Rapid setup retail display

Abstract

There is disclosed herein apparatus and methods relating to a rapid setup for a retail display of merchandise that includes a tray for holding merchandise for display and a collapsible/expandable base attached to the tray. The tray and base are attached to one another so that the merchandise can be loaded into the tray with the base collapsed, and then the loaded tray and collapsed base are shipped to the retailer. The retailer merely needs to expand the base to set up the retail display with the merchandise ready for display in the tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a base including a rear panel extending between an upper end and an opposite lower end, the rear panel further extending between opposite side edges, the base further including first and second side panels extending from respective ones of the opposite side edges, the base further including a first attachment member along the first side panel and a second attachment member along the second side panel; and   a tray including a first side configured to hold merchandise for retail display and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first and second attachment members of the base are attached to the tray.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second attachment members are attached to the second side of the tray. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first attachment member extends along an entire length of the first side panel and is orthogonally oriented relative to the first side panel and wherein the second attachment member extends along an entire length of the second side panel and is orthogonally oriented relative to the second side panel, and the first and second side panels are orthogonally oriented to the rear panel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second attachment members extend toward one another along the second side of the tray. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first side panel includes a first folding crease and the second side panel includes a second folding crease, wherein the first and second folding creases extend along the entire length of the respective first and second side panel on a centerline thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the base includes a locking panel extending from the upper end of the rear panel, the locking panel being foldable relative to the rear panel to a transverse orientation relative to the rear panel, the locking panel further including a locking tab projecting therefrom, wherein the tray defines a slot that receives the locking tab of the locking panel. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom end of the tray is aligned with the lower end of the rear panel so that the tray is supported in an upright position on a support surface with the bottom end of the tray and the lower end of the rear panel on the support surface. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a tray including a first side configured to hold merchandise for retail display and a second side opposite the first side; and   a base including a rear panel extending between an upper end and an opposite lower end, the base further including a locking panel foldably connected to the upper end of the rear panel, the rear panel further extending between opposite side edges, the base further including first and second side panels extending from respective ones of the opposite side edges of the rear panel, wherein the first and second side panels are attached to the tray, wherein each of the first and second side panels includes a respective one of a first folding crease and a second folding crease extending along a length thereof, and in a collapsed configuration of the base the first and second side panels are inwardly folded along the folding crease thereof so that the first and second side panels, the rear panel and the locking panel lie adjacent the second side of the tray and the rear panel and locking, and in an expanded configuration of the base the first and second side panels are unfolded along the folding crease thereof to space the rear panel from the second side of the tray allowing the locking panel to fold transversely to the rear panel and engage the tray to lock base in an expanded configuration that supports the tray.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the base further includes a first attachment member along the first side panel and a second attachment member along the second side panel and the first and second attachment members of the base are attached to the tray. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first attachment member extends along an entire length of the first side panel and is orthogonally oriented relative to the first side panel and wherein the second attachment member extends along an entire length of the second side panel and is orthogonally oriented relative to the second side panel, wherein the first and second attachment members extend toward one another along the second side of the tray and the first and second side panels are orthogonally oriented to the rear panel. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second attachment members are glued to the tray. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second folding creases extend along a centerline of the respective one of the first and second side panels for an entire length of the respective first and second side panel. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the locking panel includes a locking tab that engages a slot of the tray in the expanded configuration of the base. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a bottom end of the tray is aligned with the lower end of the rear panel so that the tray is supported in an upright position on a support surface with the bottom end of the tray and the lower end of the rear panel on the support surface. 
     
     
         15 . A method for providing a retail display, comprising:
 assembling a tray that is configured to hold merchandise with a base that is configured to support the tray by attaching the base to the tray, wherein the base is in a collapsed configuration;   placing merchandise in the tray while the tray is attached to the base in the collapsed configuration; and   expanding the collapsed base to support the tray attached to the base in an upright position to display the merchandise in the tray.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising shipping the merchandise in the tray attached to the base in the collapsed configuration to a retailer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein expanding the collapsed base includes unfolding first and second side panels attached to the tray to space a rear panel that extends between the side panels away from the tray. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein expanding the collapsed base further includes folding a locking panel at an upper end of the rear panel toward the tray and positioning a locking tab of the locking panel in a slot of the tray. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each of the side panels includes an attachment member extending therefrom and each of the attachment members is glued to the tray. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the expanded base and tray are each supported on a support surface when the tray is placed in the upright position.