Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a kit for forming a display for storage and display of articles and formed of a number of plates adapted with bending lines for bending into a suitable shape for forming at least one rear wall and sidewalls that extend up from a bottom in the display, and which includes engagement means intended for connecting the plates with each other for forming the display, which display is of the kind intended for being placed on a pallet. The pallet may be any kind of standard pallet or a specially made pallet. The pallet may be of wood or plastic. It may thus be an EU pallet or a quarter pallet.

Background of the Invention

Kits of the kind mentioned in the introduction are known. They are made of cardboard, typically corrugated cardboard or paperboard. They have the advantage of being mechanically simple and thereby cheap, and at the same time they enable a flexible arrangement of shop or exhibition premises.

These prior art kits are supplied to the user in flat form such that the user raises the display by himself. Hereby, there is often the risk of parts being assembled wrongly and the risk of damage to the parts during assembly.

Moreover, the prior art kits are disadvantageous because of the risk of an unstable display since it is placed loosely around articles and pallet upon which the articles are placed, the risk of the display being degraded due to action of moisture, and the risk of the display becoming worn due to the contact of the articles with the plates.

Moreover, the prior art kits appear cheap and are primarily suited for display of cheap articles. For more expensive articles, stationary racks or exhibition displays are therefore used which however are mechanically more complicated and thereby also expensive and furthermore make a flexible arrangement of shop or exhibition premises difficult. In spite of these drawbacks, the above mentioned types of display are widely used, in particular in shops with consumer products.

Object of the Invention

It is the object of the present invention to indicate a kit of the type mentioned in the introduction where drawbacks of the prior art displays are avoided and where a technically simple product is obtained which is easy to assemble and which is stable and durable and suited for flexible arrangement of shop and exhibition premises.

Description of the Invention

According to the present invention, this is achieved by a kit of the type specified in the introduction, which is peculiar in that the plates are made of metal, that at least a number of the metal plates are provided with at least one bending line in the form of a weakening in the metal plate for bending the metal plate into a permanent deformation, that the plates have engagement means in the shape of interacting projections and notches, and that at least one of the plates of the display have mounting tabs that project from a lateral edge so as to extend in the mounted condition downwardly from the bottom of the display in order to enable engagement with the pallet upon which the display is mounted.

Hereby is achieved a very stable display which is durable. As the display can be made of plates supplied in flat condition to the user, it is simple and easy to store and transport like the known displays of cardboard. Since the plates are made with weakenings, they will be easy to bend into the final shape. As the plates have a permanent deformation after bending, they are more easy to assemble than the prior art displays of cardboard.

The metal plates enable making the display with a finish which is aesthetically more pleasing than a display with cardboard plates. A display formed of a kit according to the invention will therefore find application in a larger number of articles, which also can be heavier articles that traditionally would be placed on fixed racks/shelves. This contributes to establishing greater flexibility in arranging shop or exhibition premises. Displays made from kits according to the invention may be placed freely in a room as the back side of the plates usually will appear with the same finish as the front side of the plate facing the customers.

The plates may be adapted with punchings and bending lines in order to form shelves or hooks bent out from the plates, or be provided with mounting devices for supporting separate shelves, hooks or similar for supporting articles in the display. These mounting devices may be holes for accommodating hook-like projections on hooks and/or shelves.

The permanent deformation combined with rigidity established by the metal plates will provide a stable and durable structure which may be loaded with a relative greater weight than possible with the prior art displays. Moreover, the display formed by a kit according to the invention will not have the risk of degradation, e.g. due to action of moisture or wearing products in the display.

The durable structure is furthermore secured in that at least one of the plates of the display have mounting tabs projecting from a lateral edge. When the plates are mounted on a pallet, they will thus extend downwardly from the bottom of the display in the mounted condition. Hereby is established engagement with the pallet upon which the display is mounted.

The engagement may be effected by bending the mounting tabs such that they engage downwardly facing edges on the pallet. Alternatively, the mounting tabs may be plane and extend down along lateral edges on the pallet and be fastened thereto by fastening means, e.g. screws that quite simply may be screwed into the pallet. A combination of a bent edge and a screw connection is also possible in order to ensure the stability of the display. If the pallet is made of wood or synthetic material, it will be particularly simple to provide a screw connection.

It may be said that the pallet constitutes an integrated part of the display as the plates of the display are mounted loosely or with permanent connection to the pallet.

Moreover, it will be possible to make a display from few plates, contributing to simplification of the user's erection of the display. In principle, a display can be made of only two plates, of which one provides bottom and base and the other rear and side walls.

According to a preferred embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that the plates are used in combination with a pallet which is a quarter pallet. Such a quarter pallet is a standard pallet which is widely used for consumer articles. It is made of plastic and has standardised shape, making it simple to produce the mounting tabs such that they can establish permanent engagement with the pallet, thereby ensuring that the display constitutes a stable structure of which the pallet is an integrated part. It is noted here that the weight of the pallet together with the weight of the plates will ensure a stable display when a connection is established between the plates and the pallet.

According to a preferred embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that the weakenings in the plate are selected among weakenings in the form of areas with punched holes separated by plate material, recesses in the plates, thinning of material or other ways of establishing a weakening that enable easy and certain bending along the bending line. Such weakenings are very simple to produce in connection with punching of the plates and will at the same time make it easy for the user to erect a display without using tools and with a very limited physical force for performing the bending.

According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that at least one plate is provided for forming a bottom, a plate for forming rear and side walls, a plate for forming a base under the bottom and at a position around the pallet upon which the display is mounted. In principle, a base plate may be dispensed with since the bottom plate can be bent so that it covers the pallet. However, by this design there are only three plates for providing the display, making it simple for the user to erect the display without risk of erroneous mutual joining of the plates.

According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that in immediate vicinity of the sides of the bottom plate, elongated incisions are formed with orientation in parallel with the sides, and that projections are formed at lower lateral edges of plates for rear and/or side walls, the projections adapted for interacting with the incisions in the bottom plate. By elongated incisions with a shape corresponding to thickness and width of the projections, a mutual guiding of the plates is achieved, ensuring correct mutual positioning of the plates. The incisions may be constituted by apertures disposed at a small distance from a lateral edge or open incisions directly at the lateral edge of the bottom plate.

According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that the mounting tabs are formed as at least one projection at a lower lateral edge of a plate for each sidewall, and that the bottom plate is provided with elongated incisions in immediate vicinity of the sides of the plate and with orientation in parallel with the sides which are aligned with the mounting tabs. By having mounting tabs at each sidewall and possibly also in the rear wall, a secure fixation to a pallet is achieved as mounting/fastening may occur at at least two side faces of the pallet. At the same time, the mounting tabs will pass through the aligned incisions of the bottom plate whereby the mounting tabs also contribute to ensuring the stability of the walls in relation to the bottom plate.

According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that the rear wall and possibly also each of the sidewalls are provided with extension plates for increasing the height of the display. A display may hereby be supplied with plates having only limited size and which are thereby easier to transport. But this embodiment is also important with regard to flexibility when arranging a shop. By one set of plates displays with different heights may thus be produced. Moreover, the extension plates of the rear and/or side walls may have varying design such that by replacement of extension plates, a change of the display may be established, e.g. for changing from exhibition with hooks to exhibition with shelves. Furthermore, the extension plates may be provided with text, logo or similar, and be exchanged such that a display can be used for different articles and at the same time contain a promotion of the articles provided in the display. The extension plates may have a height which extends up over the exhibited articles so that promotion of the articles becomes more apparent. According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that the plates are made of steel 37 with a thickness of 1.5 mm. Hereby is achieved a stable design which in practice has appeared applicable to a wide range of consumer articles. Other steel qualities or other metals may be used as well as it is also possible to use other thicknesses, e.g. sheet thicknesses between 0.9 and 2 mm.

According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that the bending of the metal plates has an angle of approximately 90°. This angle is to be regarded as the angle appearing between a plate part which is bent from a plane sheet and the remaining part of the plate. Usually, a pallet will have rectangular basic shape and therefore the plates will typically be bent 90° for adapting to corners and edges of the pallet. However, a plate may be bent with other angles.

According to a further embodiment, the kit according to the invention is peculiar in that one or more plates forming the rear and side walls are provided with perforations. These can be made as a pattern of perforations intended for suspending hooks or shelves at various positions in the display. Alternatively, perforations can be made as an aesthetic element forming an image or logo in the display.

Description of the Drawing

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, where:

Figs. 1 and 2 show a bottom plate for a kit according to the invention in plane and bent condition;

Figs. 3 and 4 show a plate for rear and side walls for a kit according to the invention in plane and bent condition;

Figs. 5 and 6 show an extension plate for a rear wall in a kit according to the invention in plane and bent condition;

Figs. 7 and 8 show a base plate for a kit according to the invention in plane and partially bent condition;

Fig. 9 shows a pallet for use in a kit according to the invention;

Fig. 10 shows the pallet with bottom plate mounted;

Fig. 1 1 shows the pallet where also rear and side walls are mounted; Fig. 12 shows the pallet where also an extension plate is mounted on the rear wall;

Fig. 13 shows the pallet where two of the base plates shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are bent into final shape and ready for mounting;

Fig. 14 shows the kit according to the invention with all plates mounted for forming a display on the pallet;

Figs. 15-27 show a second embodiment of a kit according to the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

In the different Figures identical or corresponding elements are designated with the same reference numbers. No specific reference number is given in connection with all embodiments. In particular it is noted that in connection with the second embodiment of the kit according to the invention, an explanation is only given in connection with the parts where there is a difference compared with the first embodiment in Figs. 1-14. In Fig. 14 is shown a display which generally is designated with the reference number 1. In Figs. 1 -9 of the drawing is shown the elements forming part of a kit for constructing the display shown in Fig. 14.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a bottom plate 2 in plane shape and bent shape. Figs. 3 and 4 show a plate 3 in plane and bent shape. It appears that the plate 3 forms a rear wall 4 and two side walls 5. Figs. 5 and 6 show an extension plate 6 in plane and bent shape. Figs. 7 and 8 show a base plate 8 in plane and bent shape. Fig. 9 shows a pallet 9 in the form of a quarter pallet. Figs. 10-13 show the various steps of mounting the elements which together constitute the display 1 shown in Fig. 14.

All plates 2, 3, 6 and 8 are made of metal sheets. These metal sheets are of steel 37 with a thickness of 1.5 mm.

It appears in Fig. 1 that the bottom plate 2 is provided with projecting edge areas 10 at each lateral edge 1 1 and a projecting edge area 12 at the front edge 13 of the bottom plate. Elongated incisions 14 are provided a the lateral edges 1 1 of the bottom plate. In Fig. 2 appears how the edge parts 10 and 12 are bent under an angle 90° such that they stand perpendicular to the remaining part of the bottom plate 2. The bending occurs about bending lines 15 and 16, respectively. The bending lines are provided in the form of weakenings formed by recesses pressed into the plate 2 at the punching operation.

In Fig 2 appears that the bent edge parts 10, 12 are provided with a fixed position in relation to the remaining part of the plate along the bending lines 15, 16. In Figs. 3 and 4 is seen that the plate 3 is provided with bending lines 17 which are designed in a way corresponding to the bending lines 15, 16. Moreover, it appears that along a lower lateral edge 18 of the plate 3, projections 19 and mounting tabs 20 are provided. In the bent condition, shown in Fig. 4, the projections 19 and the mounting tabs 20 will be located at the lower edge 18 of each of the sidewalls 5. The projections 19 and the mounting tab 20 serves to interact with the incisions 14 in the bottom plate 2.

Moreover, it appears that elongated incisions 21 are provided in the plate at a position located in the rear wall in immediate vicinity of the bending lines 17. The elongated incisions 21 will run in parallel with the bending lines 17.

Moreover, from Fig. 4 it appears that the mounting tabs 20 have a lower bent edge area 22 which is bent around a bending line 23. The bending line 23 is formed in the same way s the above mentioned bending lines.

Furthermore, it appears that the mounting tabs are provided with holes 24, 25. These holes 24, 25 are intended for passage of screws by which the sidewalls can be fastened to the pallet 9 by means of screws (not shown). As the pallet 9 is made of plastic, the screws may easily be screwed in, thereby fastening the sidewalls 5 to the pallet 9.

Figs. 5 and 6 show an extension plate 6. At each lateral edge 26, the extension plate 6 has a projecting side part 27 which is connected with the rest of the plate via bending lines 28 made in the same way as explained above. It appears that by an extension 29 projecting under a lower edge 30 of the extension plate, the projecting side parts 27 have projections 31 at the lateral edge 32 facing rearwards, such as seen in Fig. 6. The projections 31 may interact with the incisions 21 in the rear wall.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is seen that the base plate 8 is provided with bending lines 33 which are produced as explained above and which extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the base plate. Moreover, by a projecting edge part 34 there is provided a bending line 46 of the same type as explained above. Furthermore, at each end of the base plate 8 there are provided projecting edge parts 35 which are also connected with the remaining part of the base plate 8 via bending lines 46 of the same type as mentioned above. In Fig. 8 is seen that the projecting edge parts 34 and 35 are bent about the common bending line 46.

As it appears from the above and the enclosed Figures, all bendings made about the bending lines are made with an angle of 90°.

In fig. 9 appears a pallet 9 in the form of a quarter pallet of standard type.

The pallet 9 is made of plastic and provided with a load platform 37 resting on four legs 38. The load platform 37 has a largely rectangular basic shape. At each lateral edge 39, the load platform 37 is provided with a cutout 40.

In Fig. 10 is seen that the bottom plate 2 is placed on the pallet 9. The bent edge areas 10, 12 extend upwards. Moreover, it appears that the centre elongated incision 14 running in parallel with the lateral edges 1 1 will be located opposite a cutout 40 in the lateral edge of the pallet.

As it appears from Fig. 1 1 , the plate 3 is placed upon the bottom plate 2 such that the mounting tabs 20 extend through the centre incisions 14 which are aligned with the cutout 40. The lower bent edge part 22 can hereby grip in under a lower lateral edge 41 of the load platform 37. The projections 19 in the two sidewalls 5 will engage the two outermost located incisions 14 along the sidewalls 1 1 of the bottom plate. The two plates will thus be fixed to each other, and the bottom plate 3 will be squeezed against the pallet 9 due to the permanent mounting of the mounting tabs 20 to the pallet 9. In Fig. 12 is seen that the extension plate 6 is mounted o the rear wall 4. The projections 31 engage the incisions 21 in the rear wall. The projections 31 will be provided as hook-shaped projections as incisions 42 (see Figs. 5 and 6) are provided between the projections 31 and the remaining part of the projecting side part 27. Due to its own weight, the mounted wall 6 will thus be disposed and retained in engagement with the rear wall. The underside 30 of the extension plate 6 may be in contact with the upper side edge 43 of the rear wall 4 (see Fig. 4), or alternatively an overlap may be provided such that the lower lateral edge 30 extends down past the upper edge 43 of the rear wall, as illustrated in Fig. 12. This establishes a more secure and firm engagement between the extension plate 6 and the rear wall 4.

In Fig. 13 is seen that two base plates, which are illustrated in Fig. 7, are bent into final shape as bending about the bending lines 33 has also occurred here. The two base plates may hereby be displaced together around the pallet 9 such as shown in the finished display in Fig. 14. The edge area 34 is adapted so that it may be placed under the bottom plate 2 and the top side of the pallet 9. Moreover, at the projecting edge parts 35, there are provided incisions 44 engaging behind the mounting tabs 20.

The assembled display hereby appears with metal surfaces and without the pallet 9 being visible. The display 1 will, however, be permanently connected with the pallet 9 such that there is achieved a stability provided with the total weight of the plates 2, 3, 6 and 8 of the display and the pallet 9.

In the shown embodiment, the incisions formed will have a length and a thickness corresponding to the width of an interacting projection and the thickness of the plate. A tight fit is hereby achieved between the individual plates. In the shown design, the display is shown with a pattern of perforations 45 which are formed in the extension plate 6. This number of perforations may be used for suspension. In the display, no arrangement for disposition of hooks, shelves or similar in the display is shown. The shown display may be used with or without hooks and shelves, or alternatively there may be provided mounting means for mounting shelves. Also, there may be provided more incisions in the plate 3 for forming mounting points in rear and side walls 4, 5, upon which shelves (not shown) are mounted such that the display is used with shelves.

In Figs. 15-27 is shown another embodiment. This embodiment also includes a bottom plate 2 and a plate 3 for forming rear wall 4 and sidewalls 5. Also, an extension plate 6 is shown. These plates are disposed on a pallet 9 which is also a quarter pallet. However, the pallet 9 may also be of other types than quarter pallets.

The second embodiment shown in Figs. 15-27 is shown without base plate, but the kit may be provided with a base plate 8 which is identical to the one shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In the second embodiment there is the difference that the bottom plate 2 is not provided with elongated tabs corresponding to the tabs 14 for receiving projections corresponding to the projections 19 in the first embodiment. At its lateral edges, the bottom plate 2 is provided with bent engagement tabs 47 at its four lateral edges. These engagement tabs 47 are intended for interaction with cutouts 40 which are provided at all four lateral edges of the pallet 9.

The plate 3 is provided with straight lateral edges instead of the curved upper lateral edges on the side walls 5 which are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Furthermore, the plate 3 is provided with lock tabs 48 at its lower edge. The lock tabs 48 interact with the cutouts 40. As it particularly appears from Figs. 17 and 17a, a lock tab 48 will be bent outward when commencing mounting, which is shown in Fig. 18. After mounting, the lock tab

48 will be bent into the cutout, such as appears from Figs. 19 and 20. Then a lock tab

49 provided in an opening 50, as most clearly appearing from Fig. 20, will be bent inwardly into an opening 51 (see Fig. 15) in the pallet. This appears particularly clearly from Figs. 21 and 22. The plate 3 will hereby be locked firmly to the pallet 9 in a secure way.

The extension plate shown in plane and bent conditions in Figs. 23 and 24 may then be disposed upon the plate 3, as shown in Fig. 25, for providing the assembled display which is shown in Fig. 27.

In Fig. 27 is seen a detail showing that a bent edge part 52 is bent such that there is provided a hook-shaped projection corresponding to the hook shape formed by bending the edge part 35 on the base plate 8.

The shown display is made of metal and will therefore appear aesthetically pleasing and be a durable design compared with corresponding displays erected by plates made of cardboard.

Designation table:

1 display

2 bottom plate

3 plate

4 rear wall

5 sidewall

6 extension plate

7 not used

8 base plate

9 pallet

10 projecting edge area (on bottom plate 2)

1 1 lateral edge (on bottom plate 2)

12 projecting edge area (on bottom plate 2)

13 front lateral edge (on bottom plate 2) 14 incision (on bottom plate 2)

15 bending line (on bottom plate 2)

16 bending line (on bottom plate 2)

17 bending line (on plate 3)

18 lower lateral edge (on plate 3)

19 projection (on plate 3)

20 mounting tabs (on plate 3)

21 incision (on plate 3)

22 lower bent edge area (on plate 3)

23 bending line (on plate 3)

24 holes (on plate 3)

25 holes (on plate 3)

26 lateral edge (on extension plate 6)

27 projecting side part (on extension plate 6)

28 bending lines (on extension plate 6) 29 extension (on extension plate 6)

30 lower edge (on extension plate 6)

31 projection (on extension plate 6)

32 lateral edge (on extension plate 6) 33 bending lines (on base plate 8)

34 projecting edge part (on bottom plate 8)

35 projecting edge part (on bottom plate 8)

36 bending lines (on base plate 8)

37 load platform (on pallet 9)

38 legs (on pallet 9)

39 lower lateral edge (on pallet 9)

40 cutout (on pallet 9)

41 lower lateral edge (on load platform 37) 42 incision (on extension plate 6)

43 upper lateral edge (on rear wall 4)

44 incision (on base plate 8)

45 perforations (on extension plate 6)

46 bending lines (on base plate 8)

47 engagement tab

48 cutouts

49 lock tab

50 opening

51 opening

52 edge part