Shelf insert

• US 6,648,151 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Battaglia, Joseph M., Bustos, Rafael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, KHOA H
• Application Number:
  US09/858,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20010019032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.2, 211/74, 211/183, 211/184, 211/43, 211/100, 211/75, 312/42, 312/45, 312/72, 312/234.4, 312/234.5, 312/405.1, 312/312.5, 312/128
• 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 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• 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 shelf assembly for organizing and merchandising a plurality of products. The shelf assembly comprises a shelf having a bottom, plurality of dividers extending from front to back, a pair of dividers and the bottom forming a track in which a column of products are arranged. A front member pivotal about a stop, or pivotally engaged with the dividers, prevents the forwardmost product within the column from falling off the front of the shelf. The pivotal front members enable product to be pulled forwardly off the shelf, minimizing the spacing necessary between adjacent shelves.

Claims

1. A shelf insert for use on an inclined gravity feed shelf, said shelf insert comprising:

a bottom and a plurality of dividers, an adjacent pair of said dividers and said bottom of said insert defining a track for supporting a plurality of products arranged in a column, said insert having multiple tracks, each of said tracks having an arcuate pivotal front member engaged with said adjacent dividers at the front of the track, said front member being pivotal about a horizontal axis, said front member being positioned such that as a forwardmost one of said products is removed from said track by pulling a top portion of said forwardmost one of said products over said front member, said front member is caused to pivot about said horizontal axis and move a top edge of said front member forwardly, wherein said shelf insert is removable as a whole from said inclined gravity feed shelf.

2. The shelf insert of claim 1 wherein said front member is caused to return to its original position upon a product behind said forwardmost one of said products sliding forwardly in said track and contacting said front member.

3. A shelf insert for use on an inclined gravity feed shelf for organizing and merchandising a plurality of products, said shelf insert comprising:

a rear member, two sides and a plurality of parallel internal dividers dividing the shelf insert into a plurality of parallel tracks, each track having an arcuate front member pivotal about a horizontal axis, said front member preventing product from falling off a front edge of said shelf, whereby upon a forwardmost product in said column of products being pulled over said front member, top and bottom edges of said front member are caused to rotate about said horizontal axis, wherein said shelf insert as a whole is removable from said inclined gravity feed shelf.

4. The shelf insert of claim 3 wherein said top edge of said front member rotates in front of said horizontal axis when said forwardmost one of said products is removed from said track.

5. The shelf insert of claim 3 wherein said bottom edge of said front member rotates behind said horizontal axis when said forwardmost one of said products is removed from said track.

6. A shelf insert for use on an inclined gravity feed shelf, said shelf insert comprising:

a plurality of parallel internal dividers dividing the shelf insert into a plurality of parallel tracks,

an arcuate front member supported at the front of each of said tracks, said front member being pivotal about a horizontal axis and having top and bottom edges located respectively above and below said horizontal axis such that upon a forwardmost one of said products being pulled over said front member, said front member is caused to pivot about said horizontal axis, and in the course thereof, said bottom edge of said front member is moved rearwardly in said track and said top edge of said front member is moved forwardly, wherein said shelf insert as a whole is removable from said inclined gravity feed shelf.

7. The shelf insert of claim 6 wherein said horizontal axis is spaced above said bottom of said product holder.

8. The shelf insert of claim 6 wherein said front member has a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface.