Sliding and Tilting Shelves, Especially for Use in a Refrigerated Mechandise Display
First Claim
1. A shelf assembly for use in storing and displaying merchandise, the shelf assembly comprising:
- a pair of side brackets mountable on a frame, each side bracket including a glide member mounted on an interior surface;
at least one shelf subassembly positioned between and supported by the pair of side brackets, each shelf subassembly including outwardly facing slide channels extending along the side of each shelf subassembly, the glide members on the side brackets being received within the slide channels so that the shelf subassembly can travel fore and aft, between a retracted position and an extended position, relative to the pair of side brackets as the glide members ride within the slide channels;
the shelf assembly being characterized in that the glide members are pivotally mounted on the side brackets, wherein each shelf subassembly moves only horizontally during initial movement from the retracted position toward the extended position, movement of the shelf subassembly to the extended position imparting rotation to the glide members while the glide members remain within the slide channels so that the shelf subassembly will tilt, due to gravity, relative to the side brackets when in the extended position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shelf system for use in displaying and storing merchandise is especially suited for use in a refrigerated or chiller compartment that can be used with other conventional display sections. The shelving system or unit includes a squared frame that is mounted in a refrigeration compartment. Side or knife brackets are mounted on opposite sides of the frame and shelves on which items of merchandise are stored in spring loaded pusher track systems are mounted on the side brackets. Guide members mounted on the side brackets allow the shelves to slide between a retracted and an extended position on a planar path, but when the shelves reach the extended position, the glide members tilt allowing the shelves to tile for easier access to items stored thereon.
83 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A shelf assembly for use in storing and displaying merchandise, the shelf assembly comprising:
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a pair of side brackets mountable on a frame, each side bracket including a glide member mounted on an interior surface; at least one shelf subassembly positioned between and supported by the pair of side brackets, each shelf subassembly including outwardly facing slide channels extending along the side of each shelf subassembly, the glide members on the side brackets being received within the slide channels so that the shelf subassembly can travel fore and aft, between a retracted position and an extended position, relative to the pair of side brackets as the glide members ride within the slide channels; the shelf assembly being characterized in that the glide members are pivotally mounted on the side brackets, wherein each shelf subassembly moves only horizontally during initial movement from the retracted position toward the extended position, movement of the shelf subassembly to the extended position imparting rotation to the glide members while the glide members remain within the slide channels so that the shelf subassembly will tilt, due to gravity, relative to the side brackets when in the extended position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A retail product display and storage assembly for use in a refrigerated compartment, the assembly comprising:
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a plurality of sliding shelves, stacked one above the other on multiple levels; a squared frame positionable in the refrigerated compartment, the frame including four upright frame corner posts positioned to define vertical reference lines not solely dependent upon interior surface contours of the refrigerated compartment; side brackets, each securely attachable to and detachable the frame at a rear frame corner post and a front frame corner post on one side of the frame, two side brackets on the same level, one on each side of the frame, being held in position by the frame to form a planar path along which the sliding shelves will slide between a retracted and an extended position; and glide members mounted on the side brackets and received in side channels on the shelves to allow the shelves to slide between the retracted to the extended positions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A strapless merchandise assembly for displaying and storing merchandise and providing an item storage volume equal to a large percentage of available display space, the assembly comprising;
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a plurality of slidable and tiltable shelves, each shelf being mountable between two side brackets, wherein the side brackets are independently held in fixed positions, each shelf being mounted between pairs of side brackets, without straps extending laterally between side brackets forming a pair of side brackets either above or below each shelf, each shelf being slidable relative to the pair of side brackets on which it is mounted between retracted and extended positions, and each shelf being tiltable relative to the pair of side brackets on which it is mounted only when the shelf is in the extended position; each of the shelves has a channel on each side receiving glide members mounted on each side bracket, adjacent a front portion of each side bracket, so that each shelf slides along a planar path relative to the pair of side brackets on which it rides between the retracted and extended positions, and wherein each of the shelves moves only horizontally during initial movement from the retracted position toward the extended position and wherein each glide member tilts when the shelf reaches the extended position and the shelf tilts due to gravity, the extended position at which each shelf tilts being dependent upon distribution of weight of items stored on that shelf, initial horizontal movement of each shelf from the retracted position toward the extended position allowing each shelf to move without engaging adjacent shelves closely spaced thereabove and therebelow each shelf during initial movement from the retracted position, each shelf being free to tilt without obstruction of items stored on the shelf by straps above and below the shelf so that shelves can be positioned relatively close together to increase the percentage of item storage volume relative to display space. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification