements with the rug to secure it in place. - The rug may be dismounted and removed from such clips by pulling the rug outwardly toward the
top legs 62, 162 and 662 (and/or clamp arms 672 inFIGS. 14-15 ). The rug can then be slid out of a clip without interference. Accordingly, a single clerk can conveniently secure arug 110 to, or remove arug 110 from a frame in the rug display system. Moreover, no independent opening or unclamping of individual rug clips is required, as upward pulling of a rug away from bottom leg results in an automatic release from the clip. - Another feature of the present invention is that the frames of the rug display system may be easily removed from the base for changing the display and/or placing or removing a rug. The frame may be removed from the base by lifting the frame upwardly off of the post of the base. Removability of the frames serves a number of functions including efficient assembly and disassembly. For example, a clerk may remove a frame from the rug display system in order to secure a rug to, or remove a rug from the frame. While it is not required that the frame be removed from the base in order to secure a rug to, or remove a rug from the frame, removal of the frame may be desired when a single clerk needs to secure or remove a heavy rug. In this way, it can be understood that a frame could be placed on the floor for placing a rug on the frame, then the frame and rug can be stood up and the frame inserted onto a support post on a
base 40. - As illustrated in
FIG. 9 , in situations where removal of a frame for mounting a rug thereto is inconvenient or otherwise less desirable, a plurality of rolledrug hangers 400 may be provided for supporting a rolled-uprug 110 adjacent thecrossbar section 333 of a frame. Therug hangers 400 may have a general shape reminiscent to the number “5” and can be made of flat steel. However, it should be understood that the rug hangers may comprise a variety of shapes and can be made of plastic, composite, aluminum and/or any other appropriately strong and durable substance. In addition, whileFIG. 9 illustrated the rug hangers positioned on thecrossbar 333 of theframe 332, it is understood that the rug hangers may be positioned anywhere on the frame including, but not limited to thetop section 336 of theframe 332. - In use, the
rug hangers 400 may be positioned on thecrossbar 333 by pushing thechannel 402 of therug hanger 400 downward over the upper portions ofcrossbar 333. InFIG. 9 , threerug hangers 400 are provided with thefirst rug hanger 400 positioned at about the center of thecrossbar 333 and the remaining tworug hangers 400 positioned adjacent opposite sides of the frame. However, any number ofrug hangers 400 may be positioned at any location along thecrossbar 333. - A rolled-up rug to be hung is then positioned in the
rug hangers 400, and thereafter a single clerk may maneuver the upper edge of therug 110 into the rug clips 60 as described above. Once the edge of the rug is inserted into the rug clips, the clerk may then remove the remainder of the rolled-uprug 110 from therug hangers 400 and allow therug 110 to drape downwardly over thehangers 400 and toward the display surface. The clerk may them remove therug hangers 400 from the rear of the rug by pulling therug hanger 400 upward and off of thecrossbar 333 and twisting therug hanger 400 sideways to slide them pastcrossbar 333. - Yet another aspect of the present invention is that the rug display systems may also be shipped partially assembled or disassembled.
FIGS. 10-11 , illustrate exemplary packaging systems for the rug display system of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 10 , a packaging system for a disassembled rug display system is shown and illustrated. The system may comprise a relativelystandard shipping crate 200 generally in the shape of a box. The crate (e.g., 200) may be sized larger or smaller according to the size of the frames intended to be shipped. Thecrate 200 is also illustrated as including a plurality ofcradles 210 positioned adjacent to the upper proximatehorizontal edge 212, the lower proximatehorizontal edge 214, the upper distalhorizontal edge 216 and the lower distalhorizontal edge 218. In another embodiment, the frame cradles 210 can be positioned along the proximate and distal vertical edges of thecrate 200. The same result can be achieved by rotating thecrate 200 about the X-axis 180°. In another embodiment, thecrate 200 may include frame cradles 210 adjacent to either the upper and lower proximatehorizontal edges cradle 210 includes a plurality of spacedrecesses 225 for receiving a plurality offrames 32. Therecesses 225 prevent the frames from contacting one another and maintain a predetermined orientation and spacing of the frames during shipment. If desired, therecesses 225 may include padding for further securing the frames during shipment. - In one embodiment, the
recesses 225 of the corresponding frame cradles 210 can be vertically aligned to accept and secure theframes 32. For example, therecesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 positioned on the upper proximate and distalhorizontal edges recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 on the lower proximate and distalhorizontal edges recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 positioned on the upper and lower proximatehorizontal edges recesses 225 of the frame cradles 210 on the upper and lower distalhorizontal edge - In one embodiment, the
crate 200 may include one or morecrossbar support member 230 positioned against a wall inside the crate. Thecrossbar support member 230 can be made of wood, steel or any other durable material. Thecrossbar support member 230 adds structural support to the crate and can also provide additional lateral support to a plurality of frames within the crate. - Therefore, in accordance with the packaging system for shipping rug display system frames 32 of the present invention, frames 32 may be inserted into the
crate 200 by working the frame between a first set of correspondingrecesses 225, pushing theframe 32 through thecrate 200, and working the frame through a second set of corresponding recesses 225. Boxes of clips and other accessories may then be placed within the inserted frames and taped, shrinkwrapped or banded in place within the crate. - The packaging system of the present invention serves multiple functions. First, as previously stated, the packaging system provides a means for shipping a plurality of rug display system frames while minimizing potential damage to the frames. In addition, the packaging system of the present invention provides for easy and efficient loading and unloading of the packaging system and its contents (e.g., rug display system frames) from a truck. For example, the crate of the packaging system may be packed in a warehouse with a plurality of rug display system frames and then loaded onto a truck using a standard forklift. Once the crate bearing the rug display system frames arrives at its destination, a single person may unload the crate by opening the crate and then removing the rug display system frames one at a time. In this way, cranes, lift trucks, loading docks or other specialized equipment is not necessary for a customer to receive a display system of the present invention for installation.
- Alternatively, it may be desired to have the rug display system of the present invention delivered in assembled or semi-assembled condition, thus saving multiple hours of installation time. Referring to
FIGS. 11 a-c, a packaging system for an assembled rug display system is shown and illustrated. The display system shown inFIGS. 11 a-c is essentially the same system shown inFIG. 6 . Generally, the packaging system comprises multiple bands and blocks used to secure theframes 232 andbase 40 so that the rug display system may be transported as a unit onto a truck or into a store by use of a pallet jack or other lifting device. The exemplary packaging system ofFIGS. 11 a-c may secure the rug display system in multiple locations. First, the packaging system may include a front section assembly 500 (as also shown in the partial cross-section ofFIG. 11 b). The front section assembly includes a first securingmember 502 positioned on top of the plurality ofbottom sections 231 and adjacent the plurality offront sections 234 of theframes 232. In one embodiment, the first securingmember 502 might comprise a 2″×4″ piece of wood, but may include steel, pressboard, plastic composite or any other sufficiently sturdy material. The 2″×4″ 502 extends substantially the entire length of the plurality of adjacentbottom sections 231. Asecond securing member 504 is then positioned on bottom of the plurality of adjacentbottom sections 231 and adjacent the plurality offront sections 234 of theframes 232. In one embodiment, the second securingmember 504 comprises a 4″×4″ piece of wood, but again may include steel, pressboard, plastic, composite or any other sufficiently sturdy material. The 4″×4″ 504 may include achannel 505 on the posterior surface for receiving ametal securing band 506 therein. The channel prevents themetal band 506 from moving or contacting the surface should themember 504 extend downward beyond thewheel 254 of thefront support member 252. Themetal band 506 may be wrapped around the securingmembers channel 506 and then tightened to secure the plurality offront sections 234 together. If desired, asecond metal band 514 may be used to secure the plurality ofcrossbar sections 233 and/or other portions of the assembly “cube”. - The
rear section assembly 508 singularly includes a securingmember 502 positioned on top of the plurality of adjacentbottom sections 231 and adjacent the plurality ofrear sections 238 of theframes 232. In this illustration, the securingmember 502 might comprise a 2″×4″ piece of wood, but may include steel, pressboard, plastic, composite or any other sufficiently sturdy material. As best seen inFIG. 11 c, a plurality of apertures (e.g., 509) can be drilled into theupper plate 44 of the base for accepting a bolt orother fastener 510. To prevent the base 40 from falling as the rug display system is lifted, afastener 510 may be inserted into themember 502, in between twoadjacent bottom sections 231 and through the upper plate aperture and then secured by a nut 512. The base 40 may be secured to themember 502 in more than one location as necessary to effectively captivate the base and keep it from falling when the rug display system is lifted. - To add support to the packaging system, an X-bracing 516 may be positioned from corner to corner on the two securing
members 502 described above. The X-bracing 516 can be made of wood, steel or any other sufficiently sturdy material to help maintain the integrity and dimensional stability of the packaging system cube as it is shipped. In addition, the X-bracing 516 may be secured to amember 502 by anail 518, screw or any other appropriate fastening device. - Rug display system accessories (described above) may also be conveniently secured in either of the packaging systems of
FIGS. 10 and 11 . For example, with respect to the example ofFIGS. 11 a-c, thedivider 100 may be positioned on the posts of the base, just as it would be when the rug display system is in assembled condition for operation.FIG. 11 a illustrates thedivider 100 mounted in the middle of thebase 40 for convenient illustration of all accessories. If the rug display system is shipped as illustrated, a block (not shown) may be positioned between the gap in thefront sections 234 to prevent thefront sections 234 from swinging into one another. In another embodiment, thedivider 100 may be mounted to the outermost posts of thebase 40. - In addition, components of the accessory display assembly (
FIG. 3 ) can be broken down and secured in the packaging systems of the present invention. For example, in the example ofFIGS. 11 a-c, thepole 92 for the display assembly may also be mounted to a base post. In addition, theextension arm 94 may be turned upside down and positioned within the perimeter of theframes 232 with thebrackets 95 of theextension arm 94 being mounted to themember 502 by a nail, screw or any other appropriate fastening device, and with the other end (tubular portion) resting against the inner side of the plurality offrames 232. The mountingbar 96 can similarly be positioned diagonally within the perimeter of theframes 232 as well. As mentioned above, additional components such as the bumper, rug hangers, fasteners for the base, etc. may by packed in boxes and positioned on the plurality ofbottom sections 231. Therefore, all components of the rug display system may be secured together and confined within the packaging cube generally defined by the perimeter of the plurality offrames 232. - The rug display system may be easily moved or transported by inserting the legs of a pallet jack or forklift under the bottom sections of the rug display system and lifting upward. If desired, a conventional pallet may also be placed under or secured to the bottom sections of the frames for additional support and guidance.
- The packaging system of the present invention serves multiple functions. First, as previously stated, the packaging system of the present invention provides for easy and efficient loading and unloading of the rug display system from a truck. For example, the entire rug display system, including accessories and components can be lifted to a truck and subsequently to a store by one trip with a forklift, pallet jack or other lifting device. In addition, the packaging system allows an assembled rug display system to be delivered to the customer. Delivery of an assembled rug display system can save hours of time otherwise needed to properly assemble the system.
- The foregoing description of the various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art of the above teaching. For example, the rug display system in accordance with the present invention may display rugs of varying sizes and shapes in a variety of different arrangements and can include frames of various sizes and shapes. Accordingly, while some of the alternative embodiments of the rug display system have been discussed specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations that have been discussed herein, and others that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the claims.
Claims (20)
1. A rug clip for use in a rug display system comprising:
a gripping member having oppositely disposed first gripping elements;
a biasing member having a first and second top leg wherein at least one of said top legs further comprises one or more second gripping elements;
said biasing member mounted over at least a portion of said gripping member such that one of said first and second top legs is each biased toward a different one of said oppositely disposed first gripping elements; and
a clamping member having first and second clamp arms mounted over at least a portion of said biasing member such that said first and second clamp arms are biased toward said second gripping elements of said biasing member.
2. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said first gripping elements are located adjacent a distal end of said gripping member.
3. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said first gripping elements comprise a plurality of teeth, wherein some of said teeth are respectively angled toward one of said top legs forming an acute angle between said teeth and said gripping member.
4. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said second gripping elements comprise a plurality of teeth angled toward one of said first and second clamp arms forming an acute angle between said teeth and said first and second top legs.
5. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of said gripping member comprises at least one attached flange.
6. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said gripping member comprises two bottom legs secured to one another.
7. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is secured to a frame.
8. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said clamping member is secured to a frame.
9. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said gripping member is secured to a frame.
10. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said biasing member further comprises a connecting member between said first and second top legs.
11. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is provided as a single integral piece.
12. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 1 , wherein said clamping member comprises a press arrangement between said first and second clamp arms configured to apply pressure to said biasing member.
13. A rug clip for use in a rug display system comprising:
a gripping member having first gripping elements, said first gripping elements extending outwardly from a central axis;
a biasing member having a first and second top leg wherein at least one of said top legs further comprises one or more second gripping elements, said second gripping elements extending outwardly from said central axis, said biasing member mounted over at least a portion of said gripping member; and
a clamping member having first and second clamp arms overlying at least a portion of said biasing member.
14. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 13 , wherein said first and second top legs is each biased toward a different one of said first gripping elements.
15. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 13 , wherein said first and second clamp arms are biased toward said second gripping elements of said biasing member.
16. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 13 , wherein said first and second top legs of said biasing member are connected in a generally U-shaped configuration.
17. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 13 , wherein said first and second clamp arm of said clamping member are connected in a generally U-shaped configuration.
18. A rug clip for use in a rug display system comprising:
a gripping member having first gripping elements;
a biasing member having a first and second top leg connected in a generally U-shaped configuration, wherein at least one of said top legs further comprises one or more second gripping elements;
said biasing member overlying at least a portion of said gripping member such that one of said first and second top legs is each biased toward a different one of said oppositely disposed first gripping elements; and
a clamping member having first and second clamp arms connected in a generally U-shaped configuration and overlying at least a portion of said biasing member such that said first and second clamp arms are biased toward said second gripping elements of said biasing member.
19. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 18 , wherein said first gripping elements extend outwardly from a central axis.
20. The rug clip for use in a rug display system as in claim 18 , wherein said second gripping elements extend outwardly from a central axis.
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/917,116 US20050011054A1 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2004-08-12 | Rug display system |
CA 2488184 CA2488184A1 (en) | 2003-12-23 | 2004-11-23 | Rug display system |
US11/710,368 US7624880B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2007-02-23 | Rug display system |
US12/579,068 US20100032390A1 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2009-10-14 | Rug display system |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/269,585 US6981596B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2002-10-11 | Rug display system |
US10/744,289 US7204372B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2003-12-23 | Rug display system |
US10/917,116 US20050011054A1 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2004-08-12 | Rug display system |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/744,289 Continuation-In-Part US7204372B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2003-12-23 | Rug display system |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/710,368 Continuation US7624880B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2007-02-23 | Rug display system |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20050011054A1 true US20050011054A1 (en) | 2005-01-20 |
Family
ID=34067732
Family Applications (3)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/917,116 Abandoned US20050011054A1 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2004-08-12 | Rug display system |
US11/710,368 Expired - Fee Related US7624880B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2007-02-23 | Rug display system |
US12/579,068 Abandoned US20100032390A1 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2009-10-14 | Rug display system |
Family Applications After (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/710,368 Expired - Fee Related US7624880B2 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2007-02-23 | Rug display system |
US12/579,068 Abandoned US20100032390A1 (en) | 2002-10-11 | 2009-10-14 | Rug display system |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (3) | US20050011054A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10477992B1 (en) * | 2018-08-06 | 2019-11-19 | Homemakers Plaza, Inc. | Display apparatus |
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WO2008051996A2 (en) * | 2006-10-23 | 2008-05-02 | Rtc Industries, Inc. | Merchandising system with flippable column |
US20110155879A1 (en) * | 2009-12-10 | 2011-06-30 | Bacchus Fazil R | Mylar™ ballon display rack |
US8376155B1 (en) * | 2011-10-12 | 2013-02-19 | Henry Olko | Hingedly adjustable two sided storage device |
US10021996B2 (en) * | 2014-02-17 | 2018-07-17 | Mid-West Metal Products Co., Inc. | End cap for variable display configurations |
US9661941B1 (en) * | 2016-07-28 | 2017-05-30 | England, Inc. | Headboard display rack |
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Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10477992B1 (en) * | 2018-08-06 | 2019-11-19 | Homemakers Plaza, Inc. | Display apparatus |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US7624880B2 (en) | 2009-12-01 |
US20070170131A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20100032390A1 (en) | 2010-02-11 |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: KIN PRODUCTS INC., OHIO Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KIN, CHRISTOPHER A.;KIN, HENRY R.;REEL/FRAME:015688/0710 Effective date: 20040812 |
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Owner name: FIFTH THIRD BANK, OHIO Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:KIN PRODUCTS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:018826/0322 Effective date: 20070116 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |