Snap-in pusher

• US 9,320,367 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fasteners for Retail Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Southern Imperial Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chambers, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Korie H
• Application Number:
  US14/190,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20150238026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 211/74, 211/75, 211/51, 211/59.3, 211/59.1, 211/59.2, 211/184
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A retail merchandise pusher system that includes a front fence configured to attach to a shelf, and a plurality of single-piece track and divider assemblies. Each single-piece track and divider assembly has a divider attached to a track, and is configured to attach to the front fence by means of a connector. The retail merchandise pusher system also includes a pusher assembly for each of the plurality of single-piece track and divider assemblies. Each pusher assembly is configured to slide along its respective track. The pusher assembly has a pusher paddle, and a spring to bias the pusher paddle towards the front fence.

Claims

1. A retail merchandise pusher system comprising:

a front fence configured to attach to a shelf;

a plurality of single-piece track and divider assemblies, each single-piece track and divider assembly having a divider attached to a track and configured to attach to the front fence by means of a connector; and

a pusher assembly for each of the plurality of single-piece track and divider assemblies, each pusher assembly configured to slide along its respective track, the pusher assembly having a pusher paddle, and a spring to bias the pusher paddle towards the front fence;

wherein the track includes a first C-channel slot in which the pusher assembly slides;

wherein the connector includes a first tab configured to be press fit into the first C-channel slot to facilitate attachment of the connector to its respective track and divider assembly; and

wherein the track has a second C-channel slot adjacent to the first C-channel slot, and the connector has a second tab, the second tab configured to be press fit into the second C-channel slot to further facilitate attachment of the connector to its respective track and divider assembly.

2. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein each single-piece track and divider assembly is a single extruded piece.

3. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 2, wherein each single-piece track and divider assembly is a single piece of extruded plastic.

4. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein an opening of the second C-channel slot faces a direction opposite that of an opening of the first C-channel slot, the divider attached to a flat portion of the second C-channel slot.

5. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein each single-piece track and divider assembly is attached to the connector which can be removably attached to the front fence.

6. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein the front fence includes a plurality of posts arranged in single file, and wherein each connector has a plurality of openings configured to slide onto at least some of the plurality of posts.

7. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of openings is a semi-circular opening.

8. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 6, wherein the spacing between adjacent tracks and divider assemblies can be adjusted by moving one of the adjacent tracks and divider assemblies from one subset of the plurality of posts to another subset of the plurality of posts.

9. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein the front fence includes a plurality of fasteners configured to attach the front fence to a shelf having a plurality of openings to accommodate the plurality of fasteners.

10. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 9, wherein the front fence includes a plurality of slots to hold the fasteners, the slots being elongated so the front fence can be attached to different shelves each having a different spacing between its plurality of openings.

11. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of fasteners comprises one of a plurality of screws, a plurality of push pins, and a plurality of bolts.

12. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein the track is perpendicular to the divider.

13. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 1, wherein the pusher paddle is mounted onto a base plate configured to slide within the track of its respective track and divider assembly.

14. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 13, wherein the pusher paddle is perpendicular to the base plate.

15. The retail merchandise pusher system of claim 13, wherein the spring is coiled and mounted to the base plate or pusher paddle, and one end of the spring is anchored to a slot in the connector.