Merchandise self-facing system with interlocking pushers

• US 6,824,009 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardy, Stephen Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): RIDLEY, RICHARD W L
• Application Number:
  US10/248,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20030094462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/175, 211/184, 221/92, 221/124, 221/241, 221/242, 221/279
• US Class Current: 221/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

A self-facing merchandise pusher system for use in retail stores. Numerous products in a retail store are merchandised on shelves and a biased pusher is used to urge products toward the front edge of the shelf. The width of the pusher corresponds generally to the width of the narrowest product to be pushed. A removable divider extends vertically between each pusher. When pushing products that are multiples of the width of the narrowest product, dividers may be removed to create a larger pushing surface. Removing a divider locks two adjacent pushers together thereby causing the two pushers to push in unison and prevents product from slipping between the adjacent pushers.

Claims

1. A merchandise pusher system for self-facing product comprising:

a housing containing a plurality of product channels, the housing having a front and a back,

a plurality of biased pushers positioned within the plurality of product channels for pushing product toward the front of the housing,

at least one removable divider positioned between the plurality of biased pushers, and

at least one interlocking device mounted to at least one of the plurality of biased pushers, the at least one interlocking device engaging an adjacent pusher upon the removal of the at least one divider.

2. The merchandise pusher system of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a top wall and a bottom wall, the at least one divider extending between the top wall and the bottom wall.

3. The merchandise pusher system of claim 1 wherein the at least one removable divider is a plurality of dividers with each divider positioned between adjacent biased pushers.

4. The merchandise pusher system of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a removable front product retaining wall.

5. The merchandise pusher system of claim 1 wherein the biased pusher includes opposing side walls and an opening located in at least one of the side walls.

6. The merchandise pusher system of claim 5 wherein the at least one interlocking device extends through the opening upon the removal of the at least one divider.

7. The merchandise pusher system of claim 6 wherein the at least one interlocking device retracts from the opening upon the insertion of the at least one divider.

8. The merchandise pusher system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of biased pushers include a biasing mechanism operatively coupled to the top end and the bottom end of each pusher for permitting independent biasing of either of the top end or the bottom end of the pusher.

9. The merchandise pusher system of claim 8 wherein the biasing mechanism includes the use of a flat coiled spring defining a releasably secured end and a coiled end.

10. A method of self-facing product in a retail store comprising the steps of:

providing a housing defining a front and a back and containing a plurality of product channels, the housing including a plurality of pushers and at least one removable divider positioned between the plurality of pushers, the pushers biasing the product toward the front of the housing, the plurality of pushers further including at least one interlocking device,

placing product in the plurality of product channels, and

removing the at least one divider thereby causing the at least one interlocking device to engage an adjacent pusher and to cause adjacent pushers to bias in unison toward the front of the housing.

11. The method of self-facing product of claim 10 further comprising the steps of replacing the at least one divider thereby causing the at least one interlocking device to disengage from the adjacent pusher.

12. The method of self-facing product of claim 10 wherein the pushers define opposing side walls and at least one opening for receiving the at least one interlocking device from the adjacent pusher.

13. The method of self-facing product of claim 10 wherein the step of removing the at least one divider includes sliding the divider between the plurality of pushers.

14. A system for merchandising product in a retail store comprising:

a housing containing a plurality of product channels separated by a plurality of removable dividers, and

a plurality of pushers positioned within the housing with one pusher positioned within one product channel, each of the plurality of pushers having a top end and a bottom end, a biasing mechanism is operatively coupled to the top end and the bottom end of each pusher for permitting independent biasing of either of the top end or the bottom end of the pusher, the plurality of pushers being adaptable to receive an interlocking device for operatively coupling adjacent pushers upon the insertion or removal of one of the plurality of dividers.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the housing further include s a removable front product retaining wall.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the interlocking device may include a pivoting mechanism connected to the pusher.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the pusher includes an opening for receiving a pivoting mechanism of an adjacent pusher.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the housing includes a plurality of slots, the plurality of removable divider s slidably engaging the plurality of slots.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the biasing mechanism includes a coiled spring.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the coiled spring further includes a first end that releasably engages the housing and a second coiled end that abuts one of the plurality of pushers.