Product management display system

ES 2 337 543 B2

DESCRIPTION

Product management display system.

Cross reference to related request

This application claims the benefit of US patent application serial number 11 / 409,784 filed April 24, 2006 (agent file number 011610.00162), which is a continuation in part of US patent application serial number 11 / 257,718 filed on October 25, 2005 (agent file number 011610.00136), the contents of which are incorporated into this document by reference.

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to a set of shelves for use in merchandising a product and more particularly to a set of shelves having improved mechanisms for displaying and pushing the products onto the shelves.

Background of the invention

It is known that retail and wholesale stores, such as drug stores, grocery stores, bargain stores, toy stores and the like, require a large number of shelves both to store products and to display the product to customers. consumers. When displaying the product, it is desirable that the product on the shelves be positioned towards the front of the shelf so that the product is visible and accessible to consumers. To achieve this placement of the product, known systems include the use of a pusher system to push the product towards the front of the shelf as the product is removed from the front of the shelf. Divider panels or divider elements can also be used to separate the product on the shelf to provide better organization of the product and to make the product display more attractive to consumers. Known marketing systems incorporating the use of pusher mechanisms can be found in US Patent Nos. 6,041,720 and 4,830,201, all of which are assigned to RTC Industries, Inc., and are incorporated herein by reference.

In the past, to display products of varying sizes, the pusher mechanism usually needed to be modified to properly push the product. For example, if the product had a narrow configuration, a narrower pusher panel was often used to properly push the narrower product onto the shelf. Similarly, if the product had a wide configuration, a wider pusher panel was used to push the product toward the front of the shelf.

Alternatively, with wider and / or heavier products, multiple pushers and panels were sometimes used to push the product. In some applications, the pusher spring mechanism was changed to provide a spring with a higher spring force to properly push the heavier product onto the shelf. Such modifications to merchandising systems typically took time and required the use of additional components not readily accessible nearby. Also, stores needed to inventory additional components, thereby adding additional cost to stores. In many cases, stores misplaced or lost additional components. In addition, store personnel who normally had to make such modifications to the pusher mechanism sometimes incorrectly installed parts and components, often leading to the malfunction of the merchandising system.

The present invention aims to overcome these and other known drawbacks and disadvantages with existing marketing systems.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is directed to a product management display system for the commercialization of a product on a shelf. The invention includes utilizing a pusher mechanism in conjunction with one or more roller assemblies which, in combination, enhance product placement on shelves, especially on horizontal or non-sloped shelves or surfaces.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the product management display system includes a pusher mechanism mounted on a guide that extends generally from the front of the shelf to the rear of the shelf. The pusher mechanism is configured to force the product forward and toward the front of the shelf. At least one set of rollers is positioned below the product to be marketed to assist the pusher mechanism to force the product toward the front of the shelf. Significantly, the invention can be mounted on a horizontal shelf or surface and heavier and / or wider products can be appropriately marketed without the need to modify the system, as was previously necessary.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 depicts an isometric front view of an exemplary embodiment of a product management display system of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents an isometric rear view of the product management display system of Figure 1.

Figure 3 depicts an isometric front view of another exemplary embodiment of a product management display system of the present invention.

Figure 4 represents an isometric rear view of the product management display system of Figure 3.

Figure 5 depicts a partial view of an exemplary roll assembly and an exemplary roll used with the present invention.

Figure 6 depicts an isometric view of another exemplary embodiment of a product management display system of the present invention.

Figure 7 represents another isometric view of the product management display system of Figure 6.

Figure 8 depicts an isometric view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a product management display system of the present invention.

Figure 9 represents a side view of the product management display system of Figure 8.

ES 2 337 543 B2

Before explaining the embodiments of the invention in detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may have other embodiments and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be construed as limiting. The use of "including" and "comprising" and variations thereof means that it encompasses the items listed below and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Furthermore, the use of the term "mounting", "mounted" or "mounting" means that it broadly includes any technique or method of mounting, joining, splicing or coupling one part to another, either directly or indirectly. Detailed description of the invention

The invention can be carried out in various ways. With reference to the figures in which like numbers indicate like elements, an isometric front view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is depicted in Figure 1. Exemplary merchandising system 10 includes a base 12 defining one or more guides 14 on which is mounted a pusher mechanism 16 that can slide along the guides. System 10 further includes at least one set 18 of rollers including a plurality of rollers 20 configured in alignment on set 18. A divider element 22 may also be used to separate products into rows. The base 12, the pusher mechanism 16, the roller assembly 18 and the dividing element 22 can also be mounted on a front or rear rail 24. The components of the system 10 can be independent components, components spliced ​​together, or components configured together as a unitary, one-piece assembly.

Exemplary merchandising system 10 allows larger and / or heavier products to be placed and pushed onto a shelf or surface and in particular onto a horizontal or non-inclined shelf or surface. The invention also allows pushing products having product packaging that does not slide easily on a horizontal shelf or surface. For example, soda boxes or detergent boxes that are packaged in a cardboard or paper material, typically do not slide easily on the shelf without significant effort due to the weight of the product and frictional forces between the product packaging and the shelf. on which the product is placed. The merchandising system 10 enhances the merchandising of these and other products through the use of the exemplary pusher mechanism 16 used with the one or more exemplary roller assemblies 18. By placing the product on one or more of the roller assemblies 18, the pusher mechanism 16 can more easily force the product toward the front of the shelf or into the aisle for proper merchandising of the product.

Advantageously, with the pusher mechanism 16 and roller assembly 18 by way of example, heavier products that were previously placed on a horizontal shelf or surface, or products that did not slide easily on the shelf or surface, can now be properly marketed without necessity. to make changes to the system. Furthermore, by being able to selectively position the invention at any position along a shelf or other surface, the merchandising system can appropriately accommodate and push onto the shelf almost any normally marketed product regardless of its size, shape, weight, configuration and type of packaging.

Referring to Figure 1, in an exemplary embodiment, base 12 defines a smooth, generally flat surface that can be configured to engage with or mount on any known shelf used in a store, and in any known mounting configuration and orientation. . Base 12 defines a front edge 26, a rear edge 28, and one or more guides 14 that extend along base 12 from front edge 26 to rear edge 28. As illustrated, two guides 14 can be used with each pusher mechanism 16 and are spaced apart to mount the pusher mechanism 16. It should be understood that more or less than two guides could be used with the invention, depending on the particular application. The front edge 26 of the base 12 is configured to be mounted on or on the rail 24 in any known manner. Once assembled, the base 12 can slide along the rail 24 to any position along the rail 24 to thereby locate the mounted pusher mechanism 16 in any desired position behind the product.

Guides 14 extend longitudinally along the length of base 12 and each guide defines at least one rail 30 and an elongated opening or channel 32 in base 12. Opening 32 and rail 30 are sized and shaped to accommodate and mounting an engaging flange of the pusher mechanism 16, as previously described. When viewed from either the front edge 26 or the rear edge 28 of the base 12, the rail 30 and exemplary aperture 32 may generally define an "L" shaped configuration. This configuration allows the flange of the pusher mechanism 16 to be slidably mounted on the base 12 and further prevents the pusher mechanism 16 from lifting up and out of the guide 14. The present invention contemplates the use of other forms of rails and openings to mount the pusher mechanism 16 to the base 12.

One or more support ribs 34 may extend between the rails 30 which serve to support the rails and ensure proper spacing between the rails. In addition, one or more of the mounting rails 30 may define one or more cutout portions 36 that can be located along the included rails at the location of the support ribs 34.

As depicted in Figure 1, positioned on the base 12 at various positions along the base 12 are transversely extending notches 38 that serve to releasably hold the pusher mechanism 16 in a stationary position at that location during the replacement of the product on the shelf. The notches 38 can be located at any location along the base 12 and can define any number of configurations to house and hold the pusher mechanism 16 in position.

The roller assembly 18 includes a roller housing 19 that contains numerous rollers 20 that are mounted in the housing 19. The housing

ES 2 337 543 B2 of rollers is generally represented as an elongated body that can be placed in any position on the shelf, such as next to the pusher mechanism 16, next to a product divider element 22, or in the space between the mechanism pusher and product divider element. In essence, the invention contemplates the placement of the roller assembly 18 in any desired position on the shelf where the roller assembly can provide assistance in merchandising the product toward the front of a shelf or into the aisle.

As shown in FIG. 1, the roller assembly 18 may be connected to or integral with the product divider 22 or a product divider base from which the product divider extends. In an exemplary embodiment, roller assembly 18 may be positioned on one or both sides of product divider 22. Although the illustrated embodiment depicts a roller assembly 18 positioned on one side of the divider element, it is contemplated that the roller assembly 18 may be positioned on either side of the divider element to aid in the merchandising of multiple rows of product. In yet another embodiment, the roller assembly 18 may be independent of or located remote from the product dividing element 22. As will be readily appreciated, the position or location of the roller assembly 18 may vary depending on the size and shape of the product to be placed on the roller assembly 18 for marketing.

Roller assembly 18 can be mounted to rail 24 using any known mounting technique or can be mounted directly to the rack. Alternatively, roller assembly 18 may be mounted on a rear rail, not shown, but known in the art. Depending on the type of rail used, the roller assembly 18 may either snap fit in or on the rail or it may slide on or on the rail. Roller assembly 18 may further be configured to move to any one of numerous positions along the rail, regardless of whether a front rail, a rear rail, or both are used. In another alternative embodiment, the housing 19 of the roller assembly 18 can be mounted on another structure that mounts to a shelf or rail, or the housing 19 can simply be placed on the shelf or other surface. As should be readily appreciated, there are numerous ways of mounting the roller assembly 18, all contemplated by the invention.

Referring to Figure 3, in an alternative embodiment, the housing 19 of the roller assembly 18 may be connected to or integral with the pusher mechanism 16. In an exemplary embodiment, a set 18 of rollers may be located on either side of the pusher mechanism 16. Alternatively, the roller assembly 18 may be independent of or located remote from the product pusher mechanism 16, again depending on the type of product to be marketed.

Referring again to Figure 1, rollers 20 are mounted in housing 19 in a generally aligned manner and are spaced apart to provide proper directional movement of product placed on rollers 20. The number and spacing of rollers 20 may vary depending on the application. The invention is therefore not limited to the number, placement, spacing, orientation or configuration of the rollers 20 as numerous alternative embodiments are possible.

Referring to FIG. 5, a roller 20 of the invention is depicted by way of example. Roller 20 can be made of a plastic material and can define a generally cylinder-shaped structure. The roller 20 may also include opposing outwardly extending stems 44 located centrally at each end of the roller 20. The stems 44 will be mounted in separate notches or grooves 46 formed in the roller housing 19. The notches or grooves 4 6 are configured to allow rotational movement of the rollers once assembled.

Referring to FIG. 2, the merchandising system 10 is shown pushing the product. As depicted, in an exemplary embodiment, product divider 22 is used to separate marketed products in rows on shelves. In one embodiment, the divider element 22 is integrally formed with a divider element base 50 as a unitary, one-piece structure. In this embodiment, the divider element 22 may be formed with the base 50 such that it cannot slide off or lift off the base 50. In another embodiment, the divider element 22 may be slidably located in a notch that is formed in the base 50 and extending from the front to the rear of the base 50. With this configuration, the divider element 22 can be a removable divider element that is slidably withdrawn or lifted from the notch formed in the base 12. As can be appreciated, the divider element 22 can define various configurations. As an example, depending on the size and shape of the marketed product, the dividing element 22 may define a suitable height and length to separate the rows of products to be marketed. In fact, the divider element 22 can define any shape, profile or contour that improves the placement and removal of products on the shelf.

As shown in Figure 2, the product to be marketed is placed on two separate roller assemblies 18 as well as the base 12 of the pusher mechanism. The roller assemblies 18 shown are located at opposite ends of the product to support the product at the ends. In operation, the pusher mechanism 16 will force or push the product onto the rail 24 and the roller assemblies 18 will assist the pusher mechanism that is pushing the product. As should be appreciated, the roller assemblies 18 may be positioned at any desired location below the product.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment, pusher mechanism 16 may define a flat, smooth pusher panel or surface 52, or other suitable shape for pushing specific product packages. The pusher surface 52 further defines a thickness suitable for pushing wider, heavier products without experiencing undue bending of the pusher mechanism. The pusher surface 52 can be made of any known material, such as a plastic material, that is suitable for pushing the product.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, pusher surface 52 is coupled to guide 14 by means of the

ES 2 337 543 B2 use of a pusher support base 54. The pusher surface 52 may be fixedly mounted on the support base 54 or it may be slidably mounted on the support base 54 along a support guide 56. If a support guide 56 is used, the pusher surface 52 can be slidably adjusted in a generally horizontal manner to adjust the location of the pusher surface 52 behind the product. One skilled in the art will appreciate that other techniques are possible for mounting pusher surface 52 to pusher support base 54 and that support guide 56 is merely illustrative of an exemplary embodiment. For example, it is contemplated that the pusher surface may be operatively mounted on the base 12 without the use of guides. That is, the system can be a guideless system because the pusher surface can simply be placed on the base 12 without the use of ribs, guides, or any other structure that could be used to secure the pusher surface to the base.

Support base 54 defines outwardly extending ribs 58 used to slide mount and secure support base 54 to one or more guides 14 and more specifically to one or more rails 30 of guides 14. The ribs 58 serve to hold the stand base on the guides. The support base 54 defines a width and depth sufficient to provide the pusher surface 52 with a support bearing that will allow the pusher surface 52 to properly push larger and frequently heavier products onto the shelf without the undesirable binding of the shoulders 58 on the guides

14. Also, in an exemplary embodiment, the outwardly extending ridges 58 are spaced on the support base 54 to provide a supporting abutment that will prevent bending or tilting of the pusher surface 52 as you push the products. larger and often heavier. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the number, location, spacing and configuration of the ridges 58 will vary depending on the desired application and the size of the product being pushed and that the invention is therefore not limited.

In an exemplary embodiment, the support base 54 also defines a base extension 55 that serves as a support structure for the mounted pusher surface 52. Base extension 55 is depicted as projecting outwardly from support base 54 and through the rear side of pusher surface 52. Base extension 55 can be formed integral with support base 54 or can be attached to support base 54 using known bonding techniques.

Support base 54 also serves to contain at least one pusher forcing element 60 used to force pusher surface 52 toward the front of the shelf. The pusher biasing element 60 can be any biasing element including, without limitation, a flat coil spring normally used with pusher systems. The present invention may utilize one or more pusher forcing elements 60 to force the pusher surface 52 depending on the desired application. The helical tension of the pusher forcing element 60 may also vary depending on the particular application.

The pusher biasing element 60 can be mounted to the pusher mechanism 16 and base 12 using any known mounting technique. In the exemplary embodiment, one end of the pusher forcing element 60 is attached to the base 12 near the front edge 26 of the base 12, and the opposite end of the pusher forcing element 60, which is depicted as a The rolled end is located behind the pusher mechanism 16 to force the pusher mechanism 16 toward the front of the shelf, as is known in the art. Other mounting configurations of the pusher forcing element 60 are possible with the present invention. In other words, the fixed end of the pusher forcing element 60 can be mounted on the pusher mechanism 16, while the other coiled end can be operatively mounted on the base 12 or other structure.

Located behind the pusher surface 52 and above the support base 54 is a piston 70. The piston 70 is configured to extend through the support base 54 to engage the transversely extending notch 38 to releasably clamp the pusher mechanism 16 at the location of the notch on the base 12. In an exemplary embodiment, when the pusher mechanism is positioned over one of the notches 38, the piston can be manually actuated downward and into the notch. Once in the notch, the pusher mechanism 16 will be held in position to allow replenishment of products in front of the pusher mechanism. To disengage the piston from the notch, the user only needs to push back on the pusher surface 52 away from the front of the shelf and the piston will automatically retract from the notch allowing free movement of the pusher mechanism on the base.

In an alternate embodiment, it is contemplated that the pusher mechanism 16 may be mounted to the divider element 22 in the same manner and using the same techniques described above with respect to mounting the pusher mechanism 16 to the base 12, or with any mounting technique. known, such as the technique described in US Patent No. 4,830,201, incorporated by reference. In this configuration, the pusher mechanism 16 will move slidably along the length of the divider element 22. Other tappet mounting techniques are possible with the invention.

Referring to Figure 3, an alternative embodiment of the merchandising system 10 includes the use of the base 12 and the pusher mechanism 16 with roller assemblies 18 located on either side of the base 12. The roller assemblies 18 may be attached to or formed integral with the base 12, or they can be separated from the base. The base 12 may be mounted on a rail 24 and the rail 24 may include a front retaining wall 7 6 to retain product being pushed onto the rail. Additionally, a dividing element may be attached to or integral with the roller assemblies 18. As shown in Figure 4, the pusher mechanism 16 will force the product onto the rail 24 and the roller assemblies 18 will assist the pusher mechanism 16 in pushing the product onto the rail. With this embodiment, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the roller assemblies can be located in numerous locations below the product and still assist the mechanism.

ES 2 337 543 B2 pusher that pushes the product. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will understand that one set of rollers may be sufficient to assist the pusher mechanism, depending on the product to be marketed. With the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, the base 12 and pusher mechanism 16 may be the same as the base and pusher mechanism described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2.

With reference to Figures 6 to 9, alternative embodiments of the merchandising system are shown. In one embodiment depicted in Figures 6 and 7, the merchandising system includes the use of a base 82 and a pusher mechanism 8 6 with roller assemblies 88 located on either side of the pusher mechanism 86. Roller assemblies 88 may be attached to or integral with base 82, or may be removable from the base. A product dividing element 89 may be positioned on the base 82 along the roller assemblies. Divider element 89 may be removable or permanently attached to base 82. Alternatively, divider element 89 may be a separate and independent component of base 82.

The base 82 may be mounted on a rail 94 in any known manner and may slide or be stationary relative to the rail. It should be understood that the system can be used without the rail 94. The base 82 can be symmetrical in that it can include rail mounting features 91 at the two ends 93, 95 of the base 82. Rail mounting features may include grooves or channels that can engage with rail 94 and engagement ribs or mounting elements 97. With this configuration, each end of the base 82 can be mounted on the rail 94, thus creating a left-side merchandising system, as shown in Figure 6, or a right-side merchandising system, if the end 95 of base mounts on rail 94. This setting improves the functionality of the base. Rail 94 may further include channels or grooves 90 that can accommodate a forward retaining wall, not shown, to retain product being pushed into rail 94. Rail 94 may further include a mounting flange or surface 101 to position and mounting the base 82 on the rail 94 and to secure the base to the rail and prevent the base from lifting off the rail. Base 82 and rail 94 may include other possible mounting configurations, such as a tongue and groove configuration, to allow mounting of the base on the rail.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the pusher mechanism 86 may include a paddle or pusher surface 99 that can be mounted to a guide formed on the base 82 (Figures 6 and 7) using any known guide mounting configuration, such as a flange and rail configuration, a tongue and groove configuration, or any other configuration that allows sliding movement of the pusher mechanism relative to the base. Alternatively, the pusher mechanism may be a guideless configuration (Figures 8 and 9) in which the pusher mechanism sits on the top surface of the base 82 and slides along the top surface of the base.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the pusher mechanism 100 includes a pusher paddle or surface 102 which may also include a floor.

104 extending forward of the paddle or pusher surface in a substantially perpendicular manner. The bottom surface of the floor 104 is placed on the base and slides along the base 82, and more particularly along the roller assemblies 88 mounted on the base 82. With this embodiment, the product to be marketed it can be placed on this ground. The product can help hold the pusher mechanism to the base during system operation. The pallet and the pusher floor can define any suitable shape and configuration that allows the product to be marketed. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, roller assemblies 88 may be located on either side of product divider 89.

With the embodiments shown in Figures 6 through 9, a coil spring 106 may be used and may extend along the upper surface of the base 82 to force the pusher mechanism into the rail. The product to be marketed can also be placed on the coil spring to help hold the pusher mechanism down on the base 82.

As shown in Figures 6 through 9, the pusher mechanism can extend over and rest on the rollers of the roller assemblies 88. With this configuration, the pusher mechanism will roll along the roller assemblies, thereby improving the slideability of the pusher mechanism relative to the base 82. With this configuration, the pusher mechanism will slide relatively frictionless along the base. Alternatively, the pusher mechanism can be configured so that it does not extend over and rest on the rollers, depending on the desired application.

In an exemplary embodiment, the roller assemblies 88 may be sufficiently spaced from each other and from the product divider element 89 so that the weight of the product to be marketed, such as soda crates, can be appropriately positioned on the rollers. For example, if the product to be marketed is a box of soda in cans, in this case a set 88 of rollers may be positioned below each row of soda cans. In this way, the weight of the cans can be appropriately positioned on the rollers, thereby improving the ease with which the box of soda will roll along the rollers, reducing stress on the packaging containing the cans, and preventing any unwanted damage to the packaging. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the roller assemblies may be located in numerous locations below the product to be marketed, depending on the weight and configuration of the product, to properly support the weight of the product and further assist the pusher mechanism to force the product forward or into the lane, if a lane is used.

Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. For example, one skilled in the art will understand that multiple of the described components can be used in stores and in various configurations. The present invention therefore should not be limited to the single system 10, nor to the vertical pusher configuration, depicted in the figures, since the system 10 is merely illustrative of the characteristics, teachings and principles of the invention. It should be understood ade

ES 2 337 543 B2 rather than the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual characteristics mentioned or evident from the text and / or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best known modes for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to use the invention. The claims are to be construed as including alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.