Modular wall assembly for a cosmetic fixture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9782018-B2
Application number	US-201414581056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a merchandise display system having a modular wall assembly configured to provide electrical power to one or more shelf assemblies. The wall assembly can include a vertically oriented back panel, a cross bar horizontally and detachably mounted to the back panel, a pair of vertical uprights and a top cap. The pair of vertical uprights can be detachably mounted to the cross bar with each of the vertical uprights having an electrically non-conductive portion and an electrically conductive portion. The electrically conductive portion can be electrically isolated from the cross bar by the electrically non-conductive portion. The top cap can be disposed along an upper edge of the back panel and in electrical contact with electrically conductive portion of each of the vertical uprights.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular wall assembly configured to provide electrical power to a shelf assembly, the wall assembly comprising:
a vertically oriented back panel;
a cross bar horizontally and detachably mounted to the back panel;
an electrically conductive insert;
first and second vertical uprights detachably mounted to the cross bar, each of the first and second vertical uprights having an electrically non-conductive frame having:
a J-shaped first channel extending continuously along a longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame and configured to receive a front panel to cover at least a portion of the vertically oriented back panel,
a J-shaped second channel adjacent to the J-shaped first channel and extending continuously along the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame, and
a pair of opposingly spaced U-shaped third channels that open towards the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame and configured to receive the electrically conductive insert within one of the pair of third channels, the electrically conductive insert being electrically isolated from the cross bar by the electrically non-conductive frame, wherein the electrically conductive insert has an elongate body that extends a length of the electrically non-conductive frame and the elongate body includes a plurality of openings distributed along the length, the openings configured to receive one of first and second electrically conductive arms of the shelf assembly to permit positioning of the shelf assembly at different heights; and

a top cap disposed along an upper edge of the vertically oriented back panel and in electrical contact with the electrically conductive insert of each of the first and second vertical uprights.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each end of the cross bar has a bracket and the back panel is configured to receive the bracket at each end of the cross bar to detachably couple the cross bar to the vertically oriented back panel.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cross bar includes a plurality of mating members disposed along a length of the cross bar and the pair of vertical uprights each include openings configured to receive the mating members to detachably couple the vertical upright to the crossbar.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply mounted to the back panel, the power supply being electrically coupled to the top cap to provide electricity to the top cap.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of third channels are continuously open along the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame.

6. A merchandise display system, comprising:
a wall assembly, the wall assembly including:
a vertically oriented back panel;
a cross bar horizontally and detachably mounted to the back panel;
an electrically conductive insert;
first and second vertical uprights detachably mounted to the cross bar, each of the first and second vertical uprights having an electrically non-conductive frame having:
a J-shaped first channel extending continuously along a longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame and configured to receive a front panel to cover at least a portion of the vertically oriented back panel,
a J-shaped second channel adjacent to the J-shaped first channel and extending continuously along the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame, and
a pair of opposingly spaced U-shaped third channels that open towards the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame and configured to receive the electrically conductive insert within one of the pair of third channels, the electrically conductive insert being electrically isolated from the cross bar by the electrically non-conductive frame, wherein the electrically conductive insert has an elongate body that extends a length of the electrically non-conductive frame and the elongate body includes a plurality of openings distributed along the length, the openings configured to receive one of first and second electrically conductive arms of the shelf assembly to permit positioning of the shelf assembly at different heights;

a top cap disposed along an upper edge of the back panel and in electrical contact with the first and second vertical uprights to provide electricity to the first vertical upright and receive returned electricity from the second vertical upright;
a shelf assembly, the shelf assembly including:
an area configured to hold merchandise for display;
first and second electrically conductive support arms extending from the shelf assembly, the shelf assembly being detachably mounted to the wall assembly via the-first and second electrically conductive arms so that the first and second electrically conductive arms are in electrical contact with the first and second vertical uprights to receive electricity from the first vertical upright and return electricity to the second vertical upright; and
circuitry selectively engaging the first and second electrically conductive arms to energize a light source.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each end of the cross bar has a bracket and the back panel is configured to receive the bracket at each end of the cross bar to detachably couple the cross bar to the vertically oriented back panel.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the cross bar includes a plurality of mating members disposed along a length of the cross bar and the pair of vertical uprights each include openings configured to receive the mating members to detachably couple the vertical upright to the crossbar.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wall assembly further comprises a power supply mounted to the back panel, the power supply being electrically coupled to the top cap to provide electricity to the top cap.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wall assembly further comprises a recessed surface of the vertically oriented back panel, configured to be recessed with respect to a side edge element disposed along a vertical side edge of the vertically oriented back panel.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wall assembly further comprises a flush surface of the vertically oriented back panel, configured to be flush with respect to a side edge element disposed along a vertical side edge of the vertically oriented back panel.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the cross bar includes a bracket extending outwardly from a recessed surface of the vertically oriented back panel, the bracket being configured to bridge a gap created by the recessed surface.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the cross bar has a plurality of brackets configured to attach to a plurality of mounting geometries on the vertically oriented back panel.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pair of third channels are continuously open along the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame.

15. A method of configuring a reconfigurable merchandise display, comprising:
securing a cross bar to a vertically oriented back panel;
securing first and second vertical uprights to the cross bar, each of the first and second vertical uprights having an electrically non-conductive frame having a J-shaped first channel extending continuously along a longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame and configured to receive a front panel to cover at least a portion of the vertically oriented back panel, a J-shaped second channel adjacent to the J-shaped first channel and extending continuously along the longitudinal side edge of the electrically non-conductive frame, and

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Hester-Redmond Sunshine Rae

Classifications

• A47F5/0025

  having separate display containers or trays on shelves or on racks · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• H02G3/045

  provided with perforations or slots permitting introduction or exit of wires · CPC title

• A47F5/08 Primary

  secured to the wall, ceiling, or the like; Wall-bracket display devices · CPC title

• H02G3/388

  in modular walls, e.g. wall panels · CPC title