Gravity feed shelving system with track and pusher
OwnerMilton J. Merlinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for the display and storage of package products in a store environment for access by consumers is adapted for use in conjunction with conventional display gondolas having uprights for shelf mounting. The apparatus includes a gravity feed unit for positioning on a shelf behind an array of products to drive the products forward on the shelf towards a bumper unit. A track for guiding the gravity feed unit slopes downwardly towards the front of the shelf, allowing a force to be generated by the pusher unit against the arrayed products. The pusher may have a platform on which products may be placed to increase the effective mass of the pusher to enhance the produced forward force.
Claims27
An apparatus including uprights for the mounting of shelves for display and storage of packaged products in a store environment, comprising:
- a shelf frame mountable to said uprights;
- at least one gravity feed unit supported by said shelf frame in a forwardly-projecting position from said uprights, each of said gravity feed units having a track for acceptance of a plurality of packaged products arrayed in a serial arrangement between a front and rear end of said track, said track having a recess having a pair of slot surfaces and a lower chamber portion, the recess extending between the front and rear ends, being oriented with its front end being displaced downwardly from its rear end, and having a product retainer located at the front end of said track;
- a pusher mounted upon said track for gravity-induced travel from said rear end to said front end, said pusher having a pusher face extending upwardly from said track for contact with a rearmost of said packaged products to maintain and deliver said product forwardly along said track to said front end and against said product retainer, a platform extending parallel to said track to accept packaged products thereon, at least one wheel mounted for rolling contact upon a top surface of said track, a guide wheel for rolling contact upon said slot surfaces within said recess and a guide post supporting a pad for retention with said lower chamber;
- and
- indicating means comprising a signal flag projecting forward from said pusher and resting in said recess below the top surface of the track as said pusher travels along the track and an aperture in said product retainer through which the signal flag projects for observation only when the pusher is at the front end of the track.
An apparatus for display and storage of packaged products, comprising:
- a shelf having a track having a surface extending forwardly along said shelf, said shelf being inclined downwardly from back to front;
- a pusher positioned upon said surface of said shelf for gravity-induced travel from a rear end of said shelf to a front end of the shelf along said track, said pusher having a pusher face extending upwardly for contact with a rearmost of said packaged products to maintain and deliver said products forwardly along said shelf and a platform extending parallel to said track to accept packaged products thereon;
- and at least one wheel mounted for rolling contact upon said surface of the track;
- a product retainer located at a forward end of said track, said product retainer having an upstanding wall for contact with a frontmost of said packaged products;
- and
- indicating means comprising a signal flag pivotally mounted to said pusher, projecting forward from said pusher and having a position below the top surface of the track as said pusher travels along the track, and a upwardly curved aperture through said product retainer to guide the signal flag to an elevated position extending and projecting through the product retainer for observation only when the pusher is at the front end of the track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.