Product management display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801466-B2
Application number	US-201514874839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

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 pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer, 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A merchandise display system comprising:
a tray having a tray surface for receiving products loaded in the tray; a retainer for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray, the retainer comprising a retainer wall and a ramp for loading products into the tray, wherein the ramp extends from a bottom portion of the retainer wall, wherein the ramp is formed by an inclined first angled portion and a second flat portion; wherein one or more teeth protrude directly from the first angled portion of the ramp;
a first divider and a second divider for guiding the products in the tray; and
a first panel defining a first panel surface and a second panel defining a second panel surface wherein the first panel surface and the second panel surface provide for an extension to the tray surface, wherein the first divider extends perpendicularly from the first panel and second divider extends perpendicularly from the second panel;
wherein spacing between the first divider and the second divider is configured to be adjusted and the first panel and the second panel are configured to move to provide the extension to the tray surface of the tray when a space between the first divider and the second divider is increased;
wherein the retainer is configured to rotate from an upward position to a downward position; wherein the retainer wall is configured to act as a barrier limiting movement of products loaded in the tray in the upward position and is configured to be held in the downward position while product is loaded into the tray; and
wherein the retainer is configured to be held in the upward position by inserting the one or more teeth into a void formed in the tray.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1 further comprising a guide shaft comprising a set of guide shaft teeth configured to engage a first set of teeth located on the first panel and a second set of teeth located on the second panel to provide equalized movement and spacing of the first divider and the second divider with respect to one another.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 2 wherein the guide shaft extends underneath the tray wherein one of the first set of teeth or the second set of teeth extend upward to engage the guide shaft.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the ramp is configured to limit movement of the products when the retainer is in the downward position.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 4 wherein the angled portion and the flat portion of the ramp form a groove and wherein the groove is configured to receive a front portion of the tray therein to maintain the retainer in the downward position.

6. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein the tray is configured to mount to either a front rail or a hanger tray by a cam.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 1 wherein a first opening is formed in the first panel and a second opening is formed in the second panel.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 7 wherein the tray further comprises first and second slot recesses for receiving the first panel and the second panel.

9. The merchandise display system of claim 1 further comprising a pusher mechanism configured to bias the products toward the retainer.

10. A merchandise display system comprising:
a tray having a tray surface for receiving products loaded in the tray; and a retainer mounted to the tray for limiting movement of products loaded in the tray, the retainer comprising a retainer wall for retaining products in a first upward position and a ramp extending from a bottom portion of the retainer wall, the ramp configured to help retain existing products on the tray in a second downward position and configured to serve as a guide for products being loaded onto the tray surface, wherein the retainer is configured to rotate from the first position to the second position;
wherein the retainer wall is generally perpendicular to the tray surface in the first position and generally parallel relative to the tray surface in the second position;
wherein the ramp is formed by an inclined first angled portion and a second flat portion, wherein the first angled portion extends from the second flat portion at an acute angle, wherein one or more teeth protrude directly from the first angled portion of the ramp, wherein the ramp is configured to guide the products into the tray when the retainer is in the second position, wherein the second flat portion of the ramp is configured to prevent products loaded onto the tray from advancing off of the tray when the retainer is in the second position, wherein the retainer is configured to be held in the second position while products are being loaded onto the tray surface, and wherein the retainer is configured to be held in the first upward position by inserting the one or more teeth into a void formed in the tray.

11. The merchandise display system of claim 10 further comprising a first divider and a second divider wherein the first divider is located on a first panel and the second divider is located on a second panel wherein spacing between the first divider and the second divider is configured to be adjusted and the first panel and the second panel are configured to move to provide additional surface area to the tray surface when a distance between the first divider and the second divider is increased.

12. The merchandise display system of claim 11 further comprising a guide shaft comprising a set of guide shaft teeth configured to engage a first set of teeth located on the first panel and a second set of teeth located on the second panel to provide equalized movement and spacing of the first divider and the second divider with respect to one another.

13. The merchandise display system of claim 12 wherein the guide shaft extends underneath the tray wherein one of the first set of teeth or the second set of teeth extends upward to engage the guide shaft.

14. The merchandise display system of claim 10 wherein the angled portion and the flat portion of the ramp together form a groove and wherein the groove is configured to receive a front portion of the tray therein to maintain the retainer in the second position.

15. The merchandise display system of claim 10 wherein the tray is configured to mount to either a front rail or a hanger tray by a cam.

16. The merchandise display system of claim 11 wherein the first divider extends from the first panel and the second divider extends from the second panel wherein a first opening is formed in the first panel and a second opening is formed in the second panel.

17. The merchandise display system of claim 16 wherein the tray further comprises first and second slot recesses for receiving the first panel and the second panel.

Assignees

• Rtc Ind Inc

Inventors

• Hardy Stephen N

Classifications

• A47F1/04

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

• A47F5/0025

  having separate display containers or trays on shelves or on racks · CPC title

• A47F5/005

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

• A47F5/0087

  movable around an axis · CPC title

• A47F1/125

  with an article-pushing device · CPC title