Product management display system

Description of the invention

The subject of the invention is a product display management system, in particular a system for displaying, pushing and separating products on display shelves for products.

It is desirable that the products on the shelf are placed close to the front of the shelf so that the products are visible and accessible to customers. Thus, as the product is taken off the shelf, it may be beneficial to push the remaining product towards the front of the shelf. Also, it may be advantageous to have separating panels, also called spacers, separating products in a display shelf into rows.

US Patent 6,041,720 ('720) discloses a display product management system that may be used to separate and push the displayed products.

DESCRIPTION OF DESIGN DE 299-02 688 U1 discloses a goods display system in which the base-and-spacer assembly is constructed as two separate pieces which must be joined together before use. When the system is used for products of different sizes, it is necessary to use different widths of the product slide guides, also referred to herein as pusher tracks, to accommodate the different sizes of products.

US 5,265,738 discloses a goods display system with a pusher track that has an integrated separating wall on one side of the pusher track. As in the arrangement disclosed in the cited DE 299-02 688 U1, pusher paths of different sizes must be used in order to adapt them to different sizes of products.

Referring to Figure 1 of reference '720, various components are disclosed, such as an end pusher 150, a pusher spacer 152, and a pusher 154, mounted on bases 166, 212, and 232, respectively, for attachment to the skeleton of a shelf 25 or on a standard retail shelf 40. End pusher 150, pusher spacer 152, and pusher 154 that attach to bases 166, 212, and 232 of Figure 1 of the description ^'720, have been designed to be as flexible as possible in use. This flexibility allows these components to be assembled and used in many different ways depending on the specific product displayed. This presents store personnel with a potential mixed choice that can lead to frustration, wasted time, and parts installed incorrectly. The three components of the follower, namely, a full-width track that can receive the pushing device, a spacer, and a narrow track, are typically used together, more often than other combinations of components. Therefore, a part would be desirable that would combine these elements into a single integrated assembly.

An integrated "T" assembly, also referred to as a base-and-spacer assembly, according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention is comprised of a single integrated assembly, a full gauge track, a spacer, and a narrow track. A narrow and strong end finishing piece may be used to provide a second partition in the form of a spacer and, optionally, a wide and narrow track to pair with the narrow-track or wide-track portion of the T assembly near the ends of both sides of the shelf.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the spring-biased sliding pusher may include an upper portion that is displaced through the angled deflected portion away from the lower pusher portion. The upper shifted portion may advantageously extend even further close to the center of the displayed various products. Such a sliding pusher allows a minimum number of components to be used while pushing the products still relatively close to their centers, which has the advantage that the pushing is smoother and less jamming. In the event that a wide product is exposed, one or more retaining tracks may be provided beneath the product, each of which may have a pusher.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the T-unit and / or the entire track may be connected to the front rail by a complementary tongue and groove arrangement. Each of the components having a separator panel, such as a T-assembly, end fin, and full-width track, also can include any of a variety of linkage mechanisms for a non-slip engagement with a suitable front rail linkage mechanism. For example, the teeth on the base can engage the corresponding teeth on the front rail. Such serrations advantageously allow placing the T-unit, full-width track and / or end trims with respective serrations in apparently continuous positions.

Along the front rail, and can prevent the components from unintentionally moving out of their predetermined positions during typical shopping and shelf replenishment operations.

In accordance with a shown embodiment of the invention, the T assembly may include a tear line and a break line. This combination of tear and break lines can advantageously be used to form a single piece that could be used for shelves of varying depths, such as 16 inch or 10 inch.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the follower track may have a recess which, when replenishing the inventory, may serve to retain the pusher close to the rear of the full-width track or T-assembly. into the recess and can tilt the top of the follower towards the front of the track. Goods can be refilled without having to hold the pusher off the track. In order to retract the follower from the recess, the follower may be pushed towards the rear of the track, whereupon the follower will then return to the upright position and travel along the track in its usual manner.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the leading edges of the respective surfaces along which the follower travels may automatically engage the bent portion of the follower spiral spring when the follower is inserted from the front of the track.

The subject of the invention is shown in an embodiment in the drawing, in which fig. 1 shows an integrated "T-unit, also referred to as a base-and-spacer unit, according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, fig. Fig. 3 shows a sliding pusher according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, 4 shows a full-width track, also referred to as a base, that can be used with or without a pusher, according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a T assembly according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, Fig. 6 is a perspective view. the front rail of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, Fig. 7 shows an enlarged inclined side view of the front rail of Fig. 6 according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, fig. 8 shows a full-width track with a pusher between two T units according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, fig. 9 shows an enlarged rear part of the bottom of a T unit according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, fig. 10 shows the products with different sizes on a plurality of units T, Fig. 11 shows an integrated end piece according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, Fig. 12 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the bent end of the follower spiral spring connected to the front edge of the follower track according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows an integrated "T" assembly 500 according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention. The letter "T" refers to the appearance of the T 500 assembly when viewed in the direction of arrow 502 in Fig. 1. The T 500 actually looks like an inverted (and eccentric) T here, but for the sake of simplicity it is referred to as simply as the T-unit. The T-unit may also be referred to as the base-and-spacer unit. The T set, in fact, consists of a single unit, a first track, a spacer and a second track. According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the separating portion 504, the first base portion 518, and the second base portion 520 may be made as a single integral piece.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1, the spacer 504 may divide the base of the T unit 500 into a first portion 518 and a second portion 520. The first portion 518 of the base may be referred to as the wide portion of the base, while the second portion 520 may be referred to as as a narrow portion 520 of base 500. As shown, the first and second base portions may have any ratio of width. For example, the spacer 504 may bisect the base such that the first and second base portions are substantially of equal width.

The T assembly 500 can have a relatively thick and rigid spacer 504 to prevent distortion that can occur when pushing round or triangular articles. Such deformation would cause the articles to rub against each other or not generally be pushed well. In Fig. 1, the rigid spacer 504 consists of two parts, 514-1 and 514-2, which are described below.

At both ends of the shelf where the pusher components are provided, it is desirable to provide a narrow and strong end finish. Referring to Fig. 2, right hand end piece 600 may be attached to a shelf near the right side of the shelf. Spacer 608

The right end piece may function as the rightmost spacer on the shelf. The right end piece 600 may technically be connected to the shelf by inserting pins 604 and 606 into respective holes in the shelf. One or more fasteners, such as plastic thrust rivets, may be used to securely attach the right-hand end piece through the openings 602-1 to 602-4 and through respective openings in the shelf.

The right end piece shown in Fig. 2 is intended to be placed in a fixed position near the right side of the upper surface of the shelf. Referring to Fig. 11, left end member 1500 may be similar to T 500 except that left end member 1500 omits a portion of the base of T to the left of the spacer. Accordingly, the left end member 1500 may include a spacer 504 and a base portion 518. Since the right end piece is intended to be fixed in place and other components can be adjusted along the rail near the front of the shelf, the components can be placed on the shelf and the right-to-left front rail allows maximum flexibility in setting the distance between elements.

The width of many products, such as deodorants, painkillers, antihistamines, would allow the use of a minimum number of pushers and bases spaced apart along the shelf, but pushers may undesirably end off center so that the products will not be pushed well. For example, referring to Fig. 10, there are shown a plurality of T units 500-1 to 500-3 that are technically connected to the shelf 1401 via a front rail. The relatively narrow product 1400 is shown held by the wide base portion 518-2 of the T 500-2 unit and the narrow portion 520-3 of the T 500-3 unit. T units 500-2 and 500-3 are positioned relatively close together because product 1400 is relatively narrow. By contrast, product 1402 is relatively wide. Thus, unit T 500-1 is relatively distant from unit T 500-2. The product 1402 is held by a narrow portion 520-2 of the base of the T 500-2 unit and by a wide portion 518-1 of the base of the T 500-1 unit. Since the follower path and follower of T 500-1 are located relatively close to spacer 504-1 of T 500-1, a sliding follower, such as a sliding follower 700 (FIG. 3), may be used so that it is displaced portion 702 may be located closer to the center of a relatively wide product, such as product 1402. The sliding pusher 700 has an upper portion 702 that is offset, through the deflected portion 704, from the lower portion 706 of the pusher 700. The upper offset portion 702 preferably extends far toward the center of the various products displayed. The sliding pusher allows the use of a minimum number of elements, while allowing the products to be pushed relatively close to their centers.

Occasionally the product is too wide to use only one T 500 unit on each side of the product. In such a case, one or more supporting tracks may be used beneath the product. Moreover, the product may be extremely compact and / or heavy, so that the product may require an additional pusher to move it. In such a case, a full-width track may be used, such as the full-width track 800 shown in Fig. 4 and also referred to as the base, with or without a pusher 700.

For example, Fig. 8 shows a full-width track 800 with a 700-3 follower between the two units T 500-2 and 500-3 with the follower 700-2 and 700-4, respectively, on the left and right sides of the full-width. 800 wide track.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, any components that include the spacer and / or the follower track may be connected to the front rail through a complementary tab and groove arrangement as disclosed in the patent. ^'720. The T 500 assembly and the full track 800 can connect in a non-slip manner. For example, teeth 900 shown in Fig. 5 may engage a corresponding non-skid connecting detail provided in a front rail, such as the front rail 1000 shown in Fig. 6. Figure 7 shows an enlarged inclined side view of the front rail 1000. , viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow 1002 in Fig. 6. The serrations 1100 allow the T assembly 500, the full width track 800, and / or the left end piece to be placed in seemingly continuous positions along the front rail. The mating teeth can be relatively thin and closely spaced to allow for precise positioning of the track follower. The serrations advantageously prevent items from being inadvertently dislodged from their predetermined positions during typical in-store activities and on-shelf refilling.

Of course, other specific methods of connecting the T assembly 500, full-width track 800, and / or left end piece to the front rail may also be used. For example, serrations on the front rail could pinch at the bottom of the track follower. You could also

Use a belt clamp system in which the track follower tab would snap into the front rail. The front rail could have a recess with rubber to receive the serrated tongue of the pusher track.

Again referring to Fig. 1, the T assembly 500 may have a tear line such as a tear line 506 and a break line such as a break line 510. Such a combination of the tear line and break line may advantageously be used to make a break-off line. one piece that could be used for shelves of varying depths, such as 16 inch and 10 inch. The tear line 506 allows the vertically oriented portions of the spacer 514-1 and 514-2 to be torn open in one movement. After this breaking step, a breaking step may follow to separate a portion of the track 516-1 from the portion of the track 516-2. The combination of the breakline and breakline facilitates the removal of the back of the T 500 assembly. Of course, a full-width track and / or right end finisher could also optionally have a breakline analogous to breakline 510.

After the rear portion of the T assembly 500 or any other base that can receive the follower 700 is removed, the follower 700 can be prevented from slipping backwards in the follower path by inserting the pin into the opening 508. An exemplary pin 1300 is shown in FIG. bottom rear of the base.

Referring to Fig. 4, the recess 802 is shown. Recess 802 may be used during restocking to retain the follower 700 near the rear of the track 800 or T 500 assembly. In order to use the recess 802 to retain the follower 700 behind the track 800, a person can retract pusher 700 into recess 802 and can tilt the top of pusher 700 toward the front of track 800, for example, away from arrow 502 of Fig. 1. The recess 802 then holds the pusher 700 such that the goods can be refilled without having to manually hold the pusher off the track while placing the goods on the track surface. To retract pusher 700 from recess 802, pusher can be pushed back toward track 800, whereupon the pusher then returns to vertical and travels along track 800 in its usual manner.

The front edges 804-1 and 804-2 of the respective surfaces along which the follower travels may automatically engage the bent portion of the follower spiral spring when the follower is inserted from the front of track 800. Figure 12 is a partially cross-sectional side view. a bent end of spring 806 connected to the leading edge 804-1 of track 800.

Figure 12 also shows a complementary tab and groove arrangement in the center of a component 1600 that includes a follower track and a front rail 1602, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention shown. Tab 1604 of component 1600 engages groove 1606 of front rail 1602 and tab 1608 of front rail 1602 engages groove 1610 of component.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific examples covering the presently highlighted embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations and variations of the systems and techniques described above are within the spirit and scope of the invention.