Vertical display of elongated products

Abstract

Elongated products such as bottles, cans, candy bar packages and the like are displayed horizontally in a display assembly which supports the products in a vertically stacked arrangement. The display assembly is formed by a back panel and end panel which support horizontally disposed shelves vertically spaced from each other to define a plurality of horizontally disposed compartments with one open end. The shelves are supported adjacent a transparent wall so that product supported by the shelves is displayed through the wall. Advertising material may be displayed on the opposite side of the transparent wall.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A rack for supporting and displaying elongated products in a vertically disposed array adjacent one face of a substantially vertical wall comprising: 
 (a) a back panel having a face lying in a first substantially vertical plane and defining a lower edge and first and second laterally opposed end edges;    (b) an end panel lying in a substantially vertical plane substantially normal to and intersecting said first vertical plane substantially adjacent said first end edge of the back panel; and    (c) a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed shelves substantially adjacent said back panel and said end panel spaced vertically from and substantially parallel with each other to define a plurality of horizontally disposed vertically arranged compartments having an open end and an opposite end effectively closed by said end panel.    
     
     
         2 . A rack as defined in  claim 1  wherein said shelves are substantially flat.  
     
     
         3 . A rack as defined in  claim 1  wherein said shelves are substantially curved and shaped to accept a cylindrical product disposed substantially horizontally.  
     
     
         4 . A rack as defined in  claim 3  wherein said back panel comprises a series of interconnected arcuate portions.  
     
     
         5 . A rack as defined in  claim 4  including a front panel disposed opposite said back panel which cooperates with said arcuate portions to define shelves which are substantially cylindrical.  
     
     
         6 . A rack as defined in  claim 1  wherein said rack includes a support flange spaced from and extending substantially parallel with said back panel.  
     
     
         7 . A rack as defined in  claim 6  wherein said support flange extends substantially the full vertical height of said rack.  
     
     
         8 . A rack as defined in  claim 1  including interconnecting structure for connecting one end of one such rack to the opposite end of another such rack.  
     
     
         9 . A rack as defined in  claim 8  wherein said interconnecting structure comprises a key at one end of such rack which mates with a key slot at the other end of such rack.  
     
     
         10 . A rack as defined in  claim 9  wherein said key and key slot are aligned parallel with the face of said back panel.  
     
     
         11 . A display assembly comprising: 
 (a) a wall with first and second opposed major faces arranged substantially vertically and defining a substantially vertically extending edge; and    (b) a rack for supporting and displaying elongated products in a vertically disposed array adjacent one face of said wall comprising: 
 (i) a back panel having a face lying in a plane substantially parallel with and spaced from the first major face of said wall and defining a lower edge and first and second laterally opposed end edges;  
 (ii) an end panel disposed between said first major face and the substantially vertical plane of the face of said back panel near one end edge of said back panel; and  
 (iii) a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed shelves supported between said back panel and said first major face spaced vertically from and substantially parallel with each other to define a plurality of horizontally disposed vertically arranged compartments having an open end opposite said end panel.  
   
     
     
         12 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 11  including pivot means supporting said wall for rotation about a vertical axis parallel with said substantially vertically extending edge.  
     
     
         13 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 12  wherein said end panel is oriented toward said vertical axis.  
     
     
         14 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 11  wherein said wall separates a refrigerated vault from ambient environment.  
     
     
         15 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 14  wherein said wall is substantially transparent and said rack is supported inside the vault.  
     
     
         16 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 14  wherein said rack is supported on the wall outside the vault.  
     
     
         17 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 11  wherein said wall is substantially transparent.  
     
     
         18 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 17  including advertising material secured to the opposite face of said wall.  
     
     
         19 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 18  wherein said advertising material is secured to said opposite face of said wall in register with a portion of said rack.  
     
     
         20 . A display rack comprising: 
 (a) a front panel extending in a substantially vertical plane;    (b) a plurality of parallel cylindrical compartments supported horizontally on said front panel; and    (c) means for securing said front panel to one face of a substantially vertical wall.    
     
     
         21 . A display assembly comprising: 
 (a) a substantially transparent wall with first and second opposed major faces; and    (b) a rack for supporting and displaying elongated products horizontally in a vertically disposed array adjacent one face of said wall wherein said rack defines a plurality of elongated compartments, each having a substantially closed end and a substantially open end, disposed horizontally and arranged in a vertical array.    
     
     
         22 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 21  wherein said rack comprises: 
 (i) a front panel secured adjacent one major face of said substantially transparent wall; and  
 (ii) a plurality of parallel cylindrical compartments supported horizontally on said front panel.  
 
     
     
         23 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 22  including advertising material secured to the opposite face of said substantially transparent wall.  
     
     
         24 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 21  wherein said substantially transparent wall forms at least part of a door.  
     
     
         25 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 21  including an elongated product supported in and extending from the open end of at least one of said compartments.  
     
     
         26 . A display assembly as defined in  claim 21  wherein said substantially transparent wall forms at least part of one wall of a refrigerated vault.