So-called slat wall systems are well known for the display of goods. In one such system, a panel typically of wood, a wood based product such as MDF (medium density fibreboard) or of a plastics material, is provided with a plurality of parallel slots extending thereacross, each such slot. being of L- shaped or T-shaped form. Hangers for the goods to be displayed are furnished at one end with an engagement region which has a joggle formed at the end portion, permitting interengagement with a slot at a selected location, by feeding into the groove the end portion and then swinging downwardly the part of the hanger external to the groove. Once so engaged, the hanger is held in the slot and cannot be disengaged by a simple force applied to the hanger either horizontally or vertically ; to disengage the hanger, it must perform an upward swinging movement about a horizontal axis to disengage the joggle from the undercut part of the slot.

Slat wall display systems of the kind described above have been very widely employed commercially, since they afford great flexibility for the display of products. Unfortunately, such systems can be relatively expensive to implement, in view of the manufacturing cost for the panel having the plurality of parallel L-or T-shaped slots. The panel must have a significant initial thickness to ensure the panel can accommodate the slots and has sufficient strength after the slots have been formed therein. L-shaped slots are usually formed by securing to a base panel a number of undercut strips, whereas for T-shaped slots, the usual manufacturing technique is to machine the slots across each panel with an appropriately shaped cutter starting from a side edge of the panel, but such cutters are relatively expensive and have a limited life. The hangers may be made from plastics materials or from metal, by a stamping operation followed by a pressing operation in order to provide both the joggle part which interengages with the groove and a suitable arm portion for the suspension of goods to be displayed.

Though the arm portion of a hanger may take any one of a wide variety of forms, there are some products which cannot easily be displayed on a projecting arm portion. It may therefore be necessary to attach other components to the arm portion, in order to allow the display of such products- and this increases the manufacturing cost of the hanger.

The slot which has to be formed in the panel has to be relatively wide, in order to permit the entry of the joggled end portion of hanger. Thus, even if the panel itself is suitably faced for example with a plastic material, there still will be exposed the base material of the panel, along the length of the slot except for where hangers are provided. To improve the aesthetic qualities, it is a common practice to provide a suitable insert for each slot, which inserts have a complementary or similar form to that of the slot and are fitted into the slots of the panel, before the panel is employed in a retail environment. The provision of such inserts further adds to the manufacturing cost of the slat panel and also requires the production of a larger slot, to permit the accommodation of the insert and still have within the insert the required dimensions for receiving a hanger. In turn this increases the manufacturing cost of the panel since larger cutters are required to form the slots.

The present invention aims at providing a display system which is significantly simpler and so cheaper to manufacture than the above described slat systems, and which does not employ a joggled hanger. Further, the display system should still be aesthetically pleasing, when in use.

According to the present invention there is provided a display system comprising: - a support panel intended for use in a generally vertical disposition and having a plurality of grooves extending thereacross, each groove being of a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and being defined by a pair of planar side walls and a base wall ; and - a carrier for directly or indirectly supporting products to be displayed, which carrier has a shaft provided with a head at one end, the dimension across the shaft being greater than the width of the groove between the side walls but the shaft being provided with a relieved portion along its length such that the

dimension across the shaft at the relieved portion is not more than the width of the groove, whereby the shaft may be inserted into the groove when the relieved portion is aligned with a side wall of the groove and on turning the head of the carrier the shaft becomes jammed between the side walls of the groove so holding the carrier in the groove.

In the display system of this invention, the hanger of the previous above- described display systems is replaced by a carrier, which may directly or indirectly support the products to be displayed. This carrier is in the form of a relatively simple component which may be fitted into a groove of the support panel merely by being pushed into that groove when correctly oriented with respect to the groove, and then is turned about its axis in order to lock it in the required position. The carrier has a head which is external to the panel and by appropriate configuration of the head for the products in question, may be used directly to support those products. In the alternative, some other appropriately shaped hanger may be employed, which hanger is supported by the carrier and is used for suspending or otherwise displaying goods.

Further, each groove formed in the support panel is of a simple rectangular form. Thus, each groove may be produced with a relatively simple circular cutter, as compared to the routing cutters required to produce T-shaped slots in some of the prior designs of slat-wall systems. A plurality of the rectangular grooves may be formed at the same time by traversing across the panel a mandrel carrying a plurality of circular cutters at the required spacing.

This enables the production of a support panel with grooves of the required rectangular profile in a rapid and effective manner. There is the additional advantage that this process for manufacturing the support panel gives rise to significantly less waste material than is produced with the conventional support panels as described above. In the alternative, the panel for use with the carrier may be of pressed metal or formed from plastics, to define a panel with a series of parallel grooves.

The relieved portion of the carrier may be a flat formed on the shaft thereof and extending towards the head, from the end of the shaft remote from the head. Alternatively, the relieved portion may be in the form of a flute or

groove provided on the shaft and again extending towards the head, from the end of the shaft remote from the head. Whichever form the relieved portion takes, it should reduce the effective diameter of the shaft as measured across the relieved portion, that effective diameter then being not greater than the width of the groove so that the shaft may easily be pushed into the groove.

To enhance the security of the carrier when jammed between the side walls of a groove, the shaft may have at least one groove-engagement rib formed thereon so as to increase the effective diameter of the shaft, the dimension across the shaft in the region of the rib being greater than the width of the groove. In this way, the true diameter of the shaft may be made smaller than the width of the groove between the side walls thereof, but the effective diameter of the shaft is increased by the provision of the rib so that the carrier may still be locked in place on turning the carrier, when inserted into a groove.

Greater security may be provided by having a plurality of engagement ribs extending generally circumferentially of the shaft and spaced along the length thereof, which ribs will be discontinuous, or essentially discontinuous, at the or each relieved portion. Alternatively, the shaft may be provided with a helical engagement rib formed along the shaft, but again which rib is discontinuous or essentially discontinuous at the or each relieved portion.

In a preferred embodiment, a flange is formed on the shaft, spaced from the head of the carrier thereby defining an annular slot in the carrier between the head and the flange. In use, the flange of this embodiment will engage the outwardly directed surface of the support panel and then products may be suspended by the carrier on being interengaged with the slot. For example, a bagged product having a header card for the bag may include an opening through the header card, so that the card may be fitted on to the carrier and be dropped into the slot.

The head may be configured to assist the turning of the carrier, when inserted into a groove. For example, the head may be of generally circular form and be provided with an upstanding boss projecting generally axially from the head and engageable by a suitable tool. In the alternative, the head itself may be given a profile which facilitates the turning thereof-for example, it could be

of hexagonal form so as to be capable of being turned by a conventional spanner. Another possibility is to provide a profiled recess in the head, which recess may be engaged by a suitable tool. Thus, the head may have a simple slot thereacross, or a recess of X-shaped form, engageable by a cross-point screw-driver. A removable cap may be provided for the head, to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the head.

This invention extends to a display system of this invention as described above in combination with a bracket having an opening with which the head region of the carrier is engaged, the bracket being adapted to support some other article. Such a bracket may be provided with two openings so as to be suitable for use with two carriers engaged respectively one with each of the two openings, the carriers then being engaged in a groove of the panel so that both panels support the bracket. In this way, greater strength and security can be obtained, for supporting heavier articles.

The bracket may have a first part in which an opening for the carrier is formed, that first part in use lying against the outer face of the support panel.

The bracket may have a second part which projects at an angle from the first part away from the face of the support panel. Such a bracket may thus be in the form of a shelf, or may define a channel or box, to receive hold products to be displayed. Further, the bracket may have at least one tab which locates in a groove of the support panel when the bracket is secured thereto, to enhance the stability of the bracket even if held with only one carrier. Preferably, two such tabs are provided, one to each side of the carrier. The or each tab may be profiled to engage at least one, but preferably both, of the side walls of the groove.

By way of example only, certain specific embodiments of display system of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1A illustrates a first embodiment of carrier engaged in a groove of a support panel, but in a free position; Figures 1 B and 1C are views on the two ends respectively of the carrier of Figure 1A, Figure 1B being on an enlarged scale ;

Figures 2A and 2B are similar to Figures 1A and 1B but showing the carrier turned through a little less than 90° ; Figures 3A and 3B are respectively side and end views on an alternative head design for the carrier of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 4A to 4C are end views of further alternative head designs for the carrier; Figure 5 is an isometric view of another form of carrier inserted into a groove in a support panel ; Figure 6 shows the carrier of Figure 5 turned through 90° ; Figure 7 is an axial cross-sectional view on the carrier of Figures 5 and 6; Figure 8 illustrates a product holder associated with a pair of carriers, for use in a display system of this invention; Figures 9A and 9B are cross-sections through the carrier and holder of Figure 8, respectively at free and locked positions; Figure 10 is a rear view on an alternative form of bracket and including a resilient washer; Figures 11A and 11B are respectively isometric and sectional views through a carrier together with an aesthetic cap therefor; Figure 12 is an isometric view of yet another bracket for use in a display system of this invention and including two groove-engaging tabs; and Figure 13 shows a bracket in the form of a shelf and intended for use with two carriers.

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a part of a support panel 10 having a plurality of grooves 11 formed horizontally thereacross, only one of which grooves 11 is shown in the drawings. The panel is typically made of wood or a wood-based product such as MDF, though it could be made of other materials such as plastics or even of sheet metal. For metal, the panel could be produced by folding a sheet so as to define the grooves 11, and for plastics, by a suitable moulding or other forming operation. For other materials (such as MDF) the grooves may be formed by a plurality of cutters which traverse the panel to form parallel elongate grooves therein.

Each groove opens through the front surface 12 of the panel 10 and is of simple rectangular cross-sectional shape. In the particular embodiment shown in the drawings, the groove has an upper side wall 13, a lower side wall 14 and a base wall 15 and the two corner regions between the respective upper and lower walls 13 and 14 and the front surface 12 are right-angles, so that the groove extends perpendicularly to the front surface of the panel.

Shown in Figures 1A and 1B is a carrier 17 to permit articles to be suspended from a chosen position on the support panel 10. The carrier has a shaft 18 which is located in the groove 11, a flange 19 being provided on the shaft and bearing against the front-surface 12 of the support panel. At the outer end of the shaft 18 the carrier has a circular head 20 provided with a X-shaped slot axially of the carrier (as shown in Figure 1 C) for engagement by a suitable tool such as a cross-point screw-driver blade 16 to permit the turning of the carrier. An annular slot 21 is formed between the flange 19 and head 20, to permit the connection thereto of articles to be displayed.

The part of the shaft 18 disposed within the groove 11 is provided with a helical rib 22 somewhat in the manner of a parallel screw thread. The rib is discontinuous, by virtue of the provision of two diametrically-opposed flutes 23 formed in the shaft and extending from its free end 24 to the flange 19. As is apparent from Figure 1B, the cross-sectional dimension d of the shaft 18 as determined across the flutes 23 is significantly less than the cross-sectional dimension D of the shaft 18 as determined across the ribs 22. The shaft, ribs and flutes are dimensioned so that d is slightly less than the width of the groove 11, measured between the upper and lower side walls 13 and 14 and D is slightly greater than that width.

As shown in Figure 1A, when the flutes 23 are aligned with the upper and lower side walls 13 and 14 of the groove 11, the carrier may be moved into or out of the groove at a selected location along the length of the groove. When fully inserted so that the flange 19 bears on the front surface 12 of the panel and then the carrier 17 is turned through approximately 90° to the position shown in Figure 2A, the ribs 22 bite into the material of the panel 10, so firmly locking the carrier against withdrawal. Further, in view of the helical

arrangement of the ribs, the action of turning the carrier through 90° in the correct sense has the effect of pulling the flange firmly into engagement with the front surface of the panel, so minimising the likelihood of any movement between the carrier and the panel.

Figures 3A and 3B show an alternative head configuration for the carrier shown in Figures 1 and 2. Here, there is a short stub 26 projecting from the flange 19, supporting a transverse bar 27 which acts as a tommy-bar for turning the carrier, in the manner of a tum-buckle. In other respects, the carrier of Figure 3A is essentially the same as that described above.

Figures 4A to 4C show yet further head configurations for the carrier.

The head of Figure 4A has a simple transverse slot 28 but which does not extend across the whole width of the head, so as to assist the retention of a screwdriver blade in the slot and to minimise the likelihood of the screwdriver slipping from the head and then damaging the front surface 12 of the panel. In the head of Figure 4B, there is provided a hexagonal recess 29 engageable by an Allen key or a similar hexagonal driving tool. The head of Figure 4C has an upstanding central cross-bar 30 which may be gripped between the thumb and forefinger and then turned, the head also being marked with arrows 31 to show the direction of rotation of the carrier in order to lock it in position. Another possibility would be for the head to be of hexagonal external shape, for turning by means of a conventional spanner.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7, there is shown a broadly similar embodiment to those described above, but differing in detail. Like components are indicated with like reference characters and will not be described again here. The carrier of this further embodiment is essentially planar in that it may be formed from a sheet of material the thickness of which is not greater than the width of the groove 11 into which the carrier is to be positioned. The carrier is profiled from the sheet so as to define a shaft 33 connected to a head 34, the shaft having formed along the opposed cut edges a series of barb-like projections 35, leading in the direction of insertion of the shaft 33 into a groove.

The width across those projections 35 should be slightly greater than the width of the groove.

In use, the carrier is pushed into a groove when the head 34 is aligned with the length of the groove (Figure 5) but with the head spaced from the front surface 12 of the panel. The shaft may be sufficiently long to engage the base wall 15 of the groove and prevent the head 34 moving too close to the panel.

When suitably positioned, the carrier is rotated through 90° either clockwise or counter-clockwise (Figure 6) so as to cause the projections 35 to bite into the material of the panel defining the upper and lower side walls 13,14 of a groove.

The head 34 is then more or less vertical and provides a convenient hook from which products may be suspended.

Figures 8,9A and 9B show an alternative arrangement where a product holder 40 is hung from two carriers 41 each similarly configured to the carrier 17 of the first embodiment. However, the carriers 41 differ from the previous carrier in that no flange is provided on the shaft 18 of the carrier, and further that the head 42 is provided with a hexagonal recess 43, as shown in Figure 4B.

The product holder 40 is generally of a channel shape and typically might be made from sheet metal or plastics such as an acrylic sheet. Though not shown in Figure 8, end walls for the channel could be provided, in order to prevent held products from coming out of the channel, sideways. The channel shaped product holder might be used to hold a wide variety of products, such as greetings cards, cased CDs and so on. Other designs of product holder may equally be used, adapted to suit the products to be held.

The rear wall 44 of the product holder 40 is provided with two bores 45, through which the shaft 18 of the respective carrier 41 passes. A synthetic rubber O-ring 46 is pushed on to the shaft 18 after it has been passed through the associated bore 45, to prevent the shaft inadvertently coming out of the bore as the product holder 40 is being fitted to a panel 10.

Figures 9A and 9B show the fitting of the product holder 40 to a panel 10.

The carriers 41 are turned so that the shafts thereof present their smaller cross- sectional dimensions in line with the grooves in the panel and the two carriers are then pushed into the required groove as far as possible (Figure 9A). The heads of the carriers are turned in a clockwise sense to engage the ribs 23 on

the respective shafts with the upper and lower side walls of the groove, so locking each carrier in position (Figure 9B). During this action, in view of the slightly helical form of the ribs 23, the O-rings 46 are compressed to a small extent, so that the product holder is held securely in the required position on the panel 10.

Figure 10 is a rear isometric view of an alternative product holder to that of Figures 8 and 9. This product holder has a back-plate 48 the upper region of which is cut and formed so as to define a pair of rearwardly-projecting tabs 49 between which upstands a lug 50, in the plane of the main area of the back- plate. A hole 51 is formed through the lug for receiving the shaft of a carrier (not shown) and in the rear face of the back-plate there is formed a counter- bore 52, around the hole 51. The carrier may be similar to those shown in Figures 8 and 9 though other designs of carrier could be employed.

As with the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9, a rubber grommet 53 is fitted on to the shaft of the carrier but that grommet will locate in the counter- bore 52. Thus, when the back-plate is secured to a panel, the grommet may compress wholly into that counter-bore so permitting the back-plate to lie closely against the front surface of the panel while still lightly gripping the shaft and restraining it against loosening.

The tabs 49 are profiled so as to fit into a groove in the panel, when the back-plate is fitted thereto. Depending upon the dimensions, the tabs may fit into the same groove as the carrier, or into the next adjacent groove below the carrier. Either way, the tabs 49 will increase the stability of the back-plate with respect to the panel and prevent the panel from turning about the carrier.

Security of attachment of the back-plate may be enhanced by providing an upstand 54 along the free edge 55 of the tab. The edge of the upstand which engages the upper side wall 13 of a groove may be relatively sharp so as to dig into that side wall. This effect may be enhanced by making the angle between the major area of the back-plate and each tab slightly greater than 90° so that moving the back-plate to lie closely adjacent the front surface of the panel forces the sharp edges of the upstands into the upper side wall.

Figures 11A and 11B show a carrier 57 of essentially the same design as carrier 41 but provided with a simple linear slot 58 across the head 59. The rear face of the head is undercut at 60. A plain cap 61 may be fitted over the head 59, that cap having an internal rib 62 which engages into the undercut 60 behind the head 59 to hold the cap in position. The cap prevents access to the slot 58 in the carrier and also improves the aesthetic appearance when the display system is in use.

Instead of the cap having a rib 62 as described above, the cap may be internally threaded and engageable with external threads formed around the head of the carrier. Other possibilities include providing internally within the cap a projection which may be push-fitted into the slot 58 of the carrier.

Figure 12 is an isometric front view of another product holder, similar to that of Figure 10 and comprising a back-plate 64 from which projects a hook 65 for hanging products to be displayed. As with the embodiment of Figure 10, the back-plate has a pair of tabs 66, but in this embodiment each tab has a joggle 67 formed thereacross. The thickness of the material from which the back-plate is made is significantly less than the width of a groove in the display panel but the tabs are a light frictional fit in the groove by virtue of the joggle 67 formed thereacross.

Figure 13 shows yet another product holder, in the form of a shelf 69.

Thus, the holder has a first part 70 provided with two tabs 71 each intended for fitting into a groove in a display panel as described above. Between the two tabs there is formed a long slot 72 through which two carriers (not shown) may pass, the shafts of those carriers engaging in the same groove as the tabs 71.

In this way, significant strength and stability may be given to the product holder.

As shown in Figure 13, the product holder has a further part 73 projecting away from the first part 70, in the form of a shelf on which products may be placed. The product holder of Figure 13 may be used in the disposition shown in that figure, of may be inverted so that the first part 70 is below the further part 73, so obscuring to some extent the carriers. The further part may be profiled to suit whatever products are to be displayed.