Beverage container shelf management system

• US 20070119798A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Source 1 Displays, A Division Of Fortune Resources, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Source 1 Displays, A Division Of Fortune Resources, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanretty, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence

Abstract

A gravity feed display rack for supporting and displaying merchandise is provided. The rack having a merchandise channel support structure, and at least one merchandise channel. The channel having a merchandise support, a left wall and a right wall, the left wall and right wall adjustably located in spaced apart relationship upon the merchandise channel support structure to accommodate varying sizes of merchandise. Thus the display rack may be adjustably assembled to accommodate specific sizes of merchandise.

Claims

1. A gravity feed display rack for supporting and displaying merchandise, comprising:

a merchandise channel support structure; and

at least one merchandise channel, the channel having a merchandise support, a left wall and a right wall, the left wall and right wall adjustably located in spaced apart relationship upon the merchandise channel support structure to accommodate varying sizes of merchandise.

2. The rack of claim 1, wherein the merchandise support includes a left merchandise support extending from the left wall and in a direction generally towards the right wall, the left merchandise support forming a left longitudinally extending edge, and a right merchandise support extending from the right wall and in a direction generally towards the left wall, the right merchandise support forming a right longitudinally extending edge facing the left longitudinally extending edge.

3. The rack of claim 2, wherein the channel may be spaced apart to form a particular width, with the facing edges forming a corresponding width, and a spacer having a substantially similar corresponding width and located between the facing edges to form a channel slide upon which the merchandise is gravity feed.

4. A gravity feed display rack for supporting and displaying merchandise, comprising:

a merchandise channel support structure; and

at least one split merchandise channel, the split channel being adjustable in width, and located upon the merchandise channel support structure.

5. The rack of claim 4, wherein the split channel includes a left wall and a right wall, the walls being adjustable in a spaced apart relationship, and the split channel having a merchandise support.

6. A gravity feed display rack for supporting and displaying merchandise, comprising:

a merchandise channel support structure;

at least one inner divider, the inner divider including a longitudinally extending wall, and a left merchandise support extending from the wall and in a direction generally at a right angle to the wall, and a right merchandise support extending from the wall and in a direction generally at a right angle to the wall, the at least one inner diver having a support structure connector;

a left outer divider, the left outer divider including a longitudinally extending wall, and a left merchandise support extending from the wall and in a direction generally at a right angle to the wall, the left outer divider having a support structure connector; and

a right outer divider, the right outer divider including a longitudinally extending wall, and a right merchandise support extending from the wall and in a direction generally at a right angle to the wall, the right outer divider having a support structure connector, wherein the dividers are individually adjustably located in spaced apart relationship upon the merchandise channel support structure.

7. The rack of claim 6, wherein the dividers may be individually spaced apart to form a particular width between adjacent pairs of dividers, with adjacent merchandise supports forming a corresponding width there between and a spacer having a substantially similar corresponding width is located between the merchandise supports to form a channel slide upon which the merchandise is gravity feed.

8. The rack of claim 7, wherein the spacers include a plurality of a group of spacers, the spacers include a longitudinally extending support surface having a width, the width varies among the group of spacers such that the width of a spacer in one group together with the combined width of adjacent merchandise supports corresponds to the width of specific merchandise, and wherein the spacers include releasably support structure connector.

9. The rack of claim 6, wherein the support structure connectors are adjustably, releasably and lockably connected to the merchandise channel support structure.

10. The rack of claim 6, wherein the merchandise channel support structure includes a plurality of rods extending perpendicular to the dividers, and the support structure connectors include a plurality of rod channels extending perpendicular through each of the dividers, wherein rod channels in one divider are aligned with a rod channel in an adjacent divider, and a rod extends through the respectively aligned rod channels.

11. The rack of claim 9, wherein the outer dividers include a locking mechanism for locking with one end of at least one rod.

12. The rack of claim 9, wherein the outer dividers include a plurality of flexible tabs with detents at the rod channels, and the ends of the rods include an opening, wherein the detent engages the opening to releasably lock the end of the rod to the respective outer divider.

13. The rack of claim 9, wherein the rod channels in the inner dividers are U-shaped openings, and the rod channels in the outer dividers are rectangular openings with an abutment.

14. The rack of claim 6, wherein the longitudinally extending walls of the inner divider split into two diverging front walls in a curved manner, and the longitudinally extending walls of the outer dividers extend in a curved manner to form a front wall, wherein adjacent pairs of front walls are adapted to stop the downward movement of the merchandise.