Optimal merchandise selection and merchandising design display methods and systems

US12468994B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-12468994-B2
Application numberUS-202318313643-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateMay 8, 2023
Priority dateMay 17, 2019
Publication dateNov 11, 2025
Grant dateNov 11, 2025

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

The novel invention provides methods and systems for automated production of merchandising displays. The displays can be assembled in whole, shipped in whole and filled with customer-selected products in customer-selected amounts, filled with criteria-selected products in criteria-selected amounts or both.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1 . A free-standing modular merchandise display, comprising: a plurality of display towers; a plurality of cartons arranged on the display towers, the cartons having removable panels; and a wrap to hold the plurality of cartons in the display towers in a manner that provides lateral and vertical support to the cartons to prevent the cartons from falling out of the free-standing modular merchandise display, the wrap having a back panel, a first sidewall panel extending from a first side of the back panel for integral connection to the back panel at a first fold line, and a second sidewall panel extending from a second, opposite side of the back panel for integral connection to the back panel at a second fold line, wherein the back panel has a plurality of alignment apertures and a bottom edge with vent cuts extending inwardly from the bottom edge to form a shape in the bottom edge that provides the wrap with vertical stability when the wrap is joined with the cartons. 2 . The free-standing modular merchandise display of claim 1 , wherein each carton in the plurality of cartons are formed from a single sheet of material. 3 . The free-standing modular merchandise display of claim 2 , wherein the single sheet of material comprises a plurality of contiguous panels that includes a front panel, a first side panel, a back panel, a second side panel, a major flap and a minor flap. 4 . The free-standing modular merchandise display of claim 3 , wherein the front panel includes a tear-away display panel delineated by a line of weakness formed in the front panel. 5 . The free-standing modular merchandise display of claim 4 , wherein the tear-away display panel, when removed from the front panel, creates a window into an interior of the carton to facilitate display of contents inside the carton. 6 . The free-standing modular merchandise display of claim 3 , wherein in an assembled position, the major flap forms a top panel and the minor flap forms a bottom panel. 7 . The free-standing modular merchandise display of claim 1 , further comprising a modular riser to support the display towers.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • External stands or display elements for contents · CPC title

  • based on location or geographical consideration · CPC title

  • Geometric CAD · CPC title

  • Manufacturing · CPC title

  • Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US12468994B2 cover?
The novel invention provides methods and systems for automated production of merchandising displays. The displays can be assembled in whole, shipped in whole and filled with customer-selected products in customer-selected amounts, filled with criteria-selected products in criteria-selected amounts or both.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Hershey Co
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification G06Q30/0633. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Nov 11 2025 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 9 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).