Pusher assembly, merchandise dispenser and method of dispensing merchandise

• US 20060163180A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
• Inventors: Rankin, Alexander VI, Gustafson, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,347,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.300
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

A spring-driven pusher assembly of a merchandise dispenser in which the spring is carried entirely on the pusher assembly behind the articles being dispensed to thereby eliminate any interference problems with RF signals or the like used for purposes of determining inventories and the like. Preferably, the spring is a spiral spring that rotates a drive wheel when the spring uncoils. The drive wheel cooperatively engages a guide track on the base of the dispenser, and the rotation of the drive wheel causes the pusher assembly to advance along the guide track toward the dispensing end of the dispenser. A method of dispensing merchandise is also provided.

Claims

1. A pusher assembly for a merchandise dispenser, comprising:

a pusher movable along a path of travel on the merchandise dispenser for engaging merchandise thereon;

a spring for producing a force that resiliently urges said pusher in a dispensing direction on the merchandise dispenser, said entire spring being contained within the pusher assembly for movement with said pusher.

2. A pusher assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a spring housing connected to said pusher for movement therewith, said spring housing containing said entire spring.

3. A pusher assembly according to claim 2, wherein said spring is a spiral spring having multiple coplanar windings.

4. A pusher assembly according to claim 3, further comprising a drive wheel that causes said pusher to move in the dispensing direction on the merchandise dispenser when rotated under the force of said spring.

5. A pusher assembly according to claim 4, wherein said drive wheel is a gear-toothed wheel.

6. A pusher assembly according to claim 4, wherein said drive wheel is connected to an arbor which is connected to an inner end of said spiral spring so that, when said spiral spring uncoils, said arbor rotates.

7. A pusher assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a control mechanism for adjusting the force exerted by said spring.

8. A pusher assembly according to claim 7, wherein said control mechanism includes a rotatable knob extending from said spring housing and connected to an end of said arbor opposite said drive wheel.

9. A merchandise dispenser, comprising:

a base unit having a front dispensing end and an opposite end;

a pusher assembly movable along a path of travel between said front dispensing and opposite ends of said base unit, said pusher assembly including a spring for resiliently urging said pusher assembly toward said front dispensing end of said base; and

a guide track engageable with said pusher assembly and defining said path of travel on said base unit.

10. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 9, wherein said entire spring is carried on said pusher assembly for movement therewith along said path of travel.

11. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said pusher assembly includes a drive wheel engageable with said guide track.

12. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said spring is a spiral spring having multiple coplanar windings, and wherein, when said spring uncoils, said drive wheel rotates and causes said pusher assembly to move in a direction toward said dispensing end of said base unit.

13. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 12, wherein said drive wheel is a gear-toothed wheel and said guide track has a gear-toothed edge whereby rotation of said drive wheel results in movement of said pusher assembly along said guide track.

14. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 12, wherein a drive force exerted by said spring is adjustable by tightening or loosening said windings.

15. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 14, wherein said pusher assembly includes a control knob for tightening and loosening said windings of said spiral spring.

16. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 15, wherein said pusher assembly includes a spring mechanism for resiliently urging said drive wheel into engagement with said guide track, and wherein said control knob can be used to disengage said drive wheel from said guide track during adjustment of said drive force.

17. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 12, wherein said base unit has a merchandise support surface and an underside, wherein said pusher assembly includes a pusher projecting from said merchandise support surface.

18. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 17, wherein said base unit has an elongate slot and said guide track extends on an underside of said base unit along a length of said slot.

19. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 18, wherein said pusher assembly extends through said slot so that said drive wheel is located adjacent an underside of said base unit in engagement with said guide track.

20. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 17, wherein said plane extending through said windings of said spiral spring extends parallel to said merchandise support surface.

21. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 17, wherein said base unit includes at least one upstanding sidewall that extends parallel to said path of travel at a spaced distance therefrom, and wherein said spaced distance is adjustable.

22. A merchandise dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said spring is selected from the group consisting of a self-coiling spring, a variable force spring, a power spring, and a strip of metal or plastic positioned in a spiral.

23. A method of dispensing merchandise from a dispensing end of a merchandise dispenser, comprising the steps of:

positioning a series of articles in the dispenser ahead of a pusher assembly which urges said articles along a path of travel to the dispensing end of the dispenser; and

adjusting the tension of a spring on said pusher assembly to set a desired amount of pushing force exerted by said pusher assembly, said entire spring being contained within said pusher assembly for movement therewith along said path of travel.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of engaging a drive wheel of said pusher assembly with a guide track on said dispenser so that, when said spring uncoils, said drive wheel is rotated causing movement of said pusher assembly along said guide track.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said spring is a spiral spring having multiple coplanar windings, and wherein said adjusting step is accomplished by tightening or loosening said windings.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said drive wheel is disengaged from said guide track during said adjusting step and is re-engaged with said guide track after said adjusting step.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said drive wheel is a gear-toothed wheel and said guide track has a gear-toothed edge, and wherein said engaging step is accomplished by engaging said gear-toothed wheel with said gear-toothed edge of said guide track.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein said dispenser is selected from the group consisting of a forward feeding merchandise dispenser, a top-feeding merchandise dispenser, a side-feeding merchandise dispenser, an up-feeding merchandise dispenser, and a down-feeding merchandise dispenser.