Transformable display and holding device

• US 6,401,942 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael P. Eckert
• Original Assignee: Michael P. Eckert
• Inventors: Eckert, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US09/519,490
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 211/59.4, 211/184, 211/175, 211/43, 211/46, 211/120, 211/45, 211/50-51, 108/61, 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 point of sale display tray with multiple rows and product advance for each row that transforms the number of rows to accommodate varying sizes of display product and still provides product advance for each row without the need of removing parts. The point of sale display tray is a display and holding device that transforms from a primary configuration with a number of primary bays to a secondary configuration with a reduced number of secondary bays.

Claims

1. A display and holding device comprising:

a. a plurality of primary bays,

each of said plurality of primary bays being defined by a portion of a front wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, a portion of a bottom wall, and a portion of a back wall,

said front wall being parallel to the back wall, said front wall further having a bottom edge connected to a front edge of the bottom wall, the bottom wall further having a back edge connected to a bottom edge of the back wall, and each of the side walls being perpendicular to and extending from the front wall; and

b. a plurality of object advancers equal in number to the number of said plurality of primary bays,

one of said plurality of object advancers being disposed in each of said plurality of primary bays,

each of said plurality of object advancers being moveable along and aligned with a path extending between a forward position proximate to the front wall and an aft position proximate to the back wall,

wherein, at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is selectively moveable laterally between a primary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed between two adjacent paths and a secondary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed in a line parallel with the length of one of the two adjacent paths while the object advancer aligned with said one of the two adjacent paths is disposed in the aft position,

whereby, as the object advancer aligned in said one of the two adjacent paths is disposed proximate to the aft position and the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is moved to the secondary position, the forward movement of the object advancer aligned in said one of the adjacent paths is secured in an immobile position proximate the back wall by said selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall disposed in the secondary position.

2. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall of each primary bay is selectively moveable laterally between an initial position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed proximate an adjacent path and a secondary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed along said adjacent path while the object advancer aligned in said adjacent path is disposed proximate to the aft position,

whereby, the display and holding device is transformed from a primary configuration having a number of primary bays to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of secondary bays which can accommodate secondary objects of varying lateral dimensions.

3. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall of each primary bay with an unsecured object advancer is selectively moveable laterally to a position in which the lateral distance between the first side wall and the second side wall of each bay is uniform, and the display and holding device is transformed from a primary configuration having a number of primary bays to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of secondary bays which can accommodate secondary objects of greater lateral dimension than the object that could be accommodated by each primary bay, and with each of the secondary bays having an unsecured one of said plurality of object advancers being disposed in each of said number of secondary bays to advance the secondary objects.

4. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary bays comprises five primary bays with a central bay being the primary bay in the middle, and wherein the first side wall and the second side wall of the central bay are selectively moveable laterally from the primary position to the secondary position in which the first side wall and the second side wall are disposed along the path of the object advancer of the central bay,

whereby, as the object advancer of the central bay is disposed proximate the aft position and the first side wall and the second side wall of the central bay are selectively moved laterally to the secondary position, the forward movement of the object advancer of the central bay is secured in an immobile position proximate the back wall by the first side wall and the second side wall of the central bay disposed in the secondary position.

5. The display and holding device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall of each primary bay with an unsecured object advancer is selectively moveable laterally to a position in which the lateral distance between the first side wall and the second side wall of each bay is uniform,

whereby, the display and holding device is transformed from a primary configuration having five primary bays to a secondary configuration having four secondary bays which can accommodate secondary objects of greater lateral dimension than the object that could be accommodated by each primary bay, and with each of the secondary bays having an unsecured one of said plurality of object advancers being disposed in each of said number of secondary bays to advance the secondary objects.

6. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of object advancers comprises a spring biased hand, said hand having a front face for contact with a rear surface of an object.

7. The display and holding device of claim 6, wherein said spring biased hand has a coil spring which extends along a portion of the bottom wall disposed along the path of a bay as the hand is moved to the aft position.

8. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall comprises a flat vertical elongated fin having a front end and a rear end.

9. The display and holding device of claim 8, wherein the fin has an upper edge with an arch.

10. The display and holding device of claim 8, wherein the front end of the fin has an elongated cylindrical tube segment with a downward opening extending along the length of the tube segment disposed proximate to an upper edge, said tube segment is aligned perpendicular to the flat vertical elongated fin and arranged so that the downward opening slidably fits on to a beaded top edge of the front wall.

11. The display and holding device of claim 8, wherein a predetermined number of the flat vertical elongated fins have a longitudinal dimension which is greater than the distance between an object advancer disposed in the aft position and the front wall.

12. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall has a bottom surface with a plurality of flanges extending from said bottom surface, said plurality of flanges are adapted for use in stabilizing the display and holding device with respect to a shelving unit.

13. The display and holding device of claim 1, wherein a front portion of the bottom wall is sloped upwardly toward the front to elevate at least one object disposed in front to facilitate removal.

14. A display and holding tray assembly, in which a tray, has a front wall, a pair of side walls, a bottom wall, and a back wall, with the front wall being parallel to the back wall and the pair of side walls being parallel to each other, said front wall having a top edge, a bottom edge connected to a front edge of the bottom wall, and two side edges, each of which is connected respectively to a front edge of each of the pair of side walls, said bottom wall further having a pair of side edges, each of which is connected respectively to a bottom edge of each of the pair of side walls, and a back edge connected a bottom edge of the back wall, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. a predetermined number of object advancers,

each of said predetermined number of object advancers being moveable along and aligned with a path extending between a forward position proximate to the front wall and an aft position proximate to the back wall; and

b. a plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers equal in number to one less than the predetermined number of object advancers,

each of said plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers extends from the front wall of the tray,

each of said plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers being laterally moveable, with two of said plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers being laterally moveable from a primary position in which each of said two dividers straddles one of the paths to a secondary position in which said two dividers are disposed in a line parallel with the length of said one of the paths while the object advancer aligned in said one of the paths is disposed proximate to the aft position,

whereby, as the object advancer aligned with said one of the paths is disposed proximate to the aft position and said two dividers are moved to the secondary position in line with said one of the paths, the forward movement of the object advancer aligned with said one of the paths is secured in an immobile position proximate the back wall by said two dividers disposed in the secondary position.

15. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers is selectively moveable laterally to a position in which the lateral distance between adjacent dividers is uniform, and the display and holding tray is transformed from a primary configuration having a predetermined number of object advancers disposed in the primary position to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of object advancers disposed in the primary position,

said object advancers disposed in the primary position being free to move along the path between the forward position proximate to the front wall and the aft position proximate to the back wall independent of obstruction from any of said plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers.

16. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 14, wherein a front end of each of the plurality of dividers has an elongated cylindrical tube segment with a downward opening extending along the length of the tube segment disposed proximate an upper edge, said elongated cylindrical tube segment is aligned perpendicular to the length of the divider so that the downward opening slidably fits onto the top edge of the front wall.

17. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 16, wherein the elongated cylindrical tube segment extends to one side of the divider.

18. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 16, wherein the elongated cylindrical tube segment is medially connected to the front end of the divider and extends laterally in both directions.

19. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 14, wherein the top edge of the front wall is beaded with an end of the beaded top edge having a reduced size to allow a downward opening of the elongated cylindrical tube segment to fit onto the reduced end of the beaded top edge of the front wall.

each of said at least three object advancers being moveable along and aligned with a path extending between a forward position proximate to the front wall and an aft position proximate to the back wall,

wherein, at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is selectively moveable laterally between a primary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed between a first path and a second path, said first path being adjacent to said second path and said selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall having a length that does not substantially exceed the distance between the front wall and an object advancer disposed in the aft position, and a secondary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed along one of i) the path of one of said at least three object advancers while the object advancer aligned with said path is disposed in the aft position, and ii) a corridor independent of immediate proximity to both the first path and the second path,

whereby, when at least one of the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed in the secondary position, the display and holding device is transformed from a primary configuration having at least three primary bays to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of secondary bays with at least one of said secondary bays having a plurality of object advancers disposed therein.

20. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 14, wherein a predetermined number of the plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers have a longitudinal dimension which is greater than the distance between an object advancer disposed in the aft position and the front wall.

21. A display and holding device comprising:

a. at least three primary bays,

each of said at least three primary bays being defined by a portion of a front wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, a portion of a bottom wall, and a portion of a back wall,

said front wall being parallel to the back wall, said front wall further having a bottom edge connected to a front edge of the bottom wall, the bottom wall further having a back edge connected to a bottom edge of the back wall, and each of the side walls being perpendicular to and extending from the front wall; and

b. at least three object advancers equal in number to the number of said at least three primary bays,

one of said at least three object advancers being disposed in each of said at least three primary bays,

each of said at least three object advancers being moveable along and aligned with a path extending between a forward position proximate to the front wall and an aft position proximate to the back wall,

wherein at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is selectively moveable laterally between a primary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed between a first path and a second path, said first path being adjacent to said second path and said selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall having a length that does not substantially exceed the distance between the front wall and an object advancer disposed in the aft position, and a secondary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed along one of i) the path of one of said at least three object advancers while the object advancer aligned with said path is disposed in the aft position, and ii) a corridor independent of immediate proximity to both the first path and the second path,

whereby when at least one of the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed in the secondary position, the display and holding device is transformed from a primary configuration having at least three primary bays to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of secondary bays with at least one of said secondary bays having a plurality of object advancers disposed therein.

22. The display and holding device of claim 21, wherein each of said selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall has a length that does not substantially exceed the distance between the front wall and an object advancer disposed in the aft position.

23. A display and holding tray assembly, in which a tray, has a front wall, a pair of side walls, a bottom wall, and a back wall, with the front wall being parallel to the back wall and the pair of side walls being parallel to each other, said front wall having a top edge, a bottom edge connected to a front edge of the bottom wall, and two side edges, each of which is connected respectively to a front edge of each of the pair of side walls, said bottom wall further having a pair of side edges, each of which is connected respectively to a bottom edge of each of the pair of side walls, and a back edge connected to a bottom edge of the back wall, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. a predetermined number of object advancers,

each of said predetermined number of object advancers being moveable along and aligned with a path extending between a forward position proximate to the front wall and an aft position proximate to the back wall; and

b. a plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers equal in number to one less than the predetermined number of object advancers,

each of said plurality of flat vertical elongated dividers extends from the front wall of the tray,

at least one of said dividers being laterally moveable from a primary position in which the at least one of said laterally moveable dividers is disposed between a first path and a second path, said first path being adjacent to said second path and the at least one of said laterally moveable dividers having a length that does not substantially exceed the distance between the front wall and an object advancer disposed in the aft position, and a secondary position in which the at least one of said laterally moveable dividers is disposed along one of i) the path of one of said predetermined number of object advancers while the object advancer aligned with said path is disposed in the aft position, and ii) a corridor independent of immediate proximity to both the first path and the second path,

whereby, when at least one of the laterally moveable dividers is disposed in the secondary position, the improved display and holding tray is transformed from a primary configuration having a predetermined number of primary bays to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of secondary bays with at least one of said secondary bays having a plurality of object advancers disposed therein.

24. The display and holding tray assembly of claim 23, wherein a front portion of the bottom wall is sloped upwardly toward the front wall to elevate at least one object disposed in front to facilitate removal.

25. A display and holding device comprising:

a. at least three primary bays,

each of said at least three primary bays being defined by a portion of a front wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, a portion of a bottom wall, and a portion of a back wall,

said front wall being parallel to the back wall, said front wall further having a bottom edge connected to a front edge of the bottom wall, the bottom wall further having a back edge connected to a bottom edge of the back wall, and each of the side walls being perpendicular to and slidably connected to the front wall; and

b. at least three object advancers equal in number to the number of said at least three primary bays,

one of said at least three object advancers being disposed in each of said at least three primary bays,

each of said at least three object advancers being moveable along and aligned with a path extending between a forward position proximate to the front wall and an aft position proximate to the back wall,

wherein at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is selectively moveable laterally between a primary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed between a first path and a second path, said first path being adjacent to said second path and said selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall having a length that does not substantially exceed the distance between the front wall and an object advancer disposed in the aft position, and a secondary position in which the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed along one of i) the path of one of said at least three object advancers while the object advancer aligned with said path is disposed in the aft position, and ii) a corridor independent of immediate proximity to both the first path and the second path,

whereby when at least one of the selectively moveable at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall is disposed in the secondary position, the display and holding device is transformed from a primary configuration having at least three primary bays to a secondary configuration having a reduced number of secondary bays with at least one of said secondary bays having a plurality of object advancers disposed therein.