Removable product support bar display apparatus and method

Abstract

A product support bar display device is disclosed for supporting packaged products from a display bar which may be removed to allow new packaged products to be installed thereupon behind older packaged products previously located thereupon without first requiring the removal of the older packaged products from the display bar. The display bar is supported by and removably mounted on a display bar carriage, which itself is moveably mounted on a pair of support bars which extend from the rear of a display case or area forwardly. The display carriage may be moved from a first display position near the proximal ends of the support bars to a second service position near the distal ends of the support bars to facilitate the removal of the display bar to allow additional packaged products to be installed on the display bar from the rear so that the new packaged products will be behind older packaged products remaining on the display bar.

1 . A display apparatus for supporting and displaying packaged products hanging therefrom, said display apparatus comprising: 
 a support member for installation onto a surface from which the display apparatus will extend;    a pair of parallel spaced-apart support bars extending outwardly from said support member, said support bars having proximal ends which are mounted on said support member and distal ends which project outwardly away from said support member;    a display bar carriage mounted on said support bars and moveable between a first position near said proximal ends of said support bars and a second position near said distal ends of said support bars; and    a display bar which is removably mounted on said display bar carriage, said display bar having a proximal end which is removably mountable to said display bar carriage and a distal end which extends outwardly from said display bar carriage, said display bar being adapted to allow packaged products to be mounted on said display bar from either said proximal end thereof or said distal end thereof.    
   
   
       2 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support member comprises: 
 a horizontal mounting member; and    a pair of brackets for mounting said horizontal mounting member are opposite ends thereof.    
   
   
       3 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support bars are removably mounted in said support member.  
   
   
       4 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said support bars each comprise: 
 a flattened longitudinal zone which is located near the proximal end of each of said support bars; and wherein said support member comprises:    a segment of rectangular channel material having a pair of oval holes located therein in a front side thereof and a corresponding pair of circular holes located in a rear side thereof;    wherein said flattened longitudinal zones of said support bars fit through said oval holes when said flattened longitudinal zones are oriented in a first orientation and do not fit through said oval holes when said flattened longitudinal zones are oriented in a second orientation.    
   
   
       5 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said display bar is located below, between, and essentially parallel to said pair of support bars.  
   
   
       6 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said distal end of said display bar is located below and proximate said distal ends of said support bars.  
   
   
       7 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said display bar carriage comprises: 
 a segment of rectangular channel material having a pair of oval holes located therein in a front side thereof and a corresponding pair of circular holes located in a rear side thereof;    and wherein said display bar comprises:    a flattened longitudinal zone which is located near the proximal end of said display bar;    wherein said flattened longitudinal zone of said display bar fits through said oval hole in said display bar carriage when said flattened longitudinal zone is oriented in a first orientation and does not fit through said oval hole in said display bar carriage when said flattened longitudinal zone is oriented in a second orientation.    
   
   
       8 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said distal end of said display bar is angled upwardly.  
   
   
       9 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
 a sign rail mounted on said distal ends of said support bars.    
   
   
       10 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said display bar is of a sufficiently small size to allow packaged products having a product support aperture near the top thereof to be mounted on said display bar from either said proximal end thereof or said distal end thereof and to move between said proximal and distal ends of said display bar.  
   
   
       11 . A display apparatus for supporting and displaying packaged products hanging therefrom, said display apparatus comprising: 
 a support member for installation onto a surface from which the display apparatus will extend;    a pair of parallel spaced-apart support bars extending outwardly from said support member, said support bars having proximal ends which are mounted on said support member and distal ends which project outwardly away from said support member;    a sign rail mounted on said distal ends of said support bar;    a display bar carriage mounted on said support bars and moveable between a first position near said proximal ends of said support bars and a second position near said distal ends of said support bars; and    a display bar which is removably mounted on said display bar carriage, said display bar having a proximal end which is removably mountable to said display bar carriage and a distal end which extends outwardly from said display bar carriage, said display bar being located below, between, and essentially parallel to said pair of support bars with said distal end of said display bar being located proximate said distal ends of said support bars, said display bar being adapted to allow packaged products having a product support aperture near the top thereof to be mounted on said display bar from either said proximal end thereof or said distal end thereof.    
   
   
       12 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said support member comprises: 
 a horizontal mounting member; and    a pair of brackets for mounting said horizontal mounting member are opposite ends thereof.    
   
   
       13 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said support bars are removably mounted in said support member.  
   
   
       14 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said display bar carriage comprises: 
 a segment of rectangular channel material having a pair of oval holes located therein in a front side thereof and a corresponding pair of circular holes located in a rear side thereof;    and wherein said display bar comprises:    a flattened longitudinal zone which is located near the proximal end of said display bar;    wherein said flattened longitudinal zone of said display bar fits through said oval hole in said display bar carriage when said flattened longitudinal zone is oriented in a first orientation and does not fit through said oval hole in said display bar carriage when said flattened longitudinal zone is oriented in a second orientation.    
   
   
       15 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said distal end of said display bar is angled upwardly.  
   
   
       16 . A display apparatus for supporting and displaying packaged products hanging therefrom, said display apparatus comprising: 
 a support member which may be mounted onto a surface, said support member having a proximal end which is mounted onto the surface and a distal end which projects outwardly away from the surface;    a display bar carriage mounted on said support member and moveable between a first position near said proximal end of said support member and a second position near said distal end of said support member; and    a display bar having a proximal end which is removably mounted to said display bar carriage and a distal end which extends outwardly from said display bar carriage, said display bar being adapted to allow packaged products to be mounted on said display bar from either said proximal end thereof or said distal end thereof.    
   
   
       17 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said distal end of said display bar is located below and proximate said distal end of said support member.  
   
   
       18 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said distal end of said display bar is angled upwardly.  
   
   
       19 . A display apparatus as defined in  claim 16 , additionally comprising: 
 a sign rail mounted on said distal ends of said support member.    
   
   
       20 . A method of making a display apparatus for supporting and displaying packaged products hanging therefrom, said method comprising: 
 providing a support member for installation onto a surface from which the display apparatus will extend;    mounting a pair of spaced-apart support bars on said support member, said support bars having proximal ends which are mounted on said support member and distal ends which project outwardly away from said support member;    mounting a display bar carriage on said support bars for movement thereupon between a first position near said proximal ends of said support bars and a second position near said distal ends of said support bars;    providing a display bar having proximal and distal ends which is adapted to allow packaged products to be mounted on said display bar from either said proximal end thereof or said distal end thereof; and    removably mounting a display bar on said display bar carriage by its proximal end, said distal end of said display bar extending outwardly from said display bar carriage.