LOW PRODUCT INDICATOR FOR SELF FACING MERCHANDISER AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20180199733A1
• Filed: 03/01/2018
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DCI Marketing Inc (IMI PLC), Retail Space Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Marmon Retail Store Equipment LLC, Retail Space Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Mercier, Michael William, Davenport, Daniel, Wills, Matthew, Pollpeter, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 10,405,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 5/0018 Display racks with shelves or receptables racks per se A47B; storage devices for warehouses B65G1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0838 Rails or bars; Article supports therefor, e.g. brackets being slidably attached on the outside thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/00 Visible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied

Abstract

A low product indicator comprising an upright portion capable of being attached to a pusher or paddle on a conventional merchandiser and having indicia relating to at least one of: a store the conventional merchandiser is displayed in; a product the merchandiser is intended to be stocked with; a product category encompassing the general type of product the merchandiser is intended to be stocked with; and/or advertising. In one form, a product display merchandiser is disclosed comprising a tray, a spring biased pusher slidable within the tray, and a visual indicator comprising at least one light activated by a switch, the switch configured to be actuated when the pusher is within a predetermined portion of the tray.

Claims

1. An indicator comprising:

an upright portion capable of being attached to a pusher or paddle on a conventional merchandiser and having indicia relating to at least one of;

a store the conventional merchandiser is displayed in;

a product the merchandiser is intended to be stocked with;

a product category encompassing the general type of product the merchandiser is intended to be stocked with; and

/or advertising.

2. The indicator of claim 1 wherein the upright portion further comprises mating structure for mating the upright portion to a front of the pusher or paddle.

3. The indicator of claim 2 wherein the mating structure is a fastener for securing the upright portion to the front of the pusher or paddle.

4. The indicator of claim 2 wherein the fastener is at least one of:

an adhesive;

a screw;

a bolt;

a tongue and groove structure; and

/or

a mating snap, press or friction fit structure.

5. The indicator of claim 1 wherein the indicia is a graphic or image relating to the product to be stocked in the merchandiser.

6. The indicator of claim 1 further comprising the merchandiser having a front lens and the pusher or paddle comprising a spring biased pusher or paddle for front facing product stored within the merchandiser and both the upright portion and the spring biased pusher or paddle having corresponding mating structures for mating the upright portion to a front of the spring biased pusher or paddle so that the indicia of the upright portion is visible through the front lens of the merchandiser when the merchandiser is empty of product to prevent the merchandiser from looking empty and/or help a store associate determine what product the merchandiser is to be restocked with.

7. The indicator of claim 3 wherein the corresponding mating structures comprise a fastener including at least one of:

an adhesive and corresponding adhering surface;

a screw and corresponding bore;

a bolt and corresponding bore;

mating tongue and groove structures; and

/or

mating snap, press or friction fit structures.

8. A front facing product merchandiser comprising:

a spring biased pusher assembly for front facing product stored within the front facing product merchandiser having a pusher and a spring for biasing the pusher in a first direction; and

an indicator according to claim 1 connected to the pusher and visible from a direction opposite the first direction when the front facing product merchandiser is out of product.

9. A method of displaying indicia in a retail store display comprising:

providing an upright portion including indicia and a merchandiser having a pusher with a front face for facing product; and

connecting the upright portion to the pusher so that the indicia is visible when the merchandiser is out of product to display.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the pusher and upright portion have corresponding mating structures for connecting the upright portion to the pusher and the method further comprises mating the upright portion and pusher to one another via the corresponding mating structures so that the upright portion may be removably attached to the front face of the pusher.