GLIDE SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE DIVIDERS AND MODULAR FLOOR MEMBERS

• US 20100252519A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Presence From Innovation, LLC (Jahabow Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Presence From Innovation, LLC (Jahabow Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreutzer, Robert E. JR., Miller, Donald J., Boron, Andrew J., Hanners, Kent, Crews, Gregg J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/184
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90

Abstract

A variable shelf organizer glide system for merchandising products therefrom capable of being assembled to accommodate any shelf length and width and any product dimension including a plurality of cooperatively engageable adjustable floor members having a plurality of transverse projection members associated with each respective track rib, the transverse projection members extending laterally across only a portion of the respective longitudinal slots formed between adjacent track ribs, and a plurality of adjustable divider members, each divider member being selectively engageable with the transverse projection members to form any number of segregated product channels for arranging products therebetween. Each floor member includes frangible break-away portions for adjusting the overall length thereof, and each divider member includes a frangible break-away front product stop member as well as a plurality of frangible break-away rear portions for likewise controlling the overall length of each divider member.

Claims

1. A floor member for displaying products thereon comprising:

a front wall portion, a rear portion, and a plurality of spaced apart track ribs extending substantially the full length therebetween, said plurality of track ribs defining a longitudinal slot between each two adjacent track ribs;

the outermost opposed track ribs forming the opposed side portions of said floor member, said outermost track ribs extending downwardly a distance greater than at least some of the other intermediate track ribs associated with said floor member;

cooperatively engageable joinder means associated with the opposed outermost track ribs for enabling said floor member to be cooperatively engaged in a side-by-side relationship with a similarly constructed floor member; and

at least one frangible break-away portion associated with the rear portion of said floor member, said break-away portion having front and rear portions and including two offset spaced apart lines of weakness extending transversely across the front portion of said break-away portion between said opposed outermost track ribs for weakening said frangible break-away portion whereby said frangible portion can be broken along said two offset lines of weakness separating said frangible portion from the remainder of said floor member.

2. The floor member defined in claim 1 wherein one of said offset lines of weakness associated with said frangible break-away portion includes a line of weakness associated with the lower portion of at least the outermost track ribs and any other track ribs which extend downwardly a distance greater than the other remaining intermediate track ribs, and wherein the other of said offset lines of weakness associated with said frangible break-away portion includes a line of weakness associated with the lower portion of the remaining intermediate track ribs located above said first line of weakness.

3. The floor member defined in claim 1 wherein said front wall portion includes a plurality of slots positioned and located above said plurality of track ribs, and a removably attachable front wall stop member having means associated therewith for cooperatively engaging the slots associated with said front wall portion for holding said front wall stop member in engagement with said floor member.

4. The floor member defined in claim 3 wherein said front wall stop member further includes means for engaging said track ribs.

5. The floor member defined in claim 3 wherein said means for engaging the slots associated with said front wall portion includes a pair of spaced apart hook members, each hook member being cooperatively engageable with any one of the slots associated with said front wall portion.

6. The floor member defined in claim 4 wherein said means for engaging said track ribs includes a pair of spaced apart hook members positioned and located for insertion within a corresponding pair of longitudinal track slots, said hook members being shaped and dimensioned for engaging said track ribs and restricting removal of said front wall stop member from said track slots but allowing said front wall stop member to be moved longitudinally within said respective track slots.

7. The floor member defined in claim 1 including a plurality of spaced apart transversely extending support members positioned between the front wall portion and rear portion of said floor member, at least some of said plurality of support members extending downwardly a distance greater than at least some of said track ribs, the bottom surfaces of said outermost track ribs, said front wall and rear portions, and at least some of said transverse support beams being co-planar with each other and forming the bottom edge surface of said floor member.

8. The floor member defined in claim 7 wherein the bottom surfaces of said outermost track ribs, said front wall and rear portions, and at least some of said transverse support members defining a plurality of segmented compartments, the bottom surfaces of said intermediate track ribs located within each segregated compartment being co-planar with each other.

9. The floor member defined in claim 1 including a separate floor extension member having cooperatively engageable means associated with one end portion thereof for engaging means associated with the rear end portion of the rearwardmost frangible break-away portion of said floor member so as to increase the overall length of said floor member.

10. The floor member defined in claim 9 wherein said floor extension member includes means associated with its opposite end portion for engaging a similarly constructed floor extension member so as to further increase the overall length of said floor member.

11. The floor member defined in claim 9 wherein said rearwardmost frangible break-away portion includes at least a pair of openings and a transverse member associated with the rear end portion thereof, the cooperatively engageable means associated with one end portion of said floor extension member including at least a pair of connection members positioned and located to engage a corresponding pair of openings associated with the rear end portion of said rearwardmost frangible break-away portion, and at least a pair of projections adapted to extend under the transverse member associated with the rear end portion of said rearwardmost frangible break-away portion.

12. The floor member defined in claim 11 wherein each of said at least pair of connection members includes at least one downwardly extending projection member which is sized and shaped to fit within the openings associated with the rear end portion of said rearwardmost frangible break-away portion.

13. The floor member defined in claim 1 wherein said cooperatively engageable joinder means associated with the opposed outermost track ribs includes a plurality of spaced apart L-shaped connector members associated with one of said outermost track ribs, each of said L-shaped connector members including an opening associated therewith, and a corresponding plurality of spaced apart transversely extending projection members associated with the other of said outermost track ribs, said transverse extending projection members being positioned within the longitudinal track slot defined between said outermost track rib and the adjacent intermediate track rib, the L-shaped connector members associated with one of said floor members being positionable within the longitudinal track slot located adjacent the other outermost track rib associated with a similarly constructed floor member, said plurality of transverse extending projection members associated with a similarly constructed floor member being receivable within the openings associated with the plurality of L-shaped connected members associated with the other floor member.

14. The floor member defined in claim 3 wherein said front wall portion includes a graphic panel support member having a channel member located adjacent the bottom portion thereof, and wherein said removably attachable front wall stop member includes an overhanging lip portion having a channel member associated therewith, said overhanging lip portion extending at least partially over said graphic panel support member when said front wall stop member is engaged with said floor member such that said pair of channel members are in position for receiving a graphic panel member therebetween.

15. The floor member defined in claim 1 including at least one removably attachable divider member for selectively attaching to any one of said plurality of track ribs, said divider member including connector means extending downwardly therefrom for engaging with corresponding connector means associated with each respective track rib.

16. The floor member defined in claim 15 wherein the connector means associated with said at least one divider member includes a plurality of spaced apart downwardly extending connector members extending along at least a portion of the overall length of said divider member, one of said divider connector members including an opening extending at least partially therethrough, said remaining divider connector members including a pocket associated therewith, and wherein the connector means associated with each respective track rib includes a plurality of correspondingly spaced transverse projection members, each projection member being positioned between the top and bottom surfaces of each respective track rib and each projection member extending transversely across only a portion of the longitudinal slot existing between each respective pair of adjacent track ribs thereby forming a space between the terminal end portion of each respective track rib projection member and the track rib positioned adjacent thereto, said downwardly extending divider connector members being positionable within any one of said longitudinal track slots, one of said track rib projection members being cooperatively receivable within the opening associated with one of said divider connector members and the remaining track rib projection members being receivable within the pockets associated with the remaining divider connector members.

17. The floor member defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one removably attachable divider member includes a front product stop member.

18. The floor member defined in claim 17 wherein the front wall portion of said floor member includes a plurality of slots positioned and located above said plurality of track ribs, and wherein the front product stop member associated with said at least one removably attachable divider member includes means for cooperatively engaging the slots associated with said front wall portion for additionally holding said divider member in engagement with said floor member.

19. The floor member defined in claim 18 wherein said means for engaging the slots associated with the front wall portion of said floor member includes a pair of spaced apart hook members, each hook member being cooperatively engageable with any one of the slots associated with said front wall portion.

20. The floor member defined in claim 17 wherein said front product stop member includes two separate non-co-linear lines of weakness associated with the rear portion thereof for weakening said front product stop member whereby said front product stop member can be broken along said two separate lines of weakness separating said front product stop member from the remainder of said divider member.

21. The floor member defined in claim 17 wherein said front product stop member includes an overhanging lip portion having a channel member associated therewith extending along substantially the full length of said overhanging lip portion, and wherein the front wall portion of said floor member includes a graphic panel support member having a channel member located adjacent the bottom portion thereof, said overhanging lip portion extending at least partially over said graphic panel support member when said at least one divider member is attached to said floor member such that said pair of channel members are in position for receiving a graphic panel member therebetween.

22. The floor member defined in claim 17 wherein the front product stop member associated with said at least one divider member includes momentum arrestor means associated with the top portion thereof, said arrestor means functioning to stabilize the forwardmost product container positioned on said floor member when such forwardmost product container engages said front product stop member.

23. The floor member defined in claim 22 wherein said momentum arrestor means includes at least one projection member extending outwardly from the top portion of said front product stop member, said at least one projection member being positioned and located so as to contact a forwardmost product container positioned on said floor member adjacent one side of said divider member.

24. The floor member defined in claim 15 including at least one break-away portion associated with the rear portion of said at least one divider member for allowing adjustment of the overall length of said divider member so as to correspond to the length of said floor member, said at least one break-away rear divider portion including a line of weakness for severing said break-away portion from the remaining portion of said divider member.

25. The floor member defined in claim 24 including a plurality of break-away portions associated with the rear portion of said at least one divider member, each of said rear break-away portions including a line of weakness for severing said break-away portion from the remaining portion of said divider member.

26. The floor member defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one removably attachable divider member includes a rear stop member, said rear stop member including a channel portion engageable with the rear portion of said floor member.

27. The floor member defined in claim 24 wherein said at least one divider member includes a break-away rear stop member associated with the rearwardmost break-away divider portion, said rear stop member including at least one line of weakness for severing said rear stop member from said rearwordmost break-away divider portion.

28. The floor member defined in claim 27 wherein said break-away rear stop member includes a hook member, and wherein the respective end portions of each break-away divider portion and the end portion of the remaining non break-away divider portion includes a pair of spaced apart slots for receiving the hook member associated with said rear stop member.

29. The floor member defined in claim 28 wherein the hook portion associated with said rear stop member includes offset portions for engagement with said pair of spaced apart slots, said hook member further including a projection member associated with the terminal end portion thereof, said projection member being receivable within one of said pair of spaced apart slots.

30. The floor member defined in claim 16 including a plurality of removably attachable divider members for selectively attaching to any one of said plurality of track ribs, said divider members forming a plurality of product channels for guiding and maintaining products positioned on said floor member, said divider members being adjustable along the width of said floor member for controlling and adjusting the width of each respective product channel.

31. A shelf organizer unit for merchandising products therefrom comprising:

a substantially flat product supporting floor member having a front wall portion, a rear portion, and a plurality of spaced track ribs extending substantially the full length therebetween, said plurality of track ribs defining a longitudinal slot between adjacent track ribs, the outermost opposed track ribs forming the opposed side portions of said floor member;

cooperatively engageable joinder means associated with the opposed outermost track ribs for enabling said floor member to be cooperatively engaged in side-by-side relationship with a similarly constructed floor member;

a plurality of spaced apart projection members extending along at least a portion of each respective track rib, each projection member being positioned between the top and bottom surfaces of each respective track rib and each projection member extending transversely across only a portion of the longitudinal slot existing between each respective pair of adjacent track ribs thereby forming a space between the terminal end portion of each respective transverse projection member and the track rib positioned adjacent thereto; and

a plurality of removably attachable divider members for forming optional segregated product channels on said floor member for arranging products therebetween, each of said divider members including a plurality of downwardly extending spaced apart connection members extending along at least a portion thereof, one of said connection members associated with each divider member having an opening extending at least partially therethrough and the remaining connection members having a recess associated therewith;

the connector members associated with each divider member being selectively slidably receivable within any one of the longitudinal slots formed by and between each respective pair of track ribs, one of the projection members associated with each respective track rib being cooperatively receivable within the opening associated with one of said connector members associated with each respective divider member and the remaining projection members associated with each respective track rib being cooperatively receivable within the recesses associated with the remaining connector members associated with each divider member, the connector members associated with said divider members being slidably movable within the space formed by and between the terminal end portion of each respective transverse projection member and the adjacent track rib preparatory to engagement with said transverse projection members.

32. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 31 wherein each of said plurality of divider members includes a front product stop member.

33. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 32 wherein the front product stop member associated with each divider member includes two separate non-co-linear lines of weakness associated with the rear portion thereof for separating said front product stop member from the remainder of its corresponding divider member.

34. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 32 wherein the front wall portion of said floor member includes a plurality of slots positioned and located above said plurality of track ribs, and wherein each of said front product stop members includes means for cooperatively engaging the slots associated with said front wall portion for additionally holding said divider member in engagement with said floor member.

35. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 34 wherein said means for engaging the slots associated with the front wall portion of said floor member includes a pair of spaced apart hook members, each hook member being cooperatively engageable with any one of the slots associated with said front wall portion.

36. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 32 wherein said front product stop member includes an overhanging lip portion having a channel member associated therewith, and wherein the front wall portion of said floor member includes a graphic panel support member having a channel member located adjacent one end portion thereof, said overhanging lip portion extending at least partially over said graphic panel support member when said divider members are attached to said floor member such that said pair of channel members are in position for receiving a graphic panel member therebetween.

37. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 32 wherein each of said front product stop members includes momentum arrestor means associated with the top portion thereof, said arrestor means associated with a pair of divider members functioning to stabilize the forwardmost product container positioned within the product channel formed therebetween when said forwardmost product container engages said pair of front product stop members.

38. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 37 wherein said momentum arrestor means includes at least one projection member extending outwardly from the top portion of each of said front product stop members, said at least one projection member being positioned and located so as to contact a forwardmost product container positioned within the product channel formed between adjacent divider members.

39. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 31 including at least one frangible break-away portion associated with the rear portion of each of said divider members for allowing adjustment of the overall length of said divider members so as to correspond to the overall length of said floor member, said at least one frangible break-away rear divider portion including a line of weakness for severing said break-away rear portion from the remaining portion of each of said divider members.

40. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 31 wherein each of said divider members includes a rear stop member, said rear stop member including a channel portion engageable with the rear portion of said floor member.

41. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 39 wherein each of said divider members includes a frangible break-away rear stop member associated with the rearwardmost frangible divider portion, said rear stop member including at least one line of weakness for severing said rear stop member from said rearwardmost frangible divider portion.

42. The shelf organizer unit in defined in claim 41 wherein said frangible rear stop member includes a hook member, and wherein the respective end portions of each frangible divider portion and the end portion of the remaining non-frangible divider portion of each divider member include a pair of spaced apart slots for receiving the hook member associated with said frangible rear stop member.

43. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 31 including a separate floor extension member having cooperatively engageable means associated with one end portion thereof for engaging corresponding means associated with the rear portion of said floor member so as to increase the overall length of said floor member.

44. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 43 wherein said floor extension member includes means associated with its opposite end portion for engaging a similarly constructed floor extension member so as to further increase the overall length of said floor member.

45. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 43 wherein the rear portion of said floor member includes at least a pair of openings and a transverse member associated therewith, the cooperatively engageable means associated with one end portion of said floor extension member including at least a pair of connection members positioned and located so as to engage the at least pair of openings associated with the rear portion of said floor member, and including at least a pair of projections adapted to extend under the transverse member associated with the rear end portion of said floor member.

46. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 45 wherein each of said at least pair of connection members associated with said floor extension member includes at least one downwardly extending projection member which is sized and shaped within the openings associated with the rear end portion of said floor member.

47. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 31 including at least one frangible break-away portion associated with the rear portion of said floor member for decreasing the overall length thereof.

48. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 31 including a removably attachable front wail stop member having means associated therewith for cooperatively engaging the front wall portion of said floor member.

49. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 48 wherein the means associated with the front wall portion of said floor member includes a plurality of slots positioned and located above said plurality of track ribs, and wherein the means associated with said removably attachable front wall stop member includes a pair of spaced apart hook members, each hook member being cooperatively engageable with any one of the slots associated with said front wall portion.

50. The shelf organizer unit defined in claim 48 wherein said removably attachable front wall stop member includes a pair of spaced apart hook members positioned and located for insertion within a corresponding pair of longitudinal track slots, said hook members being shaped and dimensioned for engaging said track ribs and resisting removal of said front wall product member from said longitudinal track slots.

51. A variable shelf organizer unit for merchandising products therefrom adaptable to accommodate varying shelf sizes and varying product dimensions, said shelf organizer unit comprising:

a floor member having a front wall portion, a rear portion, and a plurality of spaced apart track ribs extending substantially the full length therebetween, said plurality of track ribs defining a longitudinal slot between adjacent track ribs, the outermost opposed track ribs forming the opposed side portions of said floor member;

cooperatively engageable joinder means associated with the opposed outermost track ribs for enabling a plurality of similarly constructed floor members to be cooperatively engaged in side-by-side relationship with one another, the joinder means associated with one of said floor members being cooperatively engageable with the joinder means associated with another floor member positioned adjacent thereto;

at least one frangible break-away portion associated with the rear portion of said floor member, said break-away portion having front and rear portions and including two offset spaced apart lines of weakness extending transversely across the front portion of said break-away portion between said opposed outermost track ribs for weakening said break-away portion whereby said frangible floor portion can be broken along said offset lines of weakness separating said at least one frangible portion from the remainder of said floor member;

said floor member further including a plurality of transverse spaced apart projection members associated with each respective track rib, each transverse projection member being positioned and located between the top and bottom surfaces of each respective track rib and extending transversely across only a portion of the longitudinal slot existing between each respective pair of adjacent track ribs thereby forming a space between the terminal end portion of each respective transverse projection member and the track rib positioned adjacent thereto; and

a plurality of removably attachable divider members for forming optional segregated product channels on said floor member for arranging products therebetween, each of said divider members including a plurality of downwardly extending connection members extending along at least a portion of the length thereof for selectively removably engaging each of said divider members with the transverse projection members associated with each of said track ribs so as to form segregated channels of variable width for arranging products therebetween;

the forwardmost connector member associated with each respective divider member including an opening extending therethrough and the remainder of said connector members associated with each respective divider member including a pocket associated therewith;

the connector members associated with each respective divider member being sized and shaped so as to be slidably receivable within each respective longitudinal track slot and within the space formed by and between the terminal end portion of each respective transverse floor projection member and the adjacent track rib, the forwardmost transverse floor projection member being cooperatively engageable with the opening associated with the forwardmost connection member associated with each respective divider member and the remaining transverse floor projection members being cooperatively receivable within the pockets associated with the remaining connection members associated with each respective divider member;

each of said divider members including a frangible break-away front product stop member and at least one frangible break-away portion associated with the rear portion of each respective divider member.

52. The variable shelf organizer unit defined in claim 51 wherein the front wall portion of said floor member includes a graphic panel support member having a channel member located adjacent the bottom portion thereof, and wherein the frangible break-away front product stop member associated with each of said divider members includes an overhanging lip portion having a channel member associated therewith, said overhanging lip portion extending at least partially over said graphic panel support member when said divider members are engaged with said track ribs such that said pair of channel members are in position for receiving a graphic panel member therebetween.