Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism

• US 8,978,904 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• 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:
  US13/839,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/59.2, 211/119.003, 211/4, 211/184, 211 9001- 9004, 211/150, 211/175, 108/60, 108/61, 108/71, 108/6, 312/126, 312/35, 312/61, 312/71, 312/128, 312/131, 312/132, 312/137, 221/227, 221/255, 221/279, 221/75, 221/76, 221/90, 221/242, 221/226, 221/229, 221/231, 221/232
• US Class Current: 211/184
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/58 with means for adjusting partitions horizontally book-ends A47B65/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/583 by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/585 with connection means slidable in a rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/00 Bottle cupboards; Bottle racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/00 Racks for dispensing merchandise racks in general A47B; storing means for workshops B25H; Containers for dispensing merchandise show or display aspects A47F3/00; for workshop fittings B25H3/00; containers in general B65D ; for liquids B67D; coin-freed dispensers G07F
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0025 having separate display containers or trays on shelves or on racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0093 movable in a substantially horizontal direction
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0007 for stacked articles; Stabilising means therefor for cans or bottles A47F7/281

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 and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam that may define a cam glide.

Claims

1. A merchandise display system comprising:

a front rail defining a rail groove;

at least one divider configured to engage the front rail, the at least one divider including a barrier, the at least one divider further including a divider wall, the at least one divider further including a divider floor perpendicular to the divider wall, wherein the divider floor includes a top surface to hold product and a bottom surface; and

a cam rotatably coupled to the divider, the cam including a cam glide, wherein the cam is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, wherein the cam glide extends beneath the bottom surface of the divider floor and contacts the front rail when the cam is in the first position,

wherein the at least one divider is movable in a lateral direction parallel to the front rail when the cam is in the first position and the cam glide contacts the front rail, and

wherein the at least one divider is fixed in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail when the cam is in the second position and secured to the rail groove of the front rail.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the cam includes a handle to rotate the cam between the first position and the second position.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the cam includes one or more cam surfaces configured to engage one or more groove walls in the rail groove when the cam is in the second position.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 3, wherein the cam is in constant contact with the front rail when the cam is moved from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the divider bottom surface contacts the front rail when the cam is in the second position.

6. The merchandise display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pusher mechanism having a pusher surface, a pusher floor extending forwardly from the pusher surface, and a coiled spring having a coiled end and a free end,

wherein the coiled end is positioned behind the pusher surface and the pusher mechanism is attached to the merchandise display system only by the free end of the coiled spring.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the barrier is configured to receive the free end of the coiled spring.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the front rail defines a ridge configured to engage a groove in the divider.