Rotating sunglass merchandiser display unit

Abstract

A rotating sunglass merchandiser display unit includes vertical display panels disposed between top and bottom horizontal support members. At least one of the vertical display panels is rotatable between a first position for displaying sunglasses, eyeglass frames or similar merchandise, and a second position for displaying promotional material or other non-eyewear products. The display unit includes a locking mechanism for releasably locking the rotatable vertical display panel in either the first or second display positions.

1 . A merchandise display unit for displaying sunglasses, non-prescription reading glasses or the like comprising: 
 a first support member;    a second support member;    a display panel disposed between said first support member and said second support member, said display panel rotatably movable between a first eyewear display position and a second non-eyewear display position;    said display panel including a nose bridge support member and temple openings for supporting an eyeglass frame for display when said display panel is in said first eyewear display position; and    a locking mechanism on at least one of said first support member or said second support member for releasably locking said display panel in said first eyewear display position or in said second non-eyewear display position.    
     
     
         2 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 1  further including: 
 a display board carried by said display panel so that said display board is substantially visible when said display panel is in said second non-eyewear display position and so that said display board is substantially hidden from view when said display panel is in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         3 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 said display board includes promotional material disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         4 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 3  wherein: 
 said display board includes graphics disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         5 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 said locking mechanism includes a first flexible tab located on said first support member and a second flexible tab located on said second support member.  
 
     
     
         6 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 5  wherein: 
 said display panel includes a top wall and a bottom wall, each said top wall and said bottom wall including an indent for receiving a flexible tab of said locking mechanism.  
 
     
     
         7 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 said display board includes temple openings for receiving the temples of the eyeglass frame when said display panel is in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         8 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 7  wherein: 
 said display panel further includes edge walls.  
 
     
     
         9 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 said temple openings of said display panel are located through said edge walls of said display panel.  
 
     
     
         10 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 9  wherein: 
 said edge walls include tabs for releasably receiving said display board.  
 
     
     
         11 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said rotatable display panel defines a front wall, a plurality of sidewalls and an edge wall extending from each sidewall.  
 
     
     
         12 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 11  wherein: 
 said nose bridge support member further includes a protruding support extending from said front wall of said display panel and a nose bridge support opening located in said front wall of said display panel.  
 
     
     
         13 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 12  wherein: 
 said protruding support is slanted toward said front wall of said display panel.  
 
     
     
         14 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 13  wherein: 
 said protruding support is of an inverted u-shape.  
 
     
     
         15 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 14  wherein: 
 said protruding support terminates at its end furthermost from said front wall in a lip.  
 
     
     
         16 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 13  wherein: 
 said temple openings are located through said edge walls of said display panel and said temple openings are lower than said protruding support such that the eyeglass frame is tilted upwardly when said eyeglass frame is disposed on said display panel.  
 
     
     
         17 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 16  further including: 
 a display board carried by said display panel so that said display board is substantially visible when said rotatable display panel is in said second non-eyewear display position and so that said display board is substantially hidden from view when said display panel is in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         18 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 17  wherein: 
 said display board includes promotional material disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         19 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 18  wherein: 
 said display board includes graphics disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         20 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 19  wherein: 
 said locking mechanism includes a first flexible tab located on said first support member and a second flexible tab located on said second support member.  
 
     
     
         21 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 20  wherein: 
 said display panel includes a top wall and a bottom wall, each said top and bottom wall including an indent for receiving a flexible tab of said locking means.  
 
     
     
         22 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 21  wherein: 
 said display board includes temple openings for receiving the temples of the eyeglass frame when said rotatable display panel is in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         23 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 22  wherein: 
 said edge walls include tabs for releasably receiving said display board.  
 
     
     
         24 . A merchandise display unit for displaying sunglasses, non-prescription reading glasses or the like comprising: 
 a first support member;    a second support member;    a plurality of display panels disposed between said first support member and said second support member, at least one of said display panels rotatably movable between a first eyewear display position and a second non-eyewear display position;    each of said plurality of display panels including a nose bridge support member and temple openings for supporting an eyeglass frame for display; and    a locking mechanism on at least one of said first support member or said second support member for releasably locking said at least one rotatable display panel in said first eyewear display position or in said second non-eyewear display position.    
     
     
         25 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 24  further including: 
 a display board carried by said at least one rotatable display panel so that said display board is substantially visible when said at least one rotatable vertical display panel is in said second non-eyewear display position and so that said display board is substantially hidden from view when said at least one rotatable display panel is in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         26 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 25  wherein: 
 said display board includes promotional material disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         27 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 26  wherein: 
 said display board includes graphics disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         28 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 25  wherein: 
 said locking mechanism includes a first flexible tab located on said first support member and a second flexible tab located on said second support member.  
 
     
     
         29 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 28  wherein: 
 said at least one rotatable display panel includes a top wall and a bottom wall, each said top wall and said bottom wall including an indent for receiving a flexible tab of said locking mechanism.  
 
     
     
         30 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 25  wherein: 
 said display board includes temple openings for receiving the temples of the eyeglass frame when said at least one rotatable display panel is in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         31 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 30  wherein: 
 said at least one display panel further includes edge walls.  
 
     
     
         32 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 31  wherein: 
 said temple openings of said at least one rotatable display panel are located through said edge walls of said display panel.  
 
     
     
         33 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 32  wherein: 
 said edge walls include tabs for releasably receiving said display board.  
 
     
     
         34 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 24  wherein: 
 said plurality of display panels each defines a front wall, a plurality of sidewalls and an edge wall extending from each sidewall.  
 
     
     
         35 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 34  wherein: 
 said nose bridge support member further includes a protruding support extending from said front wall and a nose bridge support opening located in said front wall.  
 
     
     
         36 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 35  wherein: 
 said protruding support is slanted toward said front wall.  
 
     
     
         37 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 36  wherein: 
 said protruding support is of an inverted u-shape.  
 
     
     
         38 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 37  wherein: 
 said protruding support terminates at its end furthermost from said front wall in a lip.  
 
     
     
         39 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 36  wherein: 
 said temple openings are located through said edge walls and said temple openings are lower than said protruding support such that the eyeglass frame is tilted upwardly when said eyeglass frame is disposed on said display panels.  
 
     
     
         40 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 24  wherein: 
 at least a further one of said plurality of display panels is non-rotatable and is permanently in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         41 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 40  further including: 
 a second locking mechanism on at least one of said first support member or said second support member for permanently fixing said at least one non-rotatable display panel in said first eyewear display position.  
 
     
     
         42 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 40  wherein: 
 said display unit includes an even number of display panels.  
 
     
     
         43 . A merchandise display panel according to  claim 42  wherein: 
 rotatable display panels alternate with non-rotatable display panels.  
 
     
     
         44 . A merchandise display unit according to claim  24  wherein: 
 the width of each display panel is greater than twenty times the distance between adjacent ones of said plurality of display panels, when said adjacent display panels are in said first eyewear display positions.  
 
     
     
         45 . A multi-tier rotating merchandise display unit for displaying sunglasses, non-prescription reading glasses or the like comprising: 
 a first rotating display unit including a first support member; a second support member; at least one display panel disposed between said first support member and said second support member, said at least one display panel rotatably movable between a first eyewear display position and a second non-eyewear display position; said at least one display panel including a nose bridge support member and temple openings for supporting an eye-glass frame for display when said at least one display panel is in said first eyewear display position; means on at least one of said first support member or said second support member for releasably locking said at least one display panel in said first eyewear display position or in said second non-eyewear display position;    a second rotating display unit including a third support member; a fourth support member; at least one display panel disposed between said third support member and said fourth support member, said at least one display panel rotatably movable between a first eyewear display position and a second non-eyewear display position; said at least one display panel including a nose bridge support member and temple openings for supporting an eyeglass frame for display when said at least one display panel is in said first eyewear display position; means on at least one of said third support member or said fourth support member for releasably locking said at least one display panel in said first eyewear display position or in said second non-eyewear display position;    said first rotating display unit being disposed on said second rotating display unit; and    means on said first rotating display unit and on said second rotating display unit for connecting said display units together so that they rotate together.    
     
     
         46 . A display unit for displaying merchandise comprising: 
 a first support member;    a second support member;    at least one display panel disposed between said first support member and said second support member, said at least one display panel rotatably movable between a first display position and a second display position; and    means on at least one of said first support member or said second support member for releasably locking said at least one display panel in said first display position or in said second display position.    
     
     
         47 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 46  wherein: 
 said at least one display panel includes a display board carried by said rotatable display panel so that said display board is substantially visible when. said at least one display panel is in said second display position and so that said display board is substantially hidden from view when said at least one display panel is in said first display position.  
 
     
     
         48 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 47  wherein: 
 said display board includes promotional material disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         49 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 48  wherein: 
 said display board includes graphics disposed thereon.  
 
     
     
         50 . A merchandise display unit according to claim  47  wherein: 
 said locking means includes a first flexible tab located on said first support member and a second flexible tab located on said second support member.  
 
     
     
         51 . A merchandise display unit according to  claim 50  wherein: 
 each of said at least one display panel includes a top wall and a bottom wall, each said top wall and bottom wall including an indent for receiving a flexible tab of said locking means.