Method and apparatus for selective engagement of shelf divider structures within a shelf management system

• US 20060186064A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MERIT, JO A. AND WILLIAM
• Original Assignee: William Merit & Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Merit, Jo A., Harlan, Jeff L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,395,938 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90

Abstract

Apparatus and method for selectively engaging and securing an array of shelf dividers to a mounting device which is securable to a display shelf. In the first form a divider is characterized by a divider structure having an elongated vertical wall and elongated horizontal base that operates to divide, organize and support the displayed merchandise. A resilient latch located on the underside of the base of the divider structure selectively engages and secures the divider structure onto a mounting device comprising a receiving member running longitudinally along the length of the surface of the mounting device which is securable along the front edge of a display shelf. The latch and the receiving member each comprise reciprocating (i.e. complementary) protrusions to allow the cooperative engagement of the divider structure and mounting device, thus locking the divider member to and unlocking the divider member from the mounting device to permit the repositioning of the display as desired without necessitating removal of the merchandise from the display. In addition when the divider structure and mounting device are fully engaged, a second protrusion on the underside of the divider member cooperates with a flange or lip on the mounting device to prevent lateral movement of the divider structure and maintain the position of the divider perpendicular to the mounting device and the front edge of the shelf. In a second embodiment, the divider structure comprises a pusher track and a spring urged pusher assembly to automatically push merchandise to the front of the shelf. Another embodiment comprises a divider base without a vertical divider wall, and with or without a pusher track and spring urged pusher assembly, thus pushers and dividers can be used in various convenient combinations within a shelf management system.

Claims

1. A shelf management system comprising:

an elongated divider mounting device, securable to a shelf, comprising an upper and lower surface, a horizontally oriented receiving slot accessible through the upper surface with at least one protrusion on a selected surface of said slot, and a vertically oriented flange;

at least one divider comprising an elongated vertical wall attached to an elongated horizontal base, and a horizontally oriented resilient extension projecting from a lower portion of the base and adapted to be inserted into said slot to engage the protusion in the horizontally oriented receiving slot in the divider mounting device, and

a recess on the lower surface of the base to receive the vertically oriented flange to prevent lateral movement of the divider when the divider is fully engaged with the mounting device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said slot has at least one protrusion on a selected surface of said slot and said extension has a protrusion arranged to mate with said at least one protrusion on the selected surface of said slot when said divider is fully engaged with the mounting device.

3. The system of claim 1 whereby the divider member may be disengaged from the mounting device by exerting downward pressure on the extension to allow for horizontal readjustment and alignment of the base and divider with the mounting device without removing the divider from the mounting device, and then re-engaging same.

4. A shelf management system as in claim 1 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with adhesive tape.

5. A shelf management system as in claim 1 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with a resilient clip.

6. A shelf management system as in claim 1 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with a screw and nut.

7. A shelf management system as in claim 1 wherein the divider member comprises a pusher track and a pusher assembly including a pusher face and a coiled metal spring to urge merchandise toward the front of the shelf along the pusher track.

8. A shelf management system as in claim 7 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with adhesive tape.

9. A shelf management system as in claim 7 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with a resilient clip.

10. A shelf management system as in claim 7 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with a screw and nut.

11. A shelf management system comprising:

an elongated divider mounting device comprising an upper and a lower surface, a receiving slot reachable through the upper surface of the mounting device with at least one protrusion on a selected surface of the slot, a flange on an upper portion of the divider mounting device, said mounting device being operationally securable to a shelf; and

at least one elongated base with an upper and lower surface, and a resilient extension with a protrusion thereon projecting from a lower portion of the base to engage the protrusion in the receiving slot in the divider mounting device, and

a recess located on the lower surface of the base that engages the flange on the upper portion of the divider mounting device to prevent lateral movement of the divider.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein said at least one base is capable of holding a divider.

13. A system as in claim 11 wherein the base may be disengaged from the mounting device by exerting downward pressure on the extension to allow for horizontal readjustment and alignment of the base with respect to the mounting device without removing the base from the mounting device, and then may be re-engaged with the mounting device.

14. A shelf management system as in claim 11 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with adhesive tape.

15. A shelf management system as in claim 11 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with a resilient clip.

16. A shelf management system as in claim 11 wherein the divider mounting device is operationally securable to a shelf with a screw and nut.

17. A system as in claim 11 wherein said base, said resilient extension, and said receiving slot are all horizontally oriented and wherein said flange is vertically oriented.

18. A shelf divider system including:

a base having a bottom surface;

a mounting member for mounting securely to a shelf;

a first slot associated with said mounting member;

a first extension from the bottom surface of the base, said first extension being insertable into said first slot in said mounting member, said first slot being adapted to receive the first extension of said base member;

a first protrusion on said first extension; and

a second protrusion on a selected surface of said first slot, said second protrusion being adapted such that when said first extension is inserted into said first slot, said first protrusion mates with said second protrusion so as to lock said base to said mounting member.

19. Structure as in claim 18 including:

a recess formed in said base; and

a lip formed on a portion of said mounting member, said lip being located so as to be extendable into said recess.

20. Structure as in claim 19 wherein said lip has a first surface which, when said base is locked to said mounting member, is in direct contact with at least one second surface at one end of said recess, thereby to securely lock said base relative to said mounting member to prevent rotational or lateral movement of said base relative to said mounting member.

21. Structure as in claim 20 including a shelf to which said mounting member is fixably attached.

22. Structure as in claim 18 wherein said base further includes a divider attached to said base, said divider being capable of separating items on one side of the divider from items on the other side of the divider.

23. Structure as in claim 22 including a second slot in said mounting member and at least one additional extension extending from the same side of the base as said first extension, said at least one additional extension being arranged so as to rest in said second slot when said first extension is inserted into said first slot so as to lock said base to said mounting member.

24. Structure as in claim 23 including means for attaching said mounting member to a shelf.

25. A method of mounting a base for use in displaying merchandise on the shelf of a store to a mounting member attached to the front of the shelf, said base having at least one extension extending from the bottom of said base and said mounting member having a slot for receiving said at least one extension, which comprises:

placing the base above the mounting member;

lowering the base onto the mounting member such that said at least one extension is adjacent said slot;

pulling the base toward the front of the shelf to cause said at least one extension to enter said slot;

locking the base to the mounting member when said at least one extension is locked into said slot by reciprocating protrusions on a surface of said slot and on said at least one extension; and

preventing said base from lateral movement at least in part by establishing contact between a portion of the bottom of the base and another portion of said mounting member.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said base includes at least a second extension for insertion into a second slot on said mounting member.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said contact between a portion of the bottom of the base and another portion of said mounting member is caused by the surface of a portion of a recess in the base contacting the surface of a portion of an extension from said mounting member.