MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20150076089A1
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Display Technologies, Inc. (Rhode Island)
• Inventors: Howard, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,380,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 65/15 Partitions, e.g. dividers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/006 with modular arrangements of identical units
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• 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 3/14 Display trays or containers combined with racks A47F5/0025; tray partitions A47F5/005; as racks and transportable with merchandise A47F5/108; made of cardboard A47F5/11; stackable A47B87/02; packing boxes used subsequently as display trays B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0025 having separate display containers or trays on shelves or on racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0007 for stacked articles; Stabilising means therefor for cans or bottles A47F7/281
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/281 for vertically-stacked containers; Stabilising means therefor

Abstract

A guide assembly for a displaying a plurality of products is disclosed. The guide assembly includes a base, a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall. The base includes a product-supporting surface defining a longitudinal axis. Each lateral wall includes a plurality of support members and a rail. The support members extend upwardly from a lateral side of the base. The rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members. A proximal-most support member of the first lateral wall is longitudinally offset from a proximal-most support member of the second lateral wall.

Claims

1. A guide assembly for a displaying a plurality of products, the guide assembly comprising:

a base including a product-supporting surface, the product-supporting surface of the base defining a longitudinal axis;

a first lateral wall including a plurality of support members and a rail, wherein the support members extend upwardly from a first lateral side of the base, and wherein the rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members; and

a second lateral wall including a plurality of support members and a rail, wherein the support members extend upwardly from a second lateral side of the base, and wherein the rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members;

wherein a proximal-most support member of the first lateral wall is longitudinally offset from a proximal-most support member of the second lateral wall.

2. The guide assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the support members of the first lateral wall are longitudinally offset from each of the support members of the second lateral wall.

3. The guide assembly of claim 1, wherein an entirety of each of the support members of the first lateral wall are longitudinally offset from an entirety of each of the support members of the second lateral wall.

4. The guide assembly of claim 1, wherein adjacent support members of the first lateral wall are separated by a first distance, and wherein adjacent support members of the second lateral wall are separated by the first distance.

5. The guide assembly of claim 4, wherein corresponding support members of the first lateral wall and support members of the second lateral wall are longitudinally offset by a second distance, and wherein the second distance is equal to about half of the first distance.

6. A merchandising system for a displaying a plurality of products, the merchandising system comprising:

a first guide assembly and a second guide assembly, each guide assembly including;

a base including a product-supporting surface, the product-supporting surface of the base defining a longitudinal axis;

a first lateral wall including a plurality of support members and a rail, wherein the support members extend upwardly from a first lateral side of the base, and wherein the rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members; and

a second lateral wall including a plurality of support members and a rail, wherein the support members extend upwardly from a second lateral side of the base, and wherein the rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members;

wherein a proximal-most support member of the first lateral wall is longitudinally offset from a proximal-most support member of the second lateral wall;

wherein the first lateral wall of the second guide assembly is disposed alongside and in contact with the second lateral wall of the first guide assembly.

7. The merchandising system of claim 6, wherein each of the support members of the first lateral wall of each guide assembly are longitudinally offset from each of the support members of the second lateral wall of each guide assembly.

8. The merchandising system of claim 7, wherein an entirety of each of the support members of the first lateral wall of each guide assembly are longitudinally offset from an entirety of each of the support members of the second lateral wall of each guide assembly.

9. The merchandising system of claim 6, wherein adjacent support members of the first lateral wall of each guide assembly are separated by a first distance, and wherein adjacent support members of the second lateral wall of each guide assembly are separated by the first distance.

10. The merchandising system of claim 9, wherein corresponding support members of the first lateral wall of each guide assembly and support members of the second lateral wall of each guide assembly are longitudinally offset by a second distance, and wherein the second distance is equal to about half of the first distance.

11. The merchandising system of claim 6, wherein each of the support members of the first lateral wall of the second guide assembly is longitudinally aligned with a corresponding support member of the second lateral wall of the first guide assembly.

12. The merchandising system of claim 11, wherein each of the support members of the first lateral wall of the first guide assembly is longitudinally aligned with a corresponding support member of the second lateral wall of the second guide assembly.

13. The merchandising system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of products on each base of each guide assembly, wherein a portion of a first product beneath the rail of the first guide assembly is configured to contact a portion of a second product beneath the rail of the second guide assembly.

14. The merchandising system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of products on each base of each guide assembly, wherein a lateral-most edge of a first product is configured to contact an inside wall of a first support member of the first guide assembly when the product is in a first position on the base of the first guide assembly, and wherein a lateral-most edge of the first product is configured to extend laterally outward of the inside wall of the first support member of the first guide assembly when the product is in a second position on the base of the first guide assembly.

15. The merchandising system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of products on each base of each guide assembly, and wherein at least one of the products has a diameter that is larger than a perpendicular distance between an inner wall of the rail of the first lateral wall of the first guide assembly and an inner wall of the rail of the second lateral wall of the first guide assembly.

16. A method of advancing products on a merchandising system, the method comprising:

providing a guide assembly, the guide assembly including;

a base including a product-supporting surface, the product-supporting surface of the base defining a longitudinal axis;

a first lateral wall including a plurality of support members and a rail, wherein the support members extend upwardly from a first lateral side of the base, and wherein the rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members; and

a second lateral wall including a plurality of support members and a rail, wherein the support members extend upwardly from a second lateral side of the base, and wherein the rail is spaced above the base and extends along portions of the support members;

wherein a proximal-most support member of the first lateral wall is longitudinally offset from a proximal-most support member of the second lateral wall;

positioning at least one product on the base, wherein the at least one product has a diameter that is larger than a perpendicular distance between an inner wall of the rail of the first lateral wall and an inner wall of the rail of the second lateral wall; and

advancing the at least one product along a non-linear path along the base.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising advancing the at least one product in a zigzag path along the base.