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US 8,281,949 B2Granted
Product display container having hinged side panels with a slidable gate member to selectively block access through a port in at least one side panel
AssigneeTarget Brands, Inc.
InventorsJonah Scholen, David Burghart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods include unfolding a product bin from a flat configuration to vertical configuration to define a portion of a product enclosure. The product bin comprises a plurality of sections hinged end-to-end in a chain. A free end of a first one of the sections in the chain is releasably connected to a free end of a last one of the sections in the chain with a support member. The support member is fastened to an object such that the plurality of sections and the object combine to define a product enclosure. A plurality of products is placed in the product enclosure.
Claims12
A product display system comprising:
- an endcap of a shelving unit;
- and
- a product dispensing enclosure comprising:
- a plurality of side panels, each of the plurality of side panels defining a first side and a second side, each of the plurality of side panels hinged side-to-side with an adjacent side panel, two of the plurality of side panels each defining an unhinged, free side;
- and
- a support member releasably connecting the unhinged, free sides of each of the two side panels, the support member releasably secured to the endcap;
- wherein the endcap and the plurality of side panels combine to define an enclosed perimeter for enclosing a plurality of products, and wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels includes an outer perimeter, an access opening disposed within and spaced from the outer perimeter and opening into the enclosed perimeter, and an adjustment assembly, the adjustment assembly including a restriction member that is selectively positionable along a plane parallel to a plane of the at least one of the plurality of side panels to block a portion of the access opening to provide selective access to the plurality of products, wherein the restriction member comprises:
- a body sized to block a portion of the access opening, the body extending from a first end to a second end,
- a first leg extending angularly from the first end of the body and slidable in a sliding direction, and
- a second leg extending angularly from the second end of the body and slidable in a sliding direction, and
- wherein the adjustment assembly comprises:
- a first restriction member guide secured proximate the access opening, the first restriction member guide forming a first lumen, the first lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the first leg, wherein the first lumen is oriented in alignment with the sliding direction of the first leg;
- and
- a second restriction member guide secured proximate the access opening, the second restriction member guide forming a second lumen, the second lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the second leg, wherein the second lumen is oriented in alignment with the sliding direction of the second leg.
11 more elements
A product display system comprising:
- an endcap of a shelving unit;
- and
- a product dispensing enclosure comprising:
- a plurality of side panels, each of the plurality of side panels defining a first side and a second side, each of the plurality of side panels hinged side-to-side with an adjacent side panel, two of the plurality of side panels each defining an unhinged, free side;
- and
- a support member releasably connecting the unhinged, free sides of each of the two side panels, the support member releasably secured to the endcap;
- wherein the endcap and the plurality of side panels combine to define an enclosed perimeter for enclosing a plurality of products, and wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels forms an access opening into the enclosed perimeter and includes an adjustment assembly, the adjustment assembly adapted to block a portion of the access opening as desired to provide selective access to the plurality of products,
- wherein the adjustment assembly comprises:
- a restriction member comprising:
- a body sized to block a portion of the access opening, the body extending from a first end to a second end,
- a first leg extending angularly from the first end of the body, and
- a second leg extending angularly from the second end of the body;
- a first restriction member guide secured proximate the access opening, the first restriction member guide forming a lumen, the lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the first leg;
- and
- a second restriction member guide secured proximate the access opening, the second restriction member guide forming a lumen, the lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the second leg, and
- wherein a position of the first leg in the first restriction member guide is adjustably set with a set screw.
13 more elements
A selectively accessible container comprising:
- a plurality of walls formed of wire, each of the walls having a first side and a second side, each of the walls hinged at the first sides of each of the walls to an adjacent wall, wherein a first wall and a last wall are each unhinged at one side;
- and
- a connector formed of wire, the connector releasably securing each of the unhinged sides of the first wall and the last wall to each other;
- wherein at least one of the walls has a fixed port through the wall that is positioned within and spaced from a perimeter of the wall and includes a gate assembly, the gate assembly being adjustable in a plane parallel to a plane of the at least one of the walls and selectively positionable to block a desired portion of the port, wherein the gate assembly comprises:
- a gate member formed of wire material, the gate member comprising:
- a central portion defining a first end and a second end, the central portion sized to extend across a portion of the port,
- a first portion extending angularly from the first end of the central portion and slidable in a sliding direction, and
- a second portion extending angularly from the second end of the central portion and slidable in a sliding direction;
- a first guide sleeve including a tubular body forming a lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the first portion of the gate member, wherein the first guide sleeve is oriented in alignment with the sliding direction of the first portion of the gate member;
- and
- a second guide sleeve including a tubular body forming a lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the second portion of the gate member, wherein the second guide sleeve is oriented in alignment with the sliding direction of the second portion of the gate member.
8 more elements
A selectively accessible container comprising:
- a plurality of walls formed of wire, each of the walls having a first side and a second side, each of the walls hinged at the first sides of each of the walls to an adjacent wall, wherein a first wall and a last wall are each unhinged at one side;
- and
- a connector formed of wire, the connector releasably securing each of the unhinged sides of the two walls to one another;
- wherein at least one of the walls has a port through the wall and includes a gate assembly, the gate assembly being adjustable and adapted to selectively interfere with the port, and
- wherein the gate assembly comprises:
- a gate member formed of wire material, the gate member comprising:
- a central portion defining a first end and a second end, the central portion sized to extend across a portion of the port,
- a first portion extending angularly from the first end of the central portion, and
- a second portion extending angularly from the second end of the central portion;
- a first guide sleeve including a tubular body forming a lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the first portion of the gate member;
- and
- a second guide sleeve including a tubular body forming a lumen coaxially and slidably receiving the second portion of the gate member, wherein the first guide sleeve includes a screw for releasably setting a position of the first portion of the gate member within the lumen of the first guide sleeve.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.