Roto-track display device

• US 5,865,324 A
• Filed: 09/25/1997
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Display Technologies, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Display Technologies, Inc. (Rhode Island)
• Inventors: Neustadt, Craig A., Jay, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M.
• Application Number:
  US08/937,478
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 211/74, 211/59.2, 211/151, 211/75, 312/45, 221/281, 446/168
• US Class Current: 211/59.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14

Abstract

A front-loading and front-discharging, exclusively gravity-feed display device for upright articles includes an exclusively gravity-feed track of a U-shaped design in plan, a U-shaped cross-section open at the top thereof, and a generally uniform article-supporting longitudinal incline extending downwardly along the length of the track. In a preferred embodiment, the track defines a loading or supply end, and a dispensing or delivery end, the loading and dispensing ends being in generally the same vertical plane. A U-shaped bight track section is spaced from the same vertical plane. An upper track section functionally connects the loading end and the bight track section, and a lower track section functionally connects the bight track section and the dispensing end. The upper, bight and lower track sections cooperatively and successively define a downwardly-extending article-supporting incline along the entire U-shaped length of the track.

Claims

1. A front-loading and front-discharging, exclusively gravity-feed display device for upright articles, comprising:

an exclusively gravity-feed track of a U-shaped vertical design in top plan open at the front thereof, said track having an upper free end, a lower free end, verticallv extending first outer sidewalls adjacent opposing legs of said U-shaped track, and vertically extending first inner sidewalls parallel with said first outer sidewalls and located therebetween, said first outer sidewalls each having a height defined by a lower edge thereof at the level of said lower free end and an upper edge thereof spaced above said upper free end, said track defining a generally uniform article-supporting longitudinal incline extending downwardly along the length of said track from said upper free end to said lower free end between respective first outer sidewalls and first inner sidewalls.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said track defines:

(i) a loading or supply end including said upper free end,

(ii) a dispensing or delivery end including said lower free end, said loading and dispensing ends being in generally the same vertical plane,

(iii) a bight track section spaced from the same vertical plane and defining the curved bottom portion of the "U",

(iv) an upper track section functionally connecting said loading end and said bight track section, and

(v) a lower track section functionally connecting said bight track section and said dispensing end;

said upper, bight and lower track sections cooperatively and successively defining said downwardly-extending article-supporting incline extending lengthwise along the entire U-shaped length of said track.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said upper, bight and lower track sections define said downwardly-extending article-supporting incline having generally uniform inclination.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said article-supporting surface of said bight track section is smoothly inclined.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein each of said upper and lower track sections includes a base for supporting articles thereon and a pair of sidewalls upstanding therefrom, one of said pair of sidewalls being a first outer sidewall and the other being a first inner sidewall.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said bight track section includes a base for supporting articles thereon, a second inner sidewall and a second outer sidewall, said second outer sidewall functionally connecting said first outer sidewalls for assistance in maintaining the articles upright as they travel along said bight track section.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said second inner sidewall extends upwardly from said base at least as far as said second outer sidewall.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said bight track section includes said base, said second outer sidewall and said second inner sidewall, said second inner and outer sidewalls functionally connecting said first inner and outer sidewalls, respectively, for assistance in maintaining the articles upright as they travel along said bight track section.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said bight track section includes said base, said second outer sidewall and, as said second inner sidewall, a vertically-extending bumper disposed adjacent said first inner sidewalls.

11. The device of claim 1 additionally including means for stacking a plurality of said display devices one above the other in vertical alignment.

12. The device of claim 1 additionally including means for horizontally banking a plurality of said display devices side by side in horizontal alignment.

13. In combination, the device of claim 1 and a plurality of upright articles supported thereby.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein each of said upright articles makes a sliding, but non-rotating, contact with said incline.

10. A front-loading and front-discharging, exclusively gravity-feed display device for upright articles, comprising:

an exclusively gravity-feed track of a U-shaped design in top plan open at the front thereof, said track having an upper free end, a lower free end, vertically extending first outer sidewalls adjacent opposing legs of said U-shaped track, and vertically extending first inner sidewalls parallel with said first outer sidewalls and located therebetween, said first outer sidewalls each having a height defined by a lower edge thereof at the level of said lower free end and an upper edge thereof spaced above said upper free end, said track defining a generally uniform article-supporting longitudinal incline extending downwardly along the length of said track, said track defining;

(i) a loading or supply end, including said upper free end,

(ii) a dispensing or delivery end, including said lower free end, said loading and dispensing ends being in generally the same vertical plane,

(iii) a bight track section spaced from the same vertical plane and defining the curved bottom portion of the "U",

(iv) an upper track section functionally connecting said loading end and said bight track section, and

(v) a lower track section functionally connecting said bight track section and said dispensing end;

said upper, bight and lower track sections cooperatively and successively defining said downwardly-extending article-supporting incline extending lengthwise along the entire U-shaped length of said track from said upper free end to said lower free end between respective first outer sidewalls and first inner sidewalls;

each of said upper and lower track sections including a base for supporting articles thereon and a pair of first inner and outer sidewalls upstanding therefrom said bight track section including a base, a second outer sidewall functionally connecting said first outer sidewalls, and, as a second inner sidewall, a vertically-extending bumper disposed adjacent said first inner sidewalls for assistance in maintaining the articles upright as they pass along said bight track section.