Product dispenser track assembly
First Claim
1. A dispenser track assembly adapted to hold a plurality of articles and to individually dispense each article, the dispenser track assembly comprising:
- a track for holding a plurality of articles, the track having a rear portion, a front discharge portion, a bottom surface defining a generally flat plane and extending from the rear portion to the front portion and being downwardly sloped toward the front portion, the track being disposed between a first side wall and a second side wall; and
an exit ramp for holding a lead article and for tilting the lead article relative to bottom surface, exit ramp being disposed adjacent front discharge portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved gravity feed product dispenser track apparatus for products sold in containers having a truncated conical shape, such as a bell shape or an inverted bell shape used for certain popular yogurt products. The dispenser track assembly of the present disclosure aligns the products on a track with a front discharge portion and an exit ramp that tilts the lead product forward or rearward so that the inclined or declined front surface of the container is pivoted to a more vertical state to improve its visibility for customers. A plurality of pull through fingers is disposed near front discharge portion. These fingers maintain a lead container on the track while also allowing a customer to remove a container by pulling it through the opening between the fingers.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A dispenser track assembly adapted to hold a plurality of articles and to individually dispense each article, the dispenser track assembly comprising:
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a track for holding a plurality of articles, the track having a rear portion, a front discharge portion, a bottom surface defining a generally flat plane and extending from the rear portion to the front portion and being downwardly sloped toward the front portion, the track being disposed between a first side wall and a second side wall; and
an exit ramp for holding a lead article and for tilting the lead article relative to bottom surface, exit ramp being disposed adjacent front discharge portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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13. The dispenser track assembly of claim 111 wherein the rear restraining element being a barrier, barrier comprising a first part and a retainer bar, first part being pivotably engaged with at least one side wall near rear portion of track, retainer bar extending from first part across the track, barrier being movable from a first position where retainer bar rests adjacent rear portion of track to a second position where at least a portion of retainer bar is elevated from the track, whereby a rearward moving container causes barrier to move towards the second position causing container to remain on track.
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19. A dispenser track assembly adapted to hold a plurality of containers and to individually dispense each container, the dispenser track assembly comprising:
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a track for holding a plurality of articles, the track having a rear portion, a front discharge portion, the front discharge portion holds a lead container, a bottom surface defining a generally flat plane and extending from the rear portion to the front portion and being downwardly sloped toward the front portion, the track being disposed between a first side wall and a second side wall; and
a plurality of pull through fingers disposed adjacent front discharge portion of track and defining an opening therebetween, the opening being smaller than the diameter of each container, plurality of pull through fingers includes at least one first finger disposed adjacent first side wall and at least one second finger disposed adjacent second side wall, each of the fingers being sufficiently flexible for allowing lead container to be pulled off the track through the opening, whereby at least one first finger and at least one second finger engage lead container and keep it from falling off front discharge portion of track. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification