Product merchandiser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9433305-B2
Application number	US-201414180163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A retainer assembly for an associated merchandising structure includes a planar divider mounted to the associated merchandising structure with the divider including a first side, a second side, a front end and a rear end. A first retainer is pivotally mounted to a first side of the divider adjacent the front end thereof. A second retainer is pivotally mounted to the second side of the divider adjacent the front end thereof. The first and second retainers are biased into an orientation normal to the plane of the divider. Each of the first and second retainers is adapted to pivot omnidirectionally in relation to the plane of the divider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retainer assembly for an associated merchandising shelf comprising:
a generally planar elongated divider mounted to the associated shelf; a first retainer mounted to a first side of the divider; a second retainer mounted to a second side of the divider; wherein the first and second retainers are connected together by a biasing member and are biased by the biasing member into an orientation normal to a plane of the divider in a rest position when no external force is applied to the first or second retainers and each of the first and second retainers is adapted to pivot omnidirectionally in relation to the plane of the divider when an external force is applied to the first or second retainers;
wherein the biasing member and the first and second retainers lie along a common axis of the first and second retainers in the rest position;
wherein the biasing member comprises a coiled spring or elastic band;
wherein in use associated products are held in place by either or both of the first and second retainers in order to retard the associated products from falling off the associated shelf and each of the first and second retainers are adapted to pivot omnidirectionally to facilitate removal of the associated products from the associated shelf resulting in an external force being applied to the first or second retainers.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second retainers each comprise a body and a base, the body being movable in relation to the base, wherein the body and base of the respective first and second retainers both lie along a common axis in a rest position of the first and second retainers.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said biasing member extends along the common axis.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein a cavity is defined in the body of at least one of the first and second retainers.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the biasing member extends into the cavity in the body of the at least one of the first and second retainers.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said biasing member comprises a spring which comprises a first end connected to the body of the first retainer and a second end connected to the body of the second retainer.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said spring first end comprises a first loop which cooperates with a first pin to hold the spring first end in the cavity of the body of the at least one of the first and second retainers.

8. A retainer assembly for a merchandising shelf having a support surface wherein associated products stored on the support
surface are urged forward toward a front end of the shelf for easy access and removal of the products, the retainer assembly comprising:
a generally planar elongated first divider mounted to the shelf;
a generally planar elongated second divider mounted to the shelf, wherein the first and second dividers are spaced from each other and define between them a longitudinal pathway or channel along which an associated product is adapted to travel from a rear position to a front position on the shelf;
a first finger mounted to the first divider;
a second finger mounted to the second divider so that the first and second fingers face each other;
wherein the first and second fingers are independent of each other and are each movable to a plurality of positions so that in a first position, the first and second fingers extend perpendicular from the respective first and second dividers into the pathway and at least partially obstruct the pathway thereby retarding further forward movement of the associated products,
in a second position, the first and second fingers move omnidirectionally at an acute angle in relation to the pathway to allow further forward movement of the associated products for removal of same from the shelf, and
in a third position, the first and second fingers move omnidirectionally at an acute angle in relation to the pathway to allow a restocking of the associated products on the shelf;
a first and second biasing member each comprising a coiled spring or an elastic band;
wherein the first finger comprises a first body portion and a first biasing member

and the second finger comprises a second body portion and a second biasing member, said first and second biasing member respectively urging said first and second body portions into the first position, wherein the first and second biasing member is coaxial with the first and second body portions when in the first position.

9. A retainer assembly for a merchandising structure having a support surface the retainer assembly comprising:
a first divider mounted to an associated support structure;
a second divider mounted to the associated support structure, wherein the first and second dividers are spaced from each other and define between them a longitudinal pathway or channel along which an associated item of merchandise can travel from a rear position to a front position on the associated support structure;
a first finger mounted to the first divider;
a second finger mounted to the second divider so that the first and second fingers face each other;
wherein the first and second fingers are independent of each other and are each movable to a plurality of positions so that
in a first position, they are adapted to extend normal to the pathway and at least partially obstruct the pathway thereby retarding further forward movement of the associated item of merchandise,
in a second position, they are adapted to move omnidirectionally at an acute angle in relation to the pathway to allow further forward movement of the associated item of merchandise for removal of same from the associated shelf, and
in a third position, they are adapted to move omnidirectionally at an acute angle in relation to the pathway to allow a restocking of the associated item of merchandise on the associated support structure; and,

wherein the first finger comprises a first body portion and a first biasing member and the second finger comprises a second body portion and a second biasing member, said first and second biasing members respectively urging said first and second body portions into the first position, wherein the first and second biasing members are coaxial with the first and second body portions when in the first position; and
wherein at least one of the first and second biasing members comprises a tension spring.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the first and second fingers are adapted to extend in a fourth position in which a tip of each of the first and second fingers extends towards the associated support surface.

11. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the first and second fingers are adapted to extend in a fifth position in which a tip of each of the first and second fingers extend away from the associated support surface.

12. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the first and second fingers each include a base.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the first and second body portions are movably mounted on their respective base.

14. A retainer assembly for an associated merchandising structure, comprising;
a generally planar elongated divider mounted to the associated merchandising structure;
a first retainer mounted to a first side of the divider;
a second retainer mounted to a second side of the divider;
wherein the first and second retainers extend along a common axis when in a rest position; and
a biasing member which extends along the common axis and includes a first end connected to the first retainer, and spaced therefrom, a second end connected to the second retainer such that the biasing member connects the first and second retai

Assignees

• Bird Gregory M
• Szpak Gerald Matthew
• Obitts Shane
• Liedtke Michael Eric
• Grubbs Matthew
• Fasteners For Retail Inc

Inventors

• Bird Gregory M
• Szpak Gerald Matthew
• Obitts Shane
• Liedtke Michael Eric
• Grubbs Matthew

Classifications

• A47F5/005 Primary

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

• A47F3/02

  with dispensing arrangements ({A47F1/04 takes precedence; for cigars or cigarettes A24F15/04; for cigarette papers A24F17/00; for hand towels or toilet paper A47K10/24; for photographic paper G03B; } coin-freed G07F) · CPC title

• A47F1/12

  dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack {(A47F1/087 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A47F7/285

  Show stands having fixation means, e.g. hanging means, slidable fixations, frictional retaining means, theft prevention · CPC title

• A47F1/04 Primary

  Racks or} containers with arrangements for dispensing articles {, e.g. by means of gravity or springs · CPC title