Patents by Inventor Stephen N. Hardy

Stephen N. Hardy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11182738
    Abstract: Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Costello, Stephen N. Hardy, Tony Dipaolo
  • Publication number: 20210321794
    Abstract: A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall mounted to the base at an angle. The system may further include a spring-urged pusher movably mounted on the base. The system may further include an opening defined by the first side wall and the front retaining wall through which product may be removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210321793
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes a divider secured to a support structure and a barrier that is moveable by rotation between a folded position and an upright position without a rotation biasing element. A product positioned in the system can contact the barrier when the product moves toward the forward end of the system and rotate the barrier from the folded position to the upright position. The system may include a rotational mounting structure to which the moveable barrier is connected. The rotational mounting structure may be removably connected to the forward end of the divider. The merchandise display system may be used in conjunction with a product tray which provides for product stored in the product tray to be slid from in the product tray into the product pocket of the merchandise display system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Stephen N. Hardy, Stuart Parsons
  • Publication number: 20210315395
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam that may define a cam glide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventor: Stephen N Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210307539
    Abstract: A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall mounted to the base at an angle. The system may further include a spring-urged pusher movably mounted on the base. The system may further include an opening defined by the first side wall and the front retaining wall through which product may be removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210307541
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed. A plurality of thin dividers separate the product into rows. The dividers may be formed separately and attached and secured by being inserted into a plurality of grooves arranged along the lower surface and the forward and rear support posts of the product dispensing tray. The dividers are configured to self-adjust by laterally shifting within the grooves when the product is moved forward by the pusher to being loaded by an operator to allow the product to be positioned in a tight fitting manner to maximize the amount of product that can be accommodated horizontally across the tray. In addition, the dividers may have a bottom wall spaced from the surface with a support column that is inserted into an elongated pocket to provide the structural support for the divider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210307538
    Abstract: A product management display system may include a tray having a front rounded portion and a surface defining a plurality of apertures, a front wall having a top portion and two side legs. The side legs may define a bottom portion, and the top portion, the two side legs, and the bottom portion form an opening, and a strip of advertising may be present on the front wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210259436
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 11076707
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210224730
    Abstract: Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system. Audible and/or visual alerts can be provided when an attempted theft is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick Costello, Stephen N. Hardy, Tony Dipaolo
  • Patent number: 11058232
    Abstract: A merchandise display system may include a tray having a front rounded portion and a surface defining a plurality of apertures, a lip extending from the front rounded portion of the tray, a front wall, and a plurality of dividers attached to the tray, the plurality of dividers may be configured to separate product into one or more rows. The front wall may be formed as a separate component from the tray and the plurality of dividers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 11058234
    Abstract: A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall. The merchandise system may be configured to hold a number of products, such as cans (for example, baby formula cans) in the merchandise system that would be accessible to the customer one at a time out of the front of the merchandise system. The front of each merchandise system may include its own individual security window attached to the merchandise system that allows the customer to remove one can at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tony Dipaolo, Stephen N. Hardy, John Wildman
  • Patent number: 11051637
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a tray on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The tray may include a notch for accessing the merchandising product from below and the product management display system may be thin to minimize vertical height. The trays may also be engaged with the shelf and may be, locked and unlocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20210201254
    Abstract: Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system. Audible and visual alerts can be provided when an attempted theft has been detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick Costello, Stephen N. Hardy, Tony Dipaolo
  • Publication number: 20210192439
    Abstract: Sensor-equipped display management systems and methods that may be used to calculate a number of products removed from a display management system based upon motion of one or more mechanisms within the display management system. Additionally, the systems and methods may be used to detect patterns from the sensor data, which may be indicative of attempted theft of products stored within the display management system. Audible and/or visual notifications can be provided when an attempted theft is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick Costello, Stephen N. Hardy, Tony Dipaolo
  • Publication number: 20210180849
    Abstract: A portable insulating device kit may be configured to fit within a smaller container for easier shipment. In one example, the assembly may include a base, a top wall having an opening, an inner liner configured to extend into the opening of the top wall to form an interior cavity defining a volumetric storage capacity and an exterior wall. The container can have a flat configuration defining a length, height, and width. The base, the top wall, the inner liner, and the exterior wall may be configured to be assembled into a portable insulating device. The volume of the container may be less than the volumetric storage capacity of the assembled portable insulating device, and the base, the inner liner, and the exterior wall are configured to be detached from one another and shipped in the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Stephen N. Hardy, Gideon Schlessinger, Fred Geiger, Julio Lozano
  • Publication number: 20210112996
    Abstract: An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system may include a retainer for limiting the movement of products loaded in the adjustable tray, a first divider extending from a first panel and second divider extending from a second panel. The spacing between the first divider and the second divider can be configured to be adjusted. The first panel and the second panel can be configured to move to provide additional surface area for the adjustable tray to accommodate different sized products. The adjustable tray may further include a pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 10966546
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes a divider secured to a support structure, a pusher to move product, a barrier, and a low product indicator device. The low product indicator device may be visible when an amount of product positioned on the top surface of the divider floor or on the shelf is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 10959542
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 10952549
    Abstract: A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed. A plurality of thin dividers separate the product into rows. The dividers may be formed separately and attached and secured by being inserted into a plurality of grooves arranged along the lower surface and the forward and rear support posts of the product dispensing tray. The dividers are configured to self-adjust by laterally shifting within the grooves when the product is moved forward by the pusher to being loaded by an operator to allow the product to be positioned in a tight fitting manner to maximize the amount of product that can be accommodated horizontally across the tray. In addition, the dividers may have a bottom wall spaced from the surface with a support column that is inserted into an elongated pocket to provide the structural support for the divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy