DE20116002U1 - Control box-like module elements and display - Google Patents

Description

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Shelf box-like modular elements and display

The invention relates to shelf-type modular elements for vertical stacking and presentation of flat piece goods, which elements can be placed in a stand or a frame. The invention also relates to a display consisting of a stand or frame with at least one vertical chamber open to the front, a lid, and a base, which chamber is filled with trays placed individually one above the other.

In recent times, more and more efforts have been made to not only transport, store and display flat piece goods, but also to bring them into the customer's field of vision through representative and efficient displays. These displays should also be suitable for transporting flat piece goods through simple additional measures.

Chocolate bars, as an example of flat, individual goods, are usually offered in an assortment box, with the bars arranged in compartments horizontally or vertically. In both cases, the customer takes the product he wants according to his needs. The individual stacks are therefore available in very different heights and depths. If the customer is to make a positive overall impression, the store staff must constantly refill the products and ensure that they are presented in an orderly manner, which entails considerable additional costs. In particular, large retailers still lack satisfactory displays that meet all requirements in an optimal manner.

The inventor has set himself the task of improving the transport, presentation, removal and replenishment of flat piece goods while maintaining at least the same level of economic efficiency. These flat piece goods

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Goods should be stacked and presented vertically in shelf-like modular elements, for which purpose the individual elements should be able to be placed in a stand or rack.

With regard to the module elements, the object is achieved according to the invention in that they are trays which are parallelepiped-shaped at least in the edge region, which remain open at the top, have a cutout on the front side and/or at least this front side is transparent. Special and further embodiments of the trays are the subject of dependent patent claims.

Shelf-box-like modular elements known as trays, which are pushed, hung or placed in a stand or frame, have been around for a long time. However, these familiar trays are always cuboid or cube-shaped. A pleasing or even eye-catching presentation option is usually lost.

A parallelepiped, a basic geometric term, is a three-dimensional body which is bounded on all sides by parallelograms, whereby at least one parallelogram is not a rectangle or a square. In the case of the present invention, at least the base is designed as a non-rectangular parallelogram. However, the side surfaces, the front and rear walls are preferably also not rectangular or square.

The base surface of the parallelepiped-shaped tray is usually flat, corresponding to the stacked flat piece goods. However, if these piece goods have a non-flat support surface or a non-straight support edge, the base surface of the tray can be designed in a corresponding shape. For example, in the case of flat cans stacked upright, the base surface of the tray can be designed in the shape of a cylinder in the middle area. This is obviously advantageous compared to a flat base, because the tray does not need any special guide rails or the like.

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Furthermore, for items that do not extend over the entire width of the tray, a recessed guide groove in the tray base is advantageous.

The flat items placed in the tray must slide forward automatically even when the tray is tilted at a relatively low angle. In other words, the bottom surface of the tray must be as smooth as possible and have a low coefficient of friction. If this is not provided by the material of the tray, the bottom surface is coated accordingly. Of course, automatic sliding must also be geometrically possible for the bottom surface of the tray to be designed specifically for the product.

Basically, the trays must be made of a sufficiently rigid material, the specialist takes into account the weight, dimensions, shape and sliding properties of the items to be stacked. The trays can, for example,

- punched out of corrugated cardboard and folded,

- punched out of sheet metal and bent, or

- be made of plastic injection molded part.
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During production, economic and ecological criteria are of course also taken into account. If the tray base is not flat, the injection molding of plastics is particularly or exclusively recommended, whereby disposal is also taken into account.

According to a significant further development of the invention, the trays can be designed in pairs as mirror images or planar symmetry. After the trays have been placed in a display, the front sides of the trays form a "zigzag surface" which is easier to see from all angled positions than a flat front surface.

Obviously, the essentially parallelepiped-shaped

Trays according to the present invention are not suitable for being inserted into a stand or rack of conventional design.

With regard to the display, the object is achieved according to the invention in that the end walls of the vertical chambers have means for the oblique introduction and fixing of the trays, which means are arranged in such a way that the end wall and the side surfaces of the tray run approximately vertically, with the base surface having an angle of inclination (ß') corresponding to the angle (90° - ß) towards the front and an angle of inclination (γ ¹ ) corresponding to the angle (90° - γ) towards the side. Special and further embodiments are the subject of dependent patent claims.

The means for inserting and fixing the trays at an angle therefore depend on the geometry of the trays in terms of their position. Except in the special case of the rectangular or square front of the trays, these must be inclined not only to prevent them from sliding forwards, but also to the side so that all the side walls of the trays are aligned approximately vertically. Approximately vertical here means a deviation from the vertical of no more than 5°, preferably no more than 2°. The fact that all the side surfaces of the essentially parallelepiped-shaped trays in the display are aligned as vertically as possible has a practical background; otherwise the stands or racks would have to be designed to be more complicated and less user-friendly and customer-friendly.

The number and arrangement of the vertical chambers in the displays is in principle arbitrary, it is determined by practical and visual factors. In the most common case, the chambers are arranged next to each other in such a way that pairs of alternately planar-symmetrical trays form a "zigzag surface ^{" 11} with their front wall. For manufacturing reasons, one or at most a few standard dimensions are aimed for the trays and the displays are adapted accordingly. The displays themselves should preferably be dimensioned so that their overall base area is the size of standard pallets, or half or even larger for smaller versions.

a quarter of it. The stand or frame can also be designed in such a way that a "zig-zag" front side of the display can be formed on the front and back, which is easily visible.

To transport the displays, all that is needed is, as is well known, a cover, i.e. a customized hood, to be placed down to or over the base and secured with a strap.

The displays according to the invention with trays according to the invention are suitable for transporting, stacking, presenting and removing flat piece goods of all kinds, for example chocolate bars, compact discs (CDs), books and at least semi-rigid bags.

In addition to the always-desired very good presentation of the goods with optical effects of the entire display, the invention has the following advantages:

- By slanting the front of the trays in the display, more space is gained, so that more flat items can be presented next to each other in a given space. An optimal front view is achieved by alternating the arrangement of trays with a "zig-zag" surface, which provides an optimal viewing angle from every point of view.

- The geometry of the invention allows the frontmost product to slide automatically thanks to gravity when it is removed. The slide always takes place in a stable position, and the geometry of the trays prevents the items from tipping backwards.

- An unchanged presentation of the products, in particular the brand, is possible during the collection period in the retail store.

- The display itself can be designed in a variety of ways, for example in a row with a front, with a front and back, half-cylindrical or fully cylindrical. In all designs, an exceptionally high level of stability can be achieved.

- If a display is half sold out, partial or full trays can be replaced modularly.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawing, which are also the subject of dependent patent claims. They show schematically:

- Fig. 1 a perspective view of a tray

- Fig. 2 shows a basic form punched out of corrugated cardboard of a tray for folding which is a mirror image of Fig. 1,

- Fig. 3 a perspective view of a display with trays,

- Fig. 4 a view of a central support of a display,

- Fig. 5 is a view of an unfolded side support wall of a display,
- Fig. 6 a view of an unfolded long partition wall,

- Fig. 7 a view of an unfolded short partition,

- Fig. 8 is a plan view of a plug connection, and

- Fig. 9 a double plug connection of the side wall of the display.

A tray 10 shown in Fig. 1 consists of rigid corrugated cardboard shown flat in Fig. 2. The parallelogram-shaped structure of the parallelepiped-shaped tray 10 receives its stable shape through four adhesive tabs 12,14.

The base or the base surface 16 is parallelogram-shaped, with an angle α of 60 to 85°, preferably 65 to 75°, most conveniently about 70°. The information refers to the old division with 360° for the full circumference. Punched out of the base surface 16 are a

arcuate recess 18 and four locking lugs 20, the latter running in the plane of two parallel side walls 22, which are also parallelogram-shaped. The side walls have an angle ß. A closed rear wall 24 and a front wall 26, which are also parallelogram-shaped and inclined at an angle γ, also run parallel. In the present case, two recesses remain from the front wall 26 in the area of the side walls 22.

It is easy to see that the tray 10 has the basic shape of a parallelepiped with parallelogram-shaped surfaces on all sides. In contrast to the angle ß, which lies in the same angular range as the angle α, whereby the two angles can be equal or unequal, the angle γ lies in the range of 70 to 90°, preferably 75 to 85°, expediently around 80°, always in relation to the horizontal.
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Fig. 3 shows a display 30 with trays 10 placed in five chambers 32. Although only shown in one tray, all trays 10 are filled with approximately vertically arranged, flat piece goods 34.

The trays 10 are inserted into the stand or frame 36 of the display 30 in such a way that the base 16 is inclined at an angle ß', i.e. 90° - ß, towards the front and in the direction of a lateral support wall 38 at an angle γ', i.e. 90° - γ (see Fig. 1 in each case). In this way, the side walls 22, the rear wall 24 and the front wall 26 of the trays 10 are arranged approximately vertically when inserted into the display 30.

From Fig. 3, which is drawn without a lid and without a base, the following details can be seen:

- The display 30 is open on both sides, so trays 10 can also be inserted from behind.

be introduced.
- Chambers 32a and 32b, as well as chambers 32c and 32d have

alternating between a long partition wall 42 and a short partition wall 44. The length of these partition walls 42, 44 is adapted to the trays 10. The front surface of the display thus forms a "zigzag surface", which is indicated by the line 46. It has already been mentioned that thanks to this measure, the front wall of the display 30 or the available front wall 26 and thus piece goods 34 are better recognizable from all angles.

Punched slots 40 are provided in the side walls 38 and all intermediate walls 42, 44, which determine the aforementioned position of the trays 10. In the side walls 38, double plug connections 48 (Fig. 9) and in the intermediate walls 42, 44, plug connections 50 (Fig. 8) are passed through these punched slots and locked into the locking lugs 20 (Fig. 1) of the trays 10. The trays 10 thus act in the manner of cross braces and give the entire display 10 very solid stability.

Fig. 4 shows a central support 52 not visible in Fig. 3, which, like the side walls 38 and intermediate walls 42, 44, consists of a solid, rigid corrugated cardboard panel. The punched slots 58 of the central support 52 shown in Fig. 4 are vertically aligned and serve to accommodate locking lugs 54 of the intermediate walls 42, 44 (Fig. 6, 7). The locking lugs 56 of the central support 52 are in turn hooked into vertical punched slots 58 of the side walls 38 (Fig. 5) of the display. Finally, upper and lower grooves 60, 62 are formed in the central support 52 to accommodate locking elements of the cover 64 and base 66, which are only indicated by dashed lines.

In Fig. 5, an unfolded side wall 38 of the display 30 (Fig. 3) is shown. The two side flaps are folded along the two double fold lines 68 and glued together. The punched slots 40, 58 lie exactly on top of each other. As mentioned, the punched slots 40 accommodate the double plug connection 48 (Fig. 3), the punched slots 58 accommodate the locking lugs 56 of the central support 52 (Fig. 4). All punched slots 40 are also in the

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Angle β', both on the front and on the back. The angle ß' (90° - ß) defines the forward inclination of the base 16 of all trays 10.

The long partition wall 42 according to Fig. 6, which can also be folded and glued along a double fold line 68, has with its punched grooves 40 the angle of inclination ß' of the base 16 of the trays 10. After folding, the punched slots 40 lie exactly one above the other. The locking lugs 54 are, as mentioned, inserted into the vertical slots 58 of the central support 52. The distance a1 from the upper edge 70 determines the level of all punched slots 40, which are always the same distance from one another.

The short partition wall 44 according to Fig. 7 differs from Fig. 6, according to the name, in its width. Furthermore, the distance a2 of the uppermost punching slot 40 from the upper edge 72 is slightly smaller than the distance a1 of the long intermediate wall 42. This creates the inclination γ ¹ (90° - γ) of the base 16 of the trays 10 in the direction of a side wall 22. As mentioned above, the inclinations ß' and γ' of the base surface 16, the side walls 22, the rear wall 24 and the front wall 26 are approximately vertical arranged in the display 30 (Fig. 3).

In Fig. 8, a plug connection 50 according to Fig. 3 is shown in detail. Two borders 74 arranged at a distance from each other each have an opening 76 and a connecting web 78. The flat Plug connections 50 are pushed with the borders 74 through a punched slot 40 of an intermediate wall 42, 44 until the web 78 hits. When the trays 10 are introduced into a vertical chamber 32, the locking lugs 20 (Fig. 1) are inserted into the intermediate wall 42, 44 (indicated by dashed lines) and a border 74. space of the opening 76 until the bottom 16 of a tray 10 rests on the flat connector 50. The locking lugs 20

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ensure an automatic, solid locking, which also increases the stability of the entire display 30 (Fig. 3).

Finally, Fig. 9 shows a double plug connection 48, which can be seen in Fig. 3, in detail. The four borders 74 with the openings 76 are bent at right angles to the same side. The two pairs of borders 74 arranged at a distance b are pushed into the corresponding punched slots 40 of the side wall 38, the distance b corresponding to a module height.

The double plug connections 48 in the side walls 38, which are visible from the outside, can be covered with a decorative cover sheet (not shown), which further improves stability, protects against damage and/or has appropriate advertising information.

The side wall 38 of the display 30 is only indicated by dashed lines; when inserting trays 10, locking lugs 20 are pressed into the space between the side wall 38 and the border 74, which leads to further stabilizing locking.

Claims (14)

1. Shelf box-like module elements for approximately vertical stacking and presentation of flat piece goods ( 34 ), which elements can be introduced into a stand or into a frame ( 36 ), characterized in that the module elements are trays ( 10 ) which are parallelepiped-shaped at least in the edge region and remain open at the top, have a decollete ( 28 ) on the front wall ( 26 ) and/or at least this front wall is transparent. 2. Trays ( 10 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle (α) of the edges of the base ( 16 ) of the trays ( 10 ) and the angle of inclination (β) of their front and rear walls are 60 to 85°, preferably 65-75°, and the angle of inclination (γ) of their side walls ( 22 ) are each 70-90°, preferably 75-85°, both angles of inclination relative to the horizontal. 3. Trays ( 10 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least two, preferably four locking lugs ( 20 ) projecting downwards in the region of the side walls ( 22 ) are formed. 4. Trays ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that their base ( 16 ) is shaped in a product-specific manner at a distance from the side walls ( 22 ), preferably in the shape of a cylinder jacket or groove. 5. Trays ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inner surface of the base ( 16 ) is smooth and designed or coated with a low coefficient of friction. 6. Trays ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the decollete ( 28 ) is designed and/or coated in a product-specific manner. 7. Trays ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that they are punched out of corrugated cardboard and folded, punched out of sheet metal and folded or designed as a plastic injection-molded part. 8. Trays ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that they are designed in pairs in two mirror-image variants. 9. Display ( 30 ) comprising a stand or frame ( 36 ) with at least one vertical chamber ( 32 ) open to the front, a lid ( 64 ) and a base ( 66 ), which chamber ( 32 ) is filled with trays ( 10 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, which are individually placed one above the other, characterized in that the side walls ( 38 ) and the intermediate walls ( 42 , 44 ) of the vertical chamber(s) ( 32 ) have means for the oblique insertion and fixing of the trays ( 10 ), which means are arranged in such a way that the front wall ( 26 ) and the side surfaces ( 22 ) of the tray run approximately vertically, the bottom surface being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle (β') corresponding to the angle (90°-β) and at the side at an angle corresponding to the angle (90°-γ). (γ'). 10. Display ( 30 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that adjacent vertical chambers ( 32a , 32b , 32c , 32d , 32e ) contain alternately plano-symmetrically different trays ( 10 ), which lie on top of each other in pairs in mirror image and form a zig-zag-shaped front ( 46 ). 11. Display ( 30 ) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the stand ( 36 ) consists of folded corrugated cardboard sheets and the side walls ( 38 ), intermediate walls ( 42 , 44 ) and central supports ( 52 ) are connected to one another and to the cover or the base via plug connections ( 48 , 50 ). 12. Display ( 30 ) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the plug connections ( 48 , 50 ) are simultaneously means for obliquely inserting and fixing the trays ( 10 ). 13. Display ( 30 ) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the side walls ( 38 ) are designed in a striking manner. 14. Display ( 30 ) according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that it is protected for transport by a cover which is pulled down to the base and stabilized by a strap.