Shelf assembly for gondola display structure

• US 5,390,802 A
• Filed: 03/02/1994
• Issued: 02/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PNC Bank National Association (The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hmg Worldwide In-Store Marketing, Inc.
• Inventors: Pappagallo, Larry, Sweeney, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M.
• Application Number:
  US08/205,901
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 211/186, 211/187, 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 211/184, 211/153, 211/151, 211/175, 211/189, 211/90
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 45/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling enlarging in height, length, or depth sectional furniture A47B87/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/027 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device

Abstract

A shelf assembly for use with a gondola display structure comprises a bracket assembly selectively engageable with the vertically spaced slots of the gondola upright and securable at one of a plurality of selected angular orientations relative thereto. A merchandise supporting surface is slidably coupled to the bracket assembly and is slidable into a plurality of positions relative to the forward facing surface of the gondola to compensate for the effect that changes in the angular orientation have on the appearance of the merchandise supported thereon. Transversely slidable dividing members are provided to accommodate, for example, items of different width on a single shelf.

Claims

1. A shelf assembly for supporting merchandise on a gondola display rack, said rack having at least one vertically extending upright defining a column of vertically spaced slots therein, comprising:

bracket means selectively engageable with the slots of the upright and selectively angularly positionable relative thereto, said bracket means including a transverse member defining an axial opening at respective ends thereof and first and second bracket assemblies having an elongate section selectively positionable within said transverse member and a flange section fastened to the elongate section and engageable with the slots of the upright whereby the distance between said flange sections may be adjusted to accommodate uprights having various widths and various spacings between columns of slots thereof;

a merchandise organization module defining at least one merchandise supporting surface for accommodating merchandise varying widths;

support means slidably secured to said bracket means for supporting said merchandise organization module and positioning said module at a selected distance from the upright; and

locking means for retaining said support means in a desired position relative to said bracket means and the upright.

2. A shelf assembly for supporting merchandise on a gondola display rack, said rack having at least one vertically extending upright defining a column of vertically spaced slots therein, comprising:

bracket means selectively engageable with the slots of the upright and selectively angularly positionable relative thereto, said bracket means comprising first and second bracket assemblies, each of said bracket assemblies including a flange section having a rearwardly projecting portion insertable into one of said vertically spaced slots and a downwardly depending portion, and retaining means secured to said downwardly projecting portion and selectively pivotable relative thereto for engaging a selected surface of the upright and thereby selectively retaining said bracket means in a selected angular orientation, whereby said module may be oriented horizontally or tilted downwardly and forwardly at a desired angle;

a merchandise organization module defining at least one merchandise supporting surface for accommodating merchandise if varying widths;

support means slidably secured to said bracket means for supporting said merchandise organization module and positioning said module at a selected distance from the upright; and

locking means for retaining said support means in a desired position relative to said bracket means and the upright.

3. A shelf assembly according to claim 2, wherein said rearwardly projecting portion is disposed in a vertical plane and defines a plurality of notches on a lower surface thereof and wherein a range of bracket orientations is established by aligning one of the notches with an interior wall of an upright slot and thereby adjusting the spacing between a rear edge of said downwardly depending portion and the upright.

4. A shelf assembly according to claim 3, wherein said downwardly depending portion defines an aperture and wherein said retaining means comprises a plate member having at least one surface engageable with the upright and defining a slot alignable with said aperture and means insertable into said slot and aperture for retaining said plate member at a desired annular orientation.

5. A shelf assembly according to claim 4, wherein said plate member includes an upwardly angled portion, said at least one engageable surface being disposed along an edge surface of said upwardly angled portion.

6. A shelf assembly according to claim 5, wherein said upwardly angled portion defines a transverse slot extending across an edge surface thereof.

7. A shelf assembly according to claim 2, wherein said bracket means further includes a transverse member defining an axial opening at respective ends thereof and wherein each bracket assembly further includes an elongate portion slidably positionable within said transverse member whereby the distance between said flange sections may adjusted to accommodate uprights having various widths and various distances between columns of slots.

8. A shelf assembly for supporting merchandise on a gondola display rack, said rack having at least one vertically extending upright defining a column of vertically spaced slots therein, comprising:

bracket means selectively engageable with the slots of the upright and selectively angularly positionable relative thereto;

a merchandise organization module defining at least one merchandise supporting surface and including movable dividing means slidable transversely relative to said merchandise supporting surface for accommodating merchandise of varying widths said merchandise organization module defining a pair of transversely extending axial channels and said dividing means comprising a plurality of dividing members, each dividing member including a base section having a downwardly extending tab at each end slidably positionable within said axial channels and a panel section extending upwardly from said base section, whereby the dividing members may be slidably positioned along said channels relative to one another to define a plurality of columns of different widths and to thereby accommodate merchandise of varying dimensions;

support means slidably secured to said bracket means for supporting said merchandise organization module and positioning said module at a selected distance from the upright; and

locking means for retaining said support means in a desired position relative to said bracket means and the upright.

9. A shelf assembly according to claim 8, wherein said merchandise organization module further includes a pusher assembly, said pusher assembly including a channel section having a spring biased pusher slidably disposed thereon and downwardly extending tabs at opposite ends thereof for slidable movement within corresponding axial slots.

10. A shelf assembly for supporting merchandise on a gondola display rack, said rack having at least one vertically extending upright defining a column of vertically spaced slots therein, comprising:

bracket means including first and second bracket assemblies, each of said bracket assemblies including a flange section having a rearwardly projecting portion insertable into one of said vertically spaced slots and a downwardly depending portion, and retaining means secured to said downwardly projecting portion and selectively pivotable relative thereto for engaging a selected surface of the upright and thereby selectively retaining said bracket means in a selected angular orientation;

a merchandise organization module defining at least one merchandise supporting surface and including movable dividing means slidable transversely relative to said merchandise supporting surface for accommodating merchandise of varying widths;

support means slidably secured to said bracket means for supporting said merchandise organization module and positioning said module at a selected distance from the upright; and

locking means for retaining said support means in a desired position relative to said bracket means and the upright.

11. A shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein said bracket means further includes a transverse member defining an axial opening at respective ends thereof and wherein each bracket assembly further includes an elongate portion slidably positionable within said transverse member whereby the distance between said flange sections may adjusted to accommodate uprights of various widths and having various spacings between columns of slots thereof.

12. A shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein said bracket means further includes rails and said support means includes first and second channel members dimensioned and arranged to slidably receive said rails.

13. A shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein said support means further comprises means for positioning said supporting surface at a plurality of selected distances from said upright.

14. A shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein said support means comprises a pair of transversely extending track members and wherein said movable dividing means includes a plurality of dividing members slidably positionable along said track members.

15. A shelf assembly according to claim 12, wherein said bracket means further comprises a pair of parallel bracket members, each of said bracket members having an inwardly directed face for supporting a respective one of said rails and each of said bracket members having a plurality of aligned, spaced apart notches.

16. A shelf assembly according to claim 15, wherein said locking means includes a wire grid pivotably secured to said channel members and biasing means for biasing said wire grid into engagement with an aligned pair of said spaced apart notches.

17. A shelf assembly according to claim 16, wherein said support means further comprises a rectangular frame secured to said channel members, said rectangular frame defining a pair of transverse support surfaces and a pair of vertical support surfaces.