U.S. patent application number 10/811659 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-16 for system and method for product display, arrangement and rotation.
Invention is credited to Close, James Garth.
Application Number | 20040178158 10/811659 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46301092 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040178158 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Close, James Garth |
September 16, 2004 |
System and method for product display, arrangement and rotation
Abstract
A device, system, and method system for manually arranging
products on a display shelf without requiring additional shelf
width. The product containers, such as jars, cans, and bottles, may
be pulled forward toward the front of the display shelf by pulling
a front member which is attached to two slide rails which fit into
the vacant spaces near the bottom of rounded container sides. In an
alternate embodiment, a base is provided to elevate the containers,
and the slide rails slide underneath the container. The slide rails
are attached to a rear member which engages the rear of the last
product container in the row, and pushes the containers forward as
the front member is pulled away from the display shelf. The device
may be a wire frame which may include side covers of various shapes
and sizes.
Inventors: |
Close, James Garth;
(Georgetown, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Rick B. Yeager
10805 Mellow Lane
Austin
TX
78759
US
|
Family ID: |
46301092 |
Appl. No.: |
10/811659 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10811659 |
Mar 29, 2004 |
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09918843 |
Jul 31, 2001 |
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6719151 |
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60290969 |
May 16, 2001 |
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60292441 |
May 22, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/59.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 1/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/059.3 |
International
Class: |
A47F 007/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A product alignment wire frame device for use in aligning
product containers on a display surface, the wire frame product
alignment device comprising: a first wire side rail member having a
front and a rear; a second wire side rail member having a front and
a rear; a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side
member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such
that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the
first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member;
and a front wire member attached to the front of the first side
member and attached to the front of the second side member, such
that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward
relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear
wire member forward or backward relative to the display shelf.
34 The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 further
comprising a closed wire frame.
35. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 34 wherein the
wire frame is closed by welding the ends of the wire together.
36. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 34 wherein the
wire frame is closed by gluing the ends of the wire together.
37. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 34 further
comprising at least one coupler, such that the coupler holds a
first wire end in proximity to a second wire end.
38. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 wherein the
width of the rear wire member and the width of the front wire
member are adjustable in order to adjust the distance between the
first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail
member.
39. The product alignment device of claim 38 wherein: the width of
the rear wire member is adjustable by bending the rear wire member,
and the width of the front wire member is adjustable by bending the
front wire member.
40. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 wherein the
wire frame includes at least one coating.
41. A product alignment device for use in aligning product
containers on a display shelf, the product alignment device
comprising: a first wire side rail member having a front and a
rear; a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear; an
adjustable-width rear plate attached to the rear of the first side
rail member and attached to the rear of the second side rail
member; and an adjustable-width front member attached to the front
of the first side rail member and attached to the front of the
second side rail member, such that the front member may be moved
forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull
or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the display
shelf.
42. The product alignment device of claim 41 wherein the rear plate
width may be adjusted by bending the rear plate.
43. The product alignment device of claim 41 wherein the front
member is a bent wire, so that the width of the front member may be
adjusted by bending the wire.
44. The product alignment device of claim 41 wherein the rear plate
includes a first recess for receiving a portion of the first wire
side rail member; and the rear plate includes a second recess for
receiving a portion of the second wire side rail member.
45. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a
display shelf, the system comprising: a product display shelf
having a front portion and a rear portion; at least one product
container positioned on the display shelf; and an arranging means
operable for moving the product container manually from the rear
portion of the display shelf towards the front portion of the
display shelf, the arranging means comprising a first wire side
rail member having a front and a rear; a second wire side rail
member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side
rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to
define a channel to receive the product container on the display
shelf; a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side
member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such
that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the
first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member;
and a front wire member attached to the front of the first side
member and attached to the front of the second side member, such
that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward
relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear
wire member forward or backward relative to the display shelf.
46. The system for displaying products of claim 45 wherein the
product container comprises a first edge in proximity to the first
wire side rail member, and a second edge in proximity to the second
wire side rail member; the first wire side rail member is
positioned below the outermost point of the first edge; and the
second wire side rail member is positioned below the outermost
point of the second edge.
47. The system for displaying products of claim 45, further
comprising a temporary shelf basket for extending to receive
products from the display shelf to facilitate the rotation of older
products from the rear portion of the display shelf to the front
portion and newer products to the rear portion of the display
shelf; the shelf basket comprising means to engage the display
shelf for maintaining the shelf basket in a predetermined
position.
48. The system for displaying products of claim 45, further
comprising at least one divider support base placed on the display
shelf and under the first and second wire side rail members, the
divider support base comprising a base, such that the first and
second wire side rail members may be pushed and pulled on top of
the base, and a plurality of support ribs, such that height of the
support ribs is greater than the height of the first and second
wire side rail members, so that the first and second wire side rail
members may be moved underneath the base of containers which are
placed on the support ribs.
49. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a
display shelf, the system comprising: a product display shelf
having a front portion and a rear portion; at least one product
container positioned on the display shelf; and an arranging means
operable for moving the product container manually from the rear
portion of the display shelf towards the front portion of the
display shelf, the arranging means comprising a first wire side
rail member having a front and a rear, a second wire side rail
member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side
rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to
define a channel to receive the product container on the display
shelf, an adjustable-width rear plate integral to the rear of the
first side rail member and integral to the rear of the second side
rail member, and an adjustable-width front member attached to the
front of the first side rail member and attached to the front of
the second side rail member, such that the front member may be
moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to
pull or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the
display shelf.
50. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue in a
display box, the system comprising: a product container display box
comprising a bottom having a rear portion and a front portion, a
first side, and a second side; at least one product container
positioned in the display box; and an arranging means operable for
moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the
display box towards the front portion of the display shelf, the
arranging means comprising a first wire side rail member having a
front and a rear; a second wire side rail member having a front and
a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart
from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive
the product container on the display box bottom; a rear wire member
attached to the rear of the first side member and integral to the
rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is
positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and
the second wire side rail member; and a front wire member attached
to the front of the first side member and integral to the front of
the second side member, such that the front wire member may be
moved forward or backward relative to the display box in order to
pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to
the display box.
51. The system for displaying products of claim 50 wherein the
product container display box is positioned on a display shelf.
52. The system for displaying products of claim 50 wherein the
product container display box further comprises a front, such that
the front comprises a first slot to accept a portion of the first
wire side rail member, and a second slot to accept a portion of the
second wire side rail member.
53. A method for aligning product containers in a queue on a
display surface, comprising: placing an arranging means on the
display surface, the arranging means comprising a first wire side
rail member having a front and a rear; a second wire side rail
member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side
rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to
define a channel to receive the product containers on the display
surface; a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side
member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such
that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the
first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member;
and a front wire member attached to the front of the first side
member and attached to the front of the second side member, such
that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward
relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear
wire member forward or backward relative to the display surface;
placing at least one product container in the channel, such that
the product container comprises a first edge in proximity to the
first slide rail member, and a second edge in proximity to the
second slide rail member, pulling the front pull element away from
the display surface and thereby pulling the first and second slide
rails and the rear positioning element outwardly with respect to
the display shelf, thereby engaging the rearmost product container
and pulling all product containers located in the channel toward
the front of the display surface; and pushing the front pull
element back toward the rear of the display surface after the
product containers are properly aligned with respect to the front
of the display surface.
54. The method of claim 53 further comprising positioning the first
slide rail member below the outermost point of the first edge of
the containers; and positioning the second slide rail member below
the outermost point of the second edge of the containers.
55. A method for displaying products generally forming a queue in a
display box, the method comprising: inverting a display box, the
display box containing a plurality of product containers, and the
display box comprising a bottom having a rear portion and a front
portion, a top, a front face, a rear face, a first side face, and a
second side face; cutting the rear face, the front face, the first
side face, and the second side face, so that a portion of each face
remains integral to the bottom; removing the bottom portion and the
faces that remain integral to the bottom, so that the bottoms of a
row of containers is exposed; providing a first slot and a second
slot on the front face; inserting an arranging means over the
bottoms of the row of containers, the arranging means comprising a
first wire side rail member having a front and a rear; a second
wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the
second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire
side rail member to define a channel to receive the product
containers in the display box; a rear wire member attached to the
rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the
second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned
substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second
wire side rail member; and a front wire member attached to the
front of the first side member and attached to the front of the
second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved
forward or backward relative to the display box in order to pull or
push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the
display box; replacing the bottom portion and the faces that remain
integral to the bottom on the inverted row of containers; inverting
the display box so that the a portion of the first wire side rail
member fits into the first slot, and a portion of the second wire
side rail member fits into the second slot; removing the top of the
display box so that at least a portion of the product containers
are exposed; and using the arranging means to move product
containers toward the front of the display box.
56. A method for displaying products of claim 55 further comprising
removing the front of the display box so that the arranging means
may slide on the bottom of the display box.
57. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 wherein the
rear wire member comprises an upwardly bent portion of the rear of
the first side member, an upwardly bent portion of the rear of the
second side member, and a rear wire member connecting the upwardly
bent portion of the rear of the first side member to the upwardly
bent portion of the rear of the second side member.
58. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 57 wherein the
front wire member comprises an upwardly bent portion of the front
of the first side member, an upwardly bent portion of the front of
the second side member, and a front wire member connecting the
upwardly bent portion of the front of the first side member to the
upwardly bent portion of the front of the second side member.
59. A method of adjusting the length of a wire frame pull device,
the method comprising providing a wire frame pull device having a
flat generally rectangular shape, and having a front portion and a
rear portion; bending the front portion of the wire frame pull
device upwards, thereby forming a pull handle; determining the
desired length of the pull device; and bending the rear portion of
the wire frame pull device upwards such that the device has the
desired length, and such that the rear portion forms a pusher
element.
60. A method for aligning product containers in a queue on a
display surface, comprising: placing a container support on the
display surface, the container support having a first edge, and
second edge, and a top surface; placing an arranging means on the
display surface, the arranging means comprising a first wire side
rail member having a front and a rear, such that the first wire
side rail is placed outside of the first edge of the container
support, a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear,
such that the second wire side rail is placed outside of the second
edge of the container support, a rear wire member attached to the
rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the
second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned
substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second
wire side rail member; and a front wire member attached to the
front of the first side member and attached to the front of the
second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved
forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull
or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the
display surface; placing at least one product container on the
display surface; pulling the front pull element away from the
display surface and thereby pulling the first and second slide
rails and the rear positioning element outwardly with respect to
the display shelf, thereby engaging the rearmost product container
and pulling all product containers positioned on the container
support toward the front of the display surface; and pushing the
front pull element back toward the rear of the display surface
after the product containers are properly aligned with respect to
the front of the display surface.
61. The method of claim 60 wherein the container support is
cardboard.
62. The method of claim 61 wherein a portion of the container over
the rear of the display shelf.
63. The method of claim 60 wherein the container support is
adhesively attached to the display shelf.
64. The method of claim 60 wherein the container support is
magnetically attached to the display shelf.
65. The system of claim 49 further comprising a front stop
device.
66. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a
display shelf, the system comprising: a product display shelf
having a front portion and a rear portion; at least one product
container positioned on the display shelf in a display row, the
display row having a front portion and a rear portion; a front stop
device positioned in the front portion of the display row; an
arranging means operable for moving the product container manually
from the rear portion of the display row towards the front portion
of the display row, the arranging means comprising a first wire
side rail member having a front and a rear, a second wire side rail
member having a front and a rear, a rear pusher element, and a
front member attached to the front of the first side rail member
and attached to the front of the second side rail member, such that
the front member may be moved forward or backward relative to the
display shelf in order to pull or push the rear plate forward or
backward relative to the display shelf.
67. The system of claim 66 wherein the front stop device extends
across the front portions of a plurality of display rows.
68. The system of claim 66 wherein the front stop snaps onto the
front of the display shelf.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part application for U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/918,843 which was filed on Jul. 31, 2001.
Application Ser. No. 09/918,843 was related to provisional patent
application No. 60/290,969 filed on May 14, 2001 and to provisional
patent application No. 60/292,441 filed on May 19, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to the display, arrangement and
rotation of products such as those packaged in bottles, jars, cans,
and boxes, and more particularly to an improved product display,
arrangement and rotation system and method in which products
displayed on a display shelf can easily be arranged or rotated to
have the products' expiration dates kept safely up to date and to
conveniently position the products manually near the front edge of
the shelves for improved visual exposure and effortless selection
by consumers.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Retail stores relying on the consumers to serve themselves
have recognized the importance of displaying products near the
front edge of display shelves so that the products can be readily
seen by consumers and easily reached by the consumers. Customers
typically remove products from the front of a display shelf, and
products remaining toward the rear of display shelves are often
difficult to reach.
[0006] Well operated retail stores have clerks move around the
store periodically to check the status of goods and to make
appropriate corrections by moving products toward the front of
display shelves. There is a need to make this alignment process
more efficient. It is also desirable to properly rotate products on
a display shelf so that the older products are sold before the
newer products. A system for the easy rotation of products is
needed to decrease the likelihood that a product will have to be
discarded after reaching its expiration date.
[0007] The prior art provides some examples of automated or
semi-automated shelf display alignment.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,438 to applicant describes a system and
method for product display, arrangement and rotation. That patent
includes a relatively fixed side frame which is typically held in
place by magnetic attraction, and a pull frame attached to a rear
member that is used to pull product forward on a shelf. That
invention is appropriate for containers with straight side walls
such as boxes and cans. The current invention is well-suited for
containers such as bottles and jars with rounded, or otherwise
non-linear side wall profiles.
[0009] The '438 patent discusses prior art including U.S. Pat. No.
5,203,463 to Steven K. Gold which teaches the use of springs to
push items to the front position on the display shelf; U.S. Pat.
No. 5,240,126 to Foster which also uses a ribbon spring arrangement
to advance a row of items forward; U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,125 to Kunz,
which is similar to the '126 patent, with the addition of a
protective wire grid to prevent a glass jar from falling out of the
device; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,546 to Crum which also uses a
spring mechanism.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The invention relates to a device, system and method for
displaying and rotating products generally forming a queue on a
display surface such as a display shelf.
[0011] Some embodiments include two slide rails, one slide rail
positioned on either side of a row of product containers. The
containers are typically bottles or jars with rounded bottom sides.
The slide rails preferably fit within the vacant space left by the
rounded lower portion of a row of containers, or within the vacant
space left by the lower portions of adjacent rows of containers so
as not to take up valuable shelf space. The slide rails are
connected to a rear element so that when the slide rails are pulled
outward from the display shelf, the rear element engages the queue
and pulls the remaining containers toward the front of the display
shelf. A front pull element preferably connects the first slide
rail with the second slide rail so that the two slide rails may be
pulled at the same time and rate by pulling the front pull
element.
[0012] In one embodiment, the slide rails, the front pull element,
and the rear element are formed as a single wire frame. In other
embodiments, a plate may serve as the rear element; a cover such as
plastic tubing may be placed over the slide rails in order to
increase the size of the slide rails in order to help stabilize the
product containers; the device may be formed as a single unit, such
as by injection molding; or the width between the slide rails may
be adjusted.
[0013] In some embodiments according to the invention, the slide
rail element includes indicia identifying the number of the
products in the queue when the positioning element is moved so that
the products are substantially aligned with the front portion of
the surface. The indicia may also contain information corresponding
to the products in the queue. Additionally, the indicia may be a
bar code.
[0014] Another embodiment according to the invention comprises a
temporary shelf basket for receiving products from the surface of
the shelf to facilitate the rotation of older products from the
rear portion of the surface to the front portion and newer products
to the rear portion of the surface. The shelf basket is temporarily
attached to the display shelf, preferably by inserting basket
support arms into holes located on the display shelf.
[0015] A method is provided to use the shelf basket for product
rotation by temporarily attaching the basket to the display shelf;
removing old product from a row of product display; determining the
number of new containers necessary to fill the row; placing the
proper number of new containers in the row; removing the old
product from the basket and placing the old products in front of
the new products in order to fill the row; and removing the shelf
basket from the display row.
[0016] Another method according to the invention is a method for
arranging and displaying products generally forming a queue and
taking an inventory, comprising the steps of providing a shelf
generally for receiving products to be displayed and having a front
and rear portion; providing products having front and rear sides
for arrangement and display on the shelf generally in a queue
having a front and rear product; and providing an arranging means
for placement on the shelf. The arranging means comprises a pair of
slide rails, the slide rails defining a channel for receiving the
products. The arranging means further has a rear element adapted to
engage the rear product in the queue from the rear side of the
product, thereby allowing the rear product to be engaged by the
rear element for movement from a position in the rear portion to a
predetermined position closer to the front portion of the surface.
The method further comprises positioning the products in the
channel generally in the form of a queue; selectively moving the
products manually from the rear portion of the shelf towards the
front portion of the shelf by applying a force to the slide rails
generally in a direction of the front portion of the shelf, thereby
engaging the rear product with the rear element until the first
product is located at a predetermined position near the front
portion of the shelf; reading the indicia to determine the number
of products remaining in the queue; and finally, returning the
device to its original position by applying a force on the slide
rails generally in a direction of the rear portion of the shelf
until the device reaches its original position.
[0017] Another embodiment incorporates a product support base with
raised tabs to support a row of product containers and to permit
the slide rails to slide underneath product containers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0018] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a wire frame embodiment of
the invention with slip-on tubing covers.
[0019] FIG. 1B is a perspective of a slip-on split tubing cover of
the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A.
[0020] FIG. 1C is a cross sectional view towards the rear element
of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A showing an adjustable width
feature of the embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 1D is a cross sectional view towards the front pull
element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A showing an adjustable
width feature of the embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 1E is a front view of a portion of a display shelf
showing product containers and several devices of the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1A.
[0023] FIG. 1F is a perspective view of a device of the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1A used to align containers on a display shelf.
[0024] FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of an alternative
wire frame embodiment of the invention with slip-on tubing
covers.
[0025] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the alternative wire frame
embodiment of FIG. 2A with tubing covers inserted over the side
rails.
[0026] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the alternative wire frame
embodiment of FIG. 2B with a rear element installed.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative wire frame
embodiment without a rear plate element.
[0028] FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of another wire
frame embodiment of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 4B is a cross sectional view of an alternate rear
member with side rail receiving channels.
[0030] FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A
positioned on a display shelf for proper length sizing.
[0031] FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A
positioned on a display shelf with the rear element being bent to
size the length of the device.
[0032] FIG. 4E is a perspective view of a portion of a display
shelf showing product containers and several devices of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 4A.
[0033] FIG. 4F is a perspective view of a portion of a display
shelf showing stacked product containers being aligned with devices
of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. 4G is a front view of a
portion of product containers on a shelf.
[0034] FIG. 5A is a front view of a portion of product containers
on a shelf.
[0035] FIG. 5B is a front view of a portion of product containers
on a shelf illustrating the vacant space at the base of the
containers.
[0036] FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective view of another
embodiment of the invention.
[0037] FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6A
positioned on a display shelf with product containers.
[0038] FIG. 6C is a perspective view of another cover for the
embodiment of FIG. 6A.
[0039] FIG. 6D is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6c
with the width of the device narrowed by bending the rear element
and the front pull element.
[0040] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an embodiment having
unconnected bent wire as the rear member.
[0041] FIG. 7B is a perspective view of an embodiment having welded
wires as the rear member.
[0042] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment with molded or
extruded elements.
[0043] FIG. 9 is a top view of several devices in position on a
display shelf illustrating the use of the device in aligning
product containers.
[0044] FIG. 10A is a perspective view of an accessory rear element
for stacked containers.
[0045] FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 10A
showing stacked containers.
[0046] FIG. 10C is a side view of stacked containers with the rear
element of FIG. 10A.
[0047] FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a basket to assist in
restocking for product rotation.
[0048] FIG. 11B is a perspective view of a basket positioned on a
display shelf.
[0049] FIG. 12A is a perspective bottom view of a container base to
inhibit container rotation.
[0050] FIG. 12B is a side view of devices of FIG. 12A attached to
the bottoms of containers.
[0051] FIG. 12C is a bottom view of a container base of FIG.
12A.
[0052] FIG. 12D is a bottom view of a container base with a
rectangular base.
[0053] FIG. 13A is a perspective view of a divider base unit.
[0054] FIG. 13B is an exploded side view of several adjacent
divider base units.
[0055] FIG. 13C is a side view of adjacent divider base units with
can containers.
[0056] FIG. 13D is a perspective view of an alignment device placed
on a divider base unit.
[0057] FIG. 13E is a side view of adjacent divider base units with
can containers.
[0058] FIG. 14A is an exploded top perspective view of a two piece
wire frame assembly.
[0059] FIG. 14B is a top perspective view of an assembled frame of
the embodiment of FIG. 14A.
[0060] FIG. 15A is a top view of a frame with a coupling
device.
[0061] FIG. 15B is a top view of an embodiment with a coupling
device accepting two overlapping side rail portions.
[0062] FIG. 16A is a top perspective view of a frame with an
adjustable rear pull plate member.
[0063] FIG. 16B is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
16A showing a removing of the rear pull plate element.
[0064] FIG. 16C is a top perspective exploded view of the pull
member of FIG. 16A.
[0065] FIG. 16D is a top perspective view of the pull member of
FIG. 16A before the rear member is bent upwards.
[0066] FIG. 17A is a side perspective view of a cut and inverted
display carton.
[0067] FIG. 17B is a side perspective view of the carton of FIG.
17A with the bottom portion removed and wire frames inserted over
the bottoms of rows of product containers
[0068] FIG. 17C is a side perspective view of the carton of FIG.
17A with the front bottom portion of the carton removed.
[0069] FIG. 17C is a side perspective view of the carton of FIG.
17A with the carton re-inverted and the top portion removed.
[0070] FIG. 18A is a front perspective view of a pull device with
adjustable bend couplers.
[0071] FIG. 18B is a perspective view of an adjustable bend coupler
of FIG. 18A.
[0072] FIG. 19 is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a
multiple row front stop device.
[0073] FIG. 20A is a front perspective view of an embodiment with
snap on front stop devices.
[0074] FIG. 20B is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 20A.
[0075] FIG. 20C is a front perspective view of a front stop device
with pull slot and anchor features.
[0076] FIG. 20D is a front perspective view of the front stop
device of FIG. 20C with pull slide.
[0077] FIG. 21A is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a
container support and a pull device with a generally rectangular
front pull shape.
[0078] FIG. 21B is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 21A.
[0079] FIG. 21C is a front perspective view of an unaligned row of
the embodiment of FIG. 21A.
[0080] FIG. 21D is a front perspective view of an aligned row of
the embodiment of FIG. 21A.
[0081] FIG. 21E is a front perspective view of several rows of the
embodiment of FIG. 21A.
[0082] FIG. 21F is a front perspective view of several rows of the
embodiment of FIG. 21A.
[0083] FIG. 22A is a top view of an unbent alignment device.
[0084] FIG. 22B is a side view of the alignment device of FIG. 20A
bent to a first length.
[0085] FIG. 22C is a side view of the alignment device of FIG. 20A
bent to a second length.
[0086] FIG. 22D is a side view of the alignment device of FIG. 20A
bent to a third length.
[0087] FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a
container support and a pull device with a generally triangular
front pull shape.
[0088] FIG. 24A is a top perspective view of a closed loop wire
frame.
[0089] FIG. 24B is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
24A showing a narrowing of the width.
[0090] FIG. 24C is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 24A.
[0091] FIG. 24D is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 24A.
[0092] FIG. 25A is a front perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of single or multiple row stop devices.
[0093] FIG. 25B is a front perspective detailed view of a front
stop holder of FIG. 25A.
[0094] FIG. 25C is a side view of the holder of FIG. 25B secured to
the lip of a display shelf.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0095] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Wire Frame with Slit
Side Rail Covers
[0096] Referring now to FIG. 1A, an embodiment of the current
invention is a product display aligning device 10 which is
comprised of a wire frame featuring a first side rail 11, a second
slide rail 12, a rear pull element 30 affixed to the first and
second side rails, and a front pull member 20.
[0097] Referring now to FIG. 1B which is a perspective of a slip-on
split tubing cover of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the side
rails may be covered with a material such as a round slit plastic
tubing 14, or they may be left uncovered. In this example, the slit
tubing is positioned over each side rail. In other embodiments, the
side rail coverings may be installed by other techniques, such as
slipping the cover onto the side rail before bending the side rail,
or they may be fabricated as a single element without a wire
support. The covers may be of various shapes and sizes in order to
best fit a particular use as discussed below. In this embodiment,
the term slide rail refers to a covered side rail if a cover is
installed, and to an uncovered side rail if a cover is not
installed prior to use.
[0098] Referring now to FIG. 1C which is a cross sectional view
towards the rear element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, a rear
plate 30 is affixed to the side rails 11 and 12 by means of welds
31. Other means of attachment such as positioning the side rails in
retaining tabs or channels on the rear element may also be used.
One function of the rear element is to engage product containers in
order to align those containers on a display shelf. In other
embodiments, another function of the rear element is to provide a
surface for affixing a label associated with the display product.
The rear element may be of various shapes, and in some instances
may simply be a bent portion of one or both slide rails. In this
embodiment, the side rails 11 and 12 may be bent relative to the
rear element in order to narrow or enlarge the distance between the
slide rails. For example, the first side rail 11 may be bent to a
narrowing position 111, and the second side rail 12 may be bent to
a narrowing position 112. This width adjustment feature is useful
for adapting the device to various sizes of container bases.
[0099] Referring now to FIG. 1D which is a cross sectional view
towards the front pull element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A,
in this embodiment, the side rails 11 and 12 are formed from a
continuous heavy wire. For example, the wire may be a stainless
steel such as 1/8" or thicker wire. The wire may simply be bent in
the plane of the slide rails to form a box end, but the wire is
typically bent upwards in the form of an inverted "V" in order not
to interfere with the visibility of display shelf labeling. In this
embodiment, the front pull element may be bent to narrow or enlarge
the distance between the side rails as illustrated by a second
narrowing position 120.
[0100] Referring now to FIG. 1E which is a front view of a portion
of a display shelf 50 showing product containers 90 and several
devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the adjacent product
containers and alignment devices may be similar as illustrated in
this figure, or the devices may be adapted to various shapes and
sizes of containers so that the geometry of adjacent devices may be
different.
[0101] Referring now to FIG. 1F which is a perspective view of a
device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A used to align containers
on a display shelf, a clerk's hand 200 may grasp the front pull
element 20 and thereby pull the slide rails 40 and 41 away from the
rear of the display shelf. The rear element will engage the
rearmost product container 91 and pull the container toward the
front of the shelf. The clerk would typically continue pulling
until the forward-most product container is properly aligned with
the front of the display shelf, and would then push the front pull
element back to its original position at the edge of the display
shelf.
[0102] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Wire Frame Inserted in
Rail Covers
[0103] Referring now to FIG. 2A, another embodiment of the current
invention is a product display aligning device which is comprised
of a wire frame 9 featuring a first side rail 11, a second slide
rail 12, and a front pull member 20. In this embodiment, a rear
element is not installed until after slide covers 15 are inserted
over the side rails.
[0104] Referring now to FIG. 2B which is a perspective view of the
alternative wire frame embodiment of FIG. 2A with tubing covers
inserted over the side rails, the side rails are partially covered
with a material such as a round plastic tubing 15. The covers may
be of various shapes and sizes in order to best fit a particular
use as discussed below.
[0105] Referring now to FIG. 2C which is a perspective view of the
alternative wire frame embodiment of FIG. 2B with a rear element
installed, a rear element 30 is welded or otherwise attached to the
side rails. The covered side rails serve as slide rails 40 and
41.
[0106] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Wire Rear Member
[0107] Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the current
invention is a product display aligning device which is comprised
of a wire frame featuring a first slide rail 40, a second slide
rail 41, a front pull member 20, and a bent rear member 32. In this
embodiment, the rear element function is provided by the bent wire
of the side rails. The wire may be welded or otherwise coupled at
any point in the frame, but preferably the wire is either jointed
at the bent rear member or in a position along the side rails that
is covered. Alternatively, the wire may be left uncoupled, and the
cover may serve to hold the wire in proper alignment. In another
embodiment, the front pull section 20 and the bent rear member may
be two different pieces of wire that are held in position by the
side rail covers, so that the front and rear sections are inserted
into the covers.
[0108] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Adjustable Frame
Length
[0109] Referring now to FIG. 4A, which is an exploded perspective
view of another wire frame embodiment of the invention, the wire
frame 9 is bent to form the two side rails 11 and 12, and the front
pull member 20. The back ends of the side rails are left straight
and unattached. A rear member 33 is slipped onto the side rails.
The rear member may have a label 35 or other identifying
information affixed or printed on it.
[0110] Referring now to FIG. 4B, which a cross sectional view of an
alternate rear member with rail channels, the rear member 33 has a
first side rail receiving channel 34a and a second side rail
receiving channel 34b to accept the side rails. This embodiment is
particularly useful for specialty items such as baby food.
[0111] Referring now to FIG. 4C, which is a perspective view of the
embodiment of FIG. 4A positioned on a display shelf for proper
length sizing, the device may be sized for proper length on a
display shelf by placing the wire frame 9 with the front pull
section positioned at the rear of the shelf 50. The side rails 11
and 12 will then overhang the front edge of the display shelf. The
rear member 33 is placed on the side rails by inserting each side
rail in a side rail receiving channel located on the rear
member.
[0112] Referring now to FIG. 4D which is a perspective view of the
embodiment of FIG. 4A positioned on a display shelf with the rear
element being bent to size the length of the device, the rear
member may be bent upwards to a second position 133 in order to
size the device for the shelf. Optionally, covers may be placed on
the side rails before bending the side rails, or slit covers may be
placed on the side rails after bending. For smaller product
containers, the side rails may serve as slide rails without
covers.
[0113] Referring now to FIG. 4E which is a perspective view of a
portion of a display shelf showing product containers and several
devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the devices are
positioned so that the rear elements 33 are at the rear of the
display shelf 50. In the case of small containers 91 such as baby
food jars, the containers may be stacked.
[0114] Referring now to FIG. 4F which is a perspective view of a
portion of a display shelf 50 showing stacked product containers
being aligned with devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, a
clerk's hand 200 may grasp the front pull element 20 and pull the
slide rails away from the rear of the display shelf. The rear
element 33 will engage the rearmost product containers 91 and pull
the containers toward the front of the shelf. The clerk would
typically continue pulling until the forward-most product container
is properly aligned with the front of the display shelf, and would
then push the front pull element back to its original position at
the edge of the display shelf.
[0115] Referring now to FIG. 4G which is a front view of a portion
of product containers on a display shelf 50, the side rails 11 and
12 fit in the spaces created by the rounded bottoms of the
containers 91 so that the devices can be installed without
requiring additional shelf width.
[0116] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Various Slide Rail
Shapes and Sizes
[0117] Referring now to FIG. 5A which is a front view of a portion
of product containers 92 on a shelf 50, the figure illustrates that
various shapes of slide rails may be used fit in the vacant spaces
created by the bottom portions of the product containers. The slide
rails may be round 15, or polygonal such as the rectangular 16 or
generally triangular 17 elements as shown. The slide rails may be
of single piece construction such as plastic extrusions, or they
may be in the form of covers which are positioned on a wire
frame.
[0118] Referring now to FIG. 5B which is a front view of a portion
of product containers on a shelf illustrating the vacant space at
the base of the containers, the widest part of the containers 92 is
shown as point 43 along the side wall of the containers. The base
of the containers is shown as 44. The area between the lower
portion of the side wall 47 and a line 46 tangent to the widest
point 43 of the container and perpendicular to the display shelf 50
defines a vacant cross sectional area for the preferred positioning
of the slide rails. Depending upon the height and mass of the
container, it is desirable to select a slide rail geometry and size
that will fit substantially within the vacant space so as not to
take up additional shelf width, but which will also assist in
stabilizing the containers when they are moved.
[0119] The slide rails may include markings or indicia for
indicating the number of products in the queue, or the number of
products necessary to fill a queue.
[0120] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Extruded Slide Rails
[0121] Referring now to FIG. 6A which is an exploded perspective
view of another embodiment of the invention, the slide rails may be
extruded, or otherwise fabricated, such as the generally triangular
sections 17 shown, and the front pull section 21 and the rear
member may be insertable into the slide rails.
[0122] Referring now to FIG. 6B which is a perspective view of the
embodiment of FIG. 6A positioned on a display shelf 50 with product
containers 92, the slide rails 40 and 41 are the extruded sections,
and the rear member 35 and the front pull member 21 have been
inserted into the slide rails.
[0123] Referring now to FIG. 6C which is a perspective view of
another cover for the invention of FIG. 6A, the front pull element
21 and the rear element 35 are inserted into round covers 15.
[0124] Referring now to FIG. 6D which is a perspective view of the
embodiment of FIG. 6C, the width of the device may be narrowed by
bending the rear element 35 and the front pull element 21. In this
manner, the device may be adapted to various sizes of
containers.
[0125] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Bent Wire Rear
Member
[0126] Referring now to FIG. 7A which is a perspective view of an
embodiment having unconnected bent wire as the rear member, the
side rails 11 and 12 may be bent inward to function as a rear
member without a plate or other connecting device.
[0127] Referring now to FIG. 7B which is a perspective view of an
embodiment having welded wires as the rear member, one or more wire
elements 36 may be welded or otherwise secured to the side rails 11
and 12 in order to hold the side rails in position and to form a
rear member.
[0128] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Extruded Unit
[0129] Referring now to FIG. 8 which is a perspective view of an
embodiment with molded or extruded elements, the entire arranging
unit 10 may be produced by injection molding. This technique is
useful for common slide rail sizes and shelf widths. Alternately,
the slide rails 40 and 41, the rear element plate 37, and the front
pull element 22 may be molded separately and assembled; the slide
rails and front pull element may be formed as a first unit and then
attached to a rear element plate; or the slide rails and rear
element plate may be formed as a first unit and then attached to a
front pull element.
[0130] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Alignment Method
[0131] Referring now to FIG. 9 which is a top view of several
devices in position on a display shelf, reference 201 shows a first
size of device with no products in the row; reference 202 shows a
second size of device with no products in the row; reference 203
shows the first size of device with products 94 properly displayed
toward the front of the display shelf; reference 204 shows the
second size of device with products 93 remaining toward the rear of
the display and with empty shelf space in front of the products
where products have been removed; reference 205 shows a clerks hand
200 having pulled the device to align the products of element 204
toward the front of the display shelf; and reference 206 shows a
clerks hand 200 having pushed the device back into position after
aligning the products toward the front of the display shelf.
[0132] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Rear Element for
Stackable Containers
[0133] Referring now to FIG. 10A which is a perspective view of an
accessory rear element for stacked containers, the rear element 38
is designed to fit between the channel between the first slide rail
and the second slide rail in order to support stacked containers.
In this example, the rear element is comprised of a rear support
381, side supports 382, a base 384, and a front lip 383.
[0134] Referring now to FIG. 10B which is a perspective view of the
embodiment of FIG. 10A showing stacked containers 91, the rear
element supports the rearmost stack of containers as the stack is
moved into alignment. Once the containers are aligned, the front
pull member may be pushed back into position, and the accessory
rear element will remain with the rear product stack in the row.
The accessory rear element supports a stacked row as it is moved
into alignment.
[0135] Referring now to FIG. 10C which is a side view of stacked
containers with the rear element of FIG. 10A, a clerk's hand 200
may grasp the pull unit to engage the rear support 381 in order to
pull the stacks of containers 91 forward.
[0136] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Product Support
Basket
[0137] Referring now to FIG. 11A which is a perspective view of a
basket to assist in restocking for product rotation, the basket 400
is designed with support arms 401 which can be inserted into holes
in the display shelf in order to support the basket and its
contents. The support arms each preferably include a bend 402 which
engages a hole in the display shelf. The display shelf is typically
perforated on the front edge with a plurality of holes. The basket
is typically of welded wire construction.
[0138] Referring now to FIG. 11B which is a perspective view of a
basket positioned on a display shelf, the basket 400 has been
positioned adjacent to a row of product containers 92. The basket
is held in place by inserting the support arms into holes 51 on the
display shelf 50. The basket is typically used to hold product
containers from a shelf while new containers are placed in the rear
of the row according to proper rotation. For example, the product
row illustrated has 4 containers, and a full row would hold 9
containers. The four containers may be removed by pulling the front
pull element and bringing the product containers to the front of
the shelf. The four containers would be placed in the basket, and
five new containers would be inserted in the row by placing a
container at the front of the row and pushing it backwards toward
the rear of the shelf. The slide rails 40 and 41 help to align the
product as it is being pushed backward. After the five new
containers are placed in the row, the four old containers are
removed from the basket and placed in the row in front of the new
containers. The entire row can be aligned, if necessary, by pulling
the pull element.
[0139] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Rotational Alignment
Base
[0140] Referring now to FIG. 12A which is a perspective bottom view
of a device to inhibit container rotation, a product container may
be formed with a polygonal base 500 which can inhibit rotation of
the container when the container is placed in a display alignment
device. The side walls of the polygonal base are preferably in or
near contact with the slide rails, and the slide rails prevent the
product base 500 from rotating when the slide rails are pulled
forward.
[0141] Referring now to FIG. 12B which is a side view of devices of
FIG. 12A attached to the bottoms of containers, the base 500 is
positioned between the slide rails 40 and 41 in order to prevent
the container from rotating as it is moved on the display
shelf.
[0142] Referring now to FIG. 12C which is a bottom view of a
container base of FIG. 12A, the base 500 fits between the slide
rails 40 and 41. The base may either be touching the slide rails,
or there may be a gap between the base and the slide rails.
[0143] Referring now to FIG. 12D which is a bottom view of a
container base with a rectangular base 501, the base may be
rectangular.
[0144] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Divider Support Base
[0145] Referring now to FIG. 13A which is a perspective view of a
divider base unit, it is desirable with some products such as soup
cans, to provide a product alignment means which can align product
on a display shelf without taking additional shelf width.
Containers such as soup cans, toppings, and Vienna sausages are
well-suited to this embodiment. Soup cans, for instance, typically
have a 0.005 inch thick rim at the top of the cans for the purpose
of stabilizing a stack of cans. A base unit 600 as illustrated in
FIG. 13A is designed to fit within the small gap between the bottom
portions of adjacent rows of cans. The unit includes a vertical lip
602 that serves as a divider between rows of containers.
[0146] Referring now to FIG. 13B which is an exploded side view of
several adjacent divider base units, another rib 608 is preferably
located so that the first rib 603 of a second base unit can fit
over the rib to create a channel for a particular size
container.
[0147] Referring now to FIG. 13C which is an is a side view of
adjacent divider base units with can containers, the stacking of
base units may continue for as many rows as desired, and an end
unit 620 may be placed as a last unit to form the last channel.
[0148] Referring now to FIG. 13D which is a perspective view of an
alignment device placed on a divider base unit, ribs 603 and 604,
which are typically {fraction (5/32)}" high, support the containers
above flat areas of the base 605, 606, and 607. A product alignment
device, such as a {fraction (1/8)}" wire pull frame can be
positioned on the flat areas 605 and 607, so that the slide rails
40 and 41 may move on those surfaces underneath the containers
positioned on the ribs 603 and 604.
[0149] Referring now to FIG. 13E which is a side view of adjacent
divider base units with can containers, the can containers 95 may
be placed in the channels formed by the base units. The front pull
member 21 of the alignment device can be used to align the products
to the front of the display shelf.
[0150] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Closed Adjustable Wire
Frame
[0151] In this embodiment, a closed wire frame 8 is provided as
shown in FIG. 24. The frame includes a first side rail 11, a second
side rail 12, a front portion 20 and a rear portion 32. In this
example, the front portion and the back portion are symmetric. In
other examples, the front and rear portions may be non-symmetric.
Examples of non-symmetry include making the front section lower
than the side rails, or making the rear section taller than the
front section.
[0152] In this example, the front portion has a front bend 710, and
the rear portion has a rear bend 720, so that the distance between
the side rails may be increased or decreased by bending the front
and rear portions along the front bend 710 and rear bend 720.
[0153] In this example, there are four additional bends in the
frame including a first side front bend 711, a second side front
bend 712, a first side rear bend 721, and a second side rear bend
722. In one manufacturing process, the six bends are provided on a
single piece of wire, and the ends of the wire are welded together.
Automatic Specialties Co. of Marlboro, Mass. may fabricate a frame
of this type according to customer specifications.
[0154] This frame may be fabricated so that the length of the side
rails 11 and 12 corresponds to a display shelf depth. Commonly,
display shelves have depths ranging from 18-24 inches. The product
may also be provided with various lengths of front and rear
portions in order to permit adjustment of frame width to match
desired display products. The wire frame may be positioned adjacent
to display items where the lower portions are contoured, so as to
not take up additional shelf space.
[0155] The frame may be adjusted as previously discussed by bending
the device along the front bend 710 and rear bend 720 in order to
increase or decrease the distance between and first and second side
rails.
[0156] In one embodiment for cans having a bottom diameter ranging
from about 11/2 inches to about 3 inches, the front and rear
portions may be provided in a length of about 6 inches. As this
frame width is adjusted, any distance between the side rails may be
selected in the range of about 11/2 to 3 inches. FIG. 24B
illustrates a narrowing of the width between the first side rail 11
and the second side rail 12 by decreasing the front bend 710 angle
and decreasing the rear bend 720 angle.
[0157] In some applications, it is desirable to provide a size of
frame so that the apex of the front bend is within a range of about
1 inch to 3 inches above the display shelf. This range permits a
person to easily grab and hold the front portion, without making
the front portion too tall where it could obstruct a merchandise
item.
[0158] In other embodiments, the frame may be fabricated from two
or more pieces of wire that are welded or joined with a coupler. In
other embodiments, the wire ends may not be joined.
[0159] FIG. 14A shows a two piece assembly where the rear portion
39 is fabricated in one piece, and the first side rail 11, the
second side rail 12 and the front portion 20 are fabricated as a
second piece. FIG. 14B shows welds 731 and 732 joining the two
pieces to form the wire frames.
[0160] Alternately, the frame pieces may be attached by other means
such as glue or mechanical sleeve couplers. In some embodiments the
end side rails may fit into pockets or channels in the rear
portion, or the rear portion may fit into pockets or channels on
the ends of the side rails. In other embodiments, each of the rear
portion, the front portion, the first side rail, and the second
side rail may be fabricated separately and assembled into a frame
by welding, gluing, mechanical coupling, or other means. A coupling
device typically accepts the ends of two wire members and holds the
ends in close proximity, such as through a friction fit between the
couples and wire ends. Another type of coupling device permits the
wire member to slide relative to each other in order to provide
length adjustment.
[0161] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Adjustable Wire Loop
with Coupler
[0162] This embodiment is similar to the closed wire frame
embodiment described above, except that the frame is not welded or
glued closed. In this embodiment, the ends of the framing are
secured with a coupling device such as a section of tubing. The
coupling device is preferably located on or near the rear portion
of the front portion in order to minimize contact with
merchandising items as the slide rails are moved past the
items.
[0163] FIG. 15A is a top view of a frame with a coupling device 370
near the rear portion. FIG. 15B is a top view of an embodiment
where a coupling device 372 accepts two side rail portions and
permits adjustment of length by increasing or decreasing the
overlap of the side rail sections.
[0164] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Plastic Frame
[0165] In one embodiment a frame is fabricated as a single
injection molded plastic unit. In this embodiment, the dimensions
are typically set for a particular product container size.
[0166] In an alternate embodiment, a plastic frame may be assembled
from two or more pieces--such as a front and rear portion and side
rails, and then glued or otherwise assembled into a frame unit.
[0167] In an alternate embodiment, the left and right rails of a
frame are fabricated as separate units and assembled with front and
rear adjustable coupling devices at the front bend 710 and the rear
bend 720 location to permit wider adjustments.
[0168] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Wire Frame with
Adjustable Rear Plate
[0169] In this embodiment, an adjustable rear plate is provided, so
that the rear plate may be adjusted from a maximum width at a rear
bend angle of 180 degrees to a narrower width as the bend angle is
decreased.
[0170] FIG. 16A is an illustration of a frame with a rear pull
plate member 390 in a first position.
[0171] FIG. 16B is an illustration of the frame of FIG. 16A in a
second, narrower position.
[0172] FIGS. 16C-D illustrate one method of attaching a rear plate
member 390 to the side rails 11 and 12 by providing receiving
channels 391 and 392 on the rear plate so that wire ends of the
side rails inserted into the receiving elements. The rear plate
member is then bent upwards.
[0173] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Wire Frame in Cardboard
Display Box
[0174] In this embodiment, one or more rows of merchandise items
are displayed in cartons such as cardboard boxes. The wire frame
may slide on the bottom of a carton 820 as shown in FIG. 17D which
is a display carton with a cut out front bottom portion and with
the top portion removed. The front of the carton is typically
either removed as shown in FIG. 17D or may be slotted to accept the
side rails as described in the embodiment below.
[0175] On way to position the wire frame relative to the
merchandise items is to follow a sequence such as that described in
FIGS. 17A to 17D. In one such sequence, the carton is inverted and
cut along the sides as shown in FIG. 17A. In FIG. 17B, the bottom
portion 820 of the carton is temporarily removed from the top
portion 810, and frame elements 8 are positioned over each row of
merchandise items 830. The front portion 822 of the bottom of the
carton 820 is removed as shown in FIG. 17C, and the bottom portion
is placed back over the merchandise items. The carton is reinverted
as shown in FIG. 17D, and the top portion 810 is removed. At this
point, a frame 8 may be used to pull a row of merchandise items 830
toward the front of the carton.
[0176] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Wire Rack in Combination
with a Carton Display.
[0177] In this embodiment products are displayed in cartons similar
to the boxes of FIGS. 17A-17D. The front portion of the display
carton bottoms may be slotted to accept the side rails of the wire
frame, so that the wire frame may slide unobstructed on the bottom
of the display carton.
[0178] The display box or display carton embodiments illustrate the
use of the invention on various display surfaces. Examples of
display surfaces include merchandise directly on display shelves
and the bottom portions of display boxes or cartons, whether those
boxes or cartons rest on display shelves or other supports such as
a stack of other boxes.
[0179] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Pull Frame with
Adjustable Bend Couplers
[0180] FIG. 18A is a front perspective view of a pull device with
adjustable bend couplers 395. FIG. 18B, which is a perspective view
of an adjustable bend couple, shows a receiving socket 396 for an
upturned end of a side rail 11. This embodiment is an example of
other methods of manufacturing and assembling a pull frame with
adjustable width. In this example, the adjustable bend couplers 395
are relatively rigid, but may be bent to a desired angle.
[0181] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Pull Frame with Front
Stop
[0182] FIG. 19 is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a
multiple row front stop device 740. In one embodiment, the multiple
row front stop device may include side extensions 741 and 742 which
can be inserted between rows of merchandise. In other embodiments,
the multiple row front stop device 740 may not include side
extensions. In this example, then combined weight of the containers
behind the multiple row front stop device acts to prevent a
container from one row from being inadvertently or accidentally
pulled off of the display shelf.
[0183] FIG. 20A is a front perspective view of an embodiment with
snap on front stop devices 750 which clip to the front portion of a
display shelf. FIG. 20B is a side view of a display shelf and front
stop device. In this example, the front stop device 750 acts to
prevent an item from being inadvertently pulled from the shelf. In
addition to preventing accidental removal of an item from the
shelf, these stop devices permit a one-handed alignment of display
rows. In this example, a lerk may grasp the pull frame and pull the
frame forward without stopping the items with a second hand.
[0184] FIG. 20C is a front perspective view of a front stop device
762 which clips to the front portion of a Lozier or Madix display
shelf. The front stop includes a display area 764 for attaching
price labels, a pull slot 766, and an elastic anchor slot 768. This
example of a front stop works with several display alignment
techniques including the wire pull frame 8 as shown; a pull slide
as shown in FIG. 20D, and elastic pull devices. In some
embodiments, such as the elastic pull devices, a similar stop may
be inserted in the rear of a display row in order to provide a rear
elastic anchor.
[0185] FIG. 25A is a front perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of single or multiple row stop devices. In this
embodiment, a front stop holder 793 is secured to the lip 52 of a
display shelf 50. FIG. 25B is a front perspective detailed view of
a front stop holder. FIG. 25C is a side view of the holder secured
to the lip of a display shelf. A pull frame, as illustrated by
narrow frame 8b or wide frame 8a, may slide over the front stop
holder 793 so that the first side rail slides on one side of the
holder, and the second side rail slides on the other side of the
holder. The holder may include a pull strip slot 766 which permits
a pull member 797 to slide through the slot. A plurality of holders
793 may secure a stop bar 792 to create a front stop assembly 790
which serves multiple display rows. In other embodiments, one or
more holders 793 may be used without a stop bar to provide a stop
for a single row of items. In this example, the front stop holder
includes a price label surface 795, a rear member 794, a lip
retention means such as a screw 799, and a bottom 796. When the
device is produced from plastic and secured to the shelf lip, the
rear member is flexed toward the front price label surface thereby
creating a spring force on the plastic acts against the screw and
tends to keep the connection with the display shelf lip tight. In
this example, the stop bar 792 snaps into the stop bar retention
means 798. The rod size is typically 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter,
as appropriate for the items being displayed. In this example, the
front stop holders may be extruded and cut to a desired width. Post
processing, such as providing the pull strip slot may be performed.
The stop bar may also be extruded and cut to a desired length. In
this example, the front stop holders are placed on about 2 foot
centers, and 4 foot sections of rod are used for the stop bar. The
ends of the stop bar preferably are placed in a stop bar retention
means.
[0186] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Pull Frame with
Container Support
[0187] FIGS. 21A-F show an embodiment with a container support 420
and a pull device 70. In this example, the pull device has a
generally rectangular front pull shape. In other examples, other
shapes of pull frames may be used. The container support 420 holds
the containers 96 slightly above the display shelf 50, so that a
pull device may be inserted between the containers 96 and the
shelf. In this manner, the pull devices may be used for product
alignment without requiring any extra display shelf width. In many
of the examples above, the pull frame was designed to fit under the
rounded edges of containers. In this embodiment, a pull frame may
be used with rectangular shaped containers and other container
shapes without requiring that the container have a rounded bottom
portion.
[0188] In one embodiment, the container support is cardboard, and
excess length of the cardboard support is bent around the rear
portion of the display shelf. The bent rear portion of the
container support 422 helps to hold the cardboard in place. In
other examples, the container support may be other materials such
as metal or plastic. In other examples the container support may be
affixed to the display shelf with magnets or adhesive.
[0189] FIGS. 21C and 21E show a row of containers that are not
aligned to the front of the shelf. FIGS. 21D and 21F illustrate a
pull device 70 used to align the containers toward the front of the
display shelf.
[0190] In one example, the pull frame has a thickness of about
{fraction (1/8)} inch, and the container supports are slightly more
than {fraction (1/8)} inch thick.
[0191] FIG. 23 shows an example of a wire frame 8 used with the
container support.
[0192] The combination of container support and pull frame can work
for both small and large items of various shapes. The system is
useful for the large number of box containers in a typical
store.
[0193] Detailed Description of Embodiment--Adjustable Length
Rectangular Pull Frame
[0194] FIGS. 22A-D show a rectangular pull frame 70 which includes
a rear portion 76, a first side 79, a second side 77, and a front
portion 78. In one example, the rectangular frame is fabricated as
a simple loop in one plane, and then the front portion may be bent
upwards to form a bent up front portion 72 which serves as a pull
handle. The rear portion is then bent up to form a bent up rear
portion 74 which serves as a pusher element. The length of the
frame may be set at a desired shelf depth by varying the location
of either the front or rear bend. Typically the rear bend would be
used for length adjustment as illustrated by FIGS. 22B-22D which
progressively show more of the frame upturned in the rear in order
to shorten the length of the sides. This pull frame may be used
with container supports as described in the embodiment above, and
can be used to fit under rounded bottom edge containers. In other
embodiments, the rear portion may be bent upwards and the front
portion may remain flat and serve as a low profile pull handle.
* * * * *