US20070204523A1 - System and method for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit - Google Patents
System and method for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit Download PDFInfo
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- US20070204523A1 US20070204523A1 US11/361,675 US36167506A US2007204523A1 US 20070204523 A1 US20070204523 A1 US 20070204523A1 US 36167506 A US36167506 A US 36167506A US 2007204523 A1 US2007204523 A1 US 2007204523A1
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- sidewall
- coupling
- tab
- rmu
- curved portion
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- A47F10/00—Furniture or installations specially adapted to particular types of service systems, not otherwise provided for
Definitions
- the following description relates generally to techniques for selectively widening a part to provide sufficient surface for through-surface coupling with the part, and more particularly to systems and methods for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit.
- RMUs Retail Merchandising Units
- An RMU may, for example, be implemented as a kiosk or other structure.
- RMUs may be employed for a vendor (e.g., retailer) to market its merchandise to prospective customers and conduct sales transactions with customers.
- a vendor e.g., retailer
- an RMU generally includes shelves (or other display mechanisms) for displaying the vendor's merchandise to prospective customers when the RMU is open for business.
- RMUs also generally include at least some amount of storage space for storing the vendor's inventory of merchandise.
- RMUs further include a cash register and/or other equipment (e.g., computer, credit card processing equipment, etc.) for conducting point of sale (POS) transactions with customers.
- POS point of sale
- RMUs effectively provide a self-contained storefront for vendors, much like traditional retail stores.
- RMUs often provide a relatively low-cost alternative for a vendor to obtain a storefront in a public area. That is, an RMU may be used by a vendor to establish a storefront in a public area (which may be a highly desirable area with high visibility and customer traffic, such as a busy shopping mall) with much less overhead than is associated with traditional retail stores. For instance, while RMUs do not provide the amount of retail space that is afforded by a traditional retail store, RMUs may be arranged in walkways (e.g., halls of shopping malls, etc.) or other available space. Traditional retail stores commonly have 1000 square feet of space (and much more in many instances), while RMUs generally consume from approximately 10 square feet to approximately 150 square feet.
- RMUs generally do not consume a large amount of space (as compared to traditional retail stores) and because the RMUs can often be placed in otherwise unused areas, RMUs may incur very economical rent and utility costs. Further, an owner of a given space, such as a shopping mall, may benefit by allowing RMUs to be arranged within the otherwise unused portions of such space to increase the offerings of goods/services within the space and to realize income from the rental of such RMUs which would not otherwise be realized from such unused portions of the space. Many types of businesses can be effectively run without requiring the space afforded by a traditional retail store, and may instead be capable of effectively displaying and conducting sales of their merchandise in an RMU. RMUs thus offer such businesses a relatively low-cost alternative for establishing a storefront in a desirable area.
- RMUs have a body with a header coupled thereto.
- the header may provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance and/or provide certain functionality for the RMU.
- the header may include a display portion for displaying the name of the vendor's business, and/or the header may house lights for illuminating the vendor's merchandise in the RMU.
- One type of header that is popular for RMUs is referred to as a “racetrack” header.
- a racetrack header is a header that resembles an oval racetrack. An example of a traditional racetrack header is described further below with FIGS. 1 and 2 .
- RMU manufacturer typically desires to minimize manufacturing costs, while providing a high-quality RMU for vendors.
- RMUs generally provide vendors a low-cost storefront option, and thus RMU manufacturers generally desire to minimize manufacturing costs without unduly sacrificing RMU quality in order to provide affordable RMUs to vendors.
- headers have traditionally comprised a top surface, bottom surface, and a sidewall (which may be referred to as a “spreader” because it separates the top and bottom surfaces by a desired distance) that is disposed between the top and bottom surfaces.
- a sidewall which may be referred to as a “spreader” because it separates the top and bottom surfaces by a desired distance
- top and bottom surfaces have been jointly coupled with the sidewall via a connector such that the top and bottom surfaces cannot be separately uncoupled from the sidewall.
- a user may be required to disassemble both the top and bottom surfaces from the sidewall, rather than uncoupling only one of such top and bottom surfaces. This is undesirably cumbersome in most instances.
- racetrack header 10 has a top surface 11 , bottom surface 13 , and sidewall 12 disposed between top surface 11 and bottom surface 13 .
- top surface 11 comprises curved portions 101 A and 101 B, and straight portions 102 A and 102 B.
- Bottom surface 13 comprises half-oval portions 106 A and 106 B.
- Sidewall 12 comprises an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall. The outer sidewall aligns with the exterior edges of the top and bottom surfaces, while the inner sidewall aligns with the interior edges of the top and bottom surfaces.
- the outer sidewall comprises half-oval portions 120 A and 120 B (collectively referred to as outer sidewall 120 ).
- the inner sidewall comprises straight portions 121 A and 121 B and curved portions 121 C and 121 D (collectively referred to as inner sidewall 121 ).
- Sidewall 12 comprises tubing (e.g., steel tubing) 105 coupled (e.g., welded) to the inner and outer sidewalls at various locations.
- tubing 105 is disposed at various locations on the interior of the outer sidewall 120
- tubing 105 is disposed at various locations on the exterior of the inner sidewall 121 .
- Such tubing 105 aligns with holes in the top surface 11 and bottom surface 13 when the racetrack header 10 is being assembled.
- a coupling mechanism such as a nut and bolt, is used to couple the top surface 11 and bottom surface 13 to the sidewall 12 through the tubing 105 .
- FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a portion of the racetrack header 10 of FIG. 1 .
- a portion of a bolt 21 is inserted through a hole in bottom surface 13 and into tubing 105 .
- a portion of nut 22 is inserted through a hole in top surface 11 and into tubing 105 .
- Bolt 21 comprises a head portion 21 A and a shaft portion 21 B.
- the head portion 21 A is sufficiently large such that it does not fit into the hole in the bottom surface 13 through which the shaft portion 21 B fits. Thus, the head portion 21 A engage the bottom surface 13 .
- Nut 22 is commonly referred to as a joint connector bolt.
- Nut 22 comprises a shaft portion 22 B that extends from a head portion 22 A.
- the shaft portion 22 B is hollow with an opening at the end opposite the head portion 22 A into which a portion of bolt 21 is received.
- the interior surface of the hollow shaft 22 B may be threaded for threadedly engaging with a threaded portion of the bolt's shaft 21 B.
- the head portion 22 A does not fit into the hole in the top surface 11 through which the shaft portion 22 B fits. Thus, the head portion 22 A engage the top surface 11 .
- bolts 21 engage nuts 22 in a known fashion to couple the top surface 11 , bottom surface 13 , and sidewall 12 together through tubing 105 . It should be recognized that if the bolts 21 are uncoupled from nuts 22 , both top surface 11 and bottom surface 13 uncouple from sidewall 12 .
- the cost of manufacturing this traditional header is undesirably high. Such manufacturing costs are high for various reasons.
- the top and bottom are produced out of 1 ⁇ 4′′ aluminum.
- the top and bottom plates are counterbored underneath to allow additional clearance for the light fixtures that may be implemented within the header.
- the joint connector bolts are long and required a shoulder along with a special nut which are more expensive than short 1 ⁇ 4-20 all thread type.
- the round steel tubing is relatively expensive (e.g., more expensive than sheet metal).
- the round tubing is hand cut into lengths by a person, and thus labor cost is relatively high.
- the tubing had to have a jig produced to align the tubes in their proper positions.
- the tubes require a lot of welding steps.
- the process for assembling the traditional headers required a bolt to be inserted simultaneously with a nut from the other side, which at times required two workers or a series of clamps to be employed, thus adding difficulty and expense to the assembly process.
- the present invention is directed generally to techniques for selectively widening a part to provide sufficient surface for through-surface coupling with the part, and more particularly to systems and methods for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit.
- a RMU comprises a header.
- the header comprises a sidewall, and at least one coupling surface protruding from the sidewall.
- the header further comprises a top surface coupled to the sidewall via a through-surface coupling mechanism coupled at least partially through the at least one coupling surface.
- the header also comprises a bottom surface to the sidewall via a through-surface coupling mechanism coupled at least partially through the at least one coupling surface.
- the top surface and the bottom surface are coupled to the sidewall such that the top surface and bottom surface can each be individually uncoupled from the sidewall without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall.
- a through-surface coupling mechanism refers to any mechanism that inserts at least partially through a surface for coupling the surface to another part.
- Examples of such a through-surface coupling mechanism comprise, without limitation, a bolt, screw, rivet (e.g., traditional and/or removable nylon-type rivets), rod, and stud.
- a RMU comprises a body, and a header coupled to the body.
- the header comprises a sidewall comprising a curved portion.
- the header further comprises a through-surface coupling portion coupled to the curved portion of the sidewall.
- the through-surface coupling portion comprises a curved portion that abuts against the sidewall, wherein the through-surface coupling portion's curved portion has a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's curved portion.
- the header further comprises at least one surface coupled to the through-surface coupling portion.
- the through-surface coupling portion comprises a tab that protrudes from the sidewall.
- the through-surface coupling portion comprises a threaded tube that is coupled to the sidewall.
- the at least one surface coupled to the through-surface coupling portion comprises a top surface and a bottom surface disposed on opposing sides of the sidewall.
- a method of forming a header of a RMU comprises coupling at least one through-surface coupling portion to a sidewall of the header such that the at least one through-surface coupling portion protrudes from the sidewall.
- the method further comprises coupling a top surface and a bottom surface to the at least one through-surface coupling portion such that the sidewall is disposed between the top surface and bottom surface.
- the coupling of the top surface and the bottom surface permits each of the top surface and the bottom surface to be individually uncoupled from the sidewall without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall.
- a method of forming a header of a RMU comprises notching at least one notch into a curved portion of a sidewall of the header.
- the method further comprises providing at least one tab that comprises a) a curved portion having a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's curved portion, and b) a tongue projecting from the tab's curved portion.
- the method further comprises coupling the at least one tab to the sidewall such that the at least one tab's tongue resides in the at least one notch and the at least one tab's curved portion abuts against the sidewall.
- the method further comprises coupling at least one surface to the at least one tab.
- certain embodiments of the present invention advantageously reduce manufacturing costs associated with RMU headers, while enabling high-quality construction of such RMU headers. Further, certain embodiments of the present invention advantageously enable a header's top surface and a bottom surface to be individually uncoupled from the header's sidewall, without requiring the other of the top and bottom surface to be so uncoupled.
- FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an exemplary traditional racetrack header of an RMU
- FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a portion of the racetrack header of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of an exemplary header of an RMU according to one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of the header of FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5A shows another exemplary header of an RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 5B shows a portion of a curved portion of the header's sidewall of FIG. 5A ;
- FIGS. 6A-6B show exemplary tabs used to provide through-surface coupling portions for the sidewall's curved portions in FIGS. 5A-5B ;
- FIG. 7 shows an exemplary flow for forming a header of an RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 shows another exemplary flow for forming a header of an RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- header 30 has a top surface 31 , bottom surface 33 , and sidewall 32 disposed between top surface 31 and bottom surface 33 .
- header 30 is a rectangular shape, rather than oval as in the example of FIG. 1 .
- Top surface 31 comprises portions 301 A- 301 D.
- Bottom surface 33 comprises portions 302 A- 302 D.
- Sidewall 32 comprises an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall.
- the outer sidewall aligns with the exterior edges of the top and bottom surfaces, while the inner sidewall aligns with the interior edges of the top and bottom surfaces.
- the outer sidewall comprises portions 303 A- 303 D (collectively referred to as outer sidewall 303 ).
- the inner sidewall comprises portions 304 A- 304 D (collectively referred to as inner sidewall 304 ).
- Inner sidewall 304 and outer sidewall 303 each comprises through-surface coupling portions 305 coupled (e.g., welded) at various locations.
- through-surface coupling portions 305 are disposed at various locations on the interior of the outer sidewall 303
- the through-surface coupling portions 105 are disposed at various locations on the exterior of the inner sidewall 304 .
- through-surface coupling portions 305 are each tubing having a threaded interior.
- the threaded tubing comprises 1 ⁇ 4-20 steel hex nuts.
- Such threaded tubing 305 aligns with holes in the top surface 31 and bottom surface 33 when the header 30 is being assembled.
- a coupling mechanism such as a bolt or screw, is used to couple the top surface 31 and bottom surface 33 to the sidewall 32 (i.e., to the inner and outer sidewalls) via the threaded tubing 305 .
- FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of the header 30 of FIG. 3 .
- a portion of a first through-surface coupling mechanism (e.g., bolt or screw) 41 is inserted through a hole in bottom surface 33 and into threaded tubing 305 .
- a portion of a second through-surface coupling mechanism e.g., bolt or screw
- through-surface coupling mechanism 41 comprises a head portion 41 A and a shaft portion 41 B.
- the head portion 41 A is sufficiently large such that it does not fit into the hole in the bottom surface 33 through which the shaft portion 41 B fits.
- the head portion 41 A engages the bottom surface 33 .
- Shaft portion 41 B is threaded for engaging the interior threading of tubing 305 , thereby coupling with such tubing 305 .
- through-surface coupling mechanism 42 comprises a head portion 42 A and a shaft portion 42 B.
- the head portion 42 A is sufficiently large such that it does not fit into the hole in the top surface 31 through which the shaft portion 42 B fits.
- the head portion 42 A engages the top surface 31 .
- Shaft portion 42 B is threaded for engaging the interior threading of tubing 305 , thereby coupling with such tubing 305 .
- this embodiment enables the top surface 31 and bottom surface 33 to each be individually uncoupled from sidewall 32 (e.g., uncoupled from the inner and outer sidewalls in this example) without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall. That is, through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 can be individually removed, thereby uncoupling only bottom surface 33 from sidewall 32 , while allowing top surface 31 to remain coupled via through-surface coupling mechanisms 42 to sidewall 32 . Similarly, through-surface coupling mechanisms 42 can be individually removed, thereby uncoupling only top surface 31 from sidewall 32 , while allowing bottom surface 33 to remain coupled via through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 to sidewall 32 . Of course, if so desired, both the through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 and 42 may be removed in order to uncouple both the bottom surface 33 and the top surface 31 from sidewall 32 .
- the through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 provide a removably reusable coupling between the bottom surface 33 and tubing 305 , whereby the coupling mechanisms can be reused to removably connect the bottom surface 33 and tubing 305 . That is, through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 may be removed (e.g., unscrewed) from tubing 305 , thereby uncoupling bottom surface 33 , and such through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 may thereafter be reused to re-connect the bottom surface 33 to the tubing 305 .
- the through-surface coupling mechanisms 42 provide a removably reusable coupling between the top surface 31 and tubing 305 , whereby the coupling mechanisms can be reused to removably connect the top surface 31 and tubing 305 .
- the sidewall of a RMU header is not of sufficient width to support through-surface coupling.
- the width “W” of sidewall 32 may be less than the width of through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 and 42 .
- the sidewall 32 may provide insufficient surface to which through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 and 42 may couple.
- through-surface coupling portions such as through-surface coupling portions 305 of header 30 , are coupled (e.g., welded) to sidewall 32 at various locations in order to provide sufficient area for through-surface coupling where desired.
- FIGS. 5A-6B show another exemplary RMU header 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- tabs are used to provide through-surface coupling portions, rather than the exemplary tubing 305 of exemplary header 30 described above with FIGS. 3-4 . That is, as described further hereafter, tabs 503 , 504 , 505 , and 506 are coupled to sidewall 52 .
- header 50 has a bottom surface 51 and sidewall 52 .
- a top surface such as top surface 11 of FIG. 1
- header 50 is an oval-shaped “racetrack” header, similar to the shape of the exemplary header 10 of FIG. 1 .
- header 50 may be implemented as rectangular or any other desired shape.
- bottom surface 51 of header 50 comprises half-oval portions 511 A and 511 B.
- Sidewall 52 comprises curved portions 502 , and straight portions 501 A- 501 D.
- sidewall 52 comprises an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall.
- the outer sidewall is disposed adjacent to the outer edge of bottom surface 51
- the inner sidewall is disposed adjacent to the inner edge of the bottom surface 51 .
- the outer sidewall is formed by straight portions 501 A and 501 B and curved portions 502 A
- the inner sidewall is formed by straight portions 501 C and 501 D and curved portions 502 B.
- the inner and outer sidewalls comprise through-surface coupling portions coupled thereto at various locations.
- the straight portions 501 A- 501 D of sidewall 52 comprise a “c-channel”.
- the c-channel may be formed through a metal-bending process, for example.
- the c-channel includes a vertical portion 522 with an upper horizontal portion 520 and lower horizontal portion 521 protruding from such vertical portion 522 .
- the upper horizontal portion 520 and lower horizontal portion 521 are substantially perpendicular to the vertical portion 522 , and such upper and lower horizontal portions 520 , 521 provide through-surface coupling portions.
- through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 are employed to couple bottom surface 51 to the lower horizontal portion 521 , and likewise such through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 may be employed to couple a top surface (such as top surface 11 of FIG. 1 ) to the upper horizontal portion 520 .
- Through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 may be pressed-in-metal (PIM) nuts, or any other suitable type of through-surface connector, such as a bolt, rod, rivet, stud, etc.
- PIM pressed-in-metal
- the top and bottom surfaces may be separately coupled and uncoupled with sidewall 52 via upper horizontal portion 520 and lower horizontal portion 521 , respectively.
- various tabs 502 - 506 are employed to provide through-surface coupling portions on the curved portion 502 of sidewall 52 .
- such tabs may be employed on the straight portions 501 A- 501 D of sidewall 522 , instead of employing the exemplary c-channel structure shown.
- the c-channel structure of the straight portions 501 A- 501 D may be employed for the curved portions 502 of sidewall 52 .
- tabs due to the cost of manufacturing a curved c-channel structure, it may be more cost-effective to employ tabs, such as tabs 502 - 506 on at least the curved portions 502 of sidewall 52 .
- tabs 503 and 504 are coupled to the exterior side of inner curved portion 502 B, and tabs 505 and 506 are coupled to the interior side of outer curved portion 502 A.
- Tabs 503 and 505 may be referred to as single through-surface coupling portions, while tabs 504 and 506 may be referred to as dual through-surface coupling portions.
- the single through-surface coupling portions 503 and 505 accept a single through-surface coupling mechanism (e.g., bolt, PIM nut, etc.), while dual through-surface coupling portions accept two through-surface coupling mechanisms.
- notches 507 and 508 are notched (e.g., lasered) into curved portions 502 A and 502 B, respectively, at locations where tabs are to be coupled to the sidewall.
- a portion of curved portions 502 A and 502 B of FIG. 5 are shown in FIG. 5B .
- notches may be lasered into the upper side and lower side of the sidewall, and tabs may be coupled to the upper side and lower side of the sidewall.
- Tabs coupled to the lower side of the sidewall may be used for coupling a bottom surface 51 to the sidewall, while the tabs coupled to the upper side of the sidewall may be used for coupling a top surface (e.g., top surface 11 of FIG. 1 ) to the sidewall.
- FIG. 5B shows a tab 505 coupled to notch 507 of outer curved portion 502 A of the sidewall such that the tab 505 projects from the sidewall inward toward the interior about which the outer portion 502 A curves.
- a tab 503 is coupled to notch 508 of inner curved portion 502 B of the sidewall such that the tab 503 projects from the sidewall outward away from the interior about which the inner portion 502 B curves.
- FIGS. 6A-6B show exemplary tabs 503 and 505 of FIGS. 5A-5B .
- tab 505 comprises a curved portion 601 that abuts against the sidewall 52 when coupled to the sidewall.
- the curved portion 601 has a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's outer curved portion 502 A. That is, tab 505 has a curved surface 601 that matches the curvature of the interior side of outer curved portion 502 A such that the curved surface 601 of tab 505 abuts snugly against the interior surface of curved portion 502 A when coupled therewith.
- Tab 505 also has a tongue 602 that projects from the tab's curved portion 601 .
- Such tongue 602 fits into a notch 507 of the sidewall's outer curved portion 502 A, as shown in FIG. 5B .
- the tongue 602 is welded to the notch 507 , thereby coupling the tab 505 to the sidewall.
- Tab 505 also comprises an aperture (e.g., hole) 603 for accepting a through-surface coupling mechanism, such as a bolt, screw, PIM nut, etc.
- the aperture 603 may be threaded for threadedly engaging with a through-surface coupling mechanism.
- tab 503 comprises a curved portion 604 that abuts against the sidewall 52 when coupled to the sidewall.
- the curved portion 604 has a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's inner curved portion 502 B. That is, tab 503 has a curved surface 604 that matches the curvature of the exterior side of inner curved portion 502 B such that the curved surface 604 of tab 503 abuts snugly against the exterior surface of curved portion 502 B when coupled therewith.
- Tab 503 also has a tongue 602 that projects from the tab's curved portion 604 . Such tongue 602 fits into a notch 508 of the sidewall's inner curved portion 502 B, as shown in FIG.
- the tongue 602 is welded to the notch 508 , thereby coupling the tab 503 to the sidewall.
- Tab 503 also comprises an aperture (e.g., hole) 603 for accepting a through-surface coupling mechanism, such as a bolt, screw, PIM nut, etc.
- the aperture 603 may be threaded for threadedly engaging with a through-surface coupling mechanism.
- header 50 enables a top surface (e.g., top surface 11 of FIG. 1 ) and bottom surface 51 to each be individually uncoupled from sidewall 52 without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall.
- a top surface e.g., top surface 11 of FIG. 1
- bottom surface 51 to each be individually uncoupled from sidewall 52 without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall.
- the sidewall of a RMU header is not of sufficient width to support through-surface coupling.
- the width “W” of sidewall 52 shown in FIG. 5A , may be less than the width of through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 used (e.g., PIM nuts).
- the sidewall 52 may provide insufficient surface to which through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 may couple.
- the exemplary embodiment of header 50 addresses this issue by employing a c-channel sidewall for the straight portions 501 A- 501 D of such sidewall, whereby the upper and lower horizontal portions 520 , 521 provide sufficient surface for enabling through-surface coupling.
- the exemplary embodiment of header 50 further addresses this issue by employing tabs coupled to various locations of the curved portions 502 A- 502 B of such sidewall, whereby the tabs provide sufficient surface for enabling through-surface coupling.
- FIG. 7 shows an exemplary flow for a method of forming a header of a RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- at least one through-surface coupling portion is coupled to a sidewall of the header such that the at least one through-surface coupling portion protrudes from the sidewall.
- a top surface and a bottom surface are coupled to the at least one through-surface coupling portion such that the sidewall is disposed between the top surface and bottom surface.
- the coupling of the top surface and the bottom surface in block 72 permits each of the top surface and the bottom surface to be individually uncoupled from the sidewall without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall.
- FIG. 8 shows an exemplary flow for a method of forming a header of a RMU according to another embodiment of the present invention.
- at least one notch is notched into a curved portion of a sidewall of the header.
- at least one tab is provided that comprises a) a curved portion having a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's curved portion, and b) a tongue projecting from the tab's curved portion.
- the at least one tab is coupled to the sidewall such that the at least one tab's tongue resides in the at least one notch and the at least one tab's curved portion abuts against the sidewall.
- at least one surface is coupled to the at least one tab.
- certain embodiments of the present invention reduce manufacturing costs from those required for producing the traditional header of FIGS. 1-2 .
- certain embodiments allow for speedier assembly, thereby reducing labor costs associated with constructing the header.
- certain embodiments do not require a jig or other special equipment to be purchased or constructed for use in forming the header, thereby reducing the equipment costs associated with manufacturing.
- the top and bottom surfaces, as well as the sidewall are produced out of 11 gauge steel, rather than the 1 ⁇ 4′′ aluminum or 3/16′′ thick steel used in the traditional header of FIGS. 1-2 .
- any material may be employed for these components in certain embodiments.
- certain embodiments ease the assembly process as certain embodiments of the header no longer require a bolt to be inserted simultaneously with a nut from the other side, but instead the top and bottom surfaces may be independently (or separately) coupled to the sidewall, as discussed above.
- the above-described process for manufacturing of a RMU header provides several benefits and strategic advantages over the traditional welding techniques.
- the above-described manufacturing process reduces cost of producing the RMU by 50% over the traditional techniques.
- the above-described manufacturing process improves quality, serviceability, and reduces lead times for manufacturing by 40% as compared to the traditional header manufacturing techniques.
Abstract
Description
- Not applicable.
- The following description relates generally to techniques for selectively widening a part to provide sufficient surface for through-surface coupling with the part, and more particularly to systems and methods for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit.
- Many businesses use Retail Merchandising Units (RMUs) to establish an effective storefront through which they can conduct retail sales in public areas, such as shopping malls, theme parks, sports arenas, and a wide variety of other public venues. An RMU may, for example, be implemented as a kiosk or other structure. RMUs may be employed for a vendor (e.g., retailer) to market its merchandise to prospective customers and conduct sales transactions with customers. For instance, an RMU generally includes shelves (or other display mechanisms) for displaying the vendor's merchandise to prospective customers when the RMU is open for business. RMUs also generally include at least some amount of storage space for storing the vendor's inventory of merchandise. Typically, RMUs further include a cash register and/or other equipment (e.g., computer, credit card processing equipment, etc.) for conducting point of sale (POS) transactions with customers. Thus, generally RMUs effectively provide a self-contained storefront for vendors, much like traditional retail stores.
- RMUs often provide a relatively low-cost alternative for a vendor to obtain a storefront in a public area. That is, an RMU may be used by a vendor to establish a storefront in a public area (which may be a highly desirable area with high visibility and customer traffic, such as a busy shopping mall) with much less overhead than is associated with traditional retail stores. For instance, while RMUs do not provide the amount of retail space that is afforded by a traditional retail store, RMUs may be arranged in walkways (e.g., halls of shopping malls, etc.) or other available space. Traditional retail stores commonly have 1000 square feet of space (and much more in many instances), while RMUs generally consume from approximately 10 square feet to approximately 150 square feet. Because RMUs generally do not consume a large amount of space (as compared to traditional retail stores) and because the RMUs can often be placed in otherwise unused areas, RMUs may incur very economical rent and utility costs. Further, an owner of a given space, such as a shopping mall, may benefit by allowing RMUs to be arranged within the otherwise unused portions of such space to increase the offerings of goods/services within the space and to realize income from the rental of such RMUs which would not otherwise be realized from such unused portions of the space. Many types of businesses can be effectively run without requiring the space afforded by a traditional retail store, and may instead be capable of effectively displaying and conducting sales of their merchandise in an RMU. RMUs thus offer such businesses a relatively low-cost alternative for establishing a storefront in a desirable area.
- Often, RMUs have a body with a header coupled thereto. The header may provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance and/or provide certain functionality for the RMU. For instance, the header may include a display portion for displaying the name of the vendor's business, and/or the header may house lights for illuminating the vendor's merchandise in the RMU. One type of header that is popular for RMUs is referred to as a “racetrack” header. A racetrack header is a header that resembles an oval racetrack. An example of a traditional racetrack header is described further below with
FIGS. 1 and 2 . - An RMU manufacturer typically desires to minimize manufacturing costs, while providing a high-quality RMU for vendors. As discussed above, RMUs generally provide vendors a low-cost storefront option, and thus RMU manufacturers generally desire to minimize manufacturing costs without unduly sacrificing RMU quality in order to provide affordable RMUs to vendors.
- Traditionally, the manufacturing costs associated with producing a header, and particularly a racetrack header, for an RMU have been undesirably high. Further, such headers have traditionally comprised a top surface, bottom surface, and a sidewall (which may be referred to as a “spreader” because it separates the top and bottom surfaces by a desired distance) that is disposed between the top and bottom surfaces. As discussed further below with
FIGS. 1 and 2 , such top and bottom surfaces have been jointly coupled with the sidewall via a connector such that the top and bottom surfaces cannot be separately uncoupled from the sidewall. Thus, for instance, if a user desires to access a component housed within the header (e.g., a transformer, etc.), the user may be required to disassemble both the top and bottom surfaces from the sidewall, rather than uncoupling only one of such top and bottom surfaces. This is undesirably cumbersome in most instances. - Turning to
FIG. 1 , an exploded view of an exemplarytraditional racetrack header 10 of an RMU is shown. As shown,racetrack header 10 has atop surface 11,bottom surface 13, andsidewall 12 disposed betweentop surface 11 andbottom surface 13. In this example,top surface 11 comprisescurved portions straight portions Bottom surface 13 comprises half-oval portions Sidewall 12 comprises an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall. The outer sidewall aligns with the exterior edges of the top and bottom surfaces, while the inner sidewall aligns with the interior edges of the top and bottom surfaces. The outer sidewall comprises half-oval portions straight portions curved portions -
Sidewall 12 comprises tubing (e.g., steel tubing) 105 coupled (e.g., welded) to the inner and outer sidewalls at various locations. In this example,tubing 105 is disposed at various locations on the interior of the outer sidewall 120, andtubing 105 is disposed at various locations on the exterior of the inner sidewall 121.Such tubing 105 aligns with holes in thetop surface 11 andbottom surface 13 when theracetrack header 10 is being assembled. A coupling mechanism, such as a nut and bolt, is used to couple thetop surface 11 andbottom surface 13 to thesidewall 12 through thetubing 105. For instance,FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a portion of theracetrack header 10 ofFIG. 1 . As shown inFIG. 2 , a portion of abolt 21 is inserted through a hole inbottom surface 13 and intotubing 105. Likewise, a portion ofnut 22 is inserted through a hole intop surface 11 and intotubing 105. -
Bolt 21 comprises ahead portion 21A and ashaft portion 21B. Thehead portion 21A is sufficiently large such that it does not fit into the hole in thebottom surface 13 through which theshaft portion 21B fits. Thus, thehead portion 21A engage thebottom surface 13.Nut 22 is commonly referred to as a joint connector bolt.Nut 22 comprises ashaft portion 22B that extends from ahead portion 22A. Theshaft portion 22B is hollow with an opening at the end opposite thehead portion 22A into which a portion ofbolt 21 is received. For instance, the interior surface of thehollow shaft 22B may be threaded for threadedly engaging with a threaded portion of the bolt'sshaft 21B. Thehead portion 22A does not fit into the hole in thetop surface 11 through which theshaft portion 22B fits. Thus, thehead portion 22A engage thetop surface 11. - Accordingly, in assembling
header 10 together,bolts 21 engagenuts 22 in a known fashion to couple thetop surface 11,bottom surface 13, andsidewall 12 together throughtubing 105. It should be recognized that if thebolts 21 are uncoupled fromnuts 22, bothtop surface 11 andbottom surface 13 uncouple fromsidewall 12. - The cost of manufacturing this traditional header is undesirably high. Such manufacturing costs are high for various reasons. First, the top and bottom are produced out of ¼″ aluminum. The top and bottom plates are counterbored underneath to allow additional clearance for the light fixtures that may be implemented within the header. The joint connector bolts are long and required a shoulder along with a special nut which are more expensive than short ¼-20 all thread type. The round steel tubing is relatively expensive (e.g., more expensive than sheet metal). The round tubing is hand cut into lengths by a person, and thus labor cost is relatively high. The tubing had to have a jig produced to align the tubes in their proper positions. The tubes require a lot of welding steps. Further, the process for assembling the traditional headers required a bolt to be inserted simultaneously with a nut from the other side, which at times required two workers or a series of clamps to be employed, thus adding difficulty and expense to the assembly process.
- The present invention is directed generally to techniques for selectively widening a part to provide sufficient surface for through-surface coupling with the part, and more particularly to systems and methods for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit.
- According to one embodiment, a RMU comprises a header. The header comprises a sidewall, and at least one coupling surface protruding from the sidewall. The header further comprises a top surface coupled to the sidewall via a through-surface coupling mechanism coupled at least partially through the at least one coupling surface. The header also comprises a bottom surface to the sidewall via a through-surface coupling mechanism coupled at least partially through the at least one coupling surface. The top surface and the bottom surface are coupled to the sidewall such that the top surface and bottom surface can each be individually uncoupled from the sidewall without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall. As used herein, a through-surface coupling mechanism refers to any mechanism that inserts at least partially through a surface for coupling the surface to another part. Examples of such a through-surface coupling mechanism comprise, without limitation, a bolt, screw, rivet (e.g., traditional and/or removable nylon-type rivets), rod, and stud.
- According to another embodiment, a RMU comprises a body, and a header coupled to the body. The header comprises a sidewall comprising a curved portion. The header further comprises a through-surface coupling portion coupled to the curved portion of the sidewall. The through-surface coupling portion comprises a curved portion that abuts against the sidewall, wherein the through-surface coupling portion's curved portion has a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's curved portion. The header further comprises at least one surface coupled to the through-surface coupling portion. In certain embodiments, the through-surface coupling portion comprises a tab that protrudes from the sidewall. In certain embodiments, the through-surface coupling portion comprises a threaded tube that is coupled to the sidewall. Also, in certain embodiments, the at least one surface coupled to the through-surface coupling portion comprises a top surface and a bottom surface disposed on opposing sides of the sidewall.
- According to another embodiment, a method of forming a header of a RMU comprises coupling at least one through-surface coupling portion to a sidewall of the header such that the at least one through-surface coupling portion protrudes from the sidewall. The method further comprises coupling a top surface and a bottom surface to the at least one through-surface coupling portion such that the sidewall is disposed between the top surface and bottom surface. The coupling of the top surface and the bottom surface permits each of the top surface and the bottom surface to be individually uncoupled from the sidewall without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall.
- According to another embodiment, a method of forming a header of a RMU comprises notching at least one notch into a curved portion of a sidewall of the header. The method further comprises providing at least one tab that comprises a) a curved portion having a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's curved portion, and b) a tongue projecting from the tab's curved portion. The method further comprises coupling the at least one tab to the sidewall such that the at least one tab's tongue resides in the at least one notch and the at least one tab's curved portion abuts against the sidewall. The method further comprises coupling at least one surface to the at least one tab.
- As described further herein, certain embodiments of the present invention advantageously reduce manufacturing costs associated with RMU headers, while enabling high-quality construction of such RMU headers. Further, certain embodiments of the present invention advantageously enable a header's top surface and a bottom surface to be individually uncoupled from the header's sidewall, without requiring the other of the top and bottom surface to be so uncoupled.
- The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.
- For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:
-
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an exemplary traditional racetrack header of an RMU; -
FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a portion of the racetrack header ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of an exemplary header of an RMU according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of the header ofFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 5A shows another exemplary header of an RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 5B shows a portion of a curved portion of the header's sidewall ofFIG. 5A ; -
FIGS. 6A-6B show exemplary tabs used to provide through-surface coupling portions for the sidewall's curved portions inFIGS. 5A-5B ; -
FIG. 7 shows an exemplary flow for forming a header of an RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 8 shows another exemplary flow for forming a header of an RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention. - Turning to
FIG. 3 , an exploded view of anexemplary header 30 of an RMU according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown,header 30 has atop surface 31,bottom surface 33, andsidewall 32 disposed betweentop surface 31 andbottom surface 33. In this example,header 30 is a rectangular shape, rather than oval as in the example ofFIG. 1 . Of course, the concepts described herein are not limited to any particular shape, andheader 30 may be implemented as oval or any other desired shape.Top surface 31 comprisesportions 301A-301D.Bottom surface 33 comprisesportions 302A-302D.Sidewall 32 comprises an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall. The outer sidewall aligns with the exterior edges of the top and bottom surfaces, while the inner sidewall aligns with the interior edges of the top and bottom surfaces. The outer sidewall comprisesportions 303A-303D (collectively referred to as outer sidewall 303). The inner sidewall comprisesportions 304A-304D (collectively referred to as inner sidewall 304). - Inner sidewall 304 and outer sidewall 303 each comprises through-
surface coupling portions 305 coupled (e.g., welded) at various locations. In this example, through-surface coupling portions 305 are disposed at various locations on the interior of the outer sidewall 303, and the through-surface coupling portions 105 are disposed at various locations on the exterior of the inner sidewall 304. In this exemplary embodiment, through-surface coupling portions 305 are each tubing having a threaded interior. For instance, in certain embodiments, the threaded tubing comprises ¼-20 steel hex nuts. Such threadedtubing 305 aligns with holes in thetop surface 31 andbottom surface 33 when theheader 30 is being assembled. A coupling mechanism, such as a bolt or screw, is used to couple thetop surface 31 andbottom surface 33 to the sidewall 32 (i.e., to the inner and outer sidewalls) via the threadedtubing 305. For instance,FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of theheader 30 ofFIG. 3 . As shown inFIG. 4 , a portion of a first through-surface coupling mechanism (e.g., bolt or screw) 41 is inserted through a hole inbottom surface 33 and into threadedtubing 305. Likewise, a portion of a second through-surface coupling mechanism (e.g., bolt or screw) 42 is inserted through a hole intop surface 31 and into threadedtubing 305. - In this example, through-
surface coupling mechanism 41 comprises ahead portion 41A and ashaft portion 41B. Thehead portion 41A is sufficiently large such that it does not fit into the hole in thebottom surface 33 through which theshaft portion 41B fits. Thus, thehead portion 41A engages thebottom surface 33.Shaft portion 41B is threaded for engaging the interior threading oftubing 305, thereby coupling withsuch tubing 305. - Similarly, through-
surface coupling mechanism 42 comprises ahead portion 42A and ashaft portion 42B. Thehead portion 42A is sufficiently large such that it does not fit into the hole in thetop surface 31 through which theshaft portion 42B fits. Thus, thehead portion 42A engages thetop surface 31.Shaft portion 42B is threaded for engaging the interior threading oftubing 305, thereby coupling withsuch tubing 305. - It should be recognized that this embodiment enables the
top surface 31 andbottom surface 33 to each be individually uncoupled from sidewall 32 (e.g., uncoupled from the inner and outer sidewalls in this example) without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall. That is, through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 can be individually removed, thereby uncoupling onlybottom surface 33 fromsidewall 32, while allowingtop surface 31 to remain coupled via through-surface coupling mechanisms 42 tosidewall 32. Similarly, through-surface coupling mechanisms 42 can be individually removed, thereby uncoupling onlytop surface 31 fromsidewall 32, while allowingbottom surface 33 to remain coupled via through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 tosidewall 32. Of course, if so desired, both the through-surface coupling mechanisms bottom surface 33 and thetop surface 31 fromsidewall 32. - In this example, the through-
surface coupling mechanisms 41 provide a removably reusable coupling between thebottom surface 33 andtubing 305, whereby the coupling mechanisms can be reused to removably connect thebottom surface 33 andtubing 305. That is, through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 may be removed (e.g., unscrewed) fromtubing 305, thereby uncouplingbottom surface 33, and such through-surface coupling mechanisms 41 may thereafter be reused to re-connect thebottom surface 33 to thetubing 305. Likewise, the through-surface coupling mechanisms 42 provide a removably reusable coupling between thetop surface 31 andtubing 305, whereby the coupling mechanisms can be reused to removably connect thetop surface 31 andtubing 305. - It should be recognized that often the sidewall of a RMU header is not of sufficient width to support through-surface coupling. For instance, the width “W” of sidewall 32 (see
FIG. 3 ) may be less than the width of through-surface coupling mechanisms sidewall 32 may provide insufficient surface to which through-surface coupling mechanisms surface coupling portions 305 ofheader 30, are coupled (e.g., welded) tosidewall 32 at various locations in order to provide sufficient area for through-surface coupling where desired. -
FIGS. 5A-6B show anotherexemplary RMU header 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, tabs are used to provide through-surface coupling portions, rather than theexemplary tubing 305 ofexemplary header 30 described above withFIGS. 3-4 . That is, as described further hereafter,tabs sidewall 52. - As shown,
header 50 has abottom surface 51 andsidewall 52. In certain embodiments, a top surface, such astop surface 11 ofFIG. 1 , may also be included arranged on an opposite side ofsidewall 52 frombottom surface 51. In this example,header 50 is an oval-shaped “racetrack” header, similar to the shape of theexemplary header 10 ofFIG. 1 . Of course, the concepts described herein are not limited to any particular shape, andheader 50 may be implemented as rectangular or any other desired shape. As withbottom surface 13 ofheader 10 ofFIG. 1 ,bottom surface 51 ofheader 50 comprises half-oval portions -
Sidewall 52 comprises curved portions 502, andstraight portions 501A-501D. In this example,sidewall 52 comprises an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall. The outer sidewall is disposed adjacent to the outer edge ofbottom surface 51, while the inner sidewall is disposed adjacent to the inner edge of thebottom surface 51. The outer sidewall is formed bystraight portions curved portions 502A, while the inner sidewall is formed bystraight portions curved portions 502B. - The inner and outer sidewalls comprise through-surface coupling portions coupled thereto at various locations. In this exemplary embodiment, the
straight portions 501A-501D ofsidewall 52 comprise a “c-channel”. The c-channel may be formed through a metal-bending process, for example. As shown withstraight portion 501A, the c-channel includes avertical portion 522 with an upperhorizontal portion 520 and lowerhorizontal portion 521 protruding from suchvertical portion 522. The upperhorizontal portion 520 and lowerhorizontal portion 521 are substantially perpendicular to thevertical portion 522, and such upper and lowerhorizontal portions surface coupling mechanisms 510 are employed to couplebottom surface 51 to the lowerhorizontal portion 521, and likewise such through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 may be employed to couple a top surface (such astop surface 11 ofFIG. 1 ) to the upperhorizontal portion 520. Through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 may be pressed-in-metal (PIM) nuts, or any other suitable type of through-surface connector, such as a bolt, rod, rivet, stud, etc. Thus, the top and bottom surfaces may be separately coupled and uncoupled withsidewall 52 via upperhorizontal portion 520 and lowerhorizontal portion 521, respectively. - In this example, various tabs 502-506 are employed to provide through-surface coupling portions on the curved portion 502 of
sidewall 52. In certain embodiments, such tabs may be employed on thestraight portions 501A-501D ofsidewall 522, instead of employing the exemplary c-channel structure shown. Similarly, in certain embodiments, the c-channel structure of thestraight portions 501A-501D may be employed for the curved portions 502 ofsidewall 52. However, due to the cost of manufacturing a curved c-channel structure, it may be more cost-effective to employ tabs, such as tabs 502-506 on at least the curved portions 502 ofsidewall 52. - In this example,
tabs curved portion 502B, andtabs curved portion 502A.Tabs tabs surface coupling portions - As described further hereafter (e.g., with
FIG. 8 ),notches curved portions curved portions FIG. 5 are shown inFIG. 5B . As can be seen, notches may be lasered into the upper side and lower side of the sidewall, and tabs may be coupled to the upper side and lower side of the sidewall. Tabs coupled to the lower side of the sidewall may be used for coupling abottom surface 51 to the sidewall, while the tabs coupled to the upper side of the sidewall may be used for coupling a top surface (e.g.,top surface 11 ofFIG. 1 ) to the sidewall.FIG. 5B shows atab 505 coupled to notch 507 of outercurved portion 502A of the sidewall such that thetab 505 projects from the sidewall inward toward the interior about which theouter portion 502A curves. Similarly, atab 503 is coupled to notch 508 of innercurved portion 502B of the sidewall such that thetab 503 projects from the sidewall outward away from the interior about which theinner portion 502B curves. -
FIGS. 6A-6B showexemplary tabs FIGS. 5A-5B . As shown inFIG. 6A ,tab 505 comprises acurved portion 601 that abuts against thesidewall 52 when coupled to the sidewall. Thecurved portion 601 has a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's outercurved portion 502A. That is,tab 505 has acurved surface 601 that matches the curvature of the interior side of outercurved portion 502A such that thecurved surface 601 oftab 505 abuts snugly against the interior surface ofcurved portion 502A when coupled therewith.Tab 505 also has atongue 602 that projects from the tab'scurved portion 601.Such tongue 602 fits into anotch 507 of the sidewall's outercurved portion 502A, as shown inFIG. 5B . In certain embodiments, thetongue 602 is welded to thenotch 507, thereby coupling thetab 505 to the sidewall.Tab 505 also comprises an aperture (e.g., hole) 603 for accepting a through-surface coupling mechanism, such as a bolt, screw, PIM nut, etc. In certain embodiments, theaperture 603 may be threaded for threadedly engaging with a through-surface coupling mechanism. - As shown in
FIG. 6B ,tab 503 comprises acurved portion 604 that abuts against thesidewall 52 when coupled to the sidewall. Thecurved portion 604 has a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's innercurved portion 502B. That is,tab 503 has acurved surface 604 that matches the curvature of the exterior side of innercurved portion 502B such that thecurved surface 604 oftab 503 abuts snugly against the exterior surface ofcurved portion 502B when coupled therewith.Tab 503 also has atongue 602 that projects from the tab'scurved portion 604.Such tongue 602 fits into anotch 508 of the sidewall's innercurved portion 502B, as shown inFIG. 5B . In certain embodiments, thetongue 602 is welded to thenotch 508, thereby coupling thetab 503 to the sidewall.Tab 503 also comprises an aperture (e.g., hole) 603 for accepting a through-surface coupling mechanism, such as a bolt, screw, PIM nut, etc. In certain embodiments, theaperture 603 may be threaded for threadedly engaging with a through-surface coupling mechanism. - It should be recognized that the exemplary embodiment of
header 50 enables a top surface (e.g.,top surface 11 ofFIG. 1 ) andbottom surface 51 to each be individually uncoupled fromsidewall 52 without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall. - It should be recognized that often the sidewall of a RMU header is not of sufficient width to support through-surface coupling. For instance, the width “W” of
sidewall 52, shown inFIG. 5A , may be less than the width of through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 used (e.g., PIM nuts). Thus, thesidewall 52 may provide insufficient surface to which through-surface coupling mechanisms 510 may couple. The exemplary embodiment ofheader 50 addresses this issue by employing a c-channel sidewall for thestraight portions 501A-501D of such sidewall, whereby the upper and lowerhorizontal portions header 50 further addresses this issue by employing tabs coupled to various locations of thecurved portions 502A-502B of such sidewall, whereby the tabs provide sufficient surface for enabling through-surface coupling. -
FIG. 7 shows an exemplary flow for a method of forming a header of a RMU according to an embodiment of the present invention. Inoperational block 71, at least one through-surface coupling portion is coupled to a sidewall of the header such that the at least one through-surface coupling portion protrudes from the sidewall. Inblock 72, a top surface and a bottom surface are coupled to the at least one through-surface coupling portion such that the sidewall is disposed between the top surface and bottom surface. The coupling of the top surface and the bottom surface inblock 72 permits each of the top surface and the bottom surface to be individually uncoupled from the sidewall without requiring the other of the top surface and bottom surface to be uncoupled from the sidewall. -
FIG. 8 shows an exemplary flow for a method of forming a header of a RMU according to another embodiment of the present invention. Inblock 81, at least one notch is notched into a curved portion of a sidewall of the header. Inblock 82, at least one tab is provided that comprises a) a curved portion having a curvature matching a curvature of the sidewall's curved portion, and b) a tongue projecting from the tab's curved portion. Inblock 83, the at least one tab is coupled to the sidewall such that the at least one tab's tongue resides in the at least one notch and the at least one tab's curved portion abuts against the sidewall. In block 94, at least one surface is coupled to the at least one tab. - It should be recognized that certain embodiments of the present invention reduce manufacturing costs from those required for producing the traditional header of
FIGS. 1-2 . For example, certain embodiments allow for speedier assembly, thereby reducing labor costs associated with constructing the header. Further, certain embodiments do not require a jig or other special equipment to be purchased or constructed for use in forming the header, thereby reducing the equipment costs associated with manufacturing. Further, in certain embodiments, the top and bottom surfaces, as well as the sidewall, are produced out of 11 gauge steel, rather than the ¼″ aluminum or 3/16″ thick steel used in the traditional header ofFIGS. 1-2 . Of course, any material may be employed for these components in certain embodiments. Further, certain embodiments ease the assembly process as certain embodiments of the header no longer require a bolt to be inserted simultaneously with a nut from the other side, but instead the top and bottom surfaces may be independently (or separately) coupled to the sidewall, as discussed above. - The above-described process for manufacturing of a RMU header provides several benefits and strategic advantages over the traditional welding techniques. First, the above-described manufacturing process reduces cost of producing the RMU by 50% over the traditional techniques. Further, the above-described manufacturing process improves quality, serviceability, and reduces lead times for manufacturing by 40% as compared to the traditional header manufacturing techniques.
- Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
Claims (50)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/361,675 US20070204523A1 (en) | 2006-02-24 | 2006-02-24 | System and method for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit |
EP07003761A EP1825793A2 (en) | 2006-02-24 | 2007-02-23 | System and method for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/361,675 US20070204523A1 (en) | 2006-02-24 | 2006-02-24 | System and method for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit |
Publications (1)
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US20070204523A1 true US20070204523A1 (en) | 2007-09-06 |
Family
ID=38255534
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US11/361,675 Abandoned US20070204523A1 (en) | 2006-02-24 | 2006-02-24 | System and method for forming a header of a retail merchandising unit |
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US (1) | US20070204523A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1825793A2 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9874011B2 (en) | 2013-02-20 | 2018-01-23 | Freeman Capital Company | Modular panel system |
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US4453327A (en) * | 1981-12-14 | 1984-06-12 | Animotion Inc. | Solar display kiosk |
US4959763A (en) * | 1989-05-19 | 1990-09-25 | Import-Export, Research & Development, Inc. | Display frame system |
US5483779A (en) * | 1993-07-08 | 1996-01-16 | Exposystems, Inc. | Header frame for a display system |
US5718398A (en) * | 1996-10-01 | 1998-02-17 | Dallas Metal Fabricators, Inc. | Retail merchandising unit |
US6148585A (en) * | 1999-01-13 | 2000-11-21 | Baker Metal Products Inc. | Architectural column cover and wall panel assembly |
US6497075B1 (en) * | 1988-07-29 | 2002-12-24 | Herman Miller Inc. | Free standing modular architectural beam system |
US6717049B1 (en) * | 2003-01-06 | 2004-04-06 | The Wiremold Company | Surface mounted electrical raceways |
US6772567B2 (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 2004-08-10 | Krueger International, Inc. | Space dividing partition system |
US6907685B1 (en) * | 2002-05-21 | 2005-06-21 | Lighted Logos, L.C. | Portable lighted display |
US6922949B2 (en) * | 1990-02-14 | 2005-08-02 | Steelcase Development Corporation | Furniture system |
US6951291B2 (en) * | 2002-10-23 | 2005-10-04 | George Kleanthis | Display system |
-
2006
- 2006-02-24 US US11/361,675 patent/US20070204523A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2007
- 2007-02-23 EP EP07003761A patent/EP1825793A2/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US4453327A (en) * | 1981-12-14 | 1984-06-12 | Animotion Inc. | Solar display kiosk |
US6497075B1 (en) * | 1988-07-29 | 2002-12-24 | Herman Miller Inc. | Free standing modular architectural beam system |
US4959763A (en) * | 1989-05-19 | 1990-09-25 | Import-Export, Research & Development, Inc. | Display frame system |
US6922949B2 (en) * | 1990-02-14 | 2005-08-02 | Steelcase Development Corporation | Furniture system |
US5483779A (en) * | 1993-07-08 | 1996-01-16 | Exposystems, Inc. | Header frame for a display system |
US5718398A (en) * | 1996-10-01 | 1998-02-17 | Dallas Metal Fabricators, Inc. | Retail merchandising unit |
US6772567B2 (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 2004-08-10 | Krueger International, Inc. | Space dividing partition system |
US6148585A (en) * | 1999-01-13 | 2000-11-21 | Baker Metal Products Inc. | Architectural column cover and wall panel assembly |
US6907685B1 (en) * | 2002-05-21 | 2005-06-21 | Lighted Logos, L.C. | Portable lighted display |
US6951291B2 (en) * | 2002-10-23 | 2005-10-04 | George Kleanthis | Display system |
US6717049B1 (en) * | 2003-01-06 | 2004-04-06 | The Wiremold Company | Surface mounted electrical raceways |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9874011B2 (en) | 2013-02-20 | 2018-01-23 | Freeman Capital Company | Modular panel system |
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EP1825793A2 (en) | 2007-08-29 |
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