Consumer product adjustable merchandising tray

• US 9,901,191 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisle Logic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aisle Logic, Inc.
• Inventors: Schmidt, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wright, Kimberley S
• Application Number:
  US15/249,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20180055250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/58 with means for adjusting partitions horizontally book-ends A47B65/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/123 for nested articles, e.g. cups, cones
• 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 3/14 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 5/0093 movable in a substantially horizontal direction

Abstract

A merchandising tray used for displaying product containers includes a base defining a support surface, and a single side wall divider connected to the base. The single side wall divider has a vertical wall provided with a rearward end and a forward end, a first retaining structure formed between the rearward end and the forward end, and the forward end being formed with a supporting wall having a second retaining structure. The merchandising tray is adapted to be suspended upon a group of like adjacently disposed merchandising trays such that the first retaining structure is engaged with the second retaining structure. A merchandising tray arrangement and methods of using the merchandising trays are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A merchandising tray for use with a group of adjacently disposed merchandising trays used for displaying product containers comprising:

a base defining a horizontal support surface having a first side edge and a second side edge and configured to support product containers thereon; and

a single side wall divider connected to the base,

wherein the single side wall divider has a vertical wall connected to the first side edge and having an upper edge, a rearward end and a forward end, a plurality of apertures formed in the vertical wall between the rearward end and the forward end, and the forward end being formed with a supporting wall extending downwardly from the upper edge, the supporting wall having at least one projection extending upwardly and forwardly from the supporting wall at the forward end of the supporting wall,

the merchandising tray being configured to be suspended upon the group of like adjacently disposed merchandising trays such that one or more of the plurality of apertures are engaged by the projections of the group of adjacently disposed merchandising trays such that the second side edge of the base faces outwardly away from the shelf.

2. The merchandising tray of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to provide an adjustable width for the support surface.

3. The merchandising tray of claim 1, wherein the base includes a first base portion fixed to the vertical wall, and a second base portion slidably connected to the first base portion.

4. The merchandising tray of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are formed in an upper portion of the vertical wall.

5. The merchandising tray of claim 1, wherein the supporting wall slopes forwardly and downwardly relative to the upper edge of the vertical wall.

6. The merchandising tray of claim 3, wherein the forward end of the vertical wall includes a lower wall portion attached to the first base portion.

7. The merchandising tray of claim 3, wherein the rearward end of the vertical wall includes a curved backstop connected to the first base portion.

8. The merchandising tray of claim 7, wherein the curved backstop includes a removable top wall portion connected to a bottom wall portion.

9. A merchandising tray arrangement for displaying product containers on a horizontal shelf comprising:

a plurality of adjacently disposed merchandising trays supported on the shelf, each of the merchandising trays being associated with at least one row of product containers, wherein each merchandising tray includes;

a base positioned on the shelf and having a first side edge and a second side edge and configured for supporting the product containers; and

a single side wall divider fixedly connected to and extending upward from the base, the side wall divider being positioned adjacent the product containers configured for support on the base,

wherein the side wall divider has a vertical wall connected to the first side edge and having an upper edge, a rearward end and forward end, at least a pair of retaining apertures formed between the rearward end and the forward end, and the forward end being formed with a supporting wall extending downwardly from the upper edge, the supporting wall having a projection extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, and

wherein, upon removal of at least one of the merchandising trays from the shelf, the one removed merchandising tray is suspended with the second side edge of the base facing outwardly and away from the shelf, such that the retaining apertures of the at least one merchandising tray is engaged with the projections formed on a group of the adjacently disposed merchandising trays to enable servicing of the at least one merchandising tray.

10. The merchandising tray arrangement of claim 9, wherein the plurality of retaining apertures are spaced along an upper portion of the vertical wall.

11. The merchandising tray arrangement of claim 9, wherein the supporting wall is configured to suspend the at least one merchandising tray at a tilted orientation extending away from the shelf.

12. The merchandising tray arrangement of claim 9, wherein the supporting wall is oriented forwardly and downwardly relative to the upper edge of the vertical wall.

13. The merchandising tray arrangement of claim 9, wherein the base includes a first base portion fixed to the vertical wall, and a second base portion slidably connected to the first base portion and configured to adjust the width of each merchandising tray.

14. The merchandising tray arrangement of claim 13, wherein the first base portion includes at least one slot formed with a periphery defining a number of detent positions, and the second base portion includes an engagement member engageable with the slot periphery and configured to establish a number of adjustable width positions.

15. The merchandising tray arrangement of claim 13, wherein the first base portion and the second base portion have cooperating elements which are aligned with one another and are configured for sliding engagement over and under one another during width adjustment of each merchandising tray.

16. A method of stocking and restocking product containers on a display structure having a merchandising tray arrangement formed of a plurality of adjacently disposed merchandising trays associated with product containers and supported upon a shelf, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing each of the merchandising trays with a base supported on the shelf and supporting the product containers, and a single side wall divider fixedly connected to a first side edge of the base and positioned adjacent the product containers supported on the base, the side wall divider including a vertical wall having an upper edge, a rearward end and a forward end, a slot structure formed between the rearward end and the forward end, and the forward end being formed with a supporting wall extending downwardly from the upper edge and having a hook structure extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom;

b) removing at least one merchandising tray from the merchandising tray arrangement supported on the shelf;

c) supporting the at least one merchandising tray along the front of the shelf such that a second side edge of the base faces outwardly and away from the shelf and the slot structure of the at least one merchandising tray is engaged with the hook structure of a group of selected merchandising trays supported on the shelf;

d) loading product containers on the at least one merchandising tray suspended from the group of merchandising trays supported on the shelf; and

e) replacing the at least one loaded merchandising tray upon the shelf.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the supporting wall is oriented forwardly and downwardly relative to the upper edge of the vertical wall.

18. A merchandising tray arrangement for displaying product containers on a horizontal shelf comprising:

a plurality of adjacently disposed merchandising trays supported on the shelf, each of the merchandising trays being associated with at least one row of product containers, wherein each of the merchandising trays comprises;

a base positioned on the shelf and configured for supporting the product containers;

a single side wall divider fixedly connected to a first side edge of the base and positioned adjacent to the product containers when the product containers are supported on the base, the side wall divider including an upper edge and a vertical wall having a rearward end and a forward end;

a plurality of slots formed in the vertical wall between the rearward end and the forward end;

a supporting wall formed on the forward end of the vertical wall, the supporting wall extending downwardly from the upper edge and including a hook structure extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom;

wherein, upon removal of at least one of the merchandising trays from the merchandising tray arrangement supported on the shelf, the plurality of open slots are engaged with the hook structure of the group of merchandising trays supported on the shelf such that a second side edge of the base faces outwardly and away from the shelf to enable loading of the at least one merchandising tray.