Merchandising system

• US 20050127014A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Retail Space Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: DCI Marketing Inc (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: Richter, Gary M., Johnson, Allen E., Schiffer, Daniel J., Bryson, M. Scott, Berglund, Terrence G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

A merchandising system for articles comprising a connector, a first divider coupled to the connector, and a second divider coupled to the connector wherein a compartment of a first size is provided when the first divider is coupled to a portion of the connector and the second divider is coupled to a portion of the connector.

Claims

1. A merchandising system for articles comprising:

a connector;

a first divider coupled to the connector; and

a second divider coupled to the connector;

wherein a compartment of a first size is provided when the first divider is coupled to a first portion of the connector and the second divider is coupled to a third portion of the connector;

wherein a compartment of a second size is provided when the first divider is coupled to a second portion of the connector and the second divider is coupled to the third portion of the connector.

2. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the dividers comprise guides configured to provide support to the articles as the articles move between a rear of the compartment and a front of the compartment.

3. The merchandising system of claim 2 wherein the guides are integrally formed with the dividers.

4. The merchandising system of claim 2 wherein the guides are tracks.

5. The merchandising system of claim 2 wherein the guides comprise a substantially curved shape.

6. The merchandising system of claim 2 further comprising a member provided at the front of the system for displaying product information.

7. The merchandising system of claim 2 further comprising members coupled to the dividers for at least partially restraining movement of the articles and allowing removal of articles provided in a compartment.

8. The merchandising system of claim 7 wherein the members are coupled to the guides.

9. The merchandising system of claim 8 wherein the members are generally curved in shape.

10. The merchandising system of claim 9 wherein the members comprise protrusions for gripping articles.

11. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the dividers comprise apertures.

12. The merchandising system of claim 1 further comprising a member having a substantially curved portion and slidably coupled to an inner wall of a divider and being movable with the articles.

13. The merchandising system of claim 12 wherein the member comprises a resilient portion for at least partially resisting movement of the articles moving between a rear and a front of the system.

14. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the first divider comprises a generally vertical wall and the second divider comprises a generally vertical wall, and wherein the first divider has a generally horizontal portion for coupling to the connector.

15. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the first divider is integrally formed and the connector is integrally formed and the first divider and the connector are configured to directly couple together.

16. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the connector further comprises a generally horizontal surface.

17. The merchandising system of claim 16 wherein the horizontal surface further comprises ribs.

18. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the compartment of the first size is formed by coupling the first divider to the connector with a first interface and the second divider to the connector with a third interface.

19. The merchandising system of claim 18 wherein the first interface comprises a portion of the first divider and the third interface comprises a portion of the second divider.

20. The merchandising system of claim 18 wherein the first interface comprises a portion of the connector and the third interface comprises a portion of the connector.

21. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the connector is directly coupled to the first divider.

22. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the compartment of the first size comprises a width defined by a distance between the first divider and the second divider.

23. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the connector couples to an upper portion of the dividers.

24. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of layers of stacked articles can be supported between the dividers.

25. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the articles are yogurt containers.

26. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the connector is shorter than the dividers.

27. The merchandising system of claim 1 wherein the compartment is configured:

to be provided in the first size so that the first divider is coupled to a first portion of the connector and the second divider is coupled to a third portion of the connector;

to be provided in the second size after being provided in the first size so that the first divider is coupled to a second portion of the connector and the second divider is coupled to the third portion of the connector; and

to be returned to the first size after being provided in the second size so that the first divider is coupled to the first portion of the connector and the second divider is coupled to the third portion of the connector.

28. A merchandising system for at least one set of articles including a first set of articles having a first size and a second set of articles having a second size smaller than the first size comprising:

a first member having a first connector;

a second member having a second connector; and

a third member having a first set of portions comprising a first portion and a second portion and a second set of portions comprising a third portion and a fourth portion;

wherein the first connector releasably couples to one of the first portion and the second portion of the first set of portions and wherein the second connector releasably couples to one of the third portion and the fourth portion of the second set of portions; and

wherein a compartment of a first size is provided when the first connector of the first member is coupled to the first portion of the third member and the second connector of the second member is coupled to the third portion of the third member;

wherein a compartment of a second size is provided when the first connector of the first member is coupled to the second portion of the third member and the second connector of the second member is coupled to the third portion of the third member;

wherein the first member and the second member provide support surfaces for the articles

29. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the support surfaces comprise guides.

30. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the first member comprises a first divider and the second member comprises a second divider.

31. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the first connector and the second connector comprise at least two protrusions.

32. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the compartment of the first size is formed by coupling the first divider to the third member with a first interface and the second divider to the third member with a second interface.

33. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the first divider comprises a generally vertical wall and the second divider comprises a generally vertical wall, and wherein the first divider has a generally horizontal portion for coupling to the third member.

34. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the third member comprises a track.

35. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the first member is integrally formed and the third member is integrally formed and the first member and the third member are configured to directly couple together.

36. The merchandising system of claim 28 wherein the third member comprises a support surface for a stack of a plurality of articles.

37. The merchandising system of claim 36 wherein the support surface is configured to provide for slidable movement of the articles along the support surface.

38. A merchandising system for articles comprising:

a first track comprising a horizontal surface having a first protrusion and a second protrusion extending from the horizontal surface;

a second track comprising a vertical panel and a horizontal surface having a first interface and a second interface;

a third track comprising a generally vertical panel;

wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion of the first track releasably couple to the first interface and the second interface of the second track;

wherein the third track is configured to be provided adjacent to the first track and to the second track to form a compartment for articles between the tracks;

wherein the second and third tracks comprise guides for positioning the articles in the compartment and for guiding the articles between a front and a rear of the system.

39. The merchandising system of claim 38 wherein the first track is integrally formed and the second track is integrally formed and the first track and the second track are configured to directly couple together.

40. The merchandising system of claim 38 wherein the protrusions are integrally formed with the first track.

41. The merchandising system of claim 38 wherein the protrusions fit within openings of the interfaces.

42. The merchandising system of claim 38 wherein the tracks comprise plastic material.

43. The merchandising system of claim 38 wherein the tracks further comprise a product support surface.

44. The merchandising system of claim 43 wherein the product support surface comprises one or more friction reducing ribs.

45. The merchandising system of claim 38 further comprising members configured to at least partially restrain movement of the articles as the articles are removed from the compartment.

46. The merchandising system of claim 38 wherein the compartment comprises a fixed width.