Point-of-sale device for an article having plural interfitting parts
View Patent ↗A point-of-sale device carries an article having plural interfitting parts that must be fitted together by a human assembler after purchase, and includes a panel for enabling the device to be presented to a prospective purchaser at a retail shop. The panel includes a container in which the interfitting parts of the article in the assembled condition are located. The container has a transparent region through which the interfitting parts, in their assembled condition, can be seen by a prospective purchaser. The point-of-sale device is mounted on a horizontally extending, elongated element carried by a pegboard.
1. A point-of-sale device carrying an assembled article having plural interfitting parts, the assembled article being such that the interfitting parts must be disassembled and then fitted together by a human assembler after purchase of the article, the device comprising:
a structure for enabling the device to be presented to a prospective purchaser at a retail shop, the structure including a transparent region, the interfitting parts of the article being located in the structure behind the transparent region, the interfitting parts in the structure being in the assembled condition thereof so that the interfitting parts, in the assembled condition thereof, can be seen by the prospective purchaser through the transparent region while the device is presented to the prospective purchaser at the shop, the article comprising a picture hanger including a plate with an opening and a hanger structure having a shoulder extending through the opening in the plate; the hanger structure including a leg downwardly depending from the shoulder and an arm upwardly extending from the shoulder; the plate and the hanger structure being located in the structure so that the shoulder is located in the opening of the plate; and the leg extends below the opening of the plate; the plate, leg, and arm extending in planes substantially parallel to a planar surface of the structure; the shoulder extending substantially at a right angle to the planar surface of the structure; at least portions of the plate, shoulder, arm, and leg being visible to the prospective purchaser through the transparent region.
2. The point-of-sale device of claim 1 , wherein the structure includes a panel carrying indicia including information about the article to the prospective purchaser, the panel and the transparent region forming a container in which the article is located, the container including a segment in which a portion of the article fits snugly, the segment cooperating with the panel to form a pocket into which the portion snugly fits, the pocket holding the portion, the interfitting parts being held in place in the assembled condition between surfaces of the container and panel.
3. The point-of-sale device of claim 2 , wherein the structure includes an opening for enabling the device to be mounted on a horizontally extending element of a vertically extending mounting structure.
4. The point-of-sale device of claim 3 , wherein the container includes surfaces remote from the panel for confining movement of the plate while the plate is in the container.
5. The point-of-sale device of claim 4 , in combination with a vertically extending mounting structure carrying a horizontally extending, elongated element, the structure including an opening, the elongated element extending through the opening.
6. The point-of-sale device of claim 2 , wherein the container includes surfaces remote from the panel that confine movement of the hanger structure.
7. The point-of-sale device of claim 6 , wherein the container includes surfaces remote from the panel that confine movement of the hanger structure.
8. A point-of-sale device carrying an assembled article having plural interfitting parts, the article being such that the interfitting parts must be disassembled and then fitted together by a human assembler after purchase of the article, the device comprising:
a structure for enabling the device to be presented to a prospective purchaser at a retail shop, the structure including a transparent region, the structure including a panel carrying indicia including information about the article to the prospective purchaser, the panel and the transparent region being included in a container in which the article is located, the container including a segment in which a portion of the article fits snugly, the article in the container comprising a picture hanger including a plate with an opening and a hanger structure having a shoulder extending through the opening in the plate; the hanger structure in the container including a leg downwardly depending from shoulder and an arm upwardly extending from the shoulder; the plate and the hanger structure being assembled in the container so that the shoulder is located in the opening of the plate and the leg extends below the opening of the plate; the plate, leg, and arm in the container extending in planes substantially parallel to a planar surface of the panel; the shoulder in the container extending substantially at a right angle to the planar surface of the panel; at least portions of the plate and leg in the container being visible to the prospective purchaser through the transparent region.
9. The point-of-sale device of claim 8 , wherein the structure is arranged to enable the device to be mounted on a horizontally extending, elongated element of a vertically extending mounting structure.
10. The point-of-sale device of claim 8 , in combination with a vertically extending mounting structure carrying a horizontally extending, elongated element, the structure of the device being arranged for enabling the device to be mounted on the elongated element.
11. The point-of-sale device of claim 8 , in combination with a vertically extending mounting structure carrying a horizontally extending, elongated element, the structure of the device including an opening in a panel, the panel (a) carrying a container in which the article is located and including the transparent region, and (b) bearing information about the article, the elongated element extending through the opening.
12. The point-of-sale device of claim 8 , wherein the structure includes a panel with information about how to assemble the article and connect the interfitting parts together, the information being accessible to the prospective purchaser even though the article remains behind the transparent region, and the prospective purchaser does not have access to the article.
13. The point-of-sale device of claim 8 , wherein the structure includes an opening for enabling the device to be mounted on a horizontally extending element of a vertically extending mounting structure.
14. The point of sale device of claim 8 wherein the panel carries the transparent region.