Shelf expander for supermarkets

• US 4,828,121 A
• Filed: 12/14/1987
• Issued: 05/09/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reginald Willcocks Jr
• Original Assignee: Reginald Willcocks Jr
• Inventors: Willcocks, Reginald Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Machado, Reinaldo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PUROL, SARAH L
• Application Number:
  US07/132,905
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 211/94, 211/86, 211/88, 211/73, 211/57.1, 211/126, 211/72, 211/90, 248/459, 248/174, 248/221.4, 248/223.4, 248/205.3, 108/152, 229/16 R, 229/16 D
• US Class Current: 211/94.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0068 Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail

Abstract

A flat blank formed of transparent, synthetic plastic material which when erected creates an open bin that is readily secured to the front edge of a supermarket shelf to enlarge its capacity to store and display additional merchandise. The blank is constituted by a rectangular base panel whose opposing long sides are joined by living hinges to the corresponding sides of rear and front panels, the opposing ends of the rear panel being joined by living hinges to end panels. By folding up the front and rear panels and swinging in the end panels and latching them to the front and base panels, a three-dimensional bin is created whose rear panel can then be adhesively attached to holding clips received in the existing price channel at the front edge of the shelf.

Claims

1. A shelf expander attachable to the exposed edge of a supermarket shelf having a price channel thereon defined by upper and lower rails to provide additional space to display and store merchandise, said expander being formed from a flat blank of synthetic plastic material having a rectangular base panel whose opposing long sides are joined by living hinges to corresponding sides of rectangular rear and front panels, the opposing ends of the rear panel being joined by living hinges to end panels whereby erection of the blank is effected by folding up the front and rear panels and swinging in the end panels and latching them to the front and base panels to create a three-dimensional bin, said expander being attachable to said price channel by means of at least two spaced holding clips received in the channel, each holding clip having a high-tack adhesive band to which the rear panel of the expander is attached, each holding clip being provided with a slide plate received between the rails of said channel and a support plate cantilevered from the slide plate to extend above the upper rail of the channel and having said adhesive band thereon, each holding clip having a stiffening ridge spaced below the support plate to contact the rear panel of the expander and thereby help to maintain the expander in a generally level attitude with respect to the shelf, each end panel being provided with an end flange which when the blank is erected overlies the front panel and an edge flange which overlies the base panel to stabilize the bin.

2. An expander as set forth in claim 1, wherein said blank is molded of transparent plastic material.

3. An expander as set forth in claim 2, wherein said material is acrylic.

4. An expander as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base panel is provided with a row of clean-out holes.

5. An expander as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper edge of the front panel has an elongated U-shaped cut out to facilitate access to the merchandise held in the bin.

6. An expander as set forth in claim 1, wherein latching is effected by detent fingers formed on the end panels which snap into complementary detent recesses on the base panel and the front panel.