Cross-reference to related applications

The present application is related to, and claims priority from, the patent application No. 60/598,442 filed by the present inventor on August 04, 2004 in the United States of America and entitled "Gondola end" .

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for holding and displaying merchandise for sale.

Background of the invention

In many sales establishments 5 (see Fig. 1), merchandise is set out on shelving structures known as "gondolas". Each gondola 52 consists of a vertical partition from which may extend a number of shelves on each side of the partition. In a given sales establishment, several gondolas 52 may be arranged parallel to one another, where adjacent gondolas are spaced apart from each other by an aisle.

A customer can pass down the aisle and view merchandise on the shelves facing the aisle from the two gondolas 52 bordering the aisle.

In prior art, apparently not enough attention has been paid to the end of the gondola. Let us assume a potential customer entering the hall 5, passing the cashier's positions 51 and walking along the aisle between two gondolas 52. As she reaches the end of the hall 5, she may look around to decide where to go next or to search for a particular merchandise. While the customer stands there, looking at nothing (the empty side of a gondola), an important sales opportunity is being wasted.

Recognizing the problem, managers sometimes stack up merchandise at the end of a gondola. This is not an effective solution. Moreover, the merchandise may protrude onto the aisle to obstruct customer's passage, and against regulations for keeping a minimal aisle width.

Summary of the invention

The present invention discloses a shelving structure to be called "gondola end" which is especially devised so as to be placed at the end of a gondola to effectively display merchandise there.

The novel structure allows merchandise to be viewed from three sides. Thus, as the customer walks by the end of a console, he is presented merchandise for sale.

Moreover, one or more opaque partitions in the end console help separate the merchandise into two or more groups. A customer is only presented with part of these groups at any given moment, to enhance the impact of the display on the customer.

In one embodiment, the gondola end consists of a vertical back surface from which extend a number of shelves. The gondola end is placed at the end of a gondola with its back surface perpendicular to the partition of the gondola. Use of gondola ends allows utilization of the area at the ends of the gondolas for display of merchandise.

The present invention provides a gondola end. The gondola end of the invention comprises a back surface from which a number of shelves extend and at least a first vertical side surface from which a number of shelves extend. The back surface and the first side surface are positioned so as to form a dihedral angle between them that is preferably around 90 .

In a preferred embodiment, the gondola end of the invention includes a second vertical side surface from which extend a number of shelves. The second vertical side surface forms a dihedral angle with the back surface that is preferably around 90 .

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates the location of the Gondola end in a sales location.

Fig. 2 details a perspective view of a gondola end in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 details a perspective view (exploded) of the gondola end of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 to 9 each details a top view of one embodiment of the end gondola, corresponding to one embodiment of the partition means therein.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 details a sales establishment or hall 5, wherein merchandise is set out on shelving structures known as "gondolas". Several gondolas 52 may be arranged parallel to one another, where adjacent gondolas are spaced apart from each other by an aisle.

The present invention is the Gondola end 1, a special-purpose device to be added at the end of a gondola 52. Preferably, the width of the gondola end 1 is about equal to that of a gondola 52, so as to best utilize the available space whilst not obstructing the aisle between gondolas.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a gondola end 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The gondola end 1 is shown in an assembled state in Fig. 2 and in an exploded view in Fig. 3. The gondola end 1 may comprise a first vertical surface 2 (referred to herein as "the back surface"), a second vertical surface 4 (referred to herein as "the left vertical surface") and a third vertical surface 6 (referred to herein as "the right vertical surface") .

The left vertical surface 4 and the back vertical surface 2 are essentially perpendicular to each other. Similarly, the right vertical surface 6 is essentially perpendicular to the back vertical surface 2.

The left vertical surface 4 is part of a left flanking structure 10. The left flanking structure 10 includes in addition to the left vertical surface 4, a pair of wings 8a and 8b that extend from the left vertical surface 4.

The left vertical surface 4 and its associated wings 8a and 8b were formed from a single piece of sheet metal that was bent into a dihedral angle at the boundary between the left vertical surface 4 and each of the wings 8a and 8b. The wing 8a forms a dihedral angle of about 90° with the back vertical surface 2 and the wing 8b forms a dihedral angle of about 135° with the back vertical surface. A dihedral angle is the angle between two surfaces.

The right vertical surface 6 is part of a right flanking structure 12. the right flanking structure 12 includes in addition to the right vertical surface 6, a pair of wings 8c and 8d. The right vertical surface 6 and its associated wings 8c and 8d were formed from a single piece of sheet metal that was bent into a dihedral angle at the boundary between the right vertical surface 6 and each of the wings 8c and 8d. - S -

The wing 8c forms a dihedral angle of about 90 with the back vertical surface 2 and the wing 8d forms a dihedral angle of about 135 with the back vertical surface.

Each of the left and right vertical surface 4 and 6, together with its associated wings, forms a niche 20. The left and right vertical surface 4 and 6 are provided with an array of holes 14a and 14b, respectively.

At least some of the holes in the array are sized and located to receive mounting brackets 16 of a shelf, such as a shelf 18a or 18b. A number of shelves 18a and/or 18b may be mounted onto the vertical surfaces 4 and 6. The shelf 18b is in the form of a wire basket. The shelf 18b is formed from a piece of sheet metal. The shelves 18a and 18b are shaped so as to be received into the niches 20 formed by the vertical surface 4 and 6 and their respective associated wings 8.

The left and right flanking assemblies 4 and 6 may also include a base element 22. The base element 22 may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal that has been bent into a dihedral angle so as to form a bottom front panel 24 and a bottom shelf 25.

The base element 22 may be used to stabilize the flanking assemblies 4 and 6, if necessary. The flanking assemblies 4 and 6 may also be provided with a top front panel 26 upon which a sign may be mounted relating to merchandise placed on shelves in the niche 20.

In the gondola end 1, the left and right flanking structures 4 and 6 are attached to the back vertical surface 2, so as to form a niche 28. The back vertical surface 2 is provided with holes 30 that are so dimensioned and positioned as to receive mounting brackets 32 of a shelf 34. A number of shelves 34 may be mounted on the back vertical surface 2. The shelf 34 is shaped so as to fit into the niche 28.

The end gondola 1 may also include a front base element 36. The base element 36 may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal that has been bent into a dihedral angle so as to form a bottom front panel 38 and a bottom shelf 40.

The bottom shelf 40 is supported by angled brackets 42, attached to the left, right and back vertical surface 2, 4 and 6 and the wings 8b and 8d. A top front panel 44 may be used to display a sign relating to merchandise offered for sale that has been placed on shelves in the niche 28.

The niche 28 and the two niches 20 each forms a separate display field in the gondola end 1.

The gondola end 1 may include means for attaching it to the side of a gondola 52.

Fig. 4 basically illustrates the division as implemented in the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3. The opaque dividers 91, 92 and 93 form three display areas 97, 98 and 99. Each of the display areas 97, 98 and 98 is open to the side it points to, either using an open structure/shelf, or using a transparent outer window. That is, the display areas 97, 98 and 99 are best viewed from the left side, front and right side of the gondola end, respectively.

As the customer moves about the end gondola, he/she is presented, first with the merchandise in area 97, then that of area 98 and finally - area 99 (or in that order in reverse). Without the dividers, the customer could be confused with all the merchandise there. Thus, the dividers help achieve a more effective and easier to grasp display of merchandise. In one embodiment, this result may be achieved with dividers 91 and 92 at a slant angle, preferably about 45° as illustrated.

Figs. 5 to 9 detail, by way of example, various ways of dividing the space of the end gondola 1.

Various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure together with the drawings. Other embodiments of the invention may be implemented, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.