Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism

• US 9,149,132 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• 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:
  US14/326,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140326691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/59.2, 211/119.003, 211/4, 211/184, 211 9001- 9003, 211/150, 211/175, 108/61, 108/60, 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: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/581 specially adapted for shelves made of tubes or wire
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/585 with connection means slidable in a rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/586 with connection means movable by sliding on the outside of a rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/588 by means of shelf bottoms with apertures co-operating with tongues or pins
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 65/15 Partitions, e.g. dividers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/006 with modular arrangements of identical units
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/0223 Shelves stackable by means of poles or tubular members as distance-holders therebetween
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/0269 without separate distance holders
• 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 3/02 with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04 takes precedence; for cigars or cigarettes A24F15/04; for cigarette papers A24F17/00; for hand towels or toilet paper A47K; for photographic paper G03B; coin-freed G07F
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/14 Display trays or containers combined with racks A47F5/0025; tray partitions A47F5/005; as racks and transportable with merchandise A47F5/108; made of cardboard A47F5/11; stackable A47B87/02; packing boxes used subsequently as display trays B65D
• 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 5/0068 Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0007 for stacked articles; Stabilising means therefor for cans or bottles A47F7/281
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/28 for containers, e.g. flasks, bottles , tins, milk packs racks or containers with dispensing arrangements A47F1/04; for lipsticks or markers A47F7/0021; for audio/video cassettes or booklike articles A47F7/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/281 for vertically-stacked containers; Stabilising means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 7/12 Stacked trays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 : with prestressing of part

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.

Claims

1. A merchandise display system comprising:

a front rail, the front rail comprising at least a first engaging member;

at least one divider configured to attach to the front rail, the at least one divider comprising a divider wall and a divider floor perpendicular to the divider wall, the at least one divider further comprising at least a second engaging member; and

a third engaging member connected to either the front rail or the at least one divider and configured to move between a first position and a second position,

wherein the at least one divider is (a) movable in a lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in a direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first engaging member of the front rail is engaged with the second engaging member of the divider and the third engaging member is in the first position, and

wherein the at least one divider is (a) fixed in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in the direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first engaging member of the front rail is engaged with the second engaging member of the divider and the third engaging member is in the second position.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the third engaging member is a portion of the front rail.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the third engaging member is a portion of the divider.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the third engaging member comprises a cam.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the third engaging member comprises an engaging surface.

6. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the first engaging member of the front rail is a projection.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the at least one divider is (a) immovable in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in the direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first engaging member of the front rail is engaged with the second engaging member of the divider and the third engaging member is in the second position.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 1, wherein the front rail is configured to be mounted on a shelf, the front rail comprises an aperture configured to receive a mounting clip to prevent lateral movement of the front rail on the shelf, wherein the mounting clip is configured to fit into a corresponding aperture on a shelf.

9. A merchandise display system comprising:

a front rail, the front rail comprising at least a first engaging member;

at least one divider configured to attach to the front rail, the at least one divider comprising a divider wall and a divider floor perpendicular to the divider wall, the at least one divider further comprising at least a second engaging member; and

a third engaging member connected to either the front rail or the at least one divider and configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the at least one divider is (a) movable in a lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in a direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first engaging member of the front rail is engaged with the second engaging member of the divider and the third engaging member is in the first position, and wherein the at least one divider is (a) fixed in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in the direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first engaging member of the front rail is engaged with the second engaging member of the divider and the third engaging member is in the second position; and

a pusher mechanism having a 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 coiled spring.

10. The merchandise display system of claim 9 further wherein the at least one divider comprises a barrier, and wherein the barrier is configured to receive the free end of the coiled spring.