Pusher and merchandise display system

A merchandise display system for dispensing articles comprising:

• a) a display cell having a back wall, a pair of opposing side walls and an open front;
• and
• b) a pusher including:
• i. a first member featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and a hinge portion;
• ii. a second member featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and a hinge portion;
• iii. said first member joined to said second member at a first pivot axis between the leading edges and the first and second hinge portions
• iv. and at a second pivot axis between the trailing edges and the hinge portions;
• v. the leading edges adapted to cooperatively engage a rearmost article positioned in the cell;
• vi. the trailing edges adapted to cooperatively engage the back wall of the cell;
• vii. a tensioning element urging the hinge portions towards one another so that the back wall of the cell is engaged by the trailing edges and the rearmost article is engaged by the leading edges and pushed towards the open front of the cell;
• viii. a pair of centering flaps joined one each to the trailing edges, said centering flaps cooperatively engaging the opposing sidewalls of the cell to assist in centering the pusher within the cell.

A device for pushing articles in a display cell having a back wall, an opposing pair of side walls and an open front, the device comprising:

• a) a first member featuring a rear panel and a forward panel, said rear panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge and said forward panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge, said trailing edge of the forward panel joined to the leading edge of the rear panel in a hinged fashion so that a first member angle is defined between the forward and rear panels of the first member;
• b) a second member featuring a rear panel and a forward panel, said rear panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge and said forward panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge, said trailing edge of the forward panel joined to the leading edge of the rear panel in a hinged fashion so that a second member angle is defined between the forward and rear panels of the second member;
• c) said forward panel of the first member joined to the forward panel of the second member in a hinged fashion;
• d) said rear panel of the first member joined to the rear panel of the second member in a hinged fashion;
• e) the leading edges of the forward panels of said first and second members adapted to cooperatively engage a rearmost article positioned in the cell;
• f) the trailing edges of the rear panels of said first and second members adapted to cooperatively engage the back wall of the cell;
• g) a tensioning element urging portions of the first and second members together so that the acuteness of the first member and second member angles increase and so that the rearmost article engaged by the forward panels of the first and second members is pushed towards the open front of the cell;
• and
• h) a first centering flap joined to the trailing edge of the rear panel of the first member and a second centering flap joined to the trailing edge of the rear panel of the second member, said first and second centering flaps cooperatively engaging the opposing sidewalls of the cell to assist in centering the pusher within the cell.