Merchandise display rack

• US 20070108142A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Excell Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Excell Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Medcalf, Michael, Medcalf, Merle
• Application Number:
  US11/583,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20070108142A1
• 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 merchandise display rack is provided for displaying a row of merchandise on a store shelf and feeding the row of merchandise forward on a store shelf as merchandise at the front of the row of merchandise is removed by a customer. The merchandise display rack includes a pusher frame, a pusher plate assembly and a pusher plate biasing assembly supported on opposing sidewalls of the display rack and connected to the pusher plate assembly.

Claims

1. A merchandise display rack positionable on a shelf for maintaining product on the shelf, the merchandise display rack comprising:

a pusher frame having a front end, a rear end, a first sidewall, a spatially disposed second sidewall and at least one product receiving space formed between the first and second sidewalls for receiving a row of product;

a pusher plate assembly disposed in the at least one product receiving space, the pusher plate assembly selectively movable through the at least one product receiving space for moving product through the at least one product receiving space when the forward most product is removed from the at least one product receiving space of the pusher frame;

a stop plate assembly connected to the front end of the pusher frame for stabilizing product in the at least one product receiving space and for preventing discharge of product from the at least one product receiving space as the product is caused to move forward through the at least one product receiving space of the pusher frame; and

a pusher plate biasing assembly for biasing the pusher plate assembly forward toward the stop plate assembly, the pusher plate biasing assembly comprising;

a plurality of rollers, each of the rollers having a circumferential groove, a pair of the rollers rotatably connected to the first and second sidewalls of the pusher frame such that the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall are vertically aligned, the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall are vertically aligned and the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall are disposed in a facing relationship with and aligned with the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall;

a first bungee cord disposed along the first sidewall of the pusher frame so as to operably engage the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall, the first bungee cord engaging the pusher plate assembly so as to bias the pusher plate assembly in a forward position; and

a second bungee cord disposed along the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to operably engage the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall, the second bungee cord engaging the pusher plate assembly so as to bias the pusher plate assembly in a forward position whereby the first and second bungee cords cooperate to move the pusher plate assembly in a forward direction to ensure that product is moved forward in the product receiving space of the merchandise rack when the forward most product in the row of product supported in the product receiving space is removed.

2. The merchandise display rack of claim 1 further comprising:

a first pusher stop member connected to the first sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be disposed near the front end of the pusher frame and rearward the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall;

a second pusher stop member connected to the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be disposed near the front end of the second sidewall of the pusher frame and rearward of the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall, the first and second stop pusher stop members adapted to engage the pusher plate assembly when the pusher plate assembly is in the forward most position for preventing contact of the pusher plate assembly with the pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the first and second sidewalls of the pusher frame.

3. The merchandise display rack of claim 1 wherein the pusher frame further comprises:

a rail assembly for supporting and stabilizing the pusher plate assembly as the pusher plate assembly travels along the product receiving space of the pusher frame.

4. The merchandise display rack of claim 3 wherein the rail assembly comprises:

a pair of first rail members extending along an inner side of the first sidewall of the pusher frame; and

a pair of second rail members extending along an inner side of the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be substantially aligned with and in a facing relationship with the pair of first rail members on the first side of the pusher frame, the first rail members being spatially disposed such that the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall and the first bungee cord are disposed therebetween, and wherein the second rail members are spatially disposed so that the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall and the second bungee cord are disposed therebetween.

5. The merchandise display rack of claim 4 wherein the pusher plate assembly comprises:

a pusher sled assembly slidably mounted on the first and second rail members of the pusher frame, the pusher sled assembly operably connected to the first and second bungee cords of the pusher plate biasing assembly for selectively moving the pusher sled assembly along the at least one product receiving space when product is removed from the product receiving space.

6. The merchandised display rack of claim 5 wherein the pusher sled assembly comprises:

a first substantially L-shaped pusher plate having a first leg and a second leg;

a second substantially L-shaped pusher plate having a first leg and a second leg;

a pair of spatially disposed track followers provided on the first leg of the first pusher plate for operably engaging the pair of first rail members extending along an inner surface or the inner side of the first sidewall of the pusher frame; and

a pair of spatially disposed track followers provided on the first leg of the second pusher plate of the pusher sled assembly for operably engaging the pair of second rail members extending along an inner surface of the second sidewall of the pusher frame, the first legs of the first and second pusher plates being operably connected to the first and second bungee cords, respectively, of the pusher plate biasing assembly such that the track followers on the first pusher plate operably engage the pair of first rail members extending along the inner surface of the first sidewall of the pusher frame and the track followers on the second pusher plate operably engage the pair of second rail members extending along the inner surface of the second sidewall of the pusher frame whereby the first and second pusher plates cooperate with the first and second bungee cords of the pusher plate biasing assembly, respectively, to permit the first and second pusher plates to be selectively moved through the product receiving space of the pusher frame.

7. The merchandise display rack of claim 5 further comprises:

a first pusher stop member connected to the first sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be disposed near the front end of the pusher frame and rearward the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall;

a second pusher stop member located near the front end of the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be disposed rearward of the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall, the first and second stop pusher stop members adapted to engage the pusher plate assembly when the pusher plate assembly is in the forward most position for preventing contact of the pusher plate assembly with the pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the first and second sidewalls of the pusher frame.

8. The merchandise display rack of claim 1 wherein the first and second sidewalls of the pusher frame are further characterized as having exterior sides and wherein each of the exterior sides of the first and second sidewalls are provided with a pair of spatially disposed guide tracks so that additional sidewalls can be incorporated into the pusher frame, whereby additional product receiving spaces are formed and a pusher plate assembly is disposed in the additional product receiving spaces for selectively moving product through the additional product receiving spaces when the forward most product is removed from the additional product receiving spaces of the pusher frame.

9. The merchandise display rack of claim 8 wherein the pusher frame assembly further comprising:

a first pusher stop member connected to the first sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be disposed near the front end of the pusher frame and rearward the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall;

a second pusher stop member connected to the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be disposed near the front end of the second sidewall of the pusher frame and rearward of the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall, the first and second stop pusher stop members adapted to engage the pusher plate assembly when the pusher plate assembly is in the forward most position for preventing contact of the pusher plate assembly with the pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the first and second sidewalls of the pusher frame.

10. The merchandise display rack of claim 9 wherein the pusher frame further comprising a rail assembly for supporting and stabilizing the pusher plate assembly as the pusher plate assembly travels along the product receiving space of the pusher frame.

11. The merchandise display rack of claim 10 wherein the rail assembly comprises:

a pair of first rail members extending along an inner side of the first sidewall of the pusher frame; and

a pair of second rail members extending along an inner side of the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to be substantially aligned with and in a facing relationship with the pair of first rail members on the first side of the pusher frame, the first rail members being spatially disposed such that the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall and the first bungee cord are disposed therebetween, and wherein the second rail members are spatially disposed so that the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall and the second bungee cord are disposed therebetween.

12. A method for displaying and storing merchandise on a shelf comprising the steps of:

providing a merchandise display rack wherein the merchandise display rack comprises;

a pusher frame having a front end, a rear end, a first sidewall, a spatially disposed second sidewall and at least one product receiving space formed between the first and second sidewalls for receiving a row of product;

a pusher plate assembly disposed in the at least one product receiving space, the pusher plate assembly selectively movable through the at least one product receiving space for moving product through the at least one product receiving space when the forward most product is removed from the at least one product receiving space of the pusher frame;

a stop plate assembly connected to the front end of the pusher frame for stabilizing product in the at least one product receiving space and for preventing discharge of product from the at least one product receiving space as the product is caused to move forward through the at least one product receiving space of the pusher frame; and

a pusher plate biasing assembly for biasing the pusher plate assembly forward toward the stop plate assembly, the pusher plate biasing assembly comprising;

a plurality of rollers, each of the rollers having a circumferential groove, a pair of the rollers rotatably connected to the first and second sidewalls of the pusher frame such that the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall are vertically aligned, the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall are vertically aligned and the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall are disposed in a facing relationship with and aligned with the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall;

a first bungee cord disposed along the first sidewall of the pusher frame so as to operably engage the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the first sidewall, the first bungee cord engaging the pusher plate assembly so as to bias the pusher plate assembly in a forward position; and

a second bungee cord disposed along the second sidewall of the pusher frame so as to operably engage the pair of rollers rotatably connected to the second sidewall, the second bungee cord engaging the pusher plate assembly so as to bias the pusher plate assembly in a forward position whereby the first and second bungee cords cooperate to move the pusher plate assembly in a forward direction to ensure that product is moved forward in the product receiving space of the merchandise rack when the forward most product in the row of product supported in the product receiving space is removed;

securing the merchandise display rack to a shelf;

moving the pusher late assembly in a rearward direction to provide access to the product receiving space defined by the merchandise display rack;

aligning product within the product receiving space to form a row of products; and

releasing the pusher plate assembly such that the pusher plate assembly is biased in a forward direction and engages a rearwardly disposed item in the row of product whereby as product is removed from the row of product the pusher plate assembly causes the row of product to move forward in the product receiving space whereby product present in the product receiving space remains visible and accessible to a customer.