Point-of-purchase advertising by a cantilevered display mechanism with an under-the-shelf battery and related methods

Abstract

A novel point-of-purchase cantilevered deflectable display assembly which normally extends transversely into a shopping aisle, is disclosed. The disclosed display assembly accommodates substitution of one frame-carried form or configuration of advertising for another, which can be radically different, without disconnecting the entire display assembly from its mounting to a molding at a store shelf or like. The advertising frame with which the advertising medium is associated is removably connected to a distal hanger member. At least one light is carried by the frame. The distal hanger member accommodates the above-mentioned on-site frame and advertisement removal and exchange, while the remainder of the display assembly remains in its shelf-mounted or like position. The display assembly disclosed enhances the deflectable nature of the cantilevered distal part of the display assemblies, the manner in which pivoting occurs and is controlled or limited and the way in which the display assemblies are biased toward neutral in the assembled condition. The electrical power supply is concealed in a housing beneath the store shelf for illuminating the light carried by the frame and the assembly is clamped to the shelf edge molding from the front and back of the molding. An elongated source of illumination is also disclosed.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A point-of-purchase cantilevered display assembly comprising: 
 an attachable/detachable/exchangeable advertising distal display portion comprising electrical lighting system;    a distal hanger member which is pivotable and to which the advertising display portion at a proximal end thereof is selectively attached and detached;    a proximal hanger member contiguous with a distal hanger member and in respect to which the distal hanger member is pivotable;    a first mounting member contiguous with the proximal hanger member which contiguously and compressively engages a front side of a molding strip;    a second mounting member connected to the first mounting member which contiguously and compressively engages a back side o the molding strip;    a return mechanism extending between the hanger members accommodating displacement of the display portion and the distal hanger member between pivoted and non-pivoted positions.    
     
     
         2 . A point-of-purchase cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the second mounting member is disposed under a shelf behind the molding strip.  
     
     
         3 . A point-of-purchase cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 2  wherein the second mounting member comprises a housing compartment in which at least one battery is disposed and further comprising electrical conductors disposed between the battery and a source of illumination carried by the display portion.  
     
     
         4 . A cantilevered display assembly comprising: 
 a distal advertising display segment comprising a frame peripherally disposed in respect to an advertising area and at least one source of illumination;    a pivotable mounting hanger segment connected to the frame at a proximal region of the frame;    a proximal mounting segment comprising a connector for cantilever mounting the assembly to a shelf molding strip and about which the mounting hanger segment and the display segment unitarily pivot responsive to external forces;    a return mechanism disposed at the pivot site;    a self-contained source of electrical power disposed behind the molding strip and beneath a shelf, the source of electrical power being electrically connected across the segments to the source of illumination.    
     
     
         5 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 4  further comprising a housing below the shelf behind the molding strip in which the source of electrical power is placed.  
     
     
         6 . A cantilevered display assembly comprising: 
 a distal sign comprising at least one source of illumination;    a proximal mounting portion which holds the distal sign in cantilevered relation, the proximal mounting portions comprising a connector clamp for cantilever mounting the assembly to a molding strip of a shelf;    a self-contained source of electrical power disposed behind the molding strip beneath the shelf, the source of electrical power being electrically connected to the source of illumination across the proximal mounting portion.    
     
     
         7 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 6  wherein the connector clamp comprises a first clamp portion thereof disposed behind the molding strip below the shelf and a second clamp portion disposed in front of the molding strip of the shelf.  
     
     
         8 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 7  wherein the first clamp portion of the proximal mounting portion comprises a housing in which the source of illumination is disposed.  
     
     
         9 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 7  further comprising at least one screw carried by the first clamp portion of the proximal mounting portion which releasibly engages the back side of the molding strip.  
     
     
         10 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 7  wherein the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion are releasibly connected.  
     
     
         11 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 10  wherein the releasible connection between the first clamp portion and second clamp portion comprises a male/female connection.  
     
     
         12 . A cantilevered display assembly according to  claim 11  wherein the male/female connection comprises a tongue and groove connection.  
     
     
         13 . An advertising display assembly for point-of-purchase cantilever extension into a shopping aisle, the assembly comprising: 
 a mounting segment comprising a proximal clamp by which the assembly is releasibly attached in cantilever relation to a point-of-purchase molding comprising part of a shelf;    a removable advertising display supported by the mounting segment and comprising a frame, a source of illumination and an advertising area within the frame;    a source of electrical power disposed behind the molding beneath the shelf;    electrical conductors disposed between the source of electrical power and the source of illumination across the mounting segment.    
     
     
         14 . An advertising display assembly according to  claim 13  further comprising a pivotable segment interposed between the mounting segment and the display.  
     
     
         15 . A method of advertising via a display assembly for point-of-purchase merchandising in a store, comprising the steps of: 
 releasibly securing a clamping portion of the display assembly to a molding associated with a shelf upon which goods being offered for sale in the store are placed;    attaching a proximal part of a first hanger member in cantilevered relation to a distal part of the clamping portion;    pivotably interfacing a second hanger member in cantilevered relation to a distal part of the first hanger member;    connecting a peripheral frame portion carrying advertising and a source of illumination, in cantilevered relation to a distal part of the second hanger member;    providing a source of electrical power behind the molding and below the shelf;    electrically connecting the source of electrical power to the source of illumination.    
     
     
         16 . A method of advertising via cantilevered display mechanism extending transversely into a point-of-purchase shopping aisle, comprising the steps of: 
 clamping a proximal clamp to a shopping aisle molding of a shelf so that a hanger segment, attached distally to the proximal clamp, extends transversely into the aisle in cantilevered relation;    supplying electrical power from at least one battery carried by the proximal clamp disposed behind the molding beneath the shelf;    pivotably interfacing a cantilevered advertising display segment comprising at least one source of illumination and a distal part of the hanger segment so that a proximal portion of the display segment removably and replaceably connects to a distal display portion;    electrically connecting the battery to the source of illumination.    
     
     
         17 . A display comprising a peripheral frame extending transversely into a shopping aisle, having at least one advertising areas disposed within the peripheral frame and at least one light, a mount releasibly connected to a molding strip of a shelf to which the display is pivotably connected and a source of electrical power beneath the shelf and electrically connected to the light.  
     
     
         18 . A method of advertising via a cantilevered display mechanism mounted to a molding strip of a shelf and extending transversely into a point-of-purchase shopping aisle, comprising the steps of: 
 releasibly connecting a removable and exchangeable distal advertising display comprising a source of illumination to a pivotable hanger segment;    supporting the distal advertising display by the pivotable hanger segment in cantilevered relation;    clamping a proximal segment of the display mechanism to the molding strip;    positioning a source of electrical power below the shelf and behind the molding strip and connecting the source of electrical power to the source of illumination.    
     
     
         19 . An advertising display assembly comprising a pivotably mounted display comprising a source of light and a light-transmitting elongated rod leaving an axis to which the light from the source is introduced and from which light is emitted along the length of the rod from the display in a direction generally transverse to the axis.