SPRING FEED SHELF DISPLAY WITH LATERAL ADJUSTMENT
A product display for displaying and supporting a product or plurality of products. The product display includes a base having a longitudinal axis, a pusher slidable along the longitudinal axis of the base, a first side wire laterally adjustable relative to the base assembly, and second side wire laterally adjustable relative to the base assembly. The product display may also include a stop member coupled to the base to limit laterally-outward adjustment of both the first side wire and the second side wire. Further, the first side wire may be substantially identical.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/104,004 filed Oct. 9, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to shelf displays and more specifically spring feed shelf displays.
Prominent display of and easy access to a product are desirable features in a retail display. When attempting to market a product, the seller typically wants consumers to easily recognize the product and remove the product from the display. Merchandise can be most easily recognized if located in an upright position maintained in close proximity to the visible edge of the merchandise shelf. It is also desirable for the display to be adaptable to changes in merchandise or packaging size. Standard merchandise displays such as single shelves or racks have difficulty maintaining proper orientation and position of the products. Shelves can leave tall, thin objects unstable, while both shelves and racks often leave merchandise highly inaccessible to a consumer once the front packages have been removed. Spring feed shelf displays maintain proper orientation and location of the merchandise by urging products toward the front of the shelf while holding the product in a generally upright position.
SUMMARYThe present invention relates generally to a product display including a base having a longitudinal axis, a pusher slidable along the longitudinal axis of the base, a first side wire laterally adjustable relative to the base assembly, a second side wire laterally adjustable relative to the base opposite the first side wire, and a stop member coupled to the base to limit laterally-outward adjustment of both the first side wire and the second side wire relative to the base.
In one embodiment, the product display may include a base assembly having a longitudinal axis, a first base member defining a first support cavity, and a second base member defining a second support cavity and a pusher slidable along the longitudinal axis of the base assembly. The product display may also include a first side wire laterally adjustable with respect to the base assembly, the first side wire having a first extension rod slidably received by the first support cavity and a second extension rod slidably received by the second support cavity, and a second side wire laterally adjustable with respect to the base assembly and positioned opposite the first side wire, the second side wire having a third extension rod slidably received by the first support cavity and a fourth extension rod slidably received by the second support cavity. The product display may also include a stop member coupled to the first base member and engagable with the first and third extension rods to limit laterally-outward adjustment of the first side wire and the second side wire relative to the base assembly.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or embodiments, or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
The front stop 51 extends upwardly from the forward ends of the outer rods 22. In the illustrated construction the front stop 51 is generally arcuate and is formed of the same elongated rod as the outer rods 22. The front stop 51 generally includes two uprights 50 and a substantially semicircular connector 54 to support and restrict the motion of a product or plurality of products held by the display. The front stop 51 may also be parabolic, elliptical, linear, or have another shape sufficient to stop movement of articles in the display. A placard 34 (
The base members 14 are fixedly coupled to the ends of the inner and outer rods 22, 23, for example by welding. The base members 14 extend substantially perpendicularly to the inner and outer rods 23, 22, spanning at least the distance D. Additional base members may also be provided along the length of the inner and outer rods 22, 23 to provide additional support. In the illustrated construction, each base member 14 is formed from a substantially flat, rigid, for example metallic, blank. The blank is generally formed by bending and/or extrusion into a substantially “C” shape resulting in a substantially flat upper portion 66 and a pair of arcuate side portions 67 (
A pair of outer slots 75 are spaced outwardly from the inner slots 74. The illustrated outer slots 75 of the pusher 26 extend inwardly from side edges 83 to define a substantially “U” shaped slot that receives the outer rods 22. By opening outwardly, the outer slots 75 define a pair of stability tabs 77 adjacent the bottom edge 84 of the front and rear panels 38, 39. The stability tabs 77 engage the undersides of the outer rods 22 to stabilize the pusher 26 when the pusher 26 is coupled to the base assembly 11.
The front panel 38 of the pusher 26 also defines a plurality (e.g. two as illustrated) of elongated slots 76 that extend substantially parallel to the bottom edge 84. Each slot 76 is configured such that a portion of a respective biasing member 30 extends through the slot 76, as discussed further below.
Referring also to
With reference to
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In use, the pusher 26 is moved rearwardly, against the biasing force provided by the biasing members 30, and a plurality of products is positioned between the pusher 26 and the front stop 51. The products are supported from below by the outer and inner wires 22, 23. The side wires 18 may then be adjusted to a width that is appropriate for supporting the sides of the products. The biasing force provided by the biasing members 30 urges the pusher 26 forwardly, toward the front stop 51, thereby holding the products in an upright position. When a forward-most product of the plurality of products is removed, the pusher 26 urges the remaining product or products forwardly such that the next product engages the front stop 51 and is positioned for subsequent removal by the customer. In this way, the spring feed shelf display 10 maintains the product in a forward-most position for prominent display and ease of removal by customers.
Claims
1. A product display comprising:
- a base having a longitudinal axis;
- a pusher slidable along the longitudinal axis of the base;
- a first side wire laterally adjustable relative to the base assembly;
- a second side wire laterally adjustable relative to the base opposite the first side wire; and
- a stop member coupled to the base to limit laterally-outward adjustment of both the first side wire and the second side wire relative to the base.
2. The product display of claim 1, wherein the first side wire and second side wire are slideably received by the base.
3. The product display of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the first side wire and the second side wire are retained within the base by the stop member.
4. The product display of claim 3, wherein the first side wire includes a stop hook to engage the stop member.
5. The product display of claim 1, wherein the stop member is a rivet.
6. The product display of claim 1, wherein the base assembly includes two base members each defining a support cavity, and wherein the first side wire is at least partially received by the support cavity of each base member.
7. The product display of claim 1, wherein the first side wire and the second side wire are substantially identical.
8. The product display of claim 1, wherein a biasing member is positioned to bias the pusher along the longitudinal axis of the base.
9. A product display comprising:
- a base assembly including a longitudinal axis, a first base member defining a first support cavity, and a second base member defining a second support cavity;
- a pusher slidable along the longitudinal axis of the base assembly;
- a first side wire laterally adjustable with respect to the base assembly, the first side wire having a first extension rod slidably received by the first support cavity and a second extension rod slidably received by the second support cavity;
- a second side wire laterally adjustable with respect to the base assembly and positioned opposite the first side wire, the second side wire having a third extension rod slidably received by the first support cavity and a fourth extension rod slidably received by the second support cavity; and
- a stop member coupled to the first base member and engagable with the first and third extension rods to limit laterally-outward adjustment of the first side wire and the second side wire relative to the base assembly.
10. The product display of claim 9, wherein the first and third extension rods each include a distal end that defines a stopping hook.
11. The product display of claim 10,wherein the first extension rod extends into the first cavity from a first end of the first cavity, the third extension rod extends into the first cavity from a second end of the first cavity, wherein the stop member is positioned substantially mid-way between the first and second ends of the first cavity, and wherein the stopping hook of the first extension rod is positioned between the stop member and the second end of the first cavity and the stopping hook of the second extension member is positioned between the stop member and the first end of the first cavity.
12. The product display of claim 10, wherein the stopping hooks engage the stop member to limit laterally-outward adjustment of the first side wire and the second side wire relative to the base assembly.
13. The product display of claim 9, wherein the first side wire and the second side wire are substantially identical.
14. The product display of claim 9, wherein a biasing member is positioned to bias the pusher in a longitudinal direction relative to the base.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 6, 2009
Publication Date: May 6, 2010
Inventor: Robert P. Sparkowski (Schaumburg, IL)
Application Number: 12/574,534
International Classification: A47F 7/00 (20060101);