Retail merchandise tray

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11583106-B2
Application number	US-202117502845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2021
Priority date	Jan 22, 2020
Publication date	Feb 21, 2023
Grant date	Feb 21, 2023

Abstract

A retail merchandise tray assembly is provided. The tray assembly may have an adjustable divider. The tray assembly may have a sign adaptor for mounting a sign to the divider. The tray assembly may have an accessory clip. The tray assembly may have a pivotable front stop. The tray assembly may have sign holders mounted to a front stop. The tray assembly may include signs mounted within a sign holder that is mounted to the front stop. The divider may be powder coated while the divider mounts may be free of painting. Methods are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retail merchandise tray assembly comprising:
a merchandise support frame extending between a first end and a second end and having opposed first and second sides;
a divider including a divider body and a mounting socket;
a longitudinally extending divider mount press fit engaged within the mounting socket of the divider, the divider mount being slidably mounted to the merchandise support frame for adjusting a position of the divider relative to the first side of the merchandise support frame; and
wherein the mounting socket is provided by a press nut that is mounted within an aperture formed in the divider body, the press nut having an enlarged head portion and a cylindrical body defining a central cavity in which the divider mount is press fit, the cylindrical body having a smaller dimension than a dimension of the head portion.

2. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of a portion of the divider mount that is press fit within the mounting socket has a knurled outer surface that engages an inner surface of the mounting socket.

3. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the divider body includes an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface being powder coated;
the mounting socket attached to the divider body at least in part adjacent to the inner surface of the divider body;
the divider mount having a first end inserted into the mounting socket and having an opposed free second end, the divider mount being unpainted.

4. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 3 , wherein the divider mount is zinc plated.

5. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a divider support defining a receiving cavity receiving the second end within the receiving cavity.

6. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 5 , wherein the divider support includes a friction member frictionally engaging the outer periphery of the divider mount.

7. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a front stop mounted to the merchandise support frame proximate the first end; and
a sign holder releasably secured to the front stop, the sign holder having a sign mounting channel.

8. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a sign flag having a mounting portion and a flag portion extending substantially orthogonal to the mounting portion, the mounting portion being removably mounted in the sign holder.

9. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the sign flag is slidably mounted within the sign mounting channel in a lateral direction generally parallel to a front face of the front stop.

10. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the flag portion and mounting portion are formed as a continuous component having a fold connecting the flag portion to the mounting portion.

11. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the sign holder includes:
a front panel;
a rear panel, the front and rear panel forming a channel therebetween; and
a mounting channel formed behind the rear panel, the mounting portion of the sign flag being received in the mounting channel with the rear panel of the sign holder interposed between the mounting portion of the sign flag and the front panel of the sign holder.

12. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a framing sign having a mounting portion and a framing portion that surrounds the mounting portion, the mounting portion and framing portion being substantially coplanar when mounted to the sign holder, the framing portion surrounding the sign holder when the framing sign is mounted to the sign holder.

13. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 12 , wherein the front stop has a front surface that is generally planar, the framing portion being generally parallel to the front surface, when mounted.

14. The retail merchandise tray assembly of claim 12 , wherein the front stop has a front surface that is generally planar, the framing portion being generally covering the front surface, when mounted.

15. A method of assembling a retail merchandise tray, comprising:
providing a merchandise support frame extending between a first end and a second end and having opposed first and second sides;
providing a divider body and a mounting socket of a divider, the mounting socket being, at least in part, adjacent to an inner surface of the divider body, the mounting socket is provided by a press nut that is mounted within an aperture formed in the divider body, the press nut having an enlarged head portion and a cylindrical body defining a central cavity, the cylindrical body having a smaller dimension than a dimension of the head portion;
painting an outer surface of the divider body; and
inserting a first end of a longitudinally extending divider mount that is unpainted into the central cavity of the mounting socket such that the divider mount is press fit engaged with the mounting socket, the divider mount being slidably mountable to the merchandise support frame for adjusting a position of the divider relative to the first side of the merchandise support frame.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising inserting the press nut through the aperture formed in the divider body.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of painting is provided by powder coating, wherein the step of painting occurs after the step of inserting the press nut through the aperture.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the divider mount is zinc plated.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising inserting a second free end of the divider mount into a receiving cavity of a divider support.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of inserting the second free end includes engaging an outer periphery of the divider mount with a friction member to provide a sliding frictional engagement therebetween.

Assignees

• Nagel Thomas O
• Pickett Kelly Ann
• Badia Rotger Francesc Xavier
• Fasteners For Retail Inc

Inventors

• Nagel Thomas O
• Pickett Kelly Ann
• Badia Rotger Francesc Xavier

Classifications

• A47F1/126 Primary

  the pushing device being urged by spring means · CPC title

• A47F5/01

  made of tubes or wire ({A47F5/0807 takes precedence} foldable or adjustable A47F5/13) · CPC title

• A47F1/121

  made of tubes or wire (elongated hooks A47F5/0807) · CPC title

• A47F5/132

  Adjustable partition panels for displaying articles · CPC title

• A47F5/0838

  Rails or bars; Article supports therefor, e.g. brackets being slidably attached on the outside thereof · CPC title