Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display stand, in particular to a portable display stand.

Background to the Invention

Display stands for the display of products are often required to be portable. Such portable display stands may be used by salespeople who need to travel and set up displays of their products at customer's premises. Organisations that sell using party plan type systems are one such example.

The present invention relates to a display stand designed to be particularly suitable for transporting and for assembly and disassembly as required. While the display stand has been designed for use as a portable display unit, it will be appreciated that it would also be useable for more permanent display of products. Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a display stand comprising one or more display units, each display unit comprising: a wall member having one or more pivotable wall portions; and

one or more hinge portions on opposed edges thereof;

wherein each wall portion is pivotable from a first position in which the wall portion is coplanar with the wall member to a second position in which the wall portion extends transversely to the wall member to form a display shelf and each hinge portion is connectable to a hinge portion of an adjacent display panel to form a hinge mechanism such that the connected display panels are pivotally connected.

Preferably each wall portion comprises a rectangular portion of the wall member separated from the wall member along an upper edge and side edges and having a lower edge thereof joined to the wall member by an integrally formed hinge.

Preferably at least one support arm is provided adjacent each wall portion to support the wall portion in the second position thereof, each support arm being pivotable from a first position in which the support arm lies in the plane of the wall member to a second position in which the support arm extends outwardly from the plane of the wall member to support the wall portion. Each support arm preferably comprises an elongate portion of the wall member located below a respective wall portion connected to the wall member on a vertical end thereof such that the support arm pivots generally about a vertical axis. In one embodiment, each wall member is provided with an upper wall portion, a lower wall portion and an intermediate wall portion such that the upper, lower and intermediate wall portions form upper, lower and intermediate shelves respectively. The upper and intermediate wall portions may be each provided with a pair of support arms having vertical ends connected to the wall member adjacent a midpoint of the lower edge of the respective wall portion. Preferably each of the support members is provided with a lug on a distal end thereof to be received in hole in a lower side of the wall portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower wall portion is provided with a single support arm, the vertical end of which is connected to the wall member adjacent the first side edge of the wall portion. Preferably the lower wall portion has an end portion adjacent the upper edge thereof pivotable to extend transversely to the plane of the lower wall portion such that when the lower wall portion is in the second position, the pivotal end portion extends downwardly to rest on the ground. The pivotal end portion may include a slot that receives a distal end of the single support arm . Preferably the hinge portions each comprise cylindrical members spaced apart along the side edges of the wall members including a rounded protrusion on one end and a recess on the other end such that cylindrical members on each side edge can be received between the cylindrical members of an adjacent display unit to form a hinge mechanism.

In one embodiment, the wall member is provided with a top member pivotally connected to the upper first end, the top member being pivotable between a first position in which the top member is located adjacent and parallel to the wall member and a second position in which the top member extends outwardly from the wall member such that edges of the top member are located adjacent edges of the top member of an adjacent display unit. The top member is preferably triangular in shape such that edges of the top member are located adjacent edges of the top member of the adjacent display unit when the display units are connected with the wall members perpendicular to each other. Preferably the top member is provided with top support arms each comprising an elongate portion of the wall member pivotally connected to the wall member on a vertical end thereof such that the top support arms pivot outwardly from the wall member to support the top member. A banner label may be provided comprising an elongate sheet of material that slides into an opening created when the top support arms move to the second positions thereof. The opening is preferably provided with a plurality of tabs along the horizontal edges thereof to retain edges of the banner label. In a preferred embodiment, a backing sheet is provided comprising a sheet of material slidable into tabs provided on the rear surface of the wall member such that the backing sheet covers the openings left by the wall portions when the wall portions are moved to the second positions thereof. Preferably handles are provided comprising openings adjacent the side edges of the wall member such that when adjacent wall members are folded flat against each other, the openings align.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a display stand in accordance with the present invention comprising four display units;

Figure 2 is a front view of a collapsed display unit;

Figure 3a is a right side perspective view of the collapsed display unit;

Figure 3b is a left side perspective view of the collapsed display unit;

Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the collapsed display unit;

Figure 5a is a rear perspective view of the collapsed display unit with a side portion cut away;

Figure 5b is a close up of a Detail A of Figure 5a;

Figure 6a is an upper perspective view of the display unit showing extension of the wall portions to form display shelves;

Figure 6b is a close up of a Detail A of Figure 6a;

Figure 7a is a lower perspective view of the display unit showing extension of the support members;

Figure 7b is a close up of a Detail A of Figure 7a;

Figure 7c is a close up of a Detail B of Figure 7a;

Figure 8a is a rear perspective view of the display unit showing extension of a top support member;

Figure 8b is a close up of a Detail A of Figure 8a;

Figure 9a is a rear perspective view of the display unit showing insertion of a backing sheet;

Figure 9b is a close up of a Detail A of Figure 9a;

Figure 10a is a front perspective view of the display unit showing insertion of a banner label;

Figure 10b is a close up of a Detail A of Figure 10a

Figure 11a is an upper perspective view showing connection of a pair of display units;

Figure 11b is an upper perspective view of the connected pair of display units;

Figure 12a is an upper perspective view of a single assembled display unit; Figure 12b is an upper perspective view of a pair of assembled display units connected together; and

Figure 12c is an upper perspective view of four assembled display units connected together.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the Figures, there is shown a display stand 10 comprising one or more display units 12. Each display unit 12 is provided to display products for sale, or other items, on one or more display shelves 14 provided on each display unit 12. In the embodiment shown, each of the display units is provided with three display shelves 14.

Each display unit 12 comprises a wall member 16 forming the main body of the display unit 12. The wall member 16 comprises a generally planar member constructed of a suitable material. It is expected that the wall member 16 is likely to be constructed of a suitable plastic material. In the embodiment shown, each wall member 16 is rectangular in shape including first and second opposed side edges 18 and 19 and first and second opposed ends 20 and 21. The display unit 12 is to be assembled in use with the first end 20 positioned uppermost, the second end 21 resting on the ground and the first and second side edges 18 and 19 oriented vertically. That is, the wall member 16 in use is oriented in a vertical plane.

The wall member 16 includes one or more wall portions 22 provided to form the display shelves 14 in use. Each wall portion 22 comprises a rectangular portion of the wall member 16 separated from the wall member 16 along an upper edge 24 and side edges 26 and 27. A lower edge 25 of the wall portion 22 is joined to the wall member 16 by a flexible length of material. The flexible length of material is integrally formed with the wall member 16 and the wall portion 22 to form a hinge such that the wall portion 22 is pivotally connected to the wall member 16 along the lower edge 25 thereof. The wall portions 22 can therefore each be pivoted between a first position in which the wall portion 22 lies within the plane of the wall member 16 (as shown in Figure 2) and a second position in which the wall member extends generally transversely to the plane of the wall member 16 (as shown in Figure 1 ). In the second positions, the wall portions 22 form the display shelves 14 of the display unit 12.

In the embodiment shown, each display unit is provided with an upper wall portion 28, a lower wall portion 30 and an intermediate wall portion 32 such that the upper, lower and intermediate wall portions 28, 30 and 32 form upper, lower and intermediate shelves respectively.

The wall member 16 is provided also with at least one support arm associated with each wall portion 22. Each support arm comprises an elongate portion of the wall member 16 that can also be pivoted from a first position in which the support arm lies in the plane of the wall member 16 to a second position in which the support arm extends outwardly from the plane of the wall member 16. Each support arm is located below a respective wall portion 22 such that when the support arm is pivoted to the second position thereof, the wall portion 22, when pivoted to the second position thereof, rests on the support arm .

Each support arm comprises an elongate portion of the wall member 16 oriented such that the longitudinal axis thereof is parallel to the lower edge 25 of the corresponding wall portion 22 and is connected to the wall member 16 on a vertical end 35 thereof such that the support arm pivots generally about a vertical axis.

In the embodiment shown, the upper and intermediate wall portions 28 and 32 are each provided with a pair of support arms 29 and 33 wherein the vertical ends 35 connected to the wall member 16 are adjacent a midpoint of the lower edge 25 of the respective wall portion 28 and 32. Each of the support members 29 and 33 is also provided with a lug 36 on a distal end thereof. The lugs 36 are received in use in holes 37 in the lower side of the wall portions 28 and 32 (as shown in Figure 7). The lower wall portion 30 is provided with a single support arm 31. The vertical end 35 of the support arm 31 is connected to the wall member 16 adjacent the first side edge 26 of the wall portion 30. The length of the support arm 31 is similar to the length of the first and second side edges 26 and 27 such that the distal end of the support arm 31 , when extended, is located adjacent the upper edge 24 of the wall portion 30 when the wall portion 30 is extended to the second position thereof.

The wall portion 30 includes also a pivotal end portion 38 adjacent the upper edge 24 thereof. The pivotal end portion 38 can be pivoted to extend transversely to the plane of the wall portion 30 when the wall portion 30 is in the second position thereof. The pivotal end portion 38 is of a width such that when the wall portion 30 is in the second position, the pivotal end portion extends downwardly to rest on the ground. The pivotal end portion 38 also includes a slot 39 that receives the distal end of the support arm 31. The distal end of the support arm 31 is preferably received in the slot 39 in a press fit manner such that the wall portion 30 and the support arm 31 are secured together (as shown in Figure 6). The support arm 31 and pivotal end portion

38 of the wall portion 30 rest on the ground to support the display unit 12 in an upright position.

Each display unit 12 is provided with one or more hinge portions 40 along the side edges 18 and 19. The hinge portions 40 each comprise elongate members spaced apart along the side edges 18 and 19. The elongate members include a rounded protrusion on one end and a recess on the other end. The elongate members on the first side edge 18 are offset from the elongate members on the second side edge 19 such that elongate members on each side edge 18 and 19 can be received between the elongate members of an adjacent display unit 12. The elongate members are connected together with the rounded protrusions being received in the recesses of the elongate members of the adjacent display unit such that the hinge portions 40 of adjacent display units 12 together form a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism allows adjacent connected display units 12 to be pivoted relative to each other about the connected side edges 18 and 19. In this way, multiple display units 12 can be connected together to form a larger display stand 10. Figures 12a, 12b and 12c show three embodiments in which one, two and four display units 12 are connected together to form the display stand 10. In these embodiments, the display units 12 are each connected at ninety degrees. In Figure 12c, the fourth display unit 12 is connected back to the first display unit 12 such that the wall members 16 form a rectangular prism shape. While the wall members 16 of the connected display units 16 shown in Figure 12 are oriented at ninety degrees, it will be appreciated that the wall members 16 may be oriented at any angle to form the desired shape of the display stand 10.

Further, the hinge mechanism connecting adjacent display units 12 allows the connected display units 12 to be pivoted through 360 degrees such that each display unit 12 can be pivoted flat against an adjacent display unit 12 when the wall portions 22 are in the first positions. Therefore, when it is required to transport the display unit 12, the wall portions 22 can each be pivoted to the first position thereof and each connected display unit 12 pivoted against the adjacent display unit 12 to form a flat stack of the wall members 16 for transporting.

Each of the display units 12 is provided with a top member 42. The top member 42 is pivotally connected to the upper first end 20 and is pivotable between a first position in which the top member 42 is located adjacent and parallel to the wall member 16 and a second position in which the top member 42 extends outwardly from the upper first end 20 and transversely to the wall member 16. The top member 42 is triangular in shape such that edges of the top member 42 are located adjacent edges of the top member 42 of an adjacent display unit 12 when the display units are connected with the wall members 16 perpendicular to each other. The top member 42 is provided with a plurality of holes 56 therein that receive flexible lugs 58 extending from a rear surface of the wall member 16 when the top member 42 is in the first position thereof. The flexible lugs 58 engage with the holes 56 to retain the top member 42 in the first position for transport (as shown in Figure 5). The top member 42 is also provided with top support arms 44 (as best seen in Figure 8). The top support arms 44 each comprises an elongate portion of the wall member 16 oriented such that the longitudinal axis thereof is parallel to the upper first end 20 of the wall member 16. The top support arms 44 are connected to the wall member 16 on vertical ends 46 thereof such that the top support arms 44 pivot generally about a vertical axis.

The vertical ends 46 of the top support arms 44 are connected to the wall member 16 adjacent opposed side edges 18 and 19 such that when the top support arms 44 pivot to the second extended positions the distal ends thereof engage with the underside of the top member 42 to support the top member42. When the top support arms 44 move to the extended positions, an elongate openings 48 in the wall member 16 remain.

The display unit 12 is provided also with a banner label 50. The banner label 50 comprises an elongate sheet of material that slides into the opening 48. The opening 48 is provided with a plurality of tabs 52 along the horizontal edges thereof to retain edges of the banner label 50 (as shown in Figure 10). The banner label 50 can be printed with information relating to the products that are to be displayed on the display shelves 14.

Also provided is a backing sheet 54. The backing sheet 54 comprises a sheet of material slidable into tabs 56 provided on the rear surface of the wall member 16 such that the backing sheet 54 covers the openings left by the wall portions 22 when the wall portions 22 are moved to the second positions thereof.

Each wall member 16 is also provided with handles 60. The handles 60 comprise openings adjacent the side edges 18 and 19 such that when adjacent wall members 16 are folded flat against each other, the openings align. The wall members 16 can thereby be carried by inserting a hand through the aligned handle openings. It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.