Shelving system

• US 20040140278A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fasteners for Retail Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fasteners for Retail Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kump, Daniel J., Mueller, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,126 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

A product pusher device includes an elongate track having a front end, a rear end, and a channel and a paddle movably connected to the track for movement along the channel. The paddle has a front face for engagement with a rearmost one of a set of associated products located on the track. The paddle includes a foot which is slidably engaged in the channel and extends forwardly of the front face. A biasing element urges the paddle toward the track front end.

Claims

1. A product pusher device comprising:

an elongate track having a front end, a rear end, and a channel;

a paddle movably connected to said track for movement along said channel and having a front face for engagement with a rearmost one of a set of associated products located on said track;

said paddle comprising a foot which is slidably engaged in said channel, said foot extending forwardly of said front face; and

,

a biasing element for urging said paddle toward said track front end.

2. The product pusher device of claim 1, wherein said paddle is adapted to cantilever beyond said rear end of said track.

3. The product pusher device of claim 1, wherein said channel comprises a pair of raised rails each having a generally T-shaped cross-section, said rails having a pair of adjacent edges and a pair of outside edges.

4. The product pusher device of claim 3, wherein said paddle includes at least one set of opposing flanges, wherein said set of opposing flanges captures said outside edges of said pair of raised rails.

5. The product pusher device of claim 3, wherein said pair of raised rails each include a top surface comprising at least one longitudinally extending rib formed thereon.

6. The product pusher device of claim 1, wherein said biasing element comprises a roll spring.

7. A product pusher device comprising:

an elongate track having a front end, a rear end, a channel, and a length for placement on an associated shelf having a depth and a length wherein said track extends generally transverse to the length of the associated shelf, wherein the associated shelf has a depth greater than said length of said track, said track supporting a plurality of associated products thereon;

a paddle movably connected to said track for movement along said channel and including;

a front face for engagement with a rearmost one of the associated products positioned on said track,

a foot, slidably engaged in said channel, and wherein said paddle is adapted to cantilever beyond said rear end of said track; and

,

a biasing element for urging said paddle toward said track front end.

8. The product pusher device of claim 7, wherein said foot extends forwardly of said front face of said paddle.

9. A product pusher assembly comprising:

a first elongate track having a front end, a rear end, a base wall, and a side wall, wherein said first track side wall includes a first face and a second face;

a flange extending generally transverse to said first track side wall second face;

a paddle movably connected to said first track for movement along said track and having a front face for engagement with a rearmost one of a set of associated products located on said track; and

,

a second elongate track having a front end, a rear end, a base wall, and a side wall, wherein said second track base wall and said first track side wall flange cooperate to support a plurality of associated products along said second track.

10. The product pusher assembly of claim 9, wherein said base wall, said side wall, and said flange of said first track are formed as a single piece.

11. A product pusher assembly comprising:

a first elongate track having a front end, a rear end, a channel, and a length for placement on an associated shelf having a depth and a length wherein said track extends generally transverse to the length of the associated shelf, wherein said first track comprises a front clip and a rear clip;

a second elongate track having a front end, a rear end, a channel and a length for placement on the associated shelf spaced from and parallel to said first track, said second track comprising a front clip;

a front panel mounted on the associated shelf and including a wall and a flange, which cooperate to define a slot therebetween;

a rear panel mounted on the associated shelf and comprising a wall and a flange which cooperate to define a slot therebetween;

wherein said first track front and rear clips are slidably mounted in said front and rear panel slots for movement along the length of the associated shelf; and

,

wherein said second track front clip is slidably mounted in said front panel slot, but said second track can be pivoted away from said rear panel for selective removal of said second track from said front panel and the associated shelf.

12. The product pusher device of claim 11, wherein said first track channel comprises a pair of raised rails each having a generally T-shaped cross-section.

13. The product pusher device of claim 12, wherein at least one of said raised rails includes a convex top surface.

14. The product pusher device of claim 12, wherein at least one of said raised rails includes a top surface with a longitudinally extending rib.

15. The product pusher device of claim 11, wherein said first track includes a paddle movably connected to said track for movement along said channel thereof.

16. The product pusher device of claim 15, wherein said paddle includes:

a front face for engagement with a rearmost one of a set of associated products positioned on said first track, and,

a base slidably engaged in said channel.

17. The product pusher device of claim 16, wherein said first track further comprises a biasing element for urging said paddle toward said track front end.

18. The product pusher device of claim 16, wherein said paddle further comprises a foot which extends forwardly of said base of said paddle.

19. The product pusher device of claim 18, wherein said paddle is adapted to cantilever beyond said rear end of said first track.

20. A method of configuring a product pusher assembly adapted for placement on an associated shelf having a depth and a length to selectively accommodate wider associated products comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of first elongated tracks each including a front end, a rear end, a channel, and a length for placement on the shelf, generally transverse to the length of the associated shelf, each further including a front end clip and a rear end clip;

b) providing at least one second elongated track including a front end, a rear end, a channel and a front end clip;

c) mounting a front panel on the associated shelf, the front panel including a wall and a flange which cooperate to define a slot therebetween for slidably mounting said plurality of front end clips of said first and second elongated tracks;

d) mounting a rear panel on the associated shelf, the rear panel including a wall and a flange which cooperate to define a slot therebetween for slidably mounting said rear end clips of said first elongated tracks;

e) slidably mounting said plurality of first tracks in said front and rear panels;

f) hooking said front end clip of said at least one second track in said front panel slot, between a pair of adjacent first tracks; and

,

g) pivoting said at least one second track down onto the associated shelf so as to lie in a common plane with said plurality of first tracks.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising a step (h) of removing said at least one second track from the associated shelf by reversing steps (g) and (f).

22. The method of claim 20, wherein step (f) occurs subsequent to step (e).

23. The method of claim 20, wherein step (g) occurs subsequent to step (f).

24. A product pusher assembly for wide products selectively held on a shelf, comprising:

a first track having a channel;

a first paddle slidably mounted in said first track channel, wherein said first paddle comprises a base, a front face mounted to said base and a foot extending forwardly of and mounted to said base;

a second track having a channel;

a second paddle slidably mounted in said second track channel, wherein said second paddle comprises a base and a front face mounted to said base; and

,

wherein said second track is selectively positioned on an associated shelf alongside said first track so that said second paddle can assist said first paddle in pushing an associated product forward on the associated shelf.

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein said first paddle is adapted to cantilever beyond a rear end of said first track.

26. The assembly of claim 24, further comprising a front panel mounted to the associated shelf, wherein said first track is slidably mounted to said front panel.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein said second track is selectively engaged with said front panel.

28. The assembly of claim 27, further comprising a rear panel mounted to the associated shelf, wherein said first track is slidably mounted to said rear panel but said second track is not engaged with said rear panel.