Showcase assembly unit for showcase structure

• US 20010017284A1
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sekisui Plastics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kid Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 6,409,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence

Abstract

A showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure is disclosed, which includes a roller support frame and a plurality of parallel sets of rollers mounted on the roller support frame, wherein the rollers in each set of rollers are mounted rotatably and arranged one after another from the rear end toward the front end of the roller support frame, and a plurality of individual articles, such as canned foods or drinks, may be placed across two or more parallel sets of rollers and are capable of moving one by one from the rear end toward the front end of the roller support frame.

In the showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure according to the present invention, each roller has a specific width that is smaller than the size of the bottom of a particular article across the roller, and each of the rollers in each set is axially offset relative to each of the rollers in each adjacent set.

Claims

1. A showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure including a roller support frame and a plurality of parallel sets of rollers mounted on said roller support frame, the rollers in each set of rollers being mounted rotatably and arranged one after another from the rear end toward the front end of said roller support frame, in which a plurality of commercial articles may be placed across the rollers in two or more adjacent sets on said roller support frame, and may be moving one by one along the rollers from the rear end toward the front end of said roller support frame, wherein

each of the rollers in each of the plurality of parallel sets of rollers has a width that is smaller than the size of the bottom of a particular individual commercial article across said each of the rollers, and

each of the rollers in each of adjacenting parallel sets of rollers is axially offset relative to each adjacent one of the rollers in each adjacent set in the direction from the rear end toward the front end of the roller support frame.

2. The showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure as defined in

claim 1

, wherein each of the rollers in each of the plurality of parallel sets is axially offset relative to each adjacent one of the rollers in each adjacent set in the direction from the rear end toward the front end of the roller support frame, by the distance that is equal to one half to one fourth the interval between the two adjoining rollers in each of the plurality of parallel sets of rollers, as measured from the axis of one roller to the axis of the adjoining other roller in the direction from the rear end toward the front end of the roller support frame.

3. The showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure as defined in

claim 1

, wherein said roller support frame includes a lower bearing segment and an upper bearing segment mounted on said lower bearing segment, and wherein said lower bearing segment has a flat surface on its upper side for supporting the rotary shaft for each of the rollers in each of the plurality of parallel sets of rollers so that said each rotary shaft can be maintained in the identical plane, and said upper bearing segment has a recess on its lower side facing opposite the upper side of said lower bearing segment and located in the position corresponding to the flat surface of said lower bearing segment, for accepting said each rotary shaft therein.

4. The showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure as defined in

claim 2

, wherein said roller support frame includes a lower bearing segment and an upper bearing segment mounted on said lower bearing segment, and wherein said lower bearing segment has a flat surface on its upper side for supporting the rotary shaft for each of the rollers in each of the plurality of parallel sets of rollers so that said each rotary shaft can be maintained in the identical plane, and said upper bearing segment has a recess on its lower side facing opposite the upper side of said lower bearing segment and located in the position corresponding to the flat surface of said lower bearing segment, for accepting said each rotary shaft therein.

5. The showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure as defined in

claim 3

, wherein said recess on said upper bearing segment has a depth that is at least equal to the diameter of said each rotary shaft, and has the bottom that is curved to conform to the outer peripheral wall of said each rotary shaft.

6. The showcase assembly unit for the showcase structure as defined in

claim 4

, wherein said recess on said upper bearing segment has a depth that is at least equal to the diameter of said each rotary shaft, and has the bottom that is curved to conform to the outer peripheral wall of said each rotary shaft.