Roller shelf and method of making same

• US 5,159,753 A
• Filed: 02/21/1991
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mechtronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mechtronics Corporation
• Inventors: Torrence, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorski, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US07/658,690
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 29/895, 29/895.2, 29/895.22, 29/418, 29/434, 29/437, 29/441.1, 29/527.1, 193/35 R, 193/37, 264/238, 264/152, 264/161
• US Class Current: 29/895.22
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/0086 Runner trees, i.e. several articles connected by a runner
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/08 the articles being fed by gravity braking arrangements for roller-ways B65G13/075; separating or stopping elements B65G47/88
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49556 Work contacting surface element assembled to end support members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49799 Providing transitory integral holding or handling portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts

Abstract

The method of making a roller shelf for the display and dispensing of wares which includes molding a plurality of groups of molded parallel axles and rollers as a unit and with a common mold runner, the groups each having the same number of axles, providing a pair of side rails having opposed complementary bearing recesses, the number of the bearing recesses being an integral multiple of the number of axles in the groups, simultaneously inserting the axles of a group into the bearing recesses, fixing the axles in the recesses, and breaking off the runner. The roller shelf can have spaced rollers or interleaved and overlapping rollers.

Claims

1. A method of making a roller self including the steps of:

molding a plurality of groups of parallel roller structures each said roller structure comprising an axle having at least one roller joined integrally therewith, each said group having a common runner interconnecting said parallel roller structures in that said group, said groups each having the same number of said roller structures;

providing a pair of side rails having opposed complementary beating recesses to receive said axles of said roller structures, the number of said bearing recesses being an integral multiple of the number of said roller structures in said groups,

simultaneously inserting said axles of said roller structures of a said group into said bearing recesses, and thereafter breaking off said runner,

whereby a roller bar is formed of each said pair of side rails and its inserted said roller structures.

2. The method of making a roller shelf as set forth in claim 1 including the step of mounting at least two of said roller bars parallel to one another and at an angle to the horizontal, whereby packages can be displayed and dispensed from said roller bars.

3. The method of making a roller shelf as set forth in claim 2 in which said angle to the horizontal is about eight degrees.

4. The method of making a roller shelf as set forth in claim 1 in which the spacing of said axles of said roller structures longitudinally of said runner is double that of said bearing recesses and said inserting step includes placing said axles in alternate said recesses.

5. The method of making a roller shelf as set forth in claim 4 further including placing said axles of said roller structures of a second group into each recess which does not yet have an axle therein, such that each roller on each said axle overlaps the said rollers on immediately adjacent said axles.

6. The method of making a roller shelf as set forth in claim 1 in which said rollers and said axles are molded of polypropylene.