DISPLAY UNIT WITH ROLLER ASSEMBLY SHELVING

• US 20100133214A1
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hamlon Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Hamlon Pty Limited
• Inventors: Evans, David William
• Application Number:
  US12/598,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20100133214A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/85.800
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 31/00 Service or tea tables, trolleys, or wagons serving trays A47G23/06; features relating to running gear or to movement by hand B62B
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0043 Show shelves shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F

Abstract

A roller assembly for use with a commodity display unit, the roller assembly comprising at least one set of parallel rollers mounted on an inner casing. Each roller is a stub roller with a stub at each end, and the inner casing has opposed side walls projecting from a base. Each side wall having a series of notches at its upper free end for respectively receiving the stubs of the stub rollers, and the inner casing with the rollers mounted thereon slidably engagable within an outer casing such that the stub rollers are restrained from being removed from their respective notches by two inwardly projecting upper flanges of the outer casing. Each upper flange projects from a respective wall member of the outer casing. The inner casing is secured within the outer casing by two end caps, each slidable engagable with the outer casing at opposed ends thereof.

Claims

1. A roller assembly for use with a commodity display unit, said roller assembly comprising at least one set of parallel rollers mounted on an inner casing, wherein each roller of said parallel set of rollers is a stub roller with a stub at each end, and said inner casing has opposed side walls projecting from a base, each side wall having a series of notches at its upper free end for respectively receiving the stubs of said stub rollers, said inner casing with said rollers mounted thereon slidably engagable within an outer casing such that the stub rollers are restrained from being removed from their respective notches by two inwardly projecting upper flanges of said the outer casing, each upper flange projecting from a respective wall member of said outer casing, and wherein said inner casing is secured within said outer casing by two end caps, each slidable engagable with said outer casing at opposed ends thereof.

2. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base of said inner casing having a plurality of apertures disposed therein.

3. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each roller and said inner casing is made of injection moulded plastic.

4. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer casing has a plurality of apertures disposed within its underside.

5. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said outer casing is of extruded metallic material and said apertures are cut-outs.

6. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end cap is provided with a plurality of apertures.

7. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a divider element may be secured to said roller assembly by engaging with the end caps.

8. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said divider element engages with at least one of said plurality of apertures in each respective end cap.

9. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end cap is made of injection moulded plastic.

10. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end cap is secured to the outer casing by at least one threaded fastener.

11. A shelving display unit comprising an array of roller assemblies, each roller assembly being of the type claimed in claim 1, said array of roller assemblies disposed adjacent to one another, each of said roller assemblies having a first longitudinal axis inclined from the rear to the front of the unit such that product supported by said roller assemblies may travel by gravity feed from the rear to the front of the unit.

12. A shelving display unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein a front rail with a longitudinal channel of constant dimensions is slidably engageable with the end caps at the front of the unit.

13. A mobile shelving display unit comprising an array of roller assemblies, each roller assembly being of the type claimed in claim 1, said array of roller assemblies disposed adjacent to one another, each of said roller assemblies having a first longitudinal axis inclined from the rear to the front of the unit such that product supported by said roller assemblies may travel by gravity feed from the rear to the front of the unit.

19. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer casing is of extruded material and said apertures are cut-outs.

14. A product display unit, said unit comprising at least one shelf, said at least one shelf comprising a retaining member for holding at least two roller track assemblies in alignment to form a planar product support surface, said retaining member comprising a first retaining channel for engaging a portion of at least two roller track assemblies, said retaining member comprising a second retaining channel for engaging at least one product stop member, wherein said second retaining channel is positioned with respect to said first retaining channel so as to direct a product stop member engaged with said second retaining channel to project above the plane of the product support surface formed by roller track assemblies engaged with said first retaining channel so as to be able to engage a product resting on a planar product support surface formed by at least two roller track assemblies aligned by engagement with said first retaining channel.

15. A retaining member for use in forming a shelf for a product display unit, said retaining member for holding at least two roller track assemblies in alignment to form a planar product support surface, said retaining member comprising a first retaining channel for engaging a portion of at least two roller track assemblies, said retaining member comprising a second retaining channel for engaging at least one product stop member, wherein said second retaining channel is positioned with respect to said first retaining channel so as to direct a product stop member engaged with said second retaining channel to project above the plane of the product support surface formed by roller track assemblies engaged with said first retaining channel so as to be able to engage a product resting on a planar product support surface formed by at least two roller track assemblies aligned by engagement with said first retaining channel.

16. The retaining member of claim 15, further comprising at least two roller track assemblies engaged therewith to form a shelving unit.

17. A mobile shelving assembly comprising a support frame supporting a plurality of spaced apart shelves, said support frame having a plurality of ground engaging wheels, at least one of said shelves having an array of inclined roller assemblies, each roller assembly having at least one set of parallel rollers mounted on an inner casing slidably engagable within an outer casing, wherein said outer casing has a plurality of apertures disposed within its underside.

18. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein each roller of said parallel set of rollers is a stub roller with stubs on each side, said inner casing has opposed side walls, each side wall having a series of notches for respectively receiving the stubs of said stub rollers.

20. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said array of inclined roller assemblies may be disposed adjacent to each other or adjusted at spaced apart increments.

21. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein each of said shelves has a front riser.

22. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said support frame has a plurality of frame uprights, each frame upright has a plurality of holes therein for the vertical adjustment of shelf height.

23. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least two handles project rearwardly and inwardly from said support frame, each handle associated with a respective frame upright.

24. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said plurality of frame uprights are bolted to top and bottom frame sections of said support frame.

25. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein a drip tray can be removably secured to the base of said support frame.

26. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said ground engaging wheels are castor wheels.

27. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein two of the castor wheels are lockable rear castor wheels.

28. A mobile shelving assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said assembly is used in the display of dairy products.