Depth-extendable display track unit

• US 6,874,646 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2002
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Display Technologies, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Jay, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M.
• Application Number:
  US10/043,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 211/175, 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 108/64, 108/65, 108/57.26, 108/53.1, 108/53.3, 108/91
• US Class Current: 211/59.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0043 Show shelves shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90

Abstract

A depth-extendable display unit consists of at least two essentially identical standard depth display tracks for forming a single depth-extended display track from one of the tracks and at least one section of another of the tracks. Each track has a front section, a breakaway back section with a rear connector at the rear thereof, and an interconnected series of breakaway intermediate sections connecting the front and back sections. The intermediate and back sections define at the front thereof forward connectors for engagement with the rear connectors, the forward connectors being exposed for engagement by breaking away of the immediately forward section.

Claims

1. A depth-extendable display track unit comprising at least two essentially identical longitudinally-extending standard depth display tracks for forming a single depth-extended display track from one of said two standard depth display tracks and at least one section of the other of said two standard depth display tracks in longitudinal alignment with said one standard depth display track, each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks comprising:

(A) a front section;

(B) a breakaway back section with rear engagement means at the rear thereof for clipless engagement with forward engagement means; and

(C) an interconnected series of breakaway intermediate sections connecting said front and back sections;

said intermediate and back sections defining at the front of each such section forward engagement means for clipless engagement with said rear engagement means at the rear of said back section of said one standard depth display track for extending the depth of said one standard depth display track, said forward engagement means being exposed for engagement by breaking away of the immediately forward section.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said rear engagement means projects rearwardly from said back section and said forward engagement means is configured and dimensioned to receive therein said rear engagement means.

3. The unit of claim 1 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said front section defines at the front thereof stop means for limiting forward movement of articles on said standard depth display track.

4. The unit of claim 1 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, at least one of said intermediate sections differs in depth from at least one other of said intermediate sections.

5. The unit of claim 1 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said forward engagement means is female in nature, said rear engagement means is male in nature, and said forward and rear engagement means cooperatively form a female/male engagement.

6. The unit of claim 1 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said forward and rear engagement means are disposed below the level of an article-supporting surface of said intermediate and back sections.

7. A depth-extendable display track unit comprising at least two essentially identical standard depth display tracks for forming a single depth-extended display track from one of said standard depth display tracks and at least one section of another of said standard depth display tracks in longitudinal alignment with said one standard depth display track, each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks comprising:

(A) a front section;

(B) a breakaway back section with rear engagement means projecting rearwardly from the rear thereof for clipless engagement with forward engagement means; and

(C) an interconnected series of breakaway intermediate sections connecting said front and back sections, at least one of said intermediate sections differing in depth from at least one other of said intermediate sections;

said intermediate and back sections defining at the front of each such section forward engagement means configured and dimensioned to engage said rear engagement means at the rear of said back section of said one standard depth display track for extending the depth of said one standard depth display track, said forward engagement means being exposed for engagement by breaking away of the immediately forward section, said forward and rear engagement means cooperatively forming a female/male engagement.

8. The unit of claim 7 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said forward and rear engagement means are disposed below the level of an article-supporting surface of said intermediate and back sections.

9. A depth-extendable display track unit comprising at least two essentially identical longitudinally-extending standard depth display tracks for forming a single depth-extended display track from one of said two standard depth display tracks and at least one section of the other of said two standard depth display tracks in longitudinal alignment with said one standard depth display track, each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks comprising:

(A) a front section;

(B) a breakaway back section with rear engagement means at the rear thereof for clipless engagement with forward engagement means; and

(C) breakaway section means connecting said front and back sections;

said back section of said other standard depth display track defining at the front thereof forward engagement means for clipless engagement with said rear engagement means at the rear of said back section of said one standard depth display track for extending the depth of said one standard depth display track, said forward engagement means being exposed for engagement by breaking away of said front section.

10. The unit of claim 9 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said rear engagement means projects rearwardly from said back section and said forward engagement means is configured and dimensioned to receive therein said rear engagement means.

11. The unit of claim 9 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said front section defines at the front thereof stop means for limiting forward movement of articles on said standard depth display track.

12. The unit of claim 9 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said back section comprising an interconnected series of breakaway intermediate sections with rear engagement means at the rear of each intermediate section, at least one of said intermediate sections differing in depth from at least one other of said intermediate sections.

13. The unit of claim 9 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said forward engagement means is female in nature, said rear engagement means is male in nature, and said forward and rear engagement means cooperatively form a female/male engagement.

14. The unit of claim 9 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said forward and rear engagement means are disposed below the level of an article-supporting surface of said back section.

15. A depth-extendable display track unit comprising at least two essentially identical longitudinally-extending standard depth display tracks for forming a single depth-extended display track from one of said two standard depth display tracks and at least one section of the other of said two standard depth display tracks in longitudinal alignment with said one standard depth display track, each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks comprising:

(A) a front section;

(B) a breakaway back section with rear engagement means projecting rearwardly from the rear thereof for clipless engagement with forward engaging means; and

(C) breakaway means connecting said front and back sections;

said back section of said other standard depth display track defining at the front thereof forward engagement means configured and dimensioned to engage said rear engagement means at the rear of said back section of said one standard depth display track for extending the depth of said one standard depth display track, said forward engagement means being exposed for engagement by breaking away of said front section, said forward and rear engagement means cooperatively forming a female/male engagement.

16. The unit of claim 15 wherein, in each of said essentially identical standard depth display tracks, said forward and rear engagement means are disposed below the level of an article-supporting surface of said back section.