Snap-fit adjustable display system

• US 20020088762A1
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burke Display Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Burke Display Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Burke, Robert P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

An adjustable snap-fit display assembly is used in a product display assembly. The display assembly stores and displays products of a variety of shapes and sizes and automatically delivers the products to the front of the display assembly. The adjustable display assembly includes a frame and a product supporting and feeding assembly. The product supporting and feeding assembly has tracks and, in some instances, dividers. The product tracks and dividers can be separately formed or integrated into a single component. The tracks and/or dividers are considered insertable components that can be added or removed as needed and that can be separated by varying distances depending on the width of product to be displayed. The insertable components generally are freely slideable and are snap-fit onto the frame. The product supporting and feeding assembly allows product to be fed forward to a front fence such that all or almost all of the available shelf depth can be used.

Claims

1. An adjustable snap-fit display assembly for storing and displaying products in a shelf-like orientation, said display assembly comprising:

a frame having a front fence and a rear wall, said front fence and said rear wall being arranged generally parallel to each other and being separated from one another, said front fence and said rear wall comprising rails to allow attachment of an insertable component;

said insertable component comprising a body that extends generally transverse to said front fence, said insertable component also comprising a slideable product pushing member that moves along said body and a biasing member that urges said product pushing member forward;

said assembly further comprising clips that snap-fit onto said rails.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a divider that comprises at least one clip and that is snap-fit to at least of said rails.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said snap-fit attachment allows for horizontal movement of said insertable component.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein insertable component comprises a product track and a divider that are formed in a single piece.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said rails extend the entire length of said front fence and said rear wall.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said front fence is transparent.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said front fence is angled rearward toward said rear panel.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein a clip connected to a forward end of said insertable component is disposed rearward of said front fence and forward of an imaginary substantially vertical plane defined at a rearmost portion of said front fence.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said clips is rounded.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said clips is square.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said rails are rounded.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said rails are generally straight in a vertical direction.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said clips fit more tightly on a bottom portion of said rails.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said biasing member is a roll spring.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said rail does not comprise a rounded portion.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said end clip comprises a horizontally extending cylindrical portion.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein said cylindrical portion contacts a forward face of said rail.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein only said cylindrical portion contacts said forward face of said rail.

20. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said end clip is friction fit to said track.

15. An adjustable display assembly comprising a frame and a product supporting and feeding assembly, said frame comprising a front fence, said front fence comprising an upwardly extending rail, said product supporting and feeding assembly comprising a track, an end clip connected to said track, said end clip securing said track to said rail, and said rail being disposed rearward of a forwardmost portion of said front fence and forward of a generally vertical plane defined at a rearmost extent of said front fence.

21. An adjustable display assembly comprising a frame, at least two tracks and at least one divider, said frame comprising a front rail, said at least two tracks and said at least one divider each comprising an end clip that clips to said front rail, and said at least two tracks and said at least one divider being separately removable from said frame without manipulation of nonremoved components of said at least two tracks and said at least one divider.

22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein said frame comprises a front fence and said rail is disposed between a forwardmost extremity of said front fence and a rearwardmost extremity of an upper portion of said front fence.

23. The assembly of claim 21, wherein said frame further comprises a rear rail and said at least two tracks and at least one divider each further comprising another end clip that clips to said rear rail.