FILED OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an article to be used for display and exhibit a product. 5In more specific, the disclosed article possesses an interlocking feature to join at least two identical articles together to form a larger panel for both displaying the product and putting up of advertising board to promote the product.

BACKGORUND OF THE INVENTION

lOSachet packaging is generally employed to prepare a product in a small amount or volume which is suitable for one or few-times consumption. A branding panel such as cardboard is normally used as platform for removably attachment of a plurality of sachet packages to be sold. Together with the attached sachet packages, the branding panel is then vertically put up for display and the attached sachet packages are torn off

15from the flexible panel upon user purchase. However, in shops where the sachet packages are sold, the shopkeepers tend to clutter different branding panels together in a single hanger as lack of proper tools to appropriately exhibit the product. Disorganization of the displayed product not only visually displeased but also badly affects branding of the products and subsequently influences sale of the corresponding

20products. Moreover, replenishment or stocking of the sachet packaged products maybe infeasible for the shopkeepers considering the current disorganized way of product display. Such condition may ruin the sale further. Therefore, an apparatus which allow convenient replenishment and tidily display of sachet packaged product is needed.

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For example French patent application no. 2712568 discloses a hanger comprising a fastening hook, a triangular part on which a packaging sachet hung, and a carrier allowing engagement of several fingers of a person hand in order to permit manually carrying of the hanger.

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Another French patent application no. 2716098 discloses a display unit to exhibit removable sachets containing liquid. The disclosed invention includes a card support for sachet to attach on with bent edges. Moreover, the two sachets are attached to the card support overlapping one another by an axle which the sachets can pivot at the axle and can be separated by tearing along perforation available on the sachets. Still another French patent application no. 2716169 provides a packet for displaying sachets comprising a covering sheet enclosing the sachets that attached onto the covering sheet. The covering sheet protects the sachet sheet and uncover the sachet once the packet is opened. Each sachet has certain of suppleness and a line of least resistance for tearing off.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide an article of displaying merchandises which is particularly prepared in small sachets form. The present invention permit the users or shopkeepers exhibit and sell the merchandise in a much organized way thuspromoting brand of the merchandise sold.

Still another object of the present invention is to disclose an article for displaying merchandise which can interlock each other to form a larger panel to advertise or promote the merchandise.

Further object of the present invention is to disclose an article, whilst used to display merchandise to be sold, it also allow convenient replenishment of the sold product by the user of the disclosed article. At least one of the preceding objects is met, in whole or in part, by the present invention, in which one of the embodiment of the present invention is an article for displaying merchandise comprising a panel member (100) with a front (101) and a back facing surface (102), a holding means (103) fabricated on the panel member (100) for accepting the merchandise to be displayed thereof; and a male locking :means (105) and a female receptive means (106) located on the panel member (100); wherein the male locking means and/or the female receptive means of the article is able to interlock with corresponding female receptive means and/or male locking means of a substantially identical second article to form a conjoined panel.

Nonetheless, the disclosed article also provide another way for the user to attach or 5hang their merchandise for display purpose. Thus, in another embodiment, the article of the present invention may comprise a panel member (100) with a front (101) and a back facing surface (102); a holding means (103) fabricated on the panel member (100) for accepting the merchandise to be displayed thereof; and a fastening means capable of attaching onto the panel member and joining a plurality of panel members Oto form a conjoined panel.

In another aspect of the present invention, the article further comprises a platform (109) perpendicularly extended from the front (101) or back facing surface (102) of the panel member (100). Preferably, the front facing surface (102) is arched outwardly 5to offer additional visual effect to the advertising board to be attached thereon.

Still another aspect of the present invention includes a mounting means (111) on the panel member (100) that the mounting means (111) permits attachment of the disclosed article onto a vertical surface to display the merchandise hung thereon.0

In another embodiment, a means of gripping (113) is available on the panel member for fixing advertising board or object onto the front surface of the panel member to promote the sale of the hung merchandise. 5BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a back perspective view of the embodiment shown in figure 1 ; and 0Figure 3 is front view of the embodiment shown in figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The most preferred embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the figures, where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. While specific configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the other configurations and arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The present invention is an article for displaying merchandise, as illustrated in figure1, comprising a panel member (100), with a front (101) and a back facing surface (102), a holding means (103) fabricated on the panel member (100) for accepting the merchandise to be displayed thereof; and a male locking means (105) and a female . receptive means (106) located on the panel member (100); wherein the male locking means and/or the female receptive means of the article is able to interlock with corresponding female receptive means and/or male locking means of a substantially identical second article to form a conjoined panel. More preferably, in another embodiment, the article for displaying merchandise comprises a panel member (100) with a front (101) and a back facing surface (102), a holding means (103) fabricated on the panel member (100) for accepting the merchandise to be displayed thereof; anda plurality of locking means (105 and 106) fabricated on two and opposite edges of the panel member (100); whereby two or more panel members can be joined together side by side.

In further embodiment, the present invention also provide an alternative approach tohang and display the merchandise. In this embodiment, the article for displaying a merchandise comprises a panel member (100) with a front (101) and a back facing surface (102); a holding means (103) fabricated on the panel member (100) for accepting the merchandise to be displayed thereof; and a fastening means capable of attaching onto the panel member and joining a plurality of panel members to form aconjoined panel. It is important to be noted that merchandise referred herein is preferably, but not limited to, sachet packaged product which is removably adhered onto a flexible panels such as cardboard or plastic. Possibly, products like garments can be displayed utilizing the present invention as long the product or its packaging can be fitted into 5the provided slot (103) or hooking means.

According to the preferred embodiment, the panel member (100) is preferably fabricated to have arched facing surface to offer additional aesthetic effect onto the advertising board to be secured thereof. Preferably, the front facing surface (101) lOarches outwardly rendering the advertising object fixed on the front facing surface (101) to be prominently sighted by the consumer, while the back facing surface (102) arches inwardly as presented in figure 2. However, the back facing surface (102) can be fabricated to be flatten or arched outwardly too particularly when there is sufficient thickness spaced in between the front (101) and back facing surface (102). In one

15 embodiment, the back facing surface (102) has a rib (1 12) fabricated on it to provide extra mechanical integrity to the disclosed article.

On the front facing surface (101) of the disclosed article, a plurality of horizontally extending slots (103) are available for positioning the merchandise to be hung and

20displayed thereof. Each slot (103) is separated by a shaft portion (110) which offer ground for anchoring or hanging the merchandise. Surface of the shaft portion (110) may be fabricated to have enhanced friction grip feature to avoid slipping of the hung merchandise from the slots (103). More preferably, the slots (103) are positioned at the bottom section of the facing surface (101) while a blank section (120) is available 5on top of the slots (103) readily for setting up of decoration or advertisement to promote the displayed merchandise. Yet, the slots (103) can be made onto the facing surface at the upper section or middle section of the facing surface also depending on the merchandise to be displayed thereon. Likewise, in the embodiment which the hooking means replaces the slots, the hooking means is preferably, but not limited to,

301ocated at the bottom section of front facing surface (101) to have a blank section (120) on top of the hooking means and the hung merchandise for establishment of advertising materials. Pursuant to another preferred embodiment, the disclosed article further comprises a means of gripping (113) for fixing advertising material onto the front facing surface (101) of the panel member (100). It is important to be noted that the means of 5gripping (113) can adapt different forms to attain the desired purpose. For example, as illustrated in figure 1, the means of gripping (113) is a pair of substantially C-shaped sliding grooves bilaterally spanning at the opposite edges, preferred running horizontally, of the blank section (120) allowing an advertising material such as a cardboard to be inserted and hold thereof. Further embodiment of the means of lOholding (113) can be clips, hooks or even adhesive materials to secure the advertising material onto the blank section (120).

Referring to figure 1 and 2, one embodiment of the present invention preferably has the male locking means (105) and female receptive means (106) disposed on the side

15 surfaces (104) of the panel member (100). Each side surface may have mixed number of the male locking means (105) and female receptive means (106) in one embodiment. However, in the most preferred embodiment, one side surface is fabricated to have only one or more male locking means (105), while the opposite side surface is solely fabricated with one or more female receptive means (106) to ease the 0user's effort to combine and interlock at least two identical disclosed articles forming a larger panel. Each male locking means (105) or female receptive means (106) of the present invention is fabricated at a predetermined location on the panel members (100) to feasible interlocking of two or more identical disclosed articles. There are various forms can be adapted by the male locking means (105) or female receptive 5means (106) of the present invention. Showing in figure 1 to 3, a snap fastening mechanism is employed where the male locking means (105) is a plurality of circular lips and the female receptive means (106) is a plurality of corresponding apertures punctured on the panel member (100) for insertion of the circular lips. Upon coupling the circular lips and apertures, two panel members (100) are interlocked together 0fprming a conjoined panel while the non-coupled male locking (105) or female receptive means (106) of each panel member is ready for further engagement with additional panel member (100). The circular lips may further comprise an enlarged head once inserted into the aperture it functions as an anchor wedge prohibiting disengagement of the conjoined panels. Besides, the male locking means (105) or female receptive means (106) can be fabricated on the top and/or bottom surface of the panel member (100). Accordingly, a strap, with one end fixed on the top and/orbottom surface and one end fabricated with the circular lips, serves as the male locking means as well as a corresponding apertures, the female receptive means (106), punctured on the top and/or bottom surface of the panel member (100) too. Furthermore, loop and hook can be employed as the male locking means (105) or female receptive means (106) in the present invention too.

As in the foregoing description, one embodiment of the present may free of the male locking means (105) or female receptive means (106) which are prefabricated on the panel member (100). Instead, a fastening means is used to attach and connect multiple panel members (100) together. Representative examples of fastening means can bepeg, clip, or adhesive material. Preferably, the fastening means, for example clip, is applied onto juxtaposed abutting side surfaces (104) of two panel members (100) to lock the panels together. In further embodiment, a plurality of apertures may be predisposed on the side surfaces of the panel members (100) and a rivet, a dowel or latch member is used as the fastening means to join to panel members (100) together.Moreover, in embodiment where the apertures are located on top and/or bottom surface, a snap fastening strap with multiple circular lips is used to span across and engage onto two different panel members to form the conjoined panels.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a platform (109)perpendicularly extended from the front (101) or back facing surface (102) of the panel member (100). Preferably, the platform (109) is positioned at the top or bottom section of the front (101) or back facing surface (102), though the illustrated embodiment shows that the platform (109) is located at the back facing surface (102). The platform, which can be a tray-like structure, preferably carries a substantially flattop surface for placing advertising material or freebies to be given out upon purchase of the displayed merchandise. In order to mount the disclosed article on a vertical surface to display the merchandise, the present invention further comprises a mounting means (111) for attaching the article onto a vertical surface. The mounting means (111) can be a fastening strap, apertures to be mounted on pin available on the vertical surface, a 5hooking means, adhesive and the like.

It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms and is not limited to the sole embodiment described above. However modification and equivalents of the disclosed concepts such as those which readily lOoccur to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the claims which are appended thereto.