U.S. patent application number 11/735991 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-16 for shelving for receiving stackable units.
This patent application is currently assigned to RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPTS, LLC. Invention is credited to Yuk Kei Chan, Rizal K. Oei, Braulio F. Parajon, Adrienne Weiss.
Application Number | 20080251474 11/735991 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39852757 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080251474 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weiss; Adrienne ; et
al. |
October 16, 2008 |
SHELVING FOR RECEIVING STACKABLE UNITS
Abstract
A product storage display bin and integral product package
comprising a vertically oriented back wall for supporting the
product packaging from the rear. The product storage display bin
includes a plurality of substantially parallel dividers projecting
outward from and orthogonally with respect to the back wall thereby
defining a plurality of laterally segregated vertically oriented
product display bin channels. The display bin channels can each be
open at a top end for receiving through a top feed port and each
laterally segregated channel can be closed on a bottom end by a
floor board, which laterally extends across the bottom ends of each
of the product display bin channels. Each product display bin
channel can have a frontal vertically elongated opening for
displaying products and each frontal opening can have a frontal
opening stop member that extends across the opening to prevent the
product from falling forward.
Inventors: |
Weiss; Adrienne; (Chicago,
IL) ; Parajon; Braulio F.; (Keller, TX) ;
Chan; Yuk Kei; (New Territories, HK) ; Oei; Rizal
K.; (Scottsdale, AZ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HUSCH BLACKWELL SANDERS LLP
720 OLIVE STREET, SUITE 2400
ST. LOUIS
MO
63101
US
|
Assignee: |
RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPTS,
LLC
Falls Church
VA
|
Family ID: |
39852757 |
Appl. No.: |
11/735991 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/49.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 1/06 20130101; A47F
7/0007 20130101; A47F 1/04 20130101; A47F 1/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/49.1 |
International
Class: |
A47F 1/06 20060101
A47F001/06 |
Claims
1. A product storage display bin and integral product comprising: a
vertically oriented back wall; a plurality of substantially
parallel dividers projecting outward from and orthogonally to the
back wall thereby defining vertically oriented product display bin
channels each open at a top end for receiving through a top feed
port and each closed on a bottom end by a floor board laterally
extending across the bottom ends of each of the product display bin
channels and where each said product display bin channel has a
frontal vertically elongated opening for displaying products and
each frontal opening having a frontal opening stop member; and a
product display package having a transparent top dome portion
defining an interior volume and having a bottom opening and a
bottom plate portion adapted to slidably engage the top dome
portion such that it covers the bottom opening and defines
dimension of a bottom footprint and where said dimensions of the
bottom footprint is substantially the same as dimensions of the top
feed port adapted for slidably top feeding said product display
package down said product display bin channels.
2. The product display bin as recited in claim 1, where said
product display bin channels have a rectangular annular cross
section.
3. The product display bin as recited in claim 2, where said
frontal opening stop member is a vertically elongated frontal lip
orthogonally projecting from a frontal edged of each divider
laterally across an adjacent frontal opening adapted for preventing
the product display package from falling forward.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to display shelving and,
more particularly, to packaging and integral display shelving.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] There are various product display bins or shelving that
allow product packaging to be displayed. Often there are product
packages that are designed to be stackably arranged such that each
package can be stacked one on top of the other in a stable fashion.
There are product packages that are designed such that the
underside of a package is configured to conform in a complimentary
fashion with the top side of a package stacked beneath. For
example, the bottom side of a package can have a recessed area that
conforms to the geometry of the top side of the package design,
such that the packaging can be readily stacked on shelving for
displaying the product contained therein. The stackable packaging
can also have transparent portions such that the product contained
within the packaging can be viewed by a customer. There are also
various display bin or display shelving designs for supporting
various types of packages. For example, there are display bin
designs that incorporate segregated product display channels in
which product is contained. For example, there are product display
bins that incorporate product display channels in which product is
contained and the product is fed by gravity to the lower most end
of the channel where the product can be retrieved by the customer.
This type of shelving is seen in the beverage industry. These
product display channels typically have a downward slope toward the
lower end or are oriented vertically, such that gravity will pull
the product packaging toward the lower most end of the
channels.
[0005] It is often important that a product to be able to stand
upright on a display shelf to provide a shelf presence for the
product while allowing the consumer to view the product for making
a selection. Therefore, in order to improve the shelf presence of a
product, it is often desirable to maximize the ability to view the
product confronting a potential purchaser. However, stackable
products often times don't allow the would be purchaser to readily
view the product because of the stacking or channeled arrangement.
Further, if the product is stacked in segregated product display
channels, it can further obstruct the view of the would be
purchaser, thereby reducing the shelf presence of the product. The
combination of most typical stackable package designs, as well as
most typical segregated product display channel designs,
particularly those that are vertically oriented, detract from the
shelf presence of the product, because the product sloped or are
not readily viewable by a would be purchaser.
[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a package design and an
integral product display design that provides a good shelf presence
for the product. Stackable product designs are very practical in a
retail environment in order to efficiently utilize shelf space,
however, most stackable designs, though efficient, sacrifice good
shelf presence. Further, most stackable package design are more
difficult to manufacture and more costly than standard packages due
to the special complimentary geometry required for the packages to
be stackable. Therefore, there is a need to have a package that is
stackable, though simple in design that can be easily integrated
with a product display shelf while maintaining good shelf presence
for the product.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] The invention is a product storage display bin and integral
product package comprising a vertically oriented back wall for
supporting the product packaging from the rear. The product storage
display bin includes a plurality of substantially parallel dividers
projecting outward from and orthogonally with respect to the back
wall thereby defining a plurality of laterally segregated
vertically oriented product display bin channels. The display bin
channels can each be open at a top end for receiving through a top
feed port and each laterally segregated channel can be closed on a
bottom end by a floor board, which laterally extends across the
bottom ends of each of the product display bin channels in order to
support the products from underneath.
[0008] For visual display purposes, each product display bin
channel can have a frontal vertically elongated opening for
displaying products and each frontal opening can have a frontal
opening stop member that extends across the opening to prevent the
product from falling forward. A product display package for
integrating with the display bin channels can have a transparent
top dome portion defining an interior volume and having a bottom
opening. About the mouth of the bottom opening there can be a
partial perimeter slot open on one end for receiving a bottom plate
to cover the opening.
[0009] The bottom plate portion can be adapted to slidably engage
the slot about the bottom mouth of the top dome portion through the
open end of the slot such that it covers the bottom opening. The
bottom plate can define the dimension of a bottom footprint of the
product package and the dimensions of the bottom footprint can be
substantially the same as dimensions of the top feed port. This
design adapts the package for slidable top down installation of the
product into the product display bin channels in a stackable
fashion.
[0010] The product display bin channels, as discussed herein, can
have a rectangular annular cross section and the dimension of the
cross section can correspond to that of the bottom plate of the
product package. The frontal opening stop member can be a
vertically elongated frontal lip orthogonally projecting from a
frontal edged of each divider laterally across an adjacent frontal
opening adapted for preventing the product display package from
falling forward.
[0011] The laterally segregated product display bin channels will
allow like kind products to be inserted into a given display bin
channel in a stackable fashion while allowing the product to be
viewed through the frontal opening. A different but similar set of
like kind products can be inserted in a same manner in adjacent
channels creating the overall display of similar products. The
purchaser can view the products while they are in the bin and can
remove them from the feed portal for a closer view and to purchase
the product.
[0012] These and other advantageous features of the present
invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein
below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] For a better understanding of the present invention,
reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the product display bin;
[0015] FIG. 1A is a latitudinal sectional view of a product
package;
[0016] FIG. 1B is a longitudinal sectional view of a product
package;
[0017] FIG. 1C is a bottom plan view of a product package; and
[0018] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the product display bin.
[0019] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by
way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in
detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and
detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the
invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the
contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents,
and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0020] According to the embodiment(s) of the present invention,
various views are illustrated in FIG. 1-2 and like reference
numerals are being used consistently throughout to refer to like
and corresponding parts of the invention for all of the various
views and figures of the drawing. Also, please note that the first
digit(s) of the reference number for a given item or part of the
invention should correspond to the Fig. number in which the item or
part is first identified.
[0021] One embodiment of the present invention comprising laterally
aligned vertical product display bin channel with integral
packaging teaches a novel apparatus for vertically storing and
displaying stackable like products laterally adjacent with respect
to different stackable like products of a similar category or type
of product.
[0022] The details of the invention and various embodiments can be
better understood by referring to the figures of the drawing.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 1A-1C, a view of a product display
bin with the product packaging inserted is shown in one of the
channels. This view shows an upright product display bin 100 having
a plurality of laterally adjacent and segregated product display
channels 102. The product display bin channels 102 are vertically
oriented and have an upper end 104 and a bottom end 106. The upper
end 104 of each product display bin channel has an open feed port
108 for inserting a product package. The bottom end 106 of each
product display bin channel is closed by a laterally extending
floor board 110 which laterally extends across the bottom ends of
each of the product display bin channels. The floor board 110 can
support the products.
[0023] The product packages can be stacked in the product display
bin channels from the bottom end and upward to the upper end. Each
product display bin channel 102 can have a frontal opening 112 for
viewing the product package. The frontal opening 112 can be
vertically elongated and extending from the upper end to the bottom
end of the product display bin channel. The frontal opening can
have frontal stop members 114 which laterally extends from a
display bin divider 116 laterally across the frontal opening,
thereby preventing products contained within the channel from
falling forward. The product display bin 100 can have a back wall
118 for supporting product from the rear.
[0024] Attached to the front side of the wall can be display bin
dividers 116 which segregate the product display bin channels 102
thereby defining the dimensions of the display bin channel. The
dividers that segregate the channels can be spaced and equidistant
with respect to one another. The display bin dividers can also be
substantially parallel with respect to each other. The
substantially parallel display bin dividers can project outward
from the back wall and orthogonally arranged with respect to the
back wall, thereby defining vertically oriented product display bin
channels. The frontal opening stop members 114 can be a vertically
elongated frontal lip orthogonally projecting from a frontal edge
120 of the display bin divider 116 laterally across an adjacent
frontal opening, thereby adapted for preventing the product display
package from falling forward. The frontal opening stop member can
extend the full length of the frontal opening.
[0025] The product package 200 is shown being insertable through
the feed port 108 where the product can be inserted into the
product display bin channel. The product packages can be top loaded
and the upper most package can be removed by a would be
consumer.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 2, a top plan view of the product display
bin 100 is shown. This embodiment reveals a rectangular cross
section of the channel, however, the cross section can form a
different geometry. The cross section can be uniform from the upper
end to the bottom end of the product display bin channel. This top
plan view also reveals the stop members 114 which laterally extend
across the frontal opening.
[0027] The frontal opening 112 is shown vertically extending from
the upper end to the bottom end of the display bin channel. Also,
the stop members 114 are shown vertically extending along a frontal
edge 120 of each divider. The stop members 114 can laterally extend
in both directions from the frontal edge of the divider, thereby
laterally extending in both directions across each of the adjacent
segregated channels.
[0028] The product package 200 can have an upper dome portion 250
and a lower bottom plate portion 252. The upper dome portion 500
can have a bottom opening 254 for receiving the product therein.
Around the perimeter of the bottom opening 254, there can be a
perimeter slot 256 having one open end 258 for slidably receiving
the bottom plate portion 252. The slidable plate can simply be a
flattened cardboard structure that slidably engages the open end of
the slot, thereby closing off the bottom opening of the upper dome
portion creating an internal volume for containing a product. This
slidable plate portion and the perimeter slot defines the outer
most circumference or footprint of the package, which can be
substantially the same dimensionally as the rectangular cross
section of the display bin channels. The product package can be
inserted into the product display bin channels with the bottom
plate portion facing downward. The product packages can be stacked
one on top of the other. The perimeter slot and the slidable plate
portion are sufficiently wide to engage the stop member to prevent
the product package from falling forward. However, the upper dome
portion of the package can be transparent and can be small enough
to be viewed through the frontal opening. The product dome portion
can have a width that is substantially the same as the width of the
frontal opening 112. This configuration allows the product to be
readily viewed by the consumer.
[0029] As an alternative embodiment, rather than having shelving
designed such that the product is retrieved from the open feed port
on top the channel could be designed as a gravity feed system where
the product is retrieved at the bottom. As indicated by the dashed
lines, sections 130 of the stop members 114 can be removed such
that a bottom-most product could be retrieved through the frontal
opening and the force of gravity would cause the next product in
line to be positioned at the frontal opening. In addition, one
embodiment of the shelving design for the present invention could
be designed such that the vertical display channels are much taller
such that an individual standing on the retail floor could not
reach through the feed port 108. The additional height of the
shelving and the display channels could be hidden behind a facial
wall as indicated by dashed lines 132. The upper end of the
shelving can be hidden by a wall. The taller shelving could satisfy
any inventory space required. However, the wall covering the upper
shelving can be decorated to provide a more retail store
atmosphere.
[0030] The various product display bin channels and integral
stackable product examples shown above illustrate a novel product
display apparatus. A user of the present invention may choose any
of the above embodiments, or an equivalent thereof, depending upon
the desired application. In this regard, it is recognized that
various forms of the subject display bin and product could be
utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
[0031] As is evident from the foregoing description, certain
aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular
details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore
contemplated that other modifications and applications, or
equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. It is
accordingly intended that the claims shall cover all such
modifications and applications that do not depart from the sprit
and scope of the present invention.
[0032] Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present
invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the
disclosure and the appended claims.
* * * * *