Product management display system

• US 10,206,520 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2018
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardy, Stephen N., Parsons, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Jennifer E.
• Application Number:
  US15/873,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20180140113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 211 592, 211 593, 211150, 211119003, 211184, 211175, 211195, 211 4, 312 35, 312 61, 312 71, 312126, 312135, 312128, 312131, 312132, 312137, 108 60, 108 61, 108 71, 108 6, 221227, 221255, 221279, 221 75, 221 76, 221 90, 221242, 221226, 221229, 221232, 221231
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/58 with means for adjusting partitions horizontally book-ends A47B65/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/585 with connection means slidable in a rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/00 Bottle cupboards; Bottle racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/006 with modular arrangements of identical units
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/0223 Shelves stackable by means of poles or tubular members as distance-holders therebetween
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/0269 without separate distance holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/02 with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04 takes precedence; for cigars or cigarettes A24F15/04; for cigarette papers A24F17/00; for hand towels or toilet paper A47K; for photographic paper G03B; coin-freed G07F
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/14 Display trays or containers combined with racks A47F5/0025; tray partitions A47F5/005; as racks and transportable with merchandise A47F5/108; made of cardboard A47F5/11; stackable A47B87/02; packing boxes used subsequently as display trays B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0068 Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/281 for vertically-stacked containers; Stabilising means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 7/12 Stacked trays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part

Abstract

A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes a divider secured to a support structure and a barrier that is moveable by rotation between a folded position and an upright position without a rotation biasing element. A product positioned in the system can contact the barrier when the product moves toward the forward end of the system and rotate the barrier from the folded position to the upright position. The system may include a rotational mounting structure to which the moveable barrier is connected. The rotational mounting structure may be removably connected to the forward end of the divider. The merchandise display system may be used in conjunction with a product tray which provides for product stored in the product tray to be slid from in the product tray into the product pocket of the merchandise display system.

Claims

1. A merchandise display system comprising:

a floor member configured to be secured to a support structure, wherein the floor member includes a floor forward end, a floor rearward end, and a floor top surface;

a barrier that is moveable by rotation between a folded position and an upright position; and

a rotational mounting structure, wherein a bottom end of the barrier is connected to the rotational mounting structure, and wherein the barrier and rotational mounting structure are configured to be positioned proximate the floor forward end of the floor member;

wherein a rear surface of the barrier moves toward the floor rearward end when the barrier rotates from the upright position to the folded position and a front surface of the barrier moves toward the floor forward end when the barrier rotates from the folded position to the upright position,

wherein the barrier is configured to rotate from the folded position to the upright position when product positioned on the floor top surface moves in a forward direction and contacts the barrier such that forward movement of the product rotates the barrier from the folded position to the upright position, and

wherein the front surface of the barrier is configured to engage a surface of the rotational mounting structure when the barrier rotates from the folded position to the upright position.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the rotational mounting structure is a vertical surface.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the front surface of the barrier is a vertical surface.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the front surface of the barrier is a front surface of a barrier handle.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein a top edge of the rear surface of the barrier is rounded off.

6. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein a top edge of a side surface of the barrier is rounded off.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the rotational mounting structure is removably connected to the floor forward end.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a front rail, wherein the front rail is configured to be secured to a shelf.

9. The merchandise display system of claim 8, wherein the floor member is configured to releasably engage the front rail.

10. The merchandise display system of claim 8, wherein the floor member is configured to slide in a lateral direction along the front rail.

11. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the rotational mounting structure includes a first knuckle component and the barrier includes a second knuckle component, wherein a pin extends through the first knuckle component and the second knuckle component to form a hinge for rotational attachment of the barrier to the rotational mounting structure.

12. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the rotational mounting structure includes a rotational stop structure configured to engage the barrier and stop rotation of the barrier toward the folded position.

13. The merchandise display system of claim 12, wherein the rotational stop structure is a protrusion positioned proximate a lower portion of the rear surface of the barrier such that the lower portion of the rear surface of the barrier contacts the rotational stop structure when the barrier reaches a folded angle in the folded position.

14. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the floor member includes a pusher mechanism configured to slide along the floor top surface to move the product toward the floor forward end.

15. The merchandise system of claim 14, wherein the pusher mechanism includes a spring-urged pusher adapted to be coupled to the floor member and a coil spring adapted to urge the spring-urged pusher forward.

16. The merchandise display system of claim 1, further comprising a divider having a divider wall, wherein the divider is configured to engage the support structure.

17. The merchandise display system of claim 16, wherein the support structure comprises a front rail, wherein the front rail is configured to be secured to a shelf, and wherein the floor member and the divider are configured to releasably engage the front rail.

18. The merchandise system of claim 16, wherein the floor member and the divider are configured to slide in a lateral direction along the front rail.

19. The merchandise system of claim 16, wherein the floor member includes a first plurality of teeth adapted to engage a second plurality of teeth defined in the front rail.