Display shelf having anti-rotation railings

• US 6,554,143 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Display Industries LLC
• Inventors: Robertson, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US10/098,231
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 211/187-188, 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 211/74, 211/135, 211/151, 211/153, 211/184, 211/186, 108/108, D19/517, D19/520, D19/550, 206/446, 206/459.5, 206/775, 312/42, 312/45, 312/72, 221/27, 221/29, 221/151, 221/152, 221/156
• 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

An elongate channel displays a row of articles such as cans and bottles having petaloid feet. The channel is designed to receive petaloid feet articles for sliding movement along its length. The channel comprises a base wall and at least one side wall upstanding from one of the opposite side edges of the base wall. The base wall comprises a plurality of upwardly projecting ribs extending along the channel. The tops of the ribs define a plane on which the petaloid feet of articles are to be disposed. The base wall further comprises a pair of railings disposed along the plane and extending along the channel. The railings define therebetween a groove for receiving at least one of the petaloid feet of each article.

Claims

1. An elongate display channel and at least one article, said at least one article having a bottom and a width “

w”

, said display channel comprising;

an elongate base wall having a longitudinal centerline, opposite side edges and at least one side wall upstanding from one of said side edges, said at least one article being positioned between said side edges of said base wall and being slidably movable there between, said side edges being spaced from one another a distance “

d”

wherein d is greater than w and less than 2w so that said base wall is wide enough for only a single one of said articles;

a plurality of parallel ribs projecting upwardly from said base wall between said side edges and extending along said base wall, said ribs having tops defining a plane, said ribs being arranged in a first group on one side of said centerline and in a second group on the other side of said centerline; and

a pair of railings positioned between said first and second groups of ribs, said railings projecting upwardly from said base wall with tops of said railings disposed above said plane and extending along said channel, said railings defining therebetween a groove disposed along said centerline of said base wall and receiving a first portion of said bottom of said at least one article to prevent rotation of said at least one article as a second portion of said bottom of said at least one article contacts said parallel ribs thereby allowing said at least one article to slidably move along said ribs.

2. An elongate display channel and a plurality of articles, each of said articles having a bottom and a width “

w”

, said articles being arranged in a row, said display channel having a front end and a rear end with said front end being at a lower elevation than said rear end, said display channel receiving said row of articles for sliding movement therealong, said display channel comprising;

an elongate base wall extending between said front and rear ends, said base wall having a longitudinal centerline, opposite side edges and at least one side wall upstanding from one of said side edges, said side edges being spaced from one another a as distance “

d”

wherein d is greater than w and less than 2w so that said base wall is wide enough for only a single row of articles;

a plurality of parallel ribs projecting upwardly from said base wall between said side edges and extending along said base wall, said ribs having tops defining a plane, said ribs being arranged in a first group on one side of said centerline and in a second group on the other side of said centerline with said base wall between said first and second groups being free of said parallel ribs; and

a pair of railings being positioned between said first and second groups of ribs, said railings projecting upwardly from said base wall with tops of said railings disposed above said plane and extending along said channel, said railings defining therebetween a groove, along said base wall that is free of parallel ribs, receiving respective first portions of said bottoms of said articles to thereby prevent rotation of said articles, as respective second portions of said bottoms of said articles contact said parallel ribs thereby allowing said articles to slide along said ribs from said rear end to said front end.