Granted Patent B2

US 10,334,970 · App. 15/367,919 · Granted Jul 2, 2019

Inventors: James Buck (Richmond, VA); Mike Detenber (Grand Haven, MI); Dathan Zang (Richmond, VA); Adam P. Kiteley (Richmond, VA)

Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC

A47F5/103A47B57/406A47B96/1441A47F5/0025A47F5/005A47F5/0068A47F5/0093

Abstract

Claims (79)

1. A mounting system, comprising:

at least one first crossbar with a first end cavity and a second end cavity;

a first support bracket insertable into the first end cavity of the first crossbar, the first support bracket including a first engaging structure;

a second support bracket insertable into the second end cavity of the first crossbar, the second support bracket including a second engaging structure, the first and second engaging structures configured to attach to respective first and second columns of a consumer product display;

more than one vertical upright connectable to the at least one first crossbar, the more than one vertical upright including a third engaging structure; and

at least one second crossbar, the at least one second crossbar connectable to the more than one vertical upright using a fourth engaging structure, each of the more than one vertical uprights including a first end and a second end that is respectively connectable to the at least one first crossbar and the at least one second crossbar, and

wherein each of the support brackets includes,

a major body with a first surface and a second surface,

a horizontal shaft extending from the first surface of the major body, the horizontal shaft being insertable into the respective first and second end cavities of the first crossbar,

the respective first and second engaging structures extending from the major body,

the major body of each of the support brackets having a triangular shape, the first and second engaging structures extending from the second surface of the major body, the first and second surfaces of the major body being opposing surfaces, the first and second engaging structures respectively including a first plurality of teeth and a second plurality of teeth, the first plurality of teeth having an identical configuration as compared to the second plurality of teeth, each of the first and second plurality of teeth including a series of top teeth, each of the top teeth having a vertical projection on a distal end of a horizontal projection, and

wherein a distance between points-of-contact of each of the first and second engaging structures is about equal, the distance being one of about 0.72 inches, 0.86 inches, 0.92 inches, 1.0 inches and 1.25 inches, the points-of-contact of each of the first and second engaging structures being lower surfaces of the first and second engaging structures that would directly contact bottom surfaces of front slots of the respective first and second columns of the consumer product display once the mounting system is connected to the consumer product display.

2. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein an upper corner of each of the top teeth is rounded, and an outer distal corner of each of the vertical projections of each of the top teeth is beveled.

3. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second plurality of teeth further include,

a bottom-most tooth that is a horizontal protrusion, the bottom-most tooth being positioned below the top teeth, a distal end of the horizontal protrusion of the bottom-most tooth being rounded.

4. A mounting system, comprising:

at least one first crossbar with a first end cavity and a second end cavity;

a first support bracket insertable into the first end cavity of the first crossbar, the first support bracket including a first engaging structure;

a second support bracket insertable into the second end cavity of the first crossbar, the second support bracket including a second engaging structure, the first and second engaging structures configured to attach to respective first and second columns of a consumer product display;

more than one vertical upright connectable to the at least one first crossbar, the more than one vertical upright including a third engaging structure; and

at least one second crossbar, the at least one second crossbar connectable to the more than one vertical upright using a fourth engaging structure,

each of the more than one vertical uprights including a first end and a second end that is respectively connectable to the at least one first crossbar and the at least one second crossbar,

wherein each of the support brackets includes,

a major body with a first surface and a second surface,

a horizontal shaft extending from the first surface of the major body, the horizontal shaft being insertable into the respective first and second end cavities of the first crossbar,

the respective first and second engaging structures extending from the major body,

the major body of each of the support brackets being triangular in shape, the first and second engaging structures extending from the first surface of the major body of each of the support brackets,

the first and second engaging structures of each of the support brackets including a vertical plate, the vertical plate including one or more bolt holes, the vertical plate being about perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the horizontal shaft of the major body, and

wherein the vertical plate of each of the support brackets includes two bolt holes, an outer surface of the vertical plate includes a mounting stub extending from a lower portion of the outer surface, the mounting stub facing away from the major body.

5. A mounting system, comprising:

at least one first crossbar with a first end cavity and a second end cavity;

a first support bracket insertable into the first end cavity of the first crossbar, the first support bracket including a first engaging structure;

a second support bracket insertable into the second end cavity of the first crossbar, the second support bracket including a second engaging structure, the first and second engaging structures configured to attach to respective first and second columns of a consumer product display;

more than one vertical upright connectable to the at least one first crossbar, the more than one vertical upright including a third engaging structure; and

at least one second crossbar, the at least one second crossbar connectable to the more than one vertical upright using a fourth engaging structure,

each of the more than one vertical uprights including a first end and a second end that is respectively connectable to the at least one first crossbar and the at least one second crossbar,

wherein each of the support brackets includes,

a major body with a first surface and a second surface,

a horizontal shaft extending from the first surface of the major body, the horizontal shaft being insertable into the respective first and second end cavities of the first crossbar,

the respective first and second engaging structures extending from the major body,

the major body of each of the support brackets being triangular in shape, the first and second engaging structures extending from the first surface of the major body of each of the support brackets,

wherein the first and second engaging structures of each of the support brackets includes a vertical plate, and the vertical plate of each of the support brackets includes,

a first proximal plate connected to the major body,

a second intermediate plate connected to the first proximal plate and including two bolt holes, the second intermediate plate including a tapered distal end,

a third distal plate connected to the tapered distal end of the second intermediate plate, the third distal plate including an upwardly projecting vertical extension, the first proximal plate, the second intermediate plate and the third distal plate being about parallel to each other,

a first bend between the first proximal plate and the second intermediate plate, and

a second bend between the second intermediate plate and the third distal plate, the first bend and the second bend each being inwardly-turning bends that respectively offset major surfaces of the second intermediate plate and the third distal plate relative to a major surface of the first proximal plate.

6. A mounting system, comprising:

at least one first crossbar with a first end cavity and a second end cavity;

a first support bracket insertable into the first end cavity of the first crossbar, the first support bracket including a first engaging structure;

a second support bracket insertable into the second end cavity of the first crossbar, the second support bracket including a second engaging structure, the first and second engaging structures configured to attach to respective first and second columns of a consumer product display;

more than one vertical upright connectable to the at least one first crossbar, the more than one vertical upright including a third engaging structure;

at least one second crossbar, the at least one second crossbar connectable to the more than one vertical upright using a fourth engaging structure,

each of the more than one vertical uprights including a first end and a second end that is respectively connectable to the at least one first crossbar and the at least one second crossbar; wherein each of the more than one vertical upright includes,

at least one first upright segment,

at least one second upright segment,

at least one coupling configured to connect the at least one first upright segment to the at least one second upright segment, the coupling defining an inner cavity capable of accepting ends of the upright segments, the coupling having a first wall and a second wall that are outwardly-flared away from a backwall of the coupling, the first wall and the second wall having distal ends that each form a J-shaped surface for retaining ends of the upright segments; and

one or more connector-plates for each of the more than one vertical upright, each of the connector-plates being used to connect a lower end of the vertical upright to the at least one second crossbar, each of the connector-plates further including,

a side plate connected along a side-edge of the connector-plate, the side plate projecting away from a front surface of the connector-plate and being about perpendicular to the connector-plate,

a hinge positioned on a distal end of the side plate,

a first J-shaped hook and a second J-shaped hook on either side of the hinge, the J-shaped hooks projecting away from the connector-plate, an interior surface of J-shaped hooks each being configured to insert into one of a series of notches defined by the lower end of the vertical upright, and

an angled-tab projecting away, at an angle, from a rear surface of the connector-plate, the angled-tab having a major surface that is mushroom-shaped, the angled-tab being configured to insert into a respective slot running along a portion of a length of the at least one second crossbar.

7. A mounting system, comprising:

at least one first crossbar with a first end cavity and a second end cavity;

a first support bracket insertable into the first end cavity of the first crossbar, the first support bracket including a first engaging structure;

a second support bracket insertable into the second end cavity of the first crossbar, the second support bracket including a second engaging structure, the first and second engaging structures configured to attach to respective first and second columns of a consumer product display;

more than one vertical upright connectable to the at least one first crossbar, the more than one vertical upright including a third engaging structure;

at least one second crossbar, the at least one second crossbar connectable to the more than one vertical upright using a fourth engaging structure,

each of the more than one vertical uprights including a first end and a second end that is respectively connectable to the at least one first crossbar and the at least one second crossbar; and

modularized shelving configured to connect to the more than one vertical uprights, the shelving including,

at least one baseplate connectable to the more than one vertical upright, the at least baseplate including,

a fifth and a sixth engaging structure on ends of the baseplate and capable of inserting into vertical slots defined by a front surface of the more than one vertical upright, the vertical slots being the third engaging structure, the fifth and sixth engaging structures each including one or more teeth including a top-most teeth, each of the one or more teeth having a surface that is mushroom-shaped, the top-most tooth also including a vertically-extending triangular-shaped extension projecting from the mushroom-shaped surface of the top-most tooth,

a gusset-indention defined along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the baseplate,

at least one shelf connectable to the at least one baseplate, the at least one shelf including,

one or more protractable blades, each of the protractable blades including a vertical hook connectable to a top portion of the baseplate, the protractable blades configured to extend and retract the vertical hook from a first side of the at least one shelf,

a rear bracket extending from a bottom portion of the first side of the at least one shelf, the rear bracket having an upper surface conformed to a bottom portion of the baseplate,

more than one horizontally adjustable track on an upper surface of the shelf,

one or more locking mechanisms on a side surface of the shelf, each locking mechanism capable of connecting the shelf to additional shelves, and

at least one tray configured to be supported by the at least one shelf, the at least one tray including a seventh engaging structure on a bottom portion of the tray capable of connecting to the more than one horizontally adjustable track of the at least one shelf.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

Cited By (9)

US 12,213,601 US 12,357,114 US 12,369,730 US 12,390,024 US 12,396,575 US 12,440,048 US 12,446,713 US 12,551,031 US 12,622,534