Display system

Abstract

A display system for displaying items includes first and second side walls spaced apart from one another and releasably connected to one another. At least one pair of slide mechanisms is disposed on the first and second side walls. At least one support tray is connected to the at least one pair of slide mechanisms for sliding movement between a first position disposed between the first and second side walls and a second, extended position. A locking mechanism is secured to the first side wall that selectively locks a pivotally openable top wall of the at least one support tray in a closed position. Optionally, the locking mechanism can also selectively and simultaneously lock the at least one support tray in the first position

1 . A transportable display system for displaying items, comprising: 
 first and second sidewalls spaced apart from one another and releasably connected to one another;    at least one pair of slide mechanisms disposed on said first and second sidewalls;    at least one support tray connected to said at least one pair of slide mechanisms for sliding movement between a first position disposed between said first and second sidewalls and a second, extended position, said at least one support tray comprising: 
 a base wall for supporting items for display,  
 a front wall extending upwardly from said base wall,  
 a rear wall extending upwardly from said base wall and spaced apart from said front wall, and  
 a top wall movable between a closed position wherein said top wall closes a display area defined by said base wall, said front wall and said rear wall and an open position wherein said top wall permits access to said display area; and  
   a locking mechanism secured to said first sidewall that locks said top wall of said at least one support tray in said closed position when said locking mechanism is in a locked state and, when in an unlocked state, allows movement of said top wall of said at least one support tray from said closed position to said open position.    
   
   
       2 . The transportable display system of  claim 1  wherein said locking mechanism simultaneously locks said at least one support tray in said first position and said top wall of said at least one support tray in said closed position when said locking mechanism is in said locked state and, when in said unlocked state, allows movement of said at least one support tray from said first position to said second, extended position and movement of said top wall of said at least one support tray from said closed position to said open position.  
   
   
       3 . The transportable display system of  claim 2  wherein said at least one pair of slide mechanisms includes a first pair of slide mechanisms and a second pair of slide mechanisms disposed in stacked relation to one another, said at least one support tray includes a first support tray connected to said first pair of slide mechanisms and a second support tray connected to said second pair of slide mechanisms.  
   
   
       4 . The transportable display system of  claim 3  wherein said at least one pair of slide mechanisms further includes a third pair of slide mechanisms disposed in stacked relation with said first and second pair of slide mechanisms, said at least one support tray further includes a third support tray connected to said third pair of slide mechanisms.  
   
   
       5 . The transportable display system of  claim 1  wherein each of said at least one support tray is a collapsible display tray wherein each of said base wall, said front wall, said rear wall, and said top wall is separately removable from said at least one pair of slide mechanisms.  
   
   
       6 . The transportable display system of  claim 5  wherein said at least one support tray includes sidewall members formed integrally with said at least one pair of slide mechanisms.  
   
   
       7 . The transportable display case of  claim 6  wherein said top wall is pivotally secured to said sidewalls adjacent said rear wall for movement between said open position and said closed position, said top wall including a transparent section for viewing into said display area.  
   
   
       8 . The transportable display system of  claim 6  wherein said front wall is formed by a front wall member and said rear wall is formed by a rear wall member, each of said sidewall members, said rear wall member and said front wall member includes an upstanding wall portion and a base portion, said base portions of said front and rear wall members overlaying said base portions of said sidewall members.  
   
   
       9 . The transportable display system of  claim 8  wherein said sidewall members each further include end wall portions disposed adjacent ends of said sidewall members and oriented orthogonally relative to each of said base portions and said upstanding wall portions, said upstanding wall portions of said front and rear wall members overlaying said end wall portions of said sidewall members.  
   
   
       10 . The transportable display system of  claim 9  wherein said end wall portions of said sidewall members include raised structures that are received through corresponding apertures defined in said upstanding wall portions of said front and rear wall members to provide rigidity to said at least one support tray when assembled.  
   
   
       11 . The transportable display system of  claim 1  wherein said base wall is formed of a plurality of sections foldable about one another for compacting said base wall for transport.  
   
   
       12 . The transportable display case of  claim 1  wherein said at least one support tray further includes sidewalls extending upwardly from said base wall and between said front and rear walls, said top wall pivotally secured to one of said sidewalls adjacent said rear wall or to said rear wall, said top wall including a transparent section for viewing into said display area when said top wall is in said closed position.  
   
   
       13 . The transportable display case of  claim 1  wherein said locking mechanism includes a first obstructing portion that, when said locking mechanism is in said locked state, engages said top wall of said at least one support tray to prevent movement of said top wall from said closed position to said open position thereby locking said top wall in said closed position.  
   
   
       14 . The transportable display case of  claim 13  wherein said locking mechanism further includes a second obstructing portion that, when said locking mechanism is in said locked state, engages said rear wall of said at least one support tray to prevent movement of said at least one support tray from said first position to said second, extended position thereby locking said at least one support tray in said first position.  
   
   
       15 . The transportable display case of  claim 14  wherein said second obstructing portion extends along and adjacent said rear wall when said locking mechanism is in said locked state so as to obstruct and prevent said at least one support tray from moving to said second, extended position from said first position by blocking movement of said rear wall.  
   
   
       16 . The transportable display case of  claim 14  wherein said first obstructing portion extends along and adjacent said top wall when said locking mechanism is in said locked state so as to obstruct and prevent said top wall from moving to said open position from said closed position by blocking movement of said top wall.  
   
   
       17 . The transportable display case of  claim 14  wherein said first and second obstructing portions are pivotally connected to said first sidewall and movable between a locked position wherein said locking mechanism is in said locked state and an unlocked position wherein said locking mechanism is in said unlocked state, said first and second obstructing portions removed from a path of travel of both said rear wall when said at least one support tray is moved from said first position toward said second, extended position and said top wall when said top wall is moved from said closed position toward said open position.  
   
   
       18 . The transportable display case of  claim 17  wherein said locking mechanism further includes: 
 a base portion to which said first and second obstructing portions are connected, said base portion being pivotally connected to said first sidewall; and    a lock that selectively locks said first and second obstructing portions in said locked position by engaging said base portion and preventing pivotal movement thereof.    
   
   
       19 . The transportable display case of  claim 18  wherein said base portion includes a locking tab that is engaged by said lock when said lock selectively locks said first and second obstructing portions in said locked position.  
   
   
       20 . The transportable display case of  claim 13  wherein said first obstructing portion extends along and adjacent said top wall when said locking mechanism is in said locked state so as to obstruct and prevent said top wall from moving to said open position from said closed position by blocking movement of said top wall.  
   
   
       21 . The transportable display case of  claim 1  wherein said top wall includes: 
 a plurality of transparent sections;    a pivot rod extending along rear edges of said plurality of transparent sections for pivotally securing said top wall;    a first elongated clip securing a first section of said plurality of transparent sections to said pivot rod; and    a second elongated clip securing a second section of said plurality of transparent sections to said pivot rod.    
   
   
       22 . The transportable display case of  claim 1  further including an anti-tipping device that prevents separation from an associated support surface when said at least one support tray is moved to or toward said second extended position, said the anti-tipping device being at least one support wall portion of said sidewall extending from a main portion of one of said first and second sidewalls along said support surface.  
   
   
       23 . A display structure for displaying items, comprising: 
 first and second sidewalls spaced apart from one another and releasably connected to one another, said second sidewall capable of being readily disconnected and reconnected to said first sidewall without the use of tools thereby enabling the display system to be readily assembled and disassembled for transport thereof;    a first pair of slide mechanisms disposed on said first and second sidewalls;    a second pair of slide mechanism disposed on said first and second sidewalls;    a first support tray connected to said first pair of slide mechanisms for sliding movement thereof;    a second support tray connected to said second pair of slide mechanisms for sliding movement thereof;    wherein each of said first and second support trays including a base wall for supporting items for display, a front wall extending upwardly from said base wall, a rear wall extending upwardly from said base wall and spaced apart from said front wall, and a top wall movable between a closed position preventing access to a display area and an open position permitting access to said display area;    wherein each of said first and second support trays is movable between a first position disposed between said first and second sidewalls and an extended position, said first and second support trays disposed in stacked relation when both are in said first position; and    a locking mechanism secured to said first sidewall that locks said top wall of each of said first and second support trays in said closed position when said locking mechanism is in a locked state.    
   
   
       24 . The display structure of  claim 20  wherein the locking mechanism further locks said first and second support trays in said first position when said locking mechanism is in said locked state.  
   
   
       25 . The display structure of  claim 24  wherein a lower one of said first and second support trays is only accessible when the other of said first and second support trays is in said extended position and said top wall of said lower one of said first and second support trays is movable to said open position only when said other of said first and second support trays is in said extended position and said locking mechanism is in an unlocked state.  
   
   
       26 . A display system for displaying items, comprising: 
 first and second sidewalls spaced apart from one another and releasably connected to one another;    at least one pair of slide mechanisms disposed on said first and second sidewalls;    at least one support tray connected to said at least one pair of slide mechanisms for sliding movement between a first position disposed between said first and second sidewalls and a second, extended position; and    a locking mechanism secured to said first sidewall that selectively locks a pivotally openable top wall of said at least one support tray in a closed position.    
   
   
       27 . The display system of  claim 26  wherein said locking mechanism also selectively and simultaneously locks said at least one support tray in said first position.  
   
   
       28 . The display system of  claim 27  wherein said at least one support tray is a box-shaped display case and said pivotally openable top wall includes a transparent portion for viewing into said display case when said top wall is in said closed position, said display case being collapsible and integrally formed with said at least one pair of slide mechanisms.