Multi-package adjustable shelf display dispenser

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0001The present invention relates to shelf display and placement of packages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

0002Prior art displays such as disclosed in Jackle III et al., U.S. 4,762,236, the source of the preamble of claim 1, provide coil springs moving a trolley or pusher so as to advance packages forwardly of a display shelf. Stevens 2,652,154 also discloses a similar trolley biased by a rubber strand requiring a roller and anchoring pin. Ord, U.S. 3,291,544, discloses an article dispensing system with a spring biased pusher. Hawkinson, U.S. 4,729,481, discloses a packaged goods advancing system in which a tensioned sheet or belt is provided for advancing the goods. Dechirot, U.S. 4,821,894 and Roberts, U.S 4475,658, disclose mounting packages with a coil spring coupled for urging a thrust plate and inventory control cards for advancing the packages, respectively. These prior art structures are very elaborate and contemplate solving complicated storage and preventing problems with complicated apparatus.

THE INVENTION

0003By the present invention, the packages which are moved forward in parallel columns as each forward package is removed, are pushed by pusher elements which are laterally displacable to accommodate and position different sized packages. Tray elements incorporating laterally displaceable pusher elements provide stable placement of the pushers and are provided in modular sections to convert shelves to package display and placement apparatus.

0004This invention relates to shelf displays for packages of the type in which packages are moved forward in parallel columns for display and presenting for dispensing one by one from each column. In any given column the packages may be of uniform size, nonetheless, adjacent columns may feed different sized packages. It is an object of the invention to provide an assembly for feeding variant and variable sized processions in parallel formation. It is a further object to provide for ready adjustment of the dispenser to accommodate various package dimensions. It is an object to provide a relatively low-cost (non-labor intensive) structure, that is readily and conveniently adjustable to arrange for displaying packages and for presenting such packages one by one for removal from a display shelf.

0005It is a further object of the invention to provide in such a structure the capability of last in, last out feed to maintain stock freshness and visual display of on-shelf inventory.

0006Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-package adjustable display dispenser comprising an upstanding front wall and pusher means constructed and arranged to push a column of packages towards the upstanding front wall as each frontmost package is removed, <u style="single">characterised in that</u> the upstanding front wall is provided on a tray or shelf having a bottom portion extending horizontally rearwardly, and the pusher means is removable from the tray or shelf and replaceable at a laterally displaced position selected from a plurality of predetermined positions defined on the tray or shelf, wherein either <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>(I) the pusher means is arranged to move along a removable and replaceable slide instrumentality in the direction from a rear end to a front end of the slide instrumentality, the front end having at least one means lockingly engaging a selected one of a plurality of positively engageable members on the upstanding front wall to prevent lateral movement of the slide instrumentality across the tray or shelf, or</li><li>(II) the pusher means is arranged to move along a selected one of a plurality of slots in the bottom portion of the tray or shelf, each slot running perpendicular to the upstanding front wall and having a widened portion distal from the upstanding front wall, the pusher means having a plow with a bottom plate removable and insertable through the widened portion of the slot and of greater dimension than the remainder of the slot whereby the plow and the pusher means are held down as the pusher means is moved along the slot toward the upstanding front wall.</li></ul>

0007Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in claims 2 to 10.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0008<ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.</li><li>Fig. 2 is a fragmentary isometric exploded view of the same.</li><li>Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a segment of Fig. 1.</li><li>Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.</li><li>Fig. 5 is taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.</li><li>Fig. 6 is a schematic top plan view of a shelf providing laterally spaced slots for receiving a coil spring trolley; and</li><li>Fig. 6A is a schematic sectional view of the shelf of Fig. 6 taken along lines 6A-6A of Fig. 6.</li></ul>

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0009Referring more specifically to the drawings, the display mechanism 20 comprises a tray 22 having an upstanding front wall 24 with a dentate vertical groove structure 26 formed on the inward facing side of wall 24. A similar upstanding back wall 28 faces the wall 24 and has its dentate structure 30 facing toward the wall 24 and in register therewith. The dentate structures 26 and 30 preferably but not necessarily extend vertically the whole height of the walls 24, 28.

0010The sides of the tray 22 provide female and male dove-tails 72, 74 respectively for stable connection of adjacent trays 22 upon an existing display shelf.

0011Vertical structures or guides 26, 30 in corresponding register one to the other receive spacers or partitions 32 to define a channel for guidance of a procession or column of packages 34 and 36. As shown in Fig. 1, packages 36 have a larger dimension than the packages 34. Therefore, the channel formed by the spacers 32 is wider for packages 36 as indicated by the dimension A than the width for packages 34 indicated by the dimension B. These distances, A and B, can be varied by selection of registering guides 26, 30 in which the spacers 32 are supported.

0012The spacers 32 may be eliminated when packages are shaped as to minimize lateral displacement when pushed forward in a procession.

0013Mounted between a pair of spacers 32 is a feed structure or slide instrumentality 38 having side rails 40 and 42 (Fig. 2) which engage vertical grooves of the dentate structures 26 and 30. Rails 40, 42 are joined and spaced by plate 62. A pusher foot 44 has a horizontal plate 46, a vertical pusher plate 48 and supporting triangular spaced braces 50, 52. Braces 50 and 52 form with pusher plate 48 a chamber to contain the coil spring 56. The plate 48 has formed in it an opening 58 communicating with the chamber through which the terminal catch 60 and body portion 57 of spring 56 may extend and be drawn out as shown in Fig. 4. Tension of coil spring 56 urges the coil against plate 48 while braces 52, 50 prevent twisting of coil and body portion 57. The plate 62 supports parallel tracks 70 and has formed in it a slot 64 communicating with an enlarged aperture 63 formed in plate 62. A plow 65 is secured to the bottom of plate 46. Plow 65 has a vertical member 66 carrying a horizontal flange 68. The plow 65 engages slot 64 while its plate 46 rides on tracks 70. The flange 68 holds down plow 60 while spring 56, with its catch 666 secured in aperture 63 (see Fig. 4) urges the pusher 44 forward (to the left in Fig. 1).

0014In operation, the mechanism 20 may be extended as a retail shelf construction or the mechanism 20 or several of them in side by side relation may be placed on an existing retail shelf or in any desirable cabinet or supplied with a cover (not shown) covering all but the front end, shown at the left in Fig. 1. Packages 34, 36 ride on rails 40, 42. To load packages, the pusher foot 44 is moved to the right and new packages added preferably to the rear (right Fig. 1). The packages are fed, one at a time, to the front of the machine at the left. The pusher foot 44 under the urging of the spring 56 slides the packages forward on rails 40, 42 between the adjustable spacers 32 to the front end of the machine (left as shown in Fig. 1).

0015Dimensions of the tray 22 are a matter of discretion as to width and depth. Regardless of its dimensions and regardless of the number of slide instrumentalities 38 employed, spacing between the spacers 32 is adjustable and the centering of the slide instrumentality 38 in the channel formed between the spacers 32 in all adjusted positions is made possible.

0016The spacers 32 may be eliminated when packages are shaped to provide flat adjacent surfaces fore and aft and lateral displacement is minimized. In such instances, the rails 40, 42 of the feed structure 38 are positioned in selected vertical grooves of walls 26, 30 to center the forward force against the center of the rearmost package.

0017The invention conceptually contemplates the provision of a shelf 100 as depicted in Figs. 6 and 6a, provided with laterally-spaced slots 101 for receiving and guiding pusher foot 102 mounting a coil spring 103. The distal end 104 of the coil spring is secured to a pin (not shown) at the forward portion of the shelf which also provides an upstanding front wall 105 against which the front package of the procession of packages is forced and which serves as a stop. The base of the pusher foot 102 has an integral plow 106 and a hold-down plate 107 to slide along slot 101. An enlarged aperture 163 communicates with the slot 101 and is of sufficient size to permit transfer of the plate 107, plow 106 and pusher foot 102 to any selected slot 101. Free end 104 of spring 103 is secured to a pin (not shown) at the end of the corresponding selected slot 101.

0018Springs 56 and 103 are shown mounted so the free end leads from the top of the coil (spring 56) or from the bottom of the coil (spring 103). I have found both these arrangements useful. Spring 56 as shown presses downwardly as well as forwardly, while spring 103 as show tends to lift the pusher upwardly.