Product management display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10413090-B2
Application number	US-201615774865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system may include a retainer for limiting the movement of products loaded in the adjustable tray, a first divider extending from a first panel and second divider extending from a second panel. The spacing between the first divider and the second divider can be configured to be adjusted. The first panel and the second panel can be configured to move to provide additional surface area for the adjustable tray to accommodate different sized products. The adjustable tray may further include a pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system comprising:
a floor having a floor surface for receiving products loaded in the adjustable tray and a support extending from the bottom of the floor;
a retainer for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray;
a first adjustable divider comprising a first wall and a second adjustable divider comprising a second wall for guiding the products along the floor surface; and
at least one cam having multiple notches, wherein the cam is configured to prevent or allow movement of the first adjustable divider and the second adjustable divider, wherein a portion of the support is configured for placement in any one of the multiple notches of the cam to prevent rotation of the cam and prevent movement of the adjustable dividers;
wherein the first adjustable divider comprises a first panel extending perpendicularly from the bottom of the first wall toward the second wall and the second adjustable divider comprises a second panel extending perpendicularly from the bottom of second wall toward the first wall;
wherein the first adjustable divider and second adjustable divider are configured to move laterally with respect to the floor such that the spacing between the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall is adjusted to accommodate various dimensioned products.

2. The adjustable tray of claim 1 wherein the floor is positioned between the first wall and second wall above the first panel and second panel and the first panel and second panel being configured to move laterally under the floor panel; wherein the cam is rotatably attached to an underside surface of the floor; and wherein the first panel and second panel are movably positioned between the floor and the cam and are configured such that lateral movement of the adjustable dividers causes rotation of the cam.

3. The adjustable tray of claim 2 wherein the cam comprises tubular walls; wherein the first panel and the second panel have corresponding openings that surround the tubular walls, allowing the cam to rotate.

4. The adjustable tray of claim 1 wherein the floor further comprises a button positioned on a rail adjacent the cam, wherein pressing the button releases the portion from the notch, allowing the cam to rotate and allowing movement of the adjustable dividers.

5. The adjustable tray of claim 4 wherein the first panel and the second panel have corresponding spaces that together form an opening for the button, allowing the button to be pressed.

6. The adjustable tray of claim 1 wherein the cam has multiple notches such that each notch corresponds to a unique spacing between the first and second vertical walls; wherein the spacing is adapted to accommodate a predetermined product dimension.

7. The adjustable tray of claim 6 wherein at least some of the notches are not equidistant from adjacent notches.

8. The adjustable tray of claim 1 wherein the cam is an oblong rectangle with two opposite side surfaces and sized to fit between the first and second walls when the width between the first and second walls is at its narrowest.

9. The adjustable tray of claim 1 further comprising at least two cams.

10. The adjustable tray of claim 9 wherein each of the adjustable dividers and each of the cams are identical.

11. The adjustable tray of claim 1 wherein the floor further comprises guide rails extending vertically downward from the floor wherein the guide rails are positioned in corresponding channels in the panels to allow only lateral movement between the panels and the floor.

12. The adjustable tray of claim 1 wherein the floor and retainer comprises a single molded piece, or each adjustable divider comprises a single molded piece, or the floor and retainer comprises a single molded piece and each adjustable divider comprises a single molded piece.

13. A method of utilizing the adjustable tray of claim 1 comprising pulling apart or pushing together the first and second adjustable dividers causing the cam to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising initially pressing a button positioned on a rail adjacent each cam, wherein pressing the button releases the portion from a notch in the cam, allowing each cam to rotate.

15. An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system comprising:
a floor having a floor surface for receiving products loaded in the adjustable tray;
a retainer for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray;
a first adjustable divider comprising a first wall and a second adjustable divider comprising a second wall for guiding the products along the floor surface; and
at least one cam having multiple notches, wherein the cam is configured to prevent or allow movement of the first adjustable divider and the second adjustable divider;
wherein the first adjustable divider comprises a first panel extending perpendicularly from the bottom of the first wall toward the second wall and the second adjustable divider comprises a second panel extending perpendicularly from the bottom of second wall toward the first wall;
wherein the first adjustable divider and second adjustable divider are configured to move laterally with respect to the floor such that the spacing between the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall is adjusted to accommodate various dimensioned products,
wherein the cam is an oblong rectangle with two opposite side surfaces and sized to fit between the first and second walls when the width between the first and second walls is at its narrowest.

16. An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system comprising:
a floor having a floor surface for receiving products loaded in the adjustable tray;
a retainer for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray;
first adjustable divider comprising a first wall and a second adjustable divider comprising a second wall for guiding the products along the floor surface; and
at least one cam having multiple notches, wherein the cam is configured to prevent or allow movement of the first adjustable divider and the second adjustable divider;
herein the first adjustable divider comprises a first panel extending perpendicularly from the bottom of the first wall toward the second wall and the second adjustable divider comprises a second panel extending perpendicularly from the bottom of second wall toward the first wall;
wherein the first adjustable divider and second adjustable divider are configured to move laterally with respect to the floor such that the spacing between the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall is adjusted to accommodate various dimensioned products,
wherein the floor further comprises guide rails extending vertically downward from the floor wherein the guide rails are positioned in corresponding channels in the panels to allow only lateral movement between the panels and the floor.

Assignees

• Rtc Ind Inc

Inventors

• Hardy Stephen N

Classifications

• A47F1/125

  with an article-pushing device · CPC title

• A47F3/14 Primary

  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 title

• A47F5/005

  Partitions therefore (horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90) · CPC title

• A47B65/10

  adjustable · CPC title

• A47B57/58

  with means for adjusting partitions horizontally (book-ends A47B65/00) · CPC title