Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism

• US 8,360,253 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardy, Stephen N.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US13/410,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20120160789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/59.2, 211/51, 211/126.12, 211/194, 211/175, 211/184, 211/126.1, 211/74, 211/183, 312/61, 312/71, 312/35, 206/817, 221/227, 221/255, 221/279
• US Class Current: 211/59.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed. The pusher mechanism of the invention also includes a pusher paddle and a floor that extends forward of the pusher paddle. A flat coiled spring or other biasing element may be operatively connected behind the pusher paddle and extend across the floor of the pusher mechanism and to the front of the shelf. In use, the product to be merchandised may be placed on the coiled spring and on the floor of the pusher mechanism. With this configuration, the pusher paddle is prevented from tipping or bending backwards during operation. The invention may be used with the merchandising of product on horizontal or non-inclined shelves or surfaces, gravity-fed systems, or systems that use gravity to urge product toward the front of the shelf.

Claims

1. A pusher mechanism for a product management display system, the pusher mechanism positionable on a surface of the display system comprising:

a pusher surface, and

a pusher floor extending forwardly from the pusher surface, the pusher floor configured to permit at least one product to sit upon the pusher floor, the pusher floor positionable on and movable across at least a portion of the surface of the display system,

wherein the pusher mechanism sits on top of and does not extend below the surface of the display system, and is mounted to the display system only by a coiled spring,

wherein the coiled spring includes a coiled end which is positioned behind the pusher surface,

wherein the pusher floor is substantially parallel to the surface of the display system, and

wherein the pusher floor defines a notch provided at an end portion of the pusher floor that aligns the pusher mechanism relative to the coiled spring.

2. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pusher surface is concave shaped.

3. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pusher floor defines a channel for receiving the coiled spring.

4. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pusher floor defines a plurality of apertures.

5. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pusher floor is configured to hold a bottle.

6. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of a bottom surface of the pusher floor.

7. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of a top surface of the pusher floor.

8. A pusher mechanism for a product management display system, the pusher mechanism positionable on a surface of the display system comprising:

a pusher surface, and

a pusher floor extending forwardly from the pusher surface, the pusher floor configured to permit at least one product to sit upon the pusher floor, the pusher floor positionable on and movable across at least a portion of the surface of the display system,

wherein the pusher mechanism sits on top of and does not extend below the surface of the display system, and is mounted to the display system only by a coiled spring,

wherein the coiled spring includes a coiled end which is positioned behind the pusher surface,

wherein the pusher floor is substantially parallel to the surface of the display system, and

wherein the pusher floor defines a notch provided at an end portion of the pusher floor that centers the coiled spring relative to a tray of the display system and permits the coiled spring to extend in a substantially parallel manner relative to a length of the tray of the display system.

9. The pusher mechanism of claim 8, wherein the pusher surface is concave shaped.

10. The pusher mechanism of claim 8, wherein the pusher floor defines a channel for receiving the coiled spring.

11. The pusher mechanism of claim 8, wherein the pusher floor defines a plurality of apertures.

12. The pusher mechanism of claim 8, wherein the pusher floor is configured to hold a bottle.

13. The pusher mechanism of claim 8, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of a bottom surface of the pusher floor.

14. The pusher mechanism of claim 8, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of a top surface of the pusher floor.

15. A pusher mechanism for a product management display system, the pusher mechanism positionable on a surface of the display system comprising:

a pusher surface, and

a pusher floor extending forwardly from the pusher surface, the pusher floor configured to permit at least one product to sit upon the pusher floor, the pusher floor positionable on and movable across at least a portion of the surface of the display system,

wherein the pusher mechanism sits on top of and does not extend below the surface of the display system, and is mounted to the display system only by a coiled spring,

wherein the coiled spring includes a coiled end which is positioned behind the pusher surface,

wherein the pusher floor is substantially parallel to the surface of the display system, and wherein the pusher floor defines a notch provided at an end portion of the pusher floor that permits the spring to extend along a length of a tray of the display system at or near the center of a product row formed by the tray.

16. The pusher mechanism of claim 15, wherein the pusher surface is concave shaped.

17. The pusher mechanism of claim 15, wherein the pusher floor defines a channel for receiving the coiled spring.

18. The pusher mechanism of claim 15, wherein the pusher floor defines a plurality of apertures.

19. The pusher mechanism of claim 15, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of a bottom surface of the pusher floor.

20. The pusher mechanism of claim 15, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of a top surface of the pusher floor.