Retail fixture with slot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615677-B2
Application number	US-201414186277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A retail fixture includes a platform having a plurality of openings and a cover having at least one slot where the cover is positioned over the platform such that each of the at least one slots of the cover is aligned with an opening of the platform. A set of spaced-apart nubs extends along at least one opening. A bracket extends across the plurality of openings and is mounted to a bottom surface of the platform. The bracket has channels aligned with the openings. Each channel has a first width proximate the bottom surface and a second width distal from the bottom surface wherein the second width is wider than the first width.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retail shelf unit comprising:
a base including a front rail, a back rail and a pair of side support members that connect the front rail to the back rail and form a perimeter;
a platform having a bottom surface and a plurality of elongated openings extending entirely though the platform;
a cover having a top, a front and at least one elongated slot extending entirely through the top, the cover being positioned over and attached to the platform such that each of the at least one elongated slots of the cover is aligned with one of the elongated openings of the platform; and
a linkage connecting the base to the platform and configured to raise and lower the platform so that in a raised position the linkage raises the platform above the base so the platform is oriented along a first substantially horizontal plane and in a lowered position the linkage lowers the platform so the platform is positioned inside the perimeter of the base and the platform is oriented along a second substantially horizontal plane that is substantially parallel with the first substantially horizontal plane, the linkage comprising a base member mounted to the base, a pair of substantially rigid members and an upper member mounted to the platform where each of the pair of substantially rigid members are connected to the base member at pivots points and each of the pair of substantially rigid members are connected to the upper member at pivot points.

2. The retail shelf unit of claim 1 wherein the cover further comprises a label support structure that protrudes from the front of the cover and supports a label holder on the retail fixture, the label holder extending across a width of the platform and a width of the cover.

3. The retail shelf unit of claim 2 wherein the top of the cover comprises a top surface that is positioned above the platform when the cover is positioned over and attached to the platform, a front surface extending down from the top surface and wherein the label support structure protrudes from the front surface.

4. The retail shelf unit of claim 1 wherein the linkage comprises a locking mechanism that locks the platform and the cover in the raised position relative to the base.

5. The retail shelf unit of claim 1 wherein the retail fixture further comprises a label slot formed between a front of the platform and a front of the base and a label strip, wherein the label strip is secured to the retail fixture by a portion of the label strip being positioned within the label slot.

6. The retail shelf unit of claim 1 wherein the platform further comprises a bottom surface having at least one downwardly extending protrusion that extends along at least one of the openings.

7. The retail shelf unit of claim 1 wherein the platform further comprise a bottom surface and a support fixed to the bottom surface, the support having a bottom section spanning each of the plurality of openings and above the bottom section the support having a channel at each opening, wherein each channel of the support has a width that is wider than a width of one of the elongated openings in the platform above the channel.

8. The retail shelf unit of claim 1 wherein a number of slots in the cover is less than a number of openings in the platform.

9. A retail shelf unit comprising:
a base including a front rail, a back rail and a pair of side support members that connect the front rail to the back rail and form a perimeter;
a platform coupled to the base and having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a pair of opposing side ends, at least one elongated opening that extends entirely through the product support from the top surface to the bottom surface and having a width that extends between the pair of opposing side ends and a protrusion downwardly protruding from the bottom surface and extending along and adjacent to at least the width of the at least one elongated opening and having a set of spaced apart nubs; and
a cover over the top surface that has at least one elongated slot extending entirely through the cover and is aligned with at least one of the elongated openings.

10. The retail shelf unit of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of elongated openings that extend between the pair of opposing side ends and a plurality of protrusions downwardly protruding from the bottom surface and extending along and adjacent to at least the width of each elongated opening and each of the plurality of protrusions having a set of spaced apart nubs.

11. The retail shelf unit of claim 10 further comprising a support extending transverse to the openings and fixed to the bottom surface, the support having a channel with an upper span and a lower span, the upper span of the channel spanning a set of spaced-apart nubs and an opening and the lower span of the channel being greater than the upper span.

12. The retail shelf unit of claim 9 wherein a number of elongated slots in the cover is less than a number of elongated openings in the top surface.

13. The retail shelf unit of claim 9 further comprising two raising members that are positioned on opposite sides of the top surface and support the product support in a raised position.

14. The retail shelf unit of claim 13 wherein at least one raising member further comprise a catch that must be released in order to lower the top surface.

15. A retail shelf unit comprising:
a base including a front rail, a back rail and a pair of side support members that connect the front rail to the back rail and form a perimeter;
a support structure coupled to and located within the perimeter of the base having an elongated opening extending entirely through the support structure and between a top surface and a bottom surface of the support structure;
a bracket extending across the elongated opening and mounted to the bottom surface of the support structure, the bracket having a channel aligned with the opening that has a first width proximate the bottom surface and a second width distal from the bottom surface wherein the second width is wider than the first width; and
a product post mounted to the top surface of the support structure and a fastening mechanism passing through the elongated opening and fastening the product post to the support structure, the fastening mechanism comprising a narrow portion and a wide portion, the wide portion being wider than the first width of the bracket and narrower than the second width.

16. The retail shelf unit of claim 15 further comprising an overlay set on the top surface and having a second elongated opening that is aligned with the elongated opening of the support structure.

17. The retail shelf unit of claim 16 wherein the elongated opening of the support structure comprises a plurality of parallel elongated openings extending between the top surface and the bottom surface and wherein the overlay comprises fewer elongated openings than the elongated openings in the support structure.

18. The retail shelf unit of claim 16 wherein the overlay further comprises a sign support structure that supports a sign such that a top surface of the sign is in a same plane as a top surface of the overlay.

19. The retail shelf unit of claim 15 further comprising a series of position keys protruding from the bottom surface along the opening and defining positions where a product holder may be fastened.

20. The retail shelf unit of claim 15 further comprising a linkage with a locking mechanism that maintains the support structure in a raised position.

Assignees

• Target Brands Inc

Inventors

• Trinh Nick Q
• Peota Robert D
• Kivi Judd S
• Martell Timothy J
• Stoltz Robert P
• Schneider Thomas A
• Poniatowski Alex K
• Theisen Jennifer A
• Stafford William Y
• Breunig Daniel Adam
• Huljich Kevin

Classifications

• A47F5/0846

  Display panels or rails with elongated channels; Sliders, brackets, shelves, or the like, slidably attached therein · CPC title

• A47F5/0087 Primary

  movable around an axis · CPC title

• A47F5/0869

  Accessories for article-supporting brackets, e.g. price- indicating means, not covered by a single one of groups A47F5/08 (pushing means therefor A47F1/128) · CPC title

• A47F5/0043

  Show shelves (shelves in general A47B96/02; brackets or similar shelf-supporting means A47B96/06; advertising or price indication G09F) · CPC title