Modular point-of-purchase display

Abstract

A modular point-of-purchase display system is provided with a base in which open-fronted trays are inserted, and an alternative base in which open-fronted trays are stacked onto a base having an inclined, L-shaped profile, when observed from the side, the trays being wider than the base surface upon which they rest. Vertical extensions are provided, for increasing the stacking capacity of each of the bases. Two tray sizes are provided, ones having a shallow depth, and ones having substantially greater depth. Front extensions are provided for the bases, in both modes, for accommodating trays having substantially greater depth. Trays are provided with interior wall components that enable the user to select between several alternative tray interior configurations, to accommodate products being displayed, products having different dimensions, and to accommodate products having different row and/or stack counts.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A modular point-of-purchase display system, for the display of a plurality of individual discrete articles, the modular point-of-purchase display system comprising: 
 a base, erectable from a substantially flat blank, and operably configured, upon articulation, to support at least one discrete display tray, the base including an open-fronted tray receiving region,    the base including a front panel, a tray support bottom panel extending rearwardly from an upper edge region of the front panel, and a tray support back panel, extending upwardly from a rear edge region of the tray support bottom panel,    the tray support bottom panel and the tray support back panel together forming, at least in part, the open-fronted tray receiving region;    one or more display trays, each of the one or more display trays being operably configured to be received by and supported within the open-fronted tray receiving region of the base,    each of the one or more display trays having one of a first and a second depth, in which said second depth is greater than said first depth.    
     
     
         2 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a front extension support, erectable from a substantially flat blank, and operably configured for attachment to the front panel of the base, when at least one of the one or more display trays has a second greater depth,    the front extension support including a front extension tray support panel, configured to align in a substantially coplanar orientation with the tray support bottom panel of the base, when the front extension support is attached to the base, for providing support for a forward portion of a bottom wall of a lowermost one of one or more display trays that is received in the tray receiving region.    
     
     
         3 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 tray receiving region side panels operably disposed on opposite sides of the open-fronted tray-receiving region, to define a tray-receiving cavity.    
     
     
         4 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 3 , wherein the tray receiving region side panels, are disposed in planes substantially perpendicular to at least one of the tray support bottom panel, the tray support back panel.  
     
     
         5 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 3 , wherein the tray receiving cavity has a width that is greater that the width of each of the one or more display trays.  
     
     
         6 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray receiving region of the base is configured for accommodating a stack of trays of a specific number, the modular point-of-purchase display system further comprising: 
 a vertical extension support, operably attachable to an upper region of the base, for enabling the accommodation of additional one or more trays atop an uppermost one of a stack of trays of a specific number, which the tray receiving region of the base can accommodate.    
     
     
         7 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 6 , wherein the vertical extension support is configured to accommodate a single additional stacked tray.  
     
     
         8 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 6 , wherein the vertical extension support is configured to accommodate a plurality of additional stacked trays.  
     
     
         9 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 6 , wherein the vertical extension support includes a center panel, that is operably configured, upon positioning of the vertical extension support atop the base, to align in a substantially coplanar manner with the tray support back panel of the base.  
     
     
         10 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 6 , wherein the vertical extension support is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending tabs configured to engage upper edge portions of the base, for maintaining the vertical extension support in position atop the base.  
     
     
         11 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more display trays is open-fronted.  
     
     
         12 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more display trays is provided with at least one deployable easel support, for enabling the tray to be employed in an individual countertop display mode, independent of the base.  
     
     
         13 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more display trays has a width that is greater than at least one of the tray support bottom panel, the tray support back panel.  
     
     
         14 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more display trays is erectable from a substantially flat blank, into a substantially rectangular open-fronted parallelepiped.  
     
     
         15 . The modular point-of-purchase display system, according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially flat blank includes a plurality of successively connected panels, emanating from a panel, forming an outer top wall of a tray, which plurality of successively connected panels may be articulated in a plurality of different sequences, toward providing different selectable interior configurations for the tray.  
     
     
         16 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of successively connected panels, upon selected articulation, forms a tray having inner and outer top walls and a single back wall.  
     
     
         17 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of successively connected panels, upon articulation, forms a tray having inner and outer juxtaposed top walls and inner and outer juxtaposed back walls, and inner and outer juxtaposed bottom walls.  
     
     
         18 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of successively connected panels, upon articulation, forms a tray having inner and outer juxtaposed top walls and inner and outer juxtaposed back walls, and inner and outer vertically spaced bottom walls.  
     
     
         19 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of successively connected panels, upon articulation, forms a tray having at least one spacer projection extending from inner back and bottom walls, toward an interior region of the tray.  
     
     
         20 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an interior support, formed from a blank discrete from the base.  
     
     
         21 . The modular point-of-purchase display system according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially flat blank includes a plurality of successively connected panels, emanating from a panel forming an inner front wall of a tray, which plurality of successively connected panels form further bottom and back walls for the tray.