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US 6,474,484 B1Granted
Inventory control system for walk-in display coolers and the like
AssigneePaul Flum Ideas, Inc.
InventorDonald J. Miller, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A product inventory control system is provided that utilizes both fixed and movable racks. The present system may be utilized in a walk-in display cooler or other product storage application to help with inventory management and to provide easy access to stored product. The racks of the present system include shelf support members that are selectively positionable at a plurality of different orientations so as to achieve different product support surface orientations relative to a horizontal The shelf support members are adapted for storing a plurality of different types of products and product containers. Movable racks are positioned in front of fixed racks whereby movement of a movable rack provides access to a rack positioned therebehind.
Claims38
A product storage system comprising:
- a rack with at least one shelf for storing product;
- a pair of tracks secured to a support surface, said tracks each including a channel member having a pair of spaced apart top and bottom flanges and a connecting intermediate web extending therebetween defining a side opening guide channel in each track, the top and bottom flanges of each track including free spaced apart elongate edges defining said respective side opening guide channels, the side opening guide channels of said pair of tracks facing one another;
- a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to said rack adjacent a lower portion thereof for receipt in a respective side opening guide channel, each of said wheels rotating about a generally horizontal axis;
- said wheels and tracks permitting restrained movement of the rack in two directions;
- and
- at least one lateral guide engagable with each track, each lateral guide including a side roller rotatably mounted to said rack about a generally vertical axis, said side roller being engagable with said intermediate web to help guide movement of the rack along said tracks.
3 more elements
An adjustable rack for the storage of products comprising:
- a pair of spaced apart upright support structures, each of said upright support structures having a plurality of sets of first attachment elements spaced along the length thereof, and
- at least two shelf support members, each shelf support member having a mounting bracket associated with each opposite end thereof, said mounting brackets each including a plurality of second attachment elements selectively cooperating with a selected set of first attachment elements, each mounting bracket including at least three second attachment elements positioned to form a generally V-shaped pattern with the angle between the legs of the V being in the range from between about 30° to about 60°, said second attachment elements being positioned relative to one another to permit mounting of a shelf support member selectively at one of a plurality of different orientations relative to said upright support structures, at least two of said shelf support members being mounted to said upright support structures to form a product support surface for the storage of products.
A product storage rack comprising:
- a base frame member having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted thereto;
- a pair of spaced apart upright support structures extending upwardly from said base frame member, each of said upright support structures having a plurality of sets of first apertures spaced along the length thereof;
- at least two shelf support members, each shelf support member having a mounting bracket associated with each opposite end thereof, said mounting brackets each including a plurality of second apertures selectively cooperating with a selected set of said first apertures associated with said upright support structures, said second apertures being selectively positioned relative to said selected set of first apertures to permit mounting of a shelf support member selectively at one of a plurality of different orientations relative to said upright support structures, at least two of said shelf support members being mountable to said upright support structures to form a product support surface;
- a pair of tracks secured to a support surface, said tracks each having an open side portion defining a guide channel for receiving any one of said plurality of wheels, said pair of tracks being positioned and arranged such that the respective open side portions defining said guide channels face each other, said plurality of wheels and tracks permitting movement of said pair of upright support structures in two directions when said wheels are engaged with the guide channels of said tracks.
1 more element
A product inventory control system comprising:
- at least two product holding racks positioned in spaced apart relationship relative to each other;
- at least one of said product holding racks including a base frame member, a pair of spaced apart upright support structures extending upward from said base frame member, a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to said base frame member, and at least two shelf support members;
- each of said upright support structures including a plurality of sets of first attachment elements spaced along the length thereof, each of said shelf support members including a pair of mounting brackets and a support flange extending therebetween, each of said mounting brackets having a plurality of second attachment elements associated therewith, said second attachment elements being positioned so as to be selectively engagable with a selected set of said first attachment elements to permit mounting of said shelf support member selectively at a plurality of different orientations relative to said upright support structures, said at least two of said shelf support members being mountable to said upright support structures to form a product support surface for the storage of products thereon;
- a pair of tracks secured in spaced apart relationship to a support surface, each of said tracks including an open guide channel for receiving any one of said plurality of wheels mounted to said base frame member, said tracks permitting restrained movement of said at least one product holding rack in two directions when said plurality of wheels are engaged with the respective guide channels associated with said tracks;
- said at least one product holding rack being movable relative to the other of said product holding racks so as to provide access thereto.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.