Product display partition and biasing device

• US 7,478,731 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEW Dimensions Research Corporation (Westminster Capital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NEW Dimensions Research Corporation (Westminster Capital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mason, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US11/329,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/184, 211/189, 211/175, 312/61, 312/71
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90

Abstract

An assembly for securing to a shelf having products disposed thereon and connection points spaced apart by a fixed distance includes an adjustable product display partition and a biasing device for biasing a row of products toward a front of the shelf. The product display partition includes a number of openings for selectively securing it to the shelf. The product display portion may be reversible with walls of differing heights to accommodate products of various heights. The biasing device includes a product advancing member slidably mounted to a base portion with a support for holding at least one product against its face. A biasing element biases the product advancing member toward a first end of the base. A product held against the face pushes against a product not held against said face to bias a row of products toward the front of the shelf.

Claims

1. A product display partition for selectively securing to a shelf having a plurality of connection points spaced apart by a fixed distance, said product display partition comprising:

a) a base portion having a first end and a second end;

b) a dividing wall extending upwardly from said base portion and spanning between said first end and said second end, thereby dividing said base portion into a first side and a second side; and

c) a plurality of openings for securing the product display partition to the shelf, said plurality of openings comprising;

i) a first pair of openings comprising a first opening disposed at said first end and said first side of said base portion and a second opening disposed at said second end and said second side of said base portion; and

ii) a second pair of openings comprising a third opening disposed at said first end and said first side of said base portion and a fourth opening disposed at said second end and said second side of said base portion;

wherein a center of said first opening and a center of said second opening are spaced apart from each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said dividing wall by a first distance equal to the fixed distance between the connection points on the shelf;

wherein a center of said third opening and a center of said fourth opening are spaced apart from each other in said direction substantially perpendicular to said dividing wall by the first distance equal to the fixed distance between the connection points on the shelf;

wherein said center of said first opening and said center of said third opening are spaced apart from each other in said direction substantially perpendicular to said dividing wall by a second distance less than the fixed distance between the connection points on the shelf; and

wherein the product display partition is securable to the shelf connection points at intervals equal to said second distance by aligning said first opening and said second opening or said third opening and said fourth opening with the shelf connection points.

2. The product display partition according to claim 1, wherein said first opening and said third opening are each disposed at a different distance from said first end of said base portion.

3. The product display partition according to claim 1, wherein the product display partition is secured to the shelf connection points with plugs which are insertable into said first opening and said second opening.

4. The product display partition according to claim 1, further comprising:

a) a first wall extending upwardly from said first end of said base portion and having a first height; and

b) a second wall extending upwardly from said second end of said base portion and having a second height;

wherein said first height is smaller than said second height and the product display partition is selectively securable to the shelf with either said first wall or said second wall adjacent to a front of the shelf in order to accommodate products of various heights.

5. A device for biasing a row of products toward a front portion of a shelf on which the products are disposed, the shelf having a plurality of connection points spaced apart by a fixed distance, the device comprising:

a) a base portion comprising a first end adjacent to the front portion of the shelf and a second end adjacent to a rear portion of the shelf and having at least one opening disposed at said first end and at least one opening disposed at said second end for securing said base portion to the shelf;

b) a product advancing member slidably mounted to said base portion, said product advancing member comprising a face extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion and a support for holding at least one product against said face; and

c) a biasing element for biasing said product advancing member toward said first end of said base portion;

wherein the at least one product held against said face pushes against a product not held against said face and disposed immediately in front of the at least one product held against said face, thereby biasing the row of products toward the front portion of a the shelf.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said biasing element comprises a spring having one end secured to said first end of said biasing base portion.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said spring comprises a coiled length of flat metal.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein said support comprises a rigid wire element formed as a loop.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein said at least one opening disposed at said first end comprises a first opening and a second opening, wherein a center of said first opening and a center of said second opening are spaced apart in a direction substantially perpendicular to said base portion by a distance less than the distance between the connection points on the shelf.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein said at least one opening disposed at said second end comprises a first opening and a second opening, wherein a center of said first opening and a center of said second opening are spaced apart in a direction substantially perpendicular to said base portion by a distance less than the distance between the connection points on the shelf.

11. The device according to claim 5, wherein said at least one opening disposed at said first end comprises a plurality of interconnected openings, wherein each of said plurality of interconnected openings is adapted to receive a plug for securing the device to the shelf connection points.

12. An assembly for securing to a shelf having a plurality of products disposed thereon and having a plurality of connection points spaced apart by a fixed distance, the assembly comprising:

a) a first product display partition comprising;

ii) a base portion having a first end and a second end;

ii) a dividing wall extending upwardly from said base portion and spanning between said first end and said second end, thereby dividing said base portion into a first side and a second side; and

iii) a plurality of openings for securing said first product display partition to the shelf, said plurality of openings comprising;

a first pair of openings comprising a first opening disposed at said first end and said first side of said base portion and a second opening disposed at said second end and said second side of said base portion; and

a second pair of openings comprising a third opening disposed at said first end and said first side of said base portion and a fourth opening disposed at said second end and said second side of said base portion;

wherein a center of said first opening and a center of said second opening are spaced apart from each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said dividing wall by a first distance equal to the fixed distance between the connection points on the shelf;

wherein a center of said third opening and a center of said fourth opening are spaced apart from each other in said direction substantially perpendicular to said dividing wall by the first distance equal to the fixed distance between the connection points on the shelf;

wherein said center of said first opening and said center of said third opening are spaced apart from each other in said direction substantially perpendicular to said dividing wall by a second distance less than the fixed distance between the connection points on the shelf; and

b) a biasing device disposed adjacent to said first product display partition for biasing a row of products toward a front portion of the shelf, the biasing device comprising;

i) a base portion comprising a first end adjacent to a front portion of the shelf and a second end adjacent to a rear portion of the shelf and having at least one opening disposed at said first end and at least one opening disposed at said second end for securing said base portion to the shelf;

ii) a product advancing member slidably mounted to said base portion, said product advancing member comprising a face extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion and a support for holding at least one product against said face; and

iii) a biasing element for biasing said product advancing member toward said first end of said base portion;

wherein said first product display partition is securable to the shelf connection points at intervals equal to said second distance by aligning said first opening and said second opening or said third opening and said fourth opening with the shelf connection points; and

wherein the at least one product held against said face pushes against a product not held against said face and disposed immediately in front of the at least one product held against said face, thereby biasing the row of products toward the front portion of the shelf.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a second product display partition disposed adjacent to said biasing device and on an opposite side of said biasing device as said first product display partition, said second product display partition comprising:

a) a base portion comprising a first end and a second end and having at least one opening disposed at said first end and at least one opening disposed at said second end for securing said second product display partition to the shelf connection points;

b) a first wall extending upwardly from said first end of said base portion and having a first height;

c) a second wall extending upwardly from said second end of said base portion and having a second height; and

d) a dividing wall extending upwardly from said base portion and spanning between said first wall and said second wall;

wherein said first height is smaller than said second height and said second product display partition is selectively securable to the shelf with either said first wall or said second wall adjacent to the front of the shelf in order to accommodate products of various heights.

14. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein said first product display partition further comprises:

a) a first wall extending upwardly from said first end of said base portion and having a first height; and

b) a second wall extending upwardly from said second end of said base portion and having a second height;

wherein said first height is smaller than said second height and said first product display partition is selectively securable to the shelf with either said first wall or said second wall adjacent to the front of the shelf in order to accommodate products of various heights.