Product display fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788669-B1
Application number	US-201715421434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A display fixture for supporting a sample product comprises a platform segment, a tether assembly, and a coupling plate. The platform segment defines a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface. The tether assembly includes a tether housing positioned below the bottom surface of the platform segment and a tether extending from the tether housing and through the aperture of the platform segment. The tether is selectively retractable from the tether housing and is biased toward maintenance inside the tether housing. The coupling plate defines a slot extending from an outer perimeter thereof into an interior thereof. The slot terminates at an enlarged end opposite the outer perimeter. The tether extends through the slot and terminates in a ball end. The ball end nests in the enlarged end of the slot to couple the tether to the coupling plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display fixture for supporting a sample product on a retail display shelf, the display fixture comprising:
a platform segment defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface;
a tether assembly including a tether housing positioned below the bottom surface of the platform segment and a tether extending from the tether housing and through the aperture of the platform segment, wherein the tether is selectively retractable from the tether housing and is biased toward maintenance of the tether inside the tether housing;
a coupling plate having an outer perimeter and a slot extending from the outer perimeter into an interior of the coupling plate, the slot terminating at an enlarged end opposite the outer perimeter;
wherein:
the tether extends through the slot and terminates in a ball end,
the ball end nests in the enlarged end of the slot such that the tether is coupled to the coupling plate,
the display fixture additionally includes a rear coupling flange and a front coupling flange,
the rear coupling flange and the front coupling flange are substantially coplanar with one another and substantially parallel with the platform segment, and
the platform segment is spaced above the rear coupling flange and the front coupling flange such that the tether housing is maintained above each of the front coupling flange and the rear coupling flange.

2. The display fixture of claim 1 , wherein the ball end of the tether nests in the enlarged end of the slot such that the tether is coupled to the coupling plate without the use of an additional securement mechanism.

3. The display fixture of claim 1 , wherein the front coupling flange, the platform segment, and the rear coupling flange are formed from a single piece of material.

4. The display fixture of claim 1 , wherein the front coupling flange includes coupling hooks each having at least one prong configured to be received by holes along a front edge of the retail display shelf.

5. The display fixture of claim 4 , wherein the rear coupling flange includes a fastener configure to couple with the retail display shelf to substantially prevent vertical movement of the rear coupling flange relative to the retail display shelf.

6. The display fixture of claim 1 , wherein the coupling plate is a coupling disk.

7. The display fixture of claim 1 , wherein the coupling plate is larger than the aperture of the platform segment such that the coupling plate maintains the ball end of the tether above the top surface of the platform segment.

8. The display fixture of claim 1 , in combination with the sample product, the coupling plate being entirely sealed within the sample product.

9. The display fixture of claim 1 , in combination with the sample product, wherein the product is substantially permanently closed about the coupling disk via one or more fasteners.

10. A combination including:
a sample product including a baby bottle,
a display fixture for supporting a sample product on a retail display shelf, the display fixture comprising:
a platform segment defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface;
a tether assembly including a tether housing positioned below the bottom surface of the platform segment and a tether extending from the tether housing and through the aperture of the platform segment, wherein the tether is selectively retractable from the tether housing and is biased toward maintenance of the tether inside the tether housing;
a coupling plate having an outer perimeter and a slot extending from the outer perimeter into an interior of the coupling plate, the slot terminating at an enlarged end opposite the outer perimeter;

wherein:
the tether extends through the slot and terminates in a ball end,
the ball end nests in the enlarged end of the slot such that the tether is coupled to the coupling plate,
the baby bottle includes a bottom panel with a bottle aperture extending therethrough, the bottle aperture being sized larger than a greatest width of the tether and smaller than a smallest width of the coupling plate,
the tether extends through the bottle aperture, and
the coupling plate is secured to the tether inside the baby bottle.

11. The display fixture claim 10 in combination with the sample product, wherein:
the baby bottle includes an opening opposite the bottom panel,
the sample product includes a nipple covering the opening and coupled about the opening via a coupling collar, and
the coupling collar is secured to the bottle via a secure fastening agent such that the coupling plate is secured inside the baby bottle.

12. A display fixture for supporting a sample product on a retail display shelf, the display fixture comprising:
a platform segment defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface;
a tether assembly including a tether housing positioned below the bottom surface of the platform segment and a tether extending from the tether housing and through the aperture of the platform segment, wherein the tether is selectively retractable from the tether housing and is biased toward maintenance of the tether inside the tether housing;
a coupling plate having an outer perimeter and a slot extending from the outer perimeter into an interior of the coupling plate, the slot terminating at an enlarged end opposite the outer perimeter;
wherein:
the tether extends through the slot and terminates in a ball end, the ball end nests in the enlarged end of the slot such that the tether is coupled to the coupling plate,
the sample product is a first sample product,
the display fixture is configured to support a second sample product,
the platform segment includes pairs of coupling apertures, and
the display fixture includes coupling straps extending through each aperture of the pair of apertures and through a portion of the second sample product to secure the second sample product to the platform segment.

13. The display fixture of claim 12 , wherein:
the second sample product includes a nipple for a baby bottle and a coupling collar for securing the nipple to the baby bottle,
the coupling collar is secured to the nipple in a manner that the coupling collar would be secured to the nipple during use of the nipple and the coupling collar on the baby bottle,
the display fixture includes an interior puck threadably secured with the coupling collar and maintained within an interior cavity of the coupling collar,
the interior puck including a blocking panel positioned near a top edge of the coupling collar of the second sample product to prevent deformation of the nipple into the interior cavity of the coupling collar beyond the blocking panel.

14. The display fixture of claim 13 , wherein the interior puck is formed of a single piece of material including threads for rotatable coupling with the coupling collar and the blocking panel.

15. The display fixture of claim 12 , wherein the second sample product includes components identical to components of the first sample product.

16. The display fixture of claim 12 , wherein the second sample product includes components configured for selective use with components of the first sample product.

17. A retail display comprising:
a sample baby bottle nipple and a coupling collar coupled with the sample baby bottle nipple, the coupling collar including interior facing threads, for selectively coupling with a threaded neck of a baby bottle, and a top e

Assignees

• Target Brands Inc

Inventors

• Denby Scott E
• Davis Chad G

Classifications

• E05B73/0041

  for essentially round objects, e.g. bottles or racket handles · CPC title

• A47F7/024

  with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal {(show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017)} · CPC title

• A47F5/0043

  Show shelves (shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F) · CPC title

• A47F7/286 Primary

  Show stands having sampling means, e.g. colour, taste, perfume · CPC title