US3908563A

US3908563A - Color display device and selection aid

Info

Publication number: US3908563A
Application number: US426759A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Edmund Albert Eckart
Original assignee: Sapolin Paints Inc
Current assignee: Sapolin Paints Inc
Priority date: 1973-12-20
Filing date: 1973-12-20
Publication date: 1975-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-30

Abstract

Multiple color display panels are permanently hinged to the frontal edges of paint display shelves in retail stores and the like. The display panels bear relatively large and easily visible samples of actual paint colors with such samples positioned conveniently for viewing by a customer standing in front of the shelves. Removal and loss of the color display device is avoided. The panel or device may be shifted to a non-use position and latched or flipped up to facilitate restocking of shelves with paint cans.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Eckart, Jr.

1 1 COLOR DISPLAY DEVICE AND SELECTION AID 175] lnventor: Edmund Albert Eckart, Jr.,

Westport, Conn.

[73] Assignee: Sapolin Paints, Inc.. Danburyl Conn.

[22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 426,759

[52] US. Cl. 108/77; 211/153; 312/234.4 [51 1 Int. C13 A47F 5/00 [58] Field of Search 312/2344, 234.5; 211/153,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.685.372 8/1954 Palaith .1 211/153 1714.743 8/1955 Lochner.... 108/78 2750243 6/1956 Zielfeldt 108/78 1451 Sept. 30, 1975 1815.529 12/1957 Herbolsheimer et a1" .v 108/77 2828928 4/1958 Kollisch 312/2341 3,073,661 1/1963 Kelling 3l2/234.4 3.1671187 1/1965 Sarkisan 211/153 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant E.\'aminerDarrell Marquette Attorney, Agent, or Firml larvin Reich [57] ABSTRACT Multiple color display panels are permanently hinged' to the frontal edges of paint display shelves in retail stores and the like. The display panels bear relatively large and easily visible samples of actual paint colors with such samples positioned conveniently for viewing by a customer standing in front of the shelves. Removal and loss of the color display device is avoided. The panel or device may be shifted to a non-use position and latched or flipped up to facilitate restocking of shelves with paint cans.

6 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,908,563

WT? m Jill A I'- fall" US. Patent S ept.30,1975 Sheet20f2 3 908563 COLOR DiSlPLAY DEVICE AND SELECTION AID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the retail merchandising of paints, a problem always arises for the customer in locating and selecting and comparing particular colors. Small color display charts are'available in the paint store and, when available, these charts or folders must be secured by the customer and transported and carried to the paint display shelf followed by an inevitable search through the cans on the shelf to locate the desired color. Also, the patches of color on the selection charts are frequently very small and crowded together making color comparison difficult as well as selection. At times, more elaborate selection chart may be hung up in the store on or near the display shelves with the possibility that someone may appropriate the chart or misplace it, thereby compounding the problem of locating and selecting the desired paint color.

The objective of this invention is to totally eliminate the above difficulties of the prior art through the provision of a highly convenient, attractive and efficient paint color display device in the nature of a permanent attachment to paint can display shelves in retail stores. The attachment takes the form of color display panels formed in relatively rigid sections, each capable of displaying a plurality of paint colors and each section hinged to the frontal edge of a shelf. The individual display panel sections are swingable on their hinges between normal inclined display positions and upward non-use positions where the panels may be temporarily latched to allow restocking of shelves or the like. Each panel section may be tilted upwardly at any time to facilitate removing the paint can from a shelf without the latching operation. Means are provided to hold each display panel section in a most convenient inclined position at the front of the shelves for ready viewing and comparison of colors. The colors on the hinged panel sections may be actual paint samples. The locations of the color samples on the panel sections may bear a relation to the location of correspondingly colored paints stored on the shelves. The invention eliminates the necessity for customers to grope with paint charts or brochures while attempting to locate and compare paint colors in a store.

Other important features of the invention will appear during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention applied to paint display shelves in a store.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a hinged paint color display panel section and an associated shelf.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention in a normal use or viewing position.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the invention while latched in non-use position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numeral designates tiered horizontal paint can display shelves of any convenient length along an aisleway in a store or the like. Paint cans of various sizes containing paints of various colors are shown on the shelves 10 in FIG. 1.

Hingedly secured to the frontal edges of the shelves 10 by leaf and pintle hinges 11 are sectionaicolor display panels 12, each'being o'f sufficient length along the shelf to display a plurality of colors, such as five or seven. The paint colors are applied to the top faces of panel sections 12 in equally-sized rectangular areas or zones 13, each displaying a single distinct color corresponding to a particular paint color in a can or group of cans on the adjacent shelf or shelves. Preferably, the individual color areas 13 on the display panel sections are formed by using actual paint applied to the panel sections with the color areas separated by black stripes 14 of relatively narrow width. This aids greatly in the viewing and visual comparison of side-by-side colors. The color areas 13 are sufficiently large, usually about 3 inches by 8 or 9 inches, to allow the customer to readily visualize the appearance of colors on a large area such as a wall. In some instances, the color areas 13 may be produced by attaching accurately colored paper sections or plastics material to the top faces of the panel sections 12, the latter being formed of wood or other suitable material. The lengths and widths of the panel sections 12 may vary somewhat but preferably they are 3 to 4 inches in width and 4 or more feet in length. Depending uponthe lengths of the shelves 10, any desirable number of the panel sections 12 may be permanently attached with the hinges 1 l to the front edges of the shelves so as to make a very attractive color display for customers looking down a long aisle or passageway in the store.

It is desirable that the hinged panel sections 12 normally rest in inclined positions downwardly from each shelf 10, at angles of 15, 30 or 45 to the horizontal for most convenient viewing by customers. To maintain the panel sections 12 at the desired angle, small stop elements 15 may be provided on the leaves of hinges 11 to prevent collapsing of the leaves in one direction beyond the point shown in FIG. 3, which figure shows the panel section 12 at the desired angle relative to the associated horizontal shelf 10.

A further feature of the invention is the ability of the panel sections individually to swing up to a level position or above the horizontal, FIG. 1, as where paint cans are being removed by a customer from a lower level shelf. The customer need only tilt the particular panel section upwardly by hand, and when released. it will drop to its regular inclined position. To facilitate restocking the shelves with cans, without the need for constantly holding the panel sections up by hand, each section is preferably provided with a simple pivoted detent lever or catch 16 shown turned to the idle position in FIGS. 2 and 3 and in the active position to hold the panel section 12 elevated in FIG. 4. When the element 16 is turned from its position of FIG. 3 to its position of FIG. 4, it will engage under the adjacent stationary shelf 10 and will prevent the elevated section 12 from dropping downwardly until the catch 16 is re turned by hand to the inactive position.

The invention is versatile, economical, durable and easy to install on shelves. It is highly attractive and forms a most efficient paint color display means. New colors can simply be painted over the existing one in the areas 13, or new sheet elements can replace those already mounted on the sections 12 if this latter means of color display is used instead of actual painting. Customers cannot remove the panel sections 12 from the shelves to which they are permanently attached and thus loss and misplacement of the display means is avoided.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim: i

l. A device for displaying multiple paint colors and the like comprising an elongated panel section having means for containing paint colors on multiple separated areas of the top face thereof throughout its length, a shelving system having a lower horizontal storage shelf for supporting goods and an upper horizontal storage shelf, and means for hingedly attaching the panel section to the frontal edge of said upper horizontal storage shelf, and means attached to the panel section so as to engage the frontal edge of said upper shelf for holding the panel section at an acute angle to the horizontal below said upper shelf while allowing the panel section to be elevated to a horizontal position or substantially above the horizontal, and a latch device on said panel section operable in one position to engage a stationary shelf to which the panel section is hingedly attached and to then hold the panel section in an elevated substantially horizontal position forwardly of said shelf, said latch device movable to an inactive position on said panel section out of engagement with said shelf.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the colors on said multiple separated areas are produced by painting said areas with actual paint specimens.

3. The structure of claim 1, and said device further comprising a plurality of said panel sections each independently hinged to the frontal edge of said upper horizontal paint storage shelf along the length of such shelf, each panel section bearing multiple paint colors on said separated areas thereof.

4. In combination, a first horizontal elongated storage shelf for cans of paint or the like, a second horizontal shelf mounted below said first shelf and containing cans of paint thereof, a paint color display panel secured hingedly to the front edge of said first shelf being formed in plural independently swingable sections, each section being of sufficient length to display a plurality of equally sized relatively large color areas faithfully depicting actual paint colors, means attached to the panel so as to engage the front edge of said first shelf for holding the panel at an acute angle to the horizontal below said first shelf while allowing the panel to be elevated to a horizontal position or substantially above the horizontal, whereby said cans of paint may be individually removed from said second horizontal shelf, and means to releasably latch each panel section in a raised position to facilitate restocking of said shelf.

5. The structure of claim 4, and said means to releasably latch each panel comprising a pivotable detent lever having a first flat portion, a second flat portion and an angular portion, said angular portion interconnecting said first and second flat portions.

6. The structure of claim 1, and said latch device comprises a pivotable detent lever having a first flat portion, a second flat portion and an angular portion, said angular portion interconnecting said first and sec-

Claims

1. A device for displaying multiple paint colors and the like comprising an elongated panel section having means for containing paint colors on multiple separated areas of the top face thereof throughout its length, a shelving system having a lower horizontal storage shelf for supporting goods and an upper horizontal storage shelf, and means for hingedly attaching the panel section to the frontal edge of said upper horizontal storage shelf, and means attached to the panel section so as to engage the frontal edge of said upper shelf for holding the panel section at an acute angle to the horizontal below said upper shelf while allowing the panel section to be elevated to a horizontal position or substantially above the horizontal, and a latch device on said panel section operable in one position to engage a stationary shelf to which the panel section is hingedly attached and to then hold the panel section in an elevated substantially horizontal position forwardly of said shelf, said latch device movable to an inactive position on said panel section out of engagement with said shelf.

6. The structure of claim 1, and said latch device comprises a pivotable detent lever having a first flat portion, a second flat portion and an angular portion, said angular portion interconnecting said first and second flat portions.