Display systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10206522-B2
Application number	US-201514600607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A display system and method for displaying a product is disclosed. The system may include a display stem and a retainer for holding the product. The retainer may include a bracket and a retainer body having a substantially smooth surface. The display stem may include a recess for receiving at least a portion of the retainer body. The retainer may be oriented on top of the display stem in one or more predetermined positions through the use of magnetic forces. The retainer may be returned to and held on top of the display stem using a retaining cable. The retainer body and recess may include charging contacts for delivering power to a product held by the retainer when the retainer body is received within the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:
a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising:
a retainer body, wherein at least a portion of the retainer body defines a hemispherical shape; and
a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to extend around opposing sides of the product; and

a display stem defining a hemispherical recess at a proximal end thereof, the hemispherical recess shaped to receive the hemispherical portion of the retainer body, p 1 wherein the hemispherical recess is configured to allow the retainer body to rotate 360 degrees while the hemispherical portion of the retainer body is received within the hemispherical recess.

2. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the hemispherical recess is shaped to receive the entire hemispherical portion of the retainer body.

3. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the recess defines an opening located at a bottom of the recess, and wherein the hemispherical recess is configured to allow the retainer body to rotate 360 degrees about an axis that extends through the center of the opening.

4. The display system of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, wherein the retaining cable extends through an opening in the recess of the display stem.

5. The display system of claim 4 , wherein the retaining cable is coupled to a retraction mechanism, the retraction mechanism configured to apply tension to the retaining cable to automatically retract the retaining cable, when the hemispherical portion of the retainer body is not in the hemispherical recess of the display stem.

6. The display system of claim 5 , wherein the retraction of the cable causes the hemispherical portion of the retainer body to enter the hemispherical recess of the display stem.

7. The display system of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the hemispherical portion of the retainer body conforms exactly to the shape of the hemispherical recess of the display stem.

8. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:
a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising:
a retainer body having at least one first magnet coupled thereto; and
a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to extend around opposing sides of the product; and

a display stem defining a recess at a proximal end thereof, the recess defining an opening located at the bottom of the recess, and the display stem comprising at least one second magnet disposed adjacent to the opening,
wherein the at least one first magnet is configured to cause rotation of the retainer body to a predefined orientation when at least a portion of the retainer body is disposed within the recess of the display stem, if the retainer body is not in the predefined orientation, and
wherein the at least one first magnet is configured to cause the rotation by magnetic attraction to the at least one second magnet.

9. The display system of claim 8 , further comprising a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, wherein the retaining cable extends through the opening in the recess of the display stem.

10. The display system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one first magnet comprises a plurality of first magnets disposed radially about the retaining cable.

11. The display system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second magnet comprises a plurality of second magnets disposed radially about the opening.

12. The display system of claim 8 , wherein the retainer has more than one predefined orientation with respect to the display stem.

13. The display system of claim 8 , comprising at least two first magnets and at least two second magnets, wherein the at least two first magnets are disposed equidistant from each other about a center axis of the retainer body, and the at least two second magnets are disposed equidistant from each other about the opening in the recess.

14. A display system for retaining a product, the display system comprising:
a retainer comprising:
a retainer body having a peak area, a base area, and a substantially smooth curved outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the substantially smooth curved outer surface has a continuously changing slope extending from the peak area to the base area and wherein the continuously changing slope has a constant curvature,
a retaining cable attached to the retainer body, and
a bracket attached to the retainer body, the bracket comprising at least two bracket arms configured to retain the product with respect to the retainer; and

a display stem defining a recess at a proximal end thereof, the recess comprising a shape that matches the shape of the substantially smooth curved outer surface of the retainer body,
wherein the retainer body rotates to a predefined orientation with respect to the display stem when at least a portion of the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem, if the retainer body is not in the predefined orientation, and
wherein the retainer has more than one predefined orientation with respect to the display stem.

15. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the continuously changing slope has a continuously increasing slope.

16. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the substantially smooth curved outer surface is hemispherical.

17. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the base area is immediately adjacent the bracket.

18. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the proximal end of the display stem comprises a circular perimeter shape.

19. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the substantially smooth curved outer surface of the retainer body comprises a positive shape protruding from the base area of the retainer body and the shape of the recess comprises a negative shape recessed below the proximal end of the display stem, and
wherein the positive shape of the substantially smooth curved outer surface is the same as the negative shape of the recess.

20. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the retainer has four predefined orientations with respect to the display stem.

21. The display system of claim 20 , wherein the four predefined orientations are separated by 90 degrees of rotation of the retainer body within the recess.

22. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the retainer body is hidden from view when the retainer body is received within the recess of the display stem.

23. The display system of claim 14 , further comprising a product fixed to the retainer by the bracket.

24. The display system of claim 23 , wherein the display stem comprises an exterior shape selected from the group consisting of: a cylindrical shape and a frustoconical shape, and
wherein the exterior shape of the display stem comprises a maximum diameter that is smaller than a maximum width and a maximum length of the product fixed to the retainer.

25. A display system for displaying a product, the system comprising:
a retainer for retaining the product, the retainer comprising a retainer body comprising a plurality of first magnets; and
a display stem defining a recess and an opening at a proximal portion thereof, the display stem comprising a plurality second magnets disposed adjacent to the opening, the plurality of second magnets having alternating positive and negative polar orientations,
wherein the plurali

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yang Sheng
• Schwalbach Charles A
• Heirakuji Russell John Kaaihue
• Marasco Carly Lynn

Classifications

• E05B73/0082

  for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators · CPC title

• A47F3/004 Primary

  adjustable, foldable or easily dismountable · CPC title

• F16M11/041

  Allowing quick release of the apparatus · CPC title

• G08B13/1463

  Physical arrangements, e.g. housings (devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18) · CPC title

• F16M2200/021

  for rotational movement · CPC title