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• US 5,111,942 A
• Filed: 03/25/1991
• Issued: 05/12/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Didier Bernardin
• Original Assignee: Didier Bernardin
• Inventors: Bernardin, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US07/691,385
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/59.2, 312/42, 312/60, 312/61, 312/71
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

A channel is adapted to receive partly nested objects in a queue which a clamp/pusher member associated with a return spring urges towards an anterior abutment wall, the pusher member is associated with a slide member sliding in a central guide corridor, while the return spring forms at least one outward run in each of the two side passages between at least one direction-changer pulley wheel and an anchor point. A plurality of merchandisers may be mounted on a strip member for the purposes of aligning the merchandisers with the shelving and securing them to it.

Claims

1. Queued object merchandiser comprising a channel adapted to receive partly nested objects forming a queue, said channel being provided with a clamp/pusher member fastened to a foot member adapted to slide in a guide slot and associated with a return spring urging it towards an anterior abutment wall, the foot member of the clamp/pusher member being fastened to a slide member disposed in a central guide passage disposed under a bottom of the channel, the return spring being coupled to the slide member and there being provided to either side of the central passage two side passages, the return spring describing at least an outward run in each of the side passages between at least one direction-changer pulley wheel and an anchor point.

2. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein said return spring describes an outward and a return run in each of said side passages.

3. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein the return spring direction-changer pulley wheels have vertical axes so that the spring as a whole is held in a generally horizontal plane defined by the carriage coupling member.

4. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein the slider is a carriage mounted on balls adapted to bear on three walls of the central guide passage.

5. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein the slide member is a carriage mounted on rollers.

6. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein said slide member comprises a profiled member with angle-irons cooperating with slideways of said central passage.

7. Merchandiser according to claim 1 comprising a base module and a variable number of extension modules, and in which each extension module is adapted to couple to any previous module by the nesting of anterior partition elements with posterior lugs with studs of the previous module.

8. Merchandiser according to claim 7 in which the anterior partition elements of each extension module block off the lateral passages extending into them and an end plate is adapted to close the channel at the rear of the last extension module.

9. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein there is provided in front of the anterior abutment wall a spare location adapted to receive an object separate from the queue.

10. Merchandiser according to claim 1 wherein a direction-changer guide is provided under the slide member to guide and change the direction of the return spring in the central passage.

11. Merchandiser according to claim 10 further comprising at least one retainer abutment disposed laterally away from the direction-changer guide, the distance between the direction-changer guide and each retainer abutment being less than the diameter of the return spring over at least part of the longitudinal length of said direction-changer abutment.

12. Set of merchandisers for queued objects, each merchandiser comprising a channel adapted to receive a queue of partly nested objects, said channel being provided with a clamp/pusher member fastened to a foot member adapted to slide in a guide slot and associated with a return spring urging it towards an anterior abutment wall, the foot member of the clamp/pusher member being fastened to a slide member in a central guide passage formed under the bottom of the channel, the return spring being attached to the slide member, and a strip member adapted to be fixed to shelving and incorporating a flange adapted to cooperate with a slot formed in the front part of each of the merchandisers in order to hold them aligned side by side with each other along the shelving.

13. Set of merchandisers according to claim 12 wherein each merchandiser further comprises a latch on one side of the slot adapted to engage in a groove formed in said strip member flange.

15. Set of merchandisers according to claim 12 wherein said strip member is generally L-shaped comprising a horizontal flange adapted to be fixed to the shelving, the above-mentioned flange being a vertical flange.

14. Set of merchandisers according to 13 wherein an information compartment is adapted to be mounted on the front end of each of the merchandisers and masks the latch of the corresponding merchandiser and in which an access opening is formed in each merchandiser in line with the latch to enable the latter to be disengaged from the groove in said flange and the merchandiser to be removed from the strip member.

16. Set of queued object merchandisers each comprising a channel adapted to receive a partly nested queue of objects, a generally L-shaped strip member comprising a substantially horizontal flange adapted to be fixed to the shelving and a substantially vertical flange adapted to be inserted into a slot formed in the front part of each of the merchandisers in order to hold them aligned with each other along the shelving, snap-fastener means being provided in communication with the slot or adapted to cooperate with a groove formed in the vertical flange in order to enable each of the merchandisers to be snap-fastened onto the strip member.

17. Set of merchandisers according to claim 16 wherein the outside surface of one of the side walls comprises male means adapted to operate with complementary female means disposed on the outside surface of the other lateral wall of each merchandiser.