ADJUSTABLE DEPTH MERCHANDISING CROSSBAR SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DIVIDING, PUSHING AND/OR DISPENSING ONE OR MORE RETAIL PRODUCTS

• US 20140305891A1
• Filed: 04/10/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marketing Impact Limited (Decisive Dividend Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Marketing Impact Limited (Decisive Dividend Corp.)
• Inventors: Vogler, Michael, Pollock, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0093 movable in a substantially horizontal direction
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0846 Display panels or rails with elongated channels; Sliders, brackets, shelves, or the like, slidably attached therein
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/103 Display shelving racks with the uprights aligned in only one plane
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 15/04 by controlling wheel pressure, e.g. by movable weights or heavy parts or by magnetic devices magnetic brakes B61H
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 15/14 controlling distribution of tractive effort between driving wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 3/00 Electric locomotives or railcars characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; electrical features B60L; H02
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 3/04 with driven axles or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/16 Centre bearings or other swivel connections between underframes and bolsters or bogies
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/26 Mounting or securing axle-boxes in vehicle or bogie underframes
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/36 Arrangements for equalising or adjusting the load on wheels or springs, e.g. yokes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Adjustable depth merchandising crossbar systems and methods dispense retail products, the crossbar systems and methods having a fixed portion comprising a first outer mounting assembly, a second outer mounting assembly movably connected to the first outer mounting assembly, and upright mounting hooks provided at rear sides of the first outer mounting assembly and the second outer mounting assembly, wherein the upright mounting hooks are configured to be mountable to retail aisle uprights and a sliding portion comprising a first inner sliding assembly and a second inner sliding assembly movably connected to the first inner sliding assembly. The crossbar systems and methods also have an expandable attachment bar connected to the first and second inner sliding assemblies of the sliding portion of the crossbar, wherein the expandable attachment bar is configured to receive at least one retail product merchandising pusher system for dispensing retail products and a plurality of sliding assemblies connected the fixed portion to the sliding portion of the crossbar. The sliding portion of the crossbar is movable to a closed position or to an at least partially extended position via the plurality of sliding assemblies.

Claims

1. An adjustable depth merchandising crossbar for dispensing retail products, the crossbar comprising:

a fixed portion comprising a first outer mounting assembly, a second outer mounting assembly movably connected to the first outer mounting assembly, and upright mounting hooks provided at rear sides of the first outer mounting assembly and the second outer mounting assembly, wherein the upright mounting hooks are configured to be mountable to retail aisle uprights;

a sliding portion comprising a first inner sliding assembly and a second inner sliding assembly movably connected to the first inner sliding assembly;

an expandable attachment bar connected to the first and second inner sliding assemblies of the sliding portion of the crossbar, wherein the expandable attachment bar is configured to receive at least one retail product merchandising pusher system for dispensing retail products;

first sliding assemblies connecting outer portions of the fixed portion of the crossbar to outer portions of the sliding portion of the crossbar; and

a second sliding assembly connecting an inner portion of the fixed portion of the crossbar to an inner portion of the sliding portion of the crossbar,

wherein the sliding portion of the crossbar is movable to a closed position or to an at least partially extended position via the first sliding assemblies and the second sliding assembly, wherein, when the sliding portion is located in the closed position, the crossbar has a first depth and the expandable attachment bar is located adjacent to the rear sides of the first and second outer mounting assemblies, wherein, when the sliding portion is located in the at least partially extended position, the crossbar has a second depth and the expandable attachment bar is located adjacent to front sides of the first and second outer mounting assemblies, wherein the first depth of the crossbar is less than the second depth of the crossbar.

2. The crossbar according to claim 1, wherein the crossbar has an adjustable width that is adjustable from a first width to a second width by moving the second outer mounting assembly with respect to the first outer mounting assembly and moving the second inner sliding assembly with respect to the first inner sliding assembly.

3. The crossbar according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion is movable to an opened position such that the crossbar has a third depth that is greater than the second depth of the crossbar.

4. The crossbar according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion of the crossbar further comprises:

inner sliding gables of the sliding portion of the crossbar that each have a first depth guide, wherein the first depth guide corresponds to a first minimum depth value for a third depth of the crossbar, wherein the third depth is greater than the first depth of the crossbar and less than the second depth of the crossbar.

5. The crossbar according to claim 4, further comprising:

depth adjustment pins or screws inserted into the first depth guide of each of the inner sliding gables, wherein the depth adjustment pins or screws lock the sliding portion of the crossbar at the first minimum depth value such that the sliding portion is located between the closed position and the at least partially extended position.

6. The crossbar according to claim 5, wherein the fixed portion of the crossbar further comprising:

an outer fixed mounting gable of each of the first and second outer mounting assemblies, wherein each outer fixed mounting gable comprises a positioning tab, wherein the positioning tabs of first and second outer mounting assemblies engage the depth adjustment pins or screws when the sliding portion of the crossbar is locked at the first minimum depth value via the depth adjustment screws.

7. The crossbar according to claim 4, the inner sliding gables of the sliding portion further comprises:

second depth guides corresponding to a second minimum depth value for a fourth depth of the crossbar, wherein the fourth depth is greater than the first depth of the crossbar, less than the second depth of the crossbar, and greater or less than the third depth of the crossbar.

8. The crossbar according to claim 7, further comprising:

depth adjustment pins or screws inserted into the second depth guide of each of the inner sliding gables, wherein the depth adjustment pins or screws lock the sliding portion of the crossbar at the second minimum depth value such that the sliding portion is located between the closed position and the first minimum depth value or the at least partially extended position and the first minimum depth value.

18. A retail merchandising gondola section for dispensing retail products, the gondola section comprising:

retail merchandising aisle uprights; and

the crossbar according to claim 1 mounted to the aisle uprights via the upright mounting hooks provided at the rear sides of the first and second outer mounting assemblies of the fixed portion of the crossbar.

19. The retail merchandising gondola section according to claim 18, further comprising:

at least one retail product merchandising pusher system configured to receive and dispense one or more retail products, wherein the at least one retail product merchandising pusher system is joined to the attachment bar of the crossbar and comprises a pusher paddle configured to move the one or more retail products forward away from the rear sides of the first and second outer mounting assemblies.

20. The retail merchandising gondola section according to claim 19, further comprising:

at least one retail product position within the at least one retail product merchandising pusher system between the pusher paddle and a front end of the sliding portion of the crossbar.

9. A method for producing an adjustable depth merchandising crossbar, the method comprising:

joining a fixed portion of the crossbar to a sliding portion of the crossbar via a plurality of sliding assemblies, wherein the fixed portion of the crossbar comprises a first outer mounting assembly, a second outer mounting assembly movably connected to the first outer mounting assembly, and upright mounting hooks provided at rear sides of the first outer mounting assembly and the second outer mounting assembly, wherein the upright mounting hooks are mountable to retail merchandising aisle uprights, the sliding portion of the crossbar comprises a first inner sliding assembly and a second inner sliding assembly movably connected to the first inner sliding assembly; and

connecting an expandable attachment bar to the first and second inner sliding assemblies of the sliding portion of the crossbar, wherein the expandable attachment bar is sized or configured to receive at least one retail product merchandising pusher system for dispensing retail products;

wherein the sliding portion of the crossbar is movable to a closed position or to an at least partially extended position via the plurality of sliding assemblies, wherein, when the sliding portion is located in the closed position, the crossbar has a first depth and, when the sliding portion is located in the at least partially extended position, the crossbar has a second depth, wherein the first depth of the crossbar is less than the second depth of the crossbar.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

mounting the crossbar to retail merchandising aisle uprights via the upright mount hooks.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising

adjusting an adjustable width of the crossbar from a first width to a second width by moving the second outer mounting assembly with respect to the first outer mounting assembly and moving the second inner sliding assembly with respect to the first inner sliding assembly.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

moving the sliding portion of the crossbar to the closed position or the at least partially extended position.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

connecting the sliding portion of the crossbar and at least one retail product merchandising pusher system for dispensing retail products, wherein the at least one retail product merchandising pusher system comprises a pusher paddle configured to push one or more retail products forward away from the rear sides of the first and second outer mounting assemblies.

14. The method according claim 13, further comprising:

positioning a retail product within the at least one retail product merchandising pusher system for pushing or dispensing the retail product.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

moving the sliding portion of the crossbar to a intermediate position located between the closed position and the at least partially extended position.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

locking the crossbar at a third depth corresponding to the intermediate position, wherein the third depth is greater than the first depth of the crossbar and less than the second depth of the crossbar.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the crossbar is locked at a third depth by inserting depth adjustment pins or screws into first depth guides of inner sliding gables of the sliding portion of the crossbar.