Product display and fronting assembly

• US 20070068885A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Haffner, David, Busto, Rafael, Kelly, Francis
• Application Number:
  US10/569,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20070068885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.300
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

In some embodiments, a product fronting assembly includes a rotatable rear member and an elongated member extending to a handle at a front of the assembly. The rear member in some embodiments is rotatable to permit rear product loading in the assembly. Alternatively or in addition, the rear member is rotatable between a position in which forward handle movement fronts product and another position in which such handle movement does not front product. In some embodiments, a ratchet mechanism enables a handle to be returned to a stowed position after fronting product. A cable or strip can connect a handle to a rear member used to move the product. A portion of the cable or strip can be wound in a coil within or at least partially defining an assembly handle. Also, in some embodiments the assembly can be snap-fit upon a shelf.

Claims

1. A product fronting assembly for fronting products, the product fronting assembly comprising:

a base;

a rear member slidable therealong; and

a ratchet mechanism movable with respect to the base and engageable with the rear member, the ratchet mechanism slidable between a first position in which movement of the ratchet mechanism in a first direction toward a front of the product fronting assembly moves the rear member in the first direction, and a second position in which the rear member does not move in response to movement of the ratchet mechanism.

2. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear member is slidable along a top surface of the base.

3. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises an elongated member extending in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction.

4. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ratchet mechanism is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the elongated member.

5. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a spring coupled to the ratchet mechanism to bias the ratchet mechanism toward the first position.

6. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of teeth located along at least a portion of the elongated member.

7. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the teeth has a ramped shape.

8. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a plurality of teeth releaseably engageable with the rear member.

9. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring coupled to the ratchet mechanism to bias the ratchet mechanism toward the first position.

10. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the ratchet mechanism extends beneath a surface of the base upon which product rests.

11. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear member is releasably engagable with the ratchet mechanism.

12. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a handle at a front of the ratchet mechanism.

13. The product fronting mechanism as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a stop positioned at the front of the product fronting assembly and positioned to stop forward movement of product on the base past the stop, the stop defined at least in part by the user-manipulatable handle.

14. A product fronting assembly for fronting products, the product fronting assembly comprising:

a pair of opposed side walls between which product is positionable;

a frame slidable relative to the opposed side walls, the frame comprising

a front at least partially defining a handle;

a side supported by one of the opposed side walls; and

a rear member rotatable relative to the opposed side walls, the rear member moveable toward a front and a rear of the product fronting assembly by movement of the front of the frame.

15. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rear member is rotatable by rotating the handle.

16. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a spring coupled to the frame to bias the frame toward the rear of the product fronting assembly.

17. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the frame is slidably coupled to one of the opposed side walls.

18. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the frame extends beside product to be fronted by the product fronting assembly.

19. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the frame has a first position in which movement of the frame toward the front of the product fronting assembly moves the product and a second position in which movement of the frame toward the front of the product fronting assembly does not move the product.

20. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the side of the frame is an elongated member extending along at least part of one of the side walls.

21. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

the elongated member extends along an axis; and

the frame is pivotable about the axis.

22. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein the axis extends along and adjacent one of the side walls.

23. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a stop positioned at the rear of the product fronting assembly, the stop positioned to stop rearward movement of the frame past the stop.

24. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rear member is rotatable with respect to the handle.

25. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein the side of the frame is an elongated member extending along at least part of one of the side walls.

26. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

the elongated member extends along an axis; and

the frame is pivotable about the axis.

27. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein the axis extends along and adjacent one of the side walls.

28. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rear member is rotatable in a direction to permit passage of product past the rear member toward the front of the product fronting assembly.

29. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein the frame further comprises a stop limiting rotation of the rear member in the first position.

30. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rear member is spring biased in a rotational direction.

31. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the frame is adapted to be coupled to an underside of a shelf.

32. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein the rear member is adapted to be located on a top side of the shelf.

33. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein the rear member is adapted to be located on an underside of the shelf.

34. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the frame is slidable along an aperture defined in one of the side walls.

35. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the frame is positioned above product to be fronted by the product fronting assembly.

36. A product fronting assembly for fronting products, the product fronting assembly comprising:

a base;

a frame coupled to and slidable relative to the base, the frame comprising

a front at least partially defining a handle;

a rear member rotatable relative to the front of the frame, the rear moveable toward a front and a rear of the product fronting assembly by movement of the front of the frame; and

an elongated member extending between and coupling the front and rear of the frame.

37. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the elongated member extends along at least part of the base.

38. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, further comprising a stop positioned to limit rearward rotation of the rear member.

39. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the rear member is rotatable independently of movement of the handle.

40. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the rear member is rotatable to a lowered position permitting increased access from the rear of the frame to load product in the product fronting assembly.

41. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the rear member is spring biased in a rotational direction.

42. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein at least a portion of the frame is adapted to be coupled to an underside of a shelf.

43. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the rear member is located on a top side of the shelf.

44. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 42, wherein the rear member is also located on the underside of the shelf.

45. A product fronting assembly for fronting product supported by a shelf comprising a front and a rear, the product fronting assembly comprising:

an elongated flexible member comprising

a first end;

a second end; and

a length therebetween,

at least part of the length of the elongated flexible member wound in a coil at the first end of the elongated flexible member; and

a rear member coupled to the elongated flexible member at a distance from the first end of the elongated flexible member, the rear member positioned to engage and move product upon the shelf responsive to movement of the elongated flexible member in a forward direction.

46. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein the elongated flexible member is at least partially wound about a spool.

47. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein the elongated flexible member comprises a cable.

48. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, further comprising a slip sheet positioned on a top surface of the shelf, the slip sheet having a coefficient of friction different from a coefficient of friction of the shelf.

49. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, further comprising a magnetic base coupled to the rear member and adapted to releasably couple the product fronting assembly to the shelf.

50. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein at least a portion of the elongated flexible member is located beneath the shelf.

51. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, further comprising a bracket positioned to guide movement of the elongated flexible member.

52. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 46, further comprising:

a housing in which the coil is received; and

a control coupled to the housing and operable to prevent rotation of the spool.

53. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, further comprising:

a housing in which the coil is received; and

a control coupled to the housing and operable to prevent unwinding of the coil.

54. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein the shelf is a wire shelf, the product fronting assembly further comprising a based coupled to the rear member and movable along wires of the shelf.

55. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 54, wherein the base has a plurality of apertures located in the base to receive wires of the shelf.

56. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 55, wherein the base is releaseably coupled to the shelf by magnetic force.

57. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, wherein the elongated flexible member comprises a strip of flexible material.

58. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 57, wherein the strip has a memory urging the at least part of the length of the elongated flexible member into the coil.

59. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 58, wherein the memory of the strip urges the coil into a position with respect to the shelf.

60. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 57, wherein the strip is adapted to be positioned with respect to the shelf to support product on the shelf.

61. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 57, wherein at least a portion of the strip is adapted to be positioned in a recess in the shelf.

62. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 46, wherein the spool is spring loaded in a rotational direction.

63. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 45, further comprising a front stop against which the coil stops.

64. A product fronting assembly for fronting product, the product fronting assembly comprising:

a base having a front, a rear, and opposed sides;

a rear member movable along the base to move product toward the front of the base, the rear member coupled to the base by a side of the rear member extending at least partially around one of the opposed sides of the base;

a front member accessible by a user to move the rear member; and

an elongated intermediate member extending between and coupling the front and rear members.

65. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein:

the side of the rear member is a first side of the rear member;

the rear member further comprises a second side of the rear member opposite the first side; and

the rear member is coupled to the base by the first and second sides of the rear member extending at least partially around the opposed sides of the base.

66. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the side of the rear member extends across an edge of a side of the base.

67. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the side of the rear member extends to a location beneath the base.

68. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the elongated intermediate member is integral with the front member.

69. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the front and rear members extend generally vertically with respect to the elongated intermediate member.

70. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the elongated intermediate member is recessed within the base.

71. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the elongated intermediate member is positioned with respect to the base to support product upon the base.

72. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the base is coupled to the shelf by at least one snap-fit connection.

73. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 72, further comprising a mount adapted to be coupled to the shelf, wherein the base is coupled to the shelf by at least one snap-fit connection to the mount.

74. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 72, wherein the base is coupled to the shelf by at least one snap-fit connection located proximate the front of the base and at least one snap-fit connection located proximate the rear of the base.

75. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 74, further comprising mounts adapted to the coupled to the shelf, wherein the base is coupled to the shelf by snap-fit connections to the mounts.

76. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 64, wherein the elongated intermediate member is received within an aperture in the rear member.

77. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 76, wherein the elongated intermediate member comprises a generally vertical rear portion removably received within the aperture in the rear member.

78. The product fronting assembly as claimed in claim 77, wherein the front member and generally vertical rear portion are integral with the elongated intermediate member.