GB2335777A

GB2335777A - Displaying products

Info

Publication number: GB2335777A
Application number: GB9906537A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ashley Keenes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-03-23
Filing date: 1999-03-23
Publication date: 1999-09-29
Also published as: GB9906537D0; GB9806081D0

Abstract

Products are placed on display, eg in retail outlets, using magnetic force which is sufficient to retain the products in place on a support but which is weak enough to allow removal by a customer. In one example, metal containers 6 are held in place on a shaped and compartmented support by individual magnets 5, Fig 1; in another example, Fig 3 (not shown), magnetic foil strips (7) are bonded to cardboard or plastics packages (8) so that they can be held on a vertical panel display by magnets (10). Kits can be supplied to retailers allowing magnetic elements, eg foil, to be attached to products or packaging. Products can therefore be displayed with the minimum of obstruction from racks, shelves or other supports.

Description

2335777 1 IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PRODUCT DISPLAYS This invention relates

to improvements in displaying products especially but not exclusively in a retail environment.

It is known to arrange products on a shelf or rack in a supermarket or other point of sale. A customeircan then select the items he or she requires from the shelf prior to purchase. A major factor in the sale of products in such an environment is that the goods should be displayed in an attractive manner and the goods should be easy to pick up. As one manufacturer's goods are typically competing alongside those of a competitor an attractive and convenient display can increase sales of a product. It is also desired to display products towards the front of any available display area.

According to a first aspect the invention provides a display means adapted to retain one or more products comprising a support structure provided with at least one magnetic element, said magnetic element being adapted, in use, to provide a magnetic field which holds the product to the display means.

The magnetic element is preferably sufficiently strong to secure a product in place yet sufficiently weak to allow easy removal of the product by a customer. A number of magnetic elements may be provided.

Thus, by providing a display means with one or more magnetic elements, products which have a ferrous metal content, or are contained in a package with a ferrous metal content, are held securely to the display. This allows a large number of products to be held in a small space or 2 alternatively allows products to be secured to a display in such a way that they would otherwise fall off if the magnets were not present.

The magnetic elements may further be adapted to hold the display 5 means to a larger point-of-sale device, i.e. a shelf or rack or stand.

The display means may comprise a rack-like support structure having more than one magnetic element spaced along the rack. The rack-like structure may define a number of elongate compartments of part- cylindrical outline arranged horizontally one above the other. Each elongate compartment may have a magnetic element provided substantially at its centre. Each compartment may, in use, be adapted to retain a cylindrical metallic product, for example an aerosol can. Of course the compartments may be of different shapes to accommodate different shaped products and their packaging.

The magnetic elements may comprise permanent magnets. They may be glued onto, clipped onto or embedded into the support structure.

The support structure may be made from plastics, metal or cardboard, although other materials are envisaged. It may be vacuum formed and may carry attractive advertising or brand imagery.

An advantage of attaching the products to the display means using magnets is that it provides a minimum of visual obstruction to the product and eliminates the need to provide tags on the product to hang them from a rack. The display means could, for example, be arranged in use with the products suspended underneath the display by the magnetic elements. The ability of the display means to attach itself magnetically to a larger display allows it to be mounted along the front of a shelf or rack.

i i 3 In accordance with a second aspect the invention provides a method of displaying a product comprising the steps of providing a display means comprising a support member which is provided with one or more magnetic elements, and arranging the products on the support member so that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic elements holds the products relative to the support member.

The method may further comprise providing a metallic element for securing to a product, in which the metallic element is adapted to be attracted to the magnetic elements on the display means. Thus the display may hold non-metallic products.

The metallic element may be applied directly to a product or to its packaging. In one aspect the method comprises affixing a metal element or foil to a cardboard or plastics package for a product. The element may be made from a wholly or partially ferro-magnetic material. It may be permanently or semi-permanently attached to the product or packaging.

According to a third aspect the invention provides a kit comprising: a display means in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and one or more metallic elements adapted, in use, to be affixed to a product or the packaging of a product so that the product will be held to the display means by a magnetic field generated by the magnetic elements 25 acting upon the metallic element.

The or each metallic element may comprise a ferro-magnetic metal foil or plate.

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Claims

Looked at one way we claim exclusive rights in the use of a display means

having one or more magnetic elements onto which a product can be placed and retained by the magnetic elements. We also claim rights in the use of metallic elements which are stuck to a product so that it will be attracted by a magnetic element on the display means.

There will now be described, by way of example only, two embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a first illustration of a display means in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a second illustration of the display means of Figure 1 shown from a different perspective; and Figure 3 shows a metal element applied to a product for use in combination with a magnetic display means.

The display means 1 comprises a support member 2 which is vacuum formed from a plastics material. The support member defines a handle 3 and a plurality of compartments 4, each containing a circular magnets embedded in the plastic. The upper two compartments are shown with a product, in this case a metal deodorant container 6, held in place by the magnets 5 attracting the metal container.

In use the display means is suspended from a shelf or rack.

Alternatively the magnet 5 may hold the display means onto any suitable metallic surface such as the front of a shelf.

i Because the containers are only held from the rear the display means does not obscure any of the visible portion of the product for maximum commercial impact.

Figure 3 shows an alternative scheme in which a metallic foil element 7 is bonded onto a cardboard or plastics package 8 for a nonmetallic product. This allows the-non-metallic product to be held in place on a display means 9 by a magnet 10. A number of foil elements 7 may be supplied with the display means as a kit whereby a retailer or other person wishing to display a product on the display means may affix the foil elements to the products using gluelstaples etc before placing the product on display. Alternatively the metallic elements may be sold separately.

The skilled person will understand that many different shapes of display means can be produced. A display which is substantially flat with raised protuberances or compartments on one surface is preferred as the protuberances or compartments help to support the product and reduces the strength of magnet needed. Of course the display may have a completely smooth surface with the product being held to the surface by the magnets. The products may be arranged horizontally, one above the other as in Figures 1 and 2, or may be suspended from below the display means or held on top of the display.

It will also be readily understood that the term " retail environmenC is not limited to shops or wholesalers. Indeed it is envisaged that the display may find application at trade fairs and exhibitions or for use by travelling sales representatives as a way of presenting a product or sample to a customer.

6 CLAIMS 1. A display means adapted to retain one or more products comprising a support structure provided with at least one magnetic element, said magnetic element being adapted, in use, to provide a magnetic field which holds the products to the display means.
2. A display means according to Claim 1 in which a number of magnetic elements are provided.
3. A display means according to Claim 2 in which the magnetic elements are further adapted to hold the display means to a larger point-of-sale device.
4. A display means according to any preceding claim which comprises a rack-like support structure having more than one magnetic element spaced along the rack.
5. A display means according to Claim 4 in which the rack-like structure defines a number of elongate compartments of part -cylindrical outline arranged horizontally one above the other.
6. A display means according to Claim 5 in which each elongate compartment has a magnetic element provided substantially at its centre.
7. A display means according to any preceding claim in which the or each magnetic element comprises a permanent magnet.
8. A display means substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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9. A method of displaying a product comprising the steps of providing a display means comprising a support member which is provided with one or more magnetic elements, and arranging the products on the support member so that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic elements holds the products to the support member.
10. The method of Claim 9 which further comprises providing a metallic element for securing to a product, in which the metallic element is adapted to be attracted to the magnetic elements on the display means.
11. A method according to Claim 10 in which the metallic element is applied directly to a product or to its packaging.
12. A method according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 in which the metallic element is permanently or semi-permanently attached to the product or packaging.
13. A method of displaying a product substantially as described herein 20 with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. A kit comprising: a display means in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and one or more metallic elements adapted, in use, to be affixed to a product or the packaging of a product so that the product will be held to the display means by the magnets acting upon the metallic element.
15. A kit according to Claim 14 in which the metallic elements comprise a ferro-magnetic metal foil or plate.

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16. A kit substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.