Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism

• US 9,232,864 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardy, Stephen N., Pirone, John
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US14/579,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20150108075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 211/59.3, 211/59.2, 211/119.003, 211/184, 211 9001- 9004, 211/150, 211/175, 211/51, 211/126.1, 211/162, 211/126.3, 108/6, 108/60, 108/61, 108/71, 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 57/585 with connection means slidable in a rail
• 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 87/0246 Shelves stackable by means of separate vertical distance-holders therebetween A47B87/0223 takes precedence
• 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 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• 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 5/005 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 7/281 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 or tray includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed. In one example, the tray or shelf can include a first product retaining member which prevents products from being pushed off of the tray. The pusher mechanism of an exemplary embodiment includes a pusher surface, a second product retaining member, and a pusher floor that extends forward of the pusher surface and between the pusher surface and the second product retaining member. A flat coiled spring or other biasing element may be operatively connected behind the pusher mechanism. In use, the product to be merchandised may be placed on the pusher floor. With this configuration, the pusher surface is prevented from pushing the last product off of the shelf and onto the floor.

Claims

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

a pusher surface;

a product retainer extending parallel to the pusher surface;

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; and

a coiled spring;

wherein the pusher mechanism sits on top of the surface of the display system, is positionable on the surface of the display system, and is mounted to and held onto the display system by the coiled spring;

wherein the coiled spring includes a coiled end which is positioned behind and connected to the pusher surface;

wherein the pusher floor is substantially parallel to the surface of the display system and the pusher floor defines a channel for receiving the coiled spring;

wherein the pusher surface and the product retainer extend upwardly from the pusher floor, the product retainer being spaced apart from the pusher surface such that the pusher surface, the product retainer and the pusher floor define a space for receiving at least one product therein.

2. The pusher mechanism of claim 1 wherein the product is a bottle and the pusher surface and the product retainer are positioned to receive the bottle in a space defined by the pusher surface and the product retainer.

3. The pusher mechanism of claim 2 wherein only one bottle is permitted to fit between the pusher surface and the product retainer.

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

5. The pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein the coiled spring is extendable across at least a portion of the pusher floor and operatively attached behind the pusher surface.

6. The pusher mechanism of claim 1 wherein the pusher mechanism is mounted to the surface of the display system only by the coiled spring.

7. A product management display system comprising:

a tray defining a surface configured to hold a row of products;

a first product retainer mounted to the tray, the first product retainer configured to prevent product from falling off of the tray;

a pusher mechanism having a pusher surface, a second product retainer extending parallel to the pusher surface, the pusher mechanism configured to slide across at least a portion of the surface of the tray;

a coiled spring having a coiled end positioned behind the pusher surface and a front end wherein at least a portion of the coiled spring extends across at least a portion of the tray surface to a front portion of the tray;

at least one divider connected to the tray for maintaining the products in a row;

wherein the pusher mechanism is configured to sit on top of the surface of the tray;

wherein the pusher mechanism is mounted to the surface of the display system by the coiled spring;

wherein the pusher surface and the second product retainer extend upwardly from the pusher floor, the product retainer being spaced apart from the pusher surface for receiving at least one product therein.

8. The product management display system of claim 7 wherein the pusher surface and the second product retainer define a space that is configured to receive a last one of the row of products.

9. The product management display system of claim 8 wherein the space is configured to receive only one bottle.

10. The product management display system of claim 7 wherein the pusher mechanism is mounted to the surface of the display system only by the coiled spring.

11. The product management display system of claim 7 further comprising a first divider and a second divider connected to the tray and wherein the first product retainer and the second product retainer are configured to extend between the first divider and the second divider.

12. The product management display system of claim 7, wherein first product retainer and the second product retainer are transparent.

13. A product management display system comprising:

a tray defining a surface for holding a plurality of products;

a first product retainer mounted to the tray configured to prevent the plurality of products from falling off of the tray;

a pusher mechanism comprising a pusher surface, a second product retainer, a coiled spring, and a pusher floor extending forwardly from the pusher surface, the pusher floor defining a plurality of apertures, the pusher floor configured to receive a last one of the plurality of products upon the pusher floor between the pusher surface and the second product retainer, the pusher floor positionable on and movable across the surface of the tray;

wherein the pusher mechanism sits on top of the surface of the tray, and is mounted to and held onto the tray only by the coiled spring.

14. The product management display system of claim 13, wherein the pusher surface is concave shaped.

15. The product management display system of claim 13, wherein the pusher surface, the pusher floor, and the second product retainer are configured to hold a single bottle.

16. The product management display system of claim 13, further comprising a first divider and a second divider connected to the tray and wherein the first product retainer and the second product retainer are configured to extend between the first divider and the second divider.

17. The product management display system of claim 13, wherein first product retainer and the second product retainer are transparent.