Device for the display of goods and adapter for such a device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing product display devices suffer from spring wires being bent or damaged when inserted into profile rails, leading to unreliable current tapping over time.

Innovation Solution

A device with a console and adapter featuring a spring contact with a quasi-U-shaped fixing section and an adjusting mechanism that allows the spring contact to be moved into a protective position during insertion, preventing contact with the profile rail, and securely resting on the current conductor once mounted.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If spring-loaded contact wires are pushed outward onto current paths during bracket insertion, then electrical connection is established, but the spring wires become bent or damaged over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent tapping reliabilityVSAvoidservice life of spring wires
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter is pre-assembled onto the bracket before insertion into the profile rail. The spring-loaded contact wires are already positioned and tensioned on the adapter body, so during insertion they are pushed outward as a unit rather than being forced individually, preventing bending and damage while establishing reliable electrical connection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter serves as an intermediary component between the bracket and the profile rail's current paths. It provides a protected mounting structure that holds the spring contact wires in a tensioned state, allowing them to make reliable contact with the current paths without being directly exposed to the mechanical stresses of insertion and removal operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If spring contact is exposed during insertion, then assembly is simple, but the spring contact gets bent or damaged by the profile rail

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidmechanical damage to spring contact
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spring contact is pre-mounted and tensioned on the adapter body before the adapter is attached to the bracket. This preliminary assembly protects the spring contact from mechanical damage during the bracket insertion process, while still maintaining assembly simplicity through the pre-assembled adapter unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures reliable and robust current tapping within the profile rail over extended periods by protecting the spring contact from damage during installation, ensuring consistent power supply to displays or lights.

Implementation Method 1

an adjusting mechanism and a spring element, wherein with the adjusting mechanism the tapping section can be adjusted into a protective position in which the tapping section is moved away from the base

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the spring contact of the adapter of the console rests on the current conductor of the profile rail

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP3461376B1Device for the display of goods and adapter for such a device
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 VISPLAY GMBH
  • EP3461376B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3461376B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3461376B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A device (1) for presenting goods comprises a profile rail (2) having a suspension structure (231), an insertion opening (231), an interior space, and a conductor (242) arranged in the interior space, and a console (3) having a support section (32), an engagement section (31), and an adapter (4) with a gripping section (42) and a spring contact (45). The gripping section (31) of the console (3) and the suspension structure (231) of the profile rail (2) are configured to be operatively connected in such a way that the console (3) is attached to the profile rail (2) projecting through the insertion opening (231), such that the gripping section (42) of the adapter (4) of the console (3) is at least partially located in the interior space of the profile rail (2), and the spring contact (45) of the adapter (4) of the console (3) bears against the conductor (242) of the profile rail (2).The adapter (4) of the console (3) includes an adjustment mechanism with which the adapter (4) can be set into a protective position and into a contact position different from the protective position.