PRODUCT MANAGEMENT DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 20150208830A1
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardy, Stephen N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,138,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/58 with means for adjusting partitions horizontally book-ends A47B65/00
• 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 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• 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 5/0087 movable around an axis

Abstract

An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system may include a retainer for limiting the movement of products loaded in the adjustable tray, a pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer, a first divider extending from a first panel and second divider extending from a second panel. The spacing between the first divider and the second divider can be configured to be adjusted. The first panel and the second panel can be configured to move to provide additional surface area for the adjustable tray to accommodate different sized products.

Claims

1. A merchandise display system comprising:

a tray having a tray surface for receiving products loaded in the tray;

a retainer for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray;

a first divider and a second divider for guiding the products in the tray; and

a first panel defining a first panel surface and a second panel defining a second panel surface wherein the first panel surface and the second panel surface provide for an extension to the tray surface, wherein the first divider extends perpendicularly from the first panel and second divider extends perpendicularly from the second panel;

wherein spacing between the first divider and the second divider is configured to be adjusted and the first panel and the second panel are configured to move to provide the extension to the tray surface of the tray when a space between the first divider and the second divider is increased.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1 further comprising a guide shaft comprising a set of guide shaft teeth configured to engage a first set of teeth located on the first panel and a second set of teeth located on the second panel to provide equalized movement and spacing of the first divider and the second divider with respect to one another.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 2 wherein the guide shaft extends underneath the tray wherein one of the first set of teeth or the second set of teeth extend upward to engage the guide shaft.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the retainer is configured to rotate from an upward position to a downward position and wherein the retainer further comprises a projection configured to provide a ramp for loading product into the tray.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 4 wherein the projection is configured to limit movement of product when the retainer is in the downward position.

6. The merchandise display system of claim 5 wherein the projection includes an angled portion and a flat portion which together form groove and wherein the groove is configured to receive a front portion of the adjustable tray therein to maintain the retainer in the downward position.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 6 wherein the retainer further comprises a tooth configured to engage a void on the tray for holding the retainer in the upward position.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the tray is configured to mount to either a front rail or a hanger tray by a cam.

9. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the first divider extends from first panels and second divider extends from second panels and wherein the first panels form a first opening and the second panels form a second opening.

10. The merchandise display system of claim 9 further comprising first and second slot recesses for receiving the first panels and the second panels.

11. The merchandise display system of claim 1 further comprising a pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer.

12. A merchandise display system comprising:

a tray having a tray surface for receiving products loaded in the tray; and

a retainer mounted to the tray for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray, the retainer comprising a retainer wall for retaining products in a first position and a retainer projection configured to help retain existing products on the tray in a second position and configured to serve as a guide for products being loaded onto the tray surface.

13. The merchandise display system of claim 12 wherein the projection further comprises a ramp for guiding the products into the tray when the retainer is in the second position and the projection further comprises a flat surface adjacent to the ramp which helps prevent products loaded onto the tray from advancing off of the tray when the retainer is in the second position.

14. The merchandise display system of claim 12 further comprising a first divider and a second divider wherein the first divider is located on a first panel and the second divider is located on a second panel wherein spacing between the first divider and the second divider is configured to be adjusted and the first panel and the second panel are configured to move to provide additional surface area to the tray surface when a distance between the first divider and the second divider is increased.

15. The merchandise display system of claim 14 further comprising a guide shaft comprising a set of guide shaft teeth configured to engage a first set of teeth located on the first panel and a second set of teeth located on the second panel to provide equalized movement and spacing of the first divider and the second divider with respect to one another.

16. The merchandise display system of claim 15 wherein the guide shaft extends underneath the tray wherein one of the first set of teeth or the second set of teeth extends upward to engage the guide shaft.

17. The merchandise display system of claim 12 wherein the retainer is configured to rotate from the first position to the second position.

18. The merchandise display system of claim 13 wherein the ramp and the flat surface together form a groove and wherein the groove is configured to receive a front portion of the tray therein to maintain the retainer in the second position.

19. The merchandise display system of claim 18 wherein the retainer further comprises a tooth configured to engage a void on the tray for holding the retainer in the first position.

20. The merchandise display system of claim 12 wherein the tray is configured to mount to either a front rail or a hanger tray by a cam.

21. The merchandise display system of claim 14 wherein the first divider extends from first panels and second divider extends from second panels and wherein the first panels form a first opening and the second panels form a second opening.

22. The merchandise display system of claim 21 further comprising first and second slot recesses for receiving the first panels and the second panels.