UNIVERSAL PRODUCT DISPLAY AND SHELF THEREFOR

Abstract

A shelf for displaying products is disclosed, the shelf comprising opposing left and right side wall members and opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members. Each of the front and rear divider support members comprise a plurality of vertically oriented slots spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf. The shelf includes at least one elongated divider having a front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot in the front divider support member and a rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot in the rear divider support member. The divider is adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal slot positions along a width of the shelf and is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and spaced above a removable tray.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/357,001, filed Jun. 21, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This disclosure pertains generally to product displays, and in particular to adjustable commercial product displays for use within a cooler, and shelves therefor.

BACKGROUND

Conventional product displays are available in many styles for displaying various products is various environments. However, a need exits in this field for product displays that (1) are more durable, (2) allow for greater mobility, (3) have increased and simplified adjustability, (4) allow for more versatile and more efficient product capacity, (5) provide greater accessibility for consumers and stockers, (5) exhibit enhanced frictional properties in cool and moist environments, (6) provide improved disposition of unwanted liquids, and/or (7) are easier to clean.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of a product display disclosed herein comprise a support frame and at least one shelf supported by the support frame. The shelf comprises opposing front and rear divider support members and opposing left and right side wall members. Each of the front and rear divider support members comprise a plurality of vertically oriented slots spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf. At least one elongated divider is included having a front end portion and a rear end portion. The front end portion is configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion is configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that the at least one divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members. The at least one divider is adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member. The at least one divider is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members.

In some embodiments, each of the front and rear divider support members further comprises a bottom portion that extends horizontally along the width of the divider support members, the front end portion of the at least one divider is supported by the bottom portion of the front divider support member, and the rear end portion of the at least one divider is supported by the bottom portion of the rear divider support member.

In some embodiments, the front and rear divider support members each further comprise a vertically oriented lower lip that extends horizontally along the width of the divider support members, wherein the lower lips together restrict the motion of the at least one divider in the frontward and rearward directions.

In some embodiments, the rear divider support member is supported entirely by the left and right side wall members.

In some embodiments, the shelf further comprises a removable tray that forms a floor of the shelf for supporting products on the shelf, and the at least one divider is spaced above the tray and does not contact the tray, such that the tray can be removed from the shelf without removing or adjusting the at least one divider. In some of these embodiments, the tray is supported by horizontal flanges of the left and right side wall members and the tray can be inserted and removed from the shelf by sliding the tray through a rear opening in the shelf that is defined by the rear divider support member above the rear opening and the horizontal flanges below the rear opening.

In some embodiments, the rear divider support member further comprises a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a top lip and a bottom lip, each extending horizontally between the left and right side wall members. The front portion is generally in a plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion extends rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion extends rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip extends downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the lower lip extends upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion. In some of these embodiments, the slots in the rear divider support member each comprise a front opening and a top opening, the front opening extending from the bottom portion upwardly across the front portion and to the top portion, and the top opening extending from a top end of the front opening rearwardly into the top portion. In some of these embodiments, when the at least one divider is being inserted into the shelf, the rear end portion of the divider enters top opening of a selected slot in the rear divider support member and slides downwardly into the front opening of the selected slot until the rear end portion of the divider contacts the bottom portion of the rear divider support member. In some of these embodiments, when the rear end portion of the at least one divider is positioned with the selected slot of the rear divider support member and is supported by the bottom portion of the rear divider support member, a top edge of the rear end portion of the divider is positioned below the top opening of the selected slot.

In some embodiments, the slots of the front divider support member correspond in horizontal alignment with the slots of the rear divider support member, and wherein the slots of the front divider support member each comprise a top opening and a rear opening such that when the at least one divider is being inserted into the shelf, the front end portion of the divider enters the top opening of a selected slot in the front divider support member and slides downwardly into the rear opening of the selected slot until the front end portion of the divider contacts a bottom portion of the front divider support member. In some of these embodiments, at least one pair of slots having the same horizontal position each include an indicator feature that is not included in immediately adjacent slots, the pair of slots including one slot in the front divider support member and one slot in the rear divider support member, such that the front slots can be indexed relative to the rear slots without respect to the left or right side wall members or inserted dividers. In some of these embodiments, the indicator features are included in a plurality of pairs of slots each spaced a regular number of slots apart from one another. In some of these embodiments, for each of the pair of slots, the indicator features comprise a first notch positioned at the top opening of the rear slot of the pair of slots, and a second notch positioned at a the top opening of the front slot of the pair of slots, such that the indicator features are readily visible when the shelf is viewed from above.

In some embodiments, the rear divider support member defines a channel extending horizontally along its length, and wherein the rear end portion of the at least one divider is positioned within the channel when engaged by one of the slots of the rear divider support member.

Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a shelf for displaying products, the shelf comprising opposing left and right side wall members; opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf; at least one elongated divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that the at least one divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the at least one divider being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member; and a removable tray that forms a floor of the shelf for supporting products on the shelf, wherein the at least one divider is suspended above the tray by the front and rear divider support members and a lower edge of the divider is spaced from the top surface of the tray, such that the tray can be removed from the shelf without removing or adjusting the at least one divider.

In some of these embodiments, the at least one divider is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and does not contact the tray. In some of these embodiments, the rear divider support member further comprises a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a top lip and a bottom lip, each extending horizontally between the left and right side wall members; and the front portion is generally in a plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion extends rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion extends rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip extends downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the lower lip extends upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion. In some of these embodiments, the slots in the rear divider support member each comprise a front opening and a top opening, the front opening extending from the bottom portion upwardly across the front portion and to the top portion, and the top opening extending from a top end of the front opening rearwardly into the top portion.

In one embodiment disclosed herein there is described a product display, such as for displaying dairy products in a commercial cooler, that includes a support frame, at least one shelf supported by the support frame, and at least one elongated divider extending from the front edge of the shelf to the rear edge. The divider is slidably adjustable side-to-side of the shelf to a plurality of positions along a width of the shelf while mounted to the shelf. These positions include a continuous, non-discrete range of positions. In some of these embodiments, the divider can be releasably fastenable to the shelf at any of the plurality of positions.

In some of these embodiments, the shelf also includes left and right side wall members and front and rear divider support members. Each divider support member connects the left side wall member to the right side wall member. The divider includes a first end portion and a second end portion, and the first end portion is slidably engaged with the front divider support member and the second end portion is slidably engaged with the rear divider support member. The shelf also includes at least one fastening device for releasably fastening the second end portion of the divider to the rear divider support member.

In some of these embodiments, the rear divider support member includes an elongated slot extending along its length that defines the continuous, non-discrete range of positions for the divider and includes a fastening device that extends from the second end portion of the divider through the elongated slot in the rear divider support member. In some of these embodiments, each divider support member includes a channel extending along its length. The first end portion of the divider is slidably engaged within the channel of the front divider support member and the second end portion of the divider is slidably engaged within the channel of the rear divider support member.

In some embodiments of the product display, the frame includes a plurality of elongated, vertically disposed shelf support columns, each column including a plurality of vertically aligned slots for supporting the shelf at different heights. At regular intervals along the plurality of vertically aligned slots, certain slots are marked for easy indexing with corresponding slots in the other columns. The shelf can be supported by the plurality of shelf support columns at a plurality of height positions, a plurality of tilt angles, and a plurality of fore-aft positions relative to the shelf support columns.

Some of these embodiments of the product display also include a plurality of shelf support brackets. Each bracket has at least one slot hook for attaching to one of the slots in the shelf support columns and at least one shelf hook for supporting the shelf.

Some embodiments of the product display frame also include two upper cross braces extending from the top of one shelf support column to the top of another shelf support column. These cross braces can be adjustable to a plurality of height positions relative to the shelf support columns.

In other embodiments of the product display, the shelf includes a high-density polyethylene tray having an upper sliding surface for supporting products that can slide from the rear end to the front end of the shelf under gravity. The tray includes a plurality of drainage grooves formed in the upper surface of the tray extending lengthwise of the tray, a collection groove in a front end portion of the tray in liquid communication with each of the drainage grooves, and at least one drain hole passing through the tray and in liquid communication with the collection groove. In these embodiments, liquid in the drainage grooves is directed to flow by gravity through the drainage grooves into the collection groove and through the drain hole.

In some of these embodiments, the drainage grooves are substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another widthwise of the tray. The collection groove is arced such that left and right ends of the collection groove are closer to the front end of the tray than a middle portion of the collection groove, and each end of the collection groove terminates in a drain hole. The tray also includes a rear handle in some embodiments for removing and inserting the tray from the rear of the shelf.

In still other embodiments, the product display includes a support frame and a plurality of shelves supported one above the other by the frame in a tilted position with a rear end of each shelf higher than a respective front end of each shelf. Each shelf includes a tray having a plurality of grooves in an upper surface of the tray and at least one drain hole adjacent a front end portion of the tray, such that the grooves are in liquid communication with the drain hole. A drip pan is also included that is coupled to the frame below the front end of a lowermost shelf such that liquid in the grooves of each tray is directed to flow by gravity through the grooves, through the drain hole in the tray, through the drain holes in any lower trays, and into the drip pan.

Some of these embodiments also include an arced collection groove adjacent the front edge of the tray that is in fluid communication with the plurality of grooves and the two drain holes in the tray, such that the arced collection groove directs fluid from the plurality of grooves towards the two drain holes in the tray. In some of these embodiments, each shelf also includes a shelf frame that supports the tray and includes at least one drain opening. Here, the drain hole in the respective tray is aligned above the opening in the shelf such that liquid passing through the drain hole in the tray also passes through the opening in the shelf frame.

In some of the embodiments having a drip pan, the drip pan is adjustable fore and aft to position the drip pan at a selected position relative to the front end of the lowermost shelf and the drip pan is removable from the frame for emptying and cleaning.

In still other embodiments, each shelf can have front and rear divider support members that comprise a plurality of discrete vertically oriented slots that function to receive opposing ends of one or more dividers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a universal product display, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the universal product display of FIG. 1, shown loaded with products.

FIG. 3A is another perspective view of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3B-3H are enlarged views of several features of the universal product display of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the frame of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a detailed side view of a section of a frame corner member of the universal product display of FIG. 1, showing notched slots.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a shelf bracket of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a section of a top cross brace extender of the frame of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a door stop of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a drip pan of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a shelf of the universal product display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the shelf of FIG. 11, shown without a tray or dividers.

FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the shelf of FIG. 11, shown without a tray or dividers.

FIG. 15A is a perspective view of a front divider support member of the shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional end view of the front divider support member taken along line 15B-15B of FIG. 15A.

FIG. 16A is a perspective view of a rear divider support member of the shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional end view of the rear divider support member taken along line 16B-16B of FIG. 16A.

FIG. 17A is a perspective view of a tall divider of the shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 17B is a perspective view of a short divider of the shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 17C is a detailed perspective view of the rear end of the dividers of FIGS. 17A and 17B, showing a rear flange and flange neck.

FIG. 18A is a top view of a removable tray of the shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 18B is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the tray of FIG. 18A taken along line 18B-18B of FIG. 18A, showing grooves in the tray.

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of a V-brace of the shelf of FIG. 11.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a shelf having slotted front and rear divider support members that can receive one or more dividers at a plurality of discrete horizontal positions across the shelf.

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of the shelf shown in FIG. 20.

FIGS. 22-24 are views of an exemplary slotted divider support member of the shelf shown in FIG. 20.

FIGS. 25-28 are views of exemplary dividers for use with the shelf shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the shelf of FIG. 20 having a tray and two dividers installed therein.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the shelf and tray of FIG. 29, with the tray partially removed through a rear opening of the shelf.

FIG. 31 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 30, showing a cross-sectional view of the rear divider support member with a divider received in a slot thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are embodiments of universal cooler product display and components thereof. The following description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

As used in this application, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “includes” means “comprises.” Further, the term “coupled” generally means mechanically, electrically and/or chemically coupled or linked and does not exclude the presence of intermediate elements between the coupled or associated items absent specific contrary language.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary universal cooler product display 2 generally used for displaying any of various products, such as dairy products inside a store cooler. The display 2 can also be used for displaying various other non-dairy items, including non-food items. The display 2 can also be used in other environments outside of a cooler. The display 2 generally includes a support frame 4 and one or more shelves 6 that are easily adjustable in various manners. The display 2 can be placed side-by-side with other displays 2 in a cooler.

FIG. 2 shows the display 2 loaded with products 8 of multiple sizes, which comprise jugs of milk in the illustrated embodiment. The shelves 6 can be supported on the frame 4 in multiple positions front-to-back (fore and aft), at multiple heights, and/or at multiple tilt angles relative to the frame. The shelves 6 can also include one or more adjustable dividers to accommodate products of various widths. The frame 4 can be made of a rigid material such as metal to maintain structural integrity under heavy product loading.

The display 2 can include many useful features, as shown in FIG. 3. These features can include: notched slots 34 for easy height indexing (see FIG. 3B), easily adjustable dividers 80 (see FIG. 3C), shelf tilt and fore-aft adjustability (see FIG. 3D), locking casters 18 (see FIG. 3E), an adjustable and removable drip tray 26 and an adjustable bumper 24 (see FIG. 3F), corner shelf drains 114 (see FIG. 3G), and height-adjustable top cross braces 30 (see FIG. 3H). Each of these features is described in detail below. Embodiments of the display 2 can include one or more of these features.

The frame 4, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, can be constructed of rigid, elongate members, desirably fully boxed metal tubing, connected generally at right angles and set on lockable casters 18 for easy movement. A rectangular assembly of members can form a base 10 which can form the bottom of the frame 4 and support four upstanding corner members 12 (also referred to as shelf-support columns) extending upward from the corners of the base 10. The front pair of corner members 12 can be connected to the rear pair of corner members by a pair of cross braces 16. The upper ends of the front corner members 12 can be connected to each other by a top cross brace 30. The upper ends of the rear corner members 12 can also be connected by a respective top cross brace 30.

A handle 14 can be attached to each of the rear corner members 12. Each handle can be C-shaped and vertically disposed and extend rearwardly from a single corner member. When positioned in this manner, the handles 14 are conveniently and advantageously positioned so as not to block access to any of the shelves at the rear of the display 2. In other embodiments, other handles can be used, such as a shopping cart-like handle that extends horizontally across from one rear corner member to the other.

The frame 4 can rest on a set of casters 18, preferably four casters, that can be attached to the base 10. One or more of the casters can have a caster brake 20 to prevent the display 2 from unwanted movement. A door stop 22 can be attached to the base 10 and extend forward from the base. A bumper 24 made of a resilient and/or elastomeric material (e.g., rubber) can be attached to the front of the door stop. A drip tray 26 can be mounted on top of the door stop 22 and positioned under the front of the shelves 6 to collect liquid that drains from the shelves. The drip tray can be removable without tools for easy draining and cleaning.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of a section of one of the corner members 12. The corner members 12 can include a plurality of vertically aligned rectangular slots 32, 34. The slots can be sized and shaped to receive the corner member hooks, or slot hooks 36 of shelf brackets 28, one of which is shown in FIG. 7. The shelf brackets 28 can be used to support shelves 6 at selected heights along the length (height) of the corner members 12. The corner member hooks 36 of a shelf bracket 28 can be inserted into respective adjacent slots of a corner member 12 for mounting the shelf bracket at that position on the corner member. In other embodiments, the shelf brackets 28 can have a different number of corner member hooks 36 and/or the hooks can be spaced such that they can be inserted into non-adjacent slots of a corner member 12.

The slots can be regularly marked for ease of indexing. In the embodiment shown, every third slot is a notched slot 34. The corner members 12 can each have matching notched slots 34 that are at the same heights on each corner member. In this manner, two or more slots 32 on different corner members 12 that are at the same height can easily be identified by the respective positions of the closest notched slots 34 at the same height on the different corner members. The desired slot 32 can be either a notched slot 34, one below a notched slot, or one above a notched slot. This feature can expedite shelf alignment. As depicted in FIG. 4, a plurality of shelf brackets 28 can be mounted at predetermined locations on each corner member 12, depending on the desired height of each shelf 6.

Each shelf bracket 28 can have one or more corner member hooks 36 and a shelf hook 38, as shown in FIG. 7. The corner member hooks 36 can be supported by the slots 32, 34 in the corner members 12 and the shelf hook 38 can support a shelf 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf bracket has two corner hook members 36 and the shelf hook 38 contacts a shelf side member 66 for supporting the shelf 6 (see FIG. 13). Each shelf desirably is supported by four shelf brackets 28, each mounted on a different corner member 12.

Referring to FIG. 5, each of the top cross braces 30 can include two downwardly extending cross brace extenders 40 at opposite ends thereof that can telescope with respect to the top of a corresponding corner member 12. Each cross brace extender 40, as shown in FIG. 8, can include a spring clip 46 and a spring clip stop 44, mounted inside the cross brace extender 40. One end of the spring clip 46 can be fixed to the spring clip stop 44 and the other end can abut an inner surface of the cross brace extender 40 opposite the stop 44. The spring clip can also include a resiliently biased button 48 extending laterally from the spring clip and protruding through an aperture 49 in the cross brace extender 40. As shown in FIG. 3H, the button 48 can be pushed in to allow the top brace extender 40 to telescope into and out of the top of a corner member 12. The corner members 12 can include apertures 51 sized to receive the button 48. In use, the buttons 48 of each top brace extender 40 for a particular top cross brace 30 are aligned with a selected apertures 51 of corresponding corner members 12 and the bias of the spring clips 46 forces the buttons 48 to extend through the selected apertures 51 and lock the top cross brace 30 at the desired height.

The door stop 22 can be constructed from of a single piece of material that forms a general U-shape, as shown in FIG. 9. Two legs 52 of door stop 22 can include slots to enable the door stop to attach to the base 10 via screws or bolts. The front part of the door stop 22 can be bent downward to form a bumper connection portion 50. A bumper 24 (FIG. 5) can be attached to the connection portion 50 and comprise the front most portion of the display 2.

A drip tray 26 can be coupled to the base 10 or the door stop 22 to collect liquids falling from the shelves 6. For example, the drip tray 26 can be placed on top of the drop stop 22. The drip tray can include a broad, lipped collection portion 56 that is sloped inward toward a recessed basin 54, as shown in FIG. 10. The drip tray 26 can be easily removable to be emptied frequently with no tools.

The frame 4 can support a plurality of shelves 6 at various positions by adjusting the shelf brackets 28 to different slots 32, 34 on the corner members 12. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, each shelf 6 can generally include a shelf frame 59 that supports a respective shelf floor, or tray, 86. As best shown in FIGS. 12-14, each shelf frame 59 includes left and right angle members 60, 62, oriented in the front-to-rear direction, that can be connected by a pair of transverse inner braces 64. The inner braces 64 can also support left and right shelf side wall members 66 oriented in the front-to-rear direction. A V-shaped brace 68 (shown in detail in FIG. 19) can also connect the angle members 60, 62, as shown from the bottom in FIG. 14. The front portions of the angle members 60, 62 and/or the apex of the V-shaped brace 68 can support a front divider support member 70. A rear divider support member 72 can be supported above the rear end portions of angle members 60, 62 and the rearmost transverse brace 64. The left and right side wall members 66 can define opposing side edges of the shelf while the front and rear divider support members 70, 72 can define opposing front and rear edges, respectively, of the shelf.

The front divider support member 70, as best shown in FIG. 15, can include a pair of lips 90 that form a front channel 88 and a pair of bent flanges 92 at either end that can attach to respective end portions of side walls 66 of the shelf. The front divider support member 70 can support a front angle member 76 (FIG. 12) that can be used to display price tags or other information. The front angle member 76 can be attached to the front of the front divider support member 70 by welding, mechanical fasteners, or other conventional techniques or mechanisms. A transparent window member 74 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) can be supported between the front members 70 and 76. The window member 74 can, for example, be made of a polycarbonate material to provide for transparency and can be taller than the front members 70 and 76. The window member 74 can act as a front stop to reduce the risk of products 8 tipping over the front of the shelf 6. The window member 74 can be slid in and out of position between members 70 and 76 to facilitate easy replacement when a different height stop is needed, such as for a taller product 8.

The rear divider support member 72, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, can be similar in construction to the front divider support member 70 and additionally can include an elongated slot 98 extending along its length. The two divider support members 70 and 72 can cooperate to support one or more dividers between them.

FIGS. 17A and 17B show an exemplary tall divider 78 and a short divider 80, respectively. Each divider can include a front flange 102 at a front end portion and a rear flange 104 at a rear end portion that are bent perpendicular to the divider body 101. Each flange 102, 104 can include a neck portion 105, as shown in FIG. 17C, such that the front flange 102 can slideably engage into the front channel 88 of the front divider support member 70 and the rear flange 104 can slideably engage into the rear channel 94 of the rear divider support member 72. The neck portions 105 of the front and rear flanges can slide between the lips 90 and 96 of the divider support members 70 and 72, respectively. The flange and channel relationship can allow each divider to slideably adjust side-to-side across the width of a shelf 6 and can further provide for an infinite lateral adjustability of the dividers to accommodate products 8 of various widths. The length of the elongated slot 98 in the rear divider support member 72 can define a continuous, non-discrete range of possible positions to which each divider can be adjusted.

To secure a divider in a given position, a releasable fastener member, such as bolt 82, can pass through a hole 106 in the rear flange 104 and through the slot 98 in the rear divider support member 72 and can be fastened with a nut 84 on the rear of the shelf 6. The nut and bolt in other embodiments can be replaced with various other equivalent releasable fastening mechanisms. The nut 84, as shown in FIG. 12, can be a wing nut. Alternatively, the nut 84 can have a bulbous handle for easier manipulation without the need for any tools.

The fastener member extending through the elongated slot 98 can slide along the elongated slot until the fastener member contacts either end of the slot. The range of possible lateral positions for the divider can be defined by the positions of the divider when the fastener member contacts either end of the slot. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, channels 88, 94 extend substantially the entire length of the support members 70, 72 such that a divider can be positioned at any position in a range extending substantially the entire width of the shelf. The slot 98 desirably extends at least the length of channel 94 so that the divider can be secured to the rear support member 72 by the fastener 82 at any of the positions of the divider within the range of positions.

More than one divider can be provided with the shelf 6 to allow for the display of products of multiple different widths. The tall divider 78 can be used for products 8 having a relatively higher center of gravity and the short divider 80 can be used for products 8 having a relatively lower center of gravity. The dividers can help prevent the products 8 from tipping over sideways or rotating on the shelf and provide for a neater, more aligned appearance of the products on the shelf.

The side walls 66 can support the rear divider support member 72 between the side walls such that a rectangular gap 85 (see FIG. 13) is formed between the bottom of the rear divider support member 72, the top of the rearmost inside brace 64, and the two side walls 66. This gap 85 allows for the tray 86 to be inserted into the shelf from the rear via the gap 85. Once inserted, the sides of the tray 86 can rest on top of the left and right angle members 60 and 62, and can rest below the dividers and the rear divider support member 72. The tray 86 can be restricted from moving sideways by the two side walls 66 and restricted from moving forward by either the front divider support member 70, the window 74, or the front angle member 76.

As shown in FIG. 18, the tray 86 can have a rectangular body having a handle 108 adjacent the rear and a series of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending drainage grooves 110 on the tray's upper surface. A cross section of the grooves is shown in FIG. 18B. The grooves 110 can allow for liquids to be directed below the bottom surfaces of products resting on the tray 86. As the shelves 6 are typically installed within the frame 4 such that the front of the shelves are tilted lower than the rear, the grooves 110 can also allow liquids to gravitationally flow towards the front of the tray 86. An arced or angled collection groove 112 adjacent the front of the tray can fluidly connect all of the grooves 110 and direct liquids to one or more drain holes 114 in the tray. The tray 86 can have a single drain hole 114 adjacent the front edge of the tray or multiple drain holes to allow liquid to pass downwardly through the tray. In the embodiment shown, two drain holes 114 are included adjacent either front corner of the tray 86. These two drain holes are fluidly connected to either end of an arced collection groove 112.

The shelf 6 can be arranged such that when the tray 86 is fully inserted, the drain holes 114 of the tray align with drain holes 115 in the front portions of the left and right angle members 60 and 62 (see FIG. 12). In this manner, liquids can flow under gravity down the series of drainage grooves 110, collect in the collection groove 112, and flow downwardly through the drain holes 114 and 115 of multiple shelves 6 and into the drip tray 26.

The drainage grooves 110 can comprise a series of parallel, linear grooves as shown, which can increase the ability of products supported by the tray to slide toward the front end of the tray under gravity without rotating or toppling over.

The tray 86 can be made of rigid material having a high absorption resistance and a low coefficient of friction. In some embodiments, the tray is constructed from a slab of high density polyethylene (“HDPE”). HDPE is desirable due to a decreased coefficient of friction at lower temperatures, such as within a dairy cooler. HDPE also offers high rigidity and low liquid absorption properties. In other embodiments, the tray 86 can be comprised of one or more additional or other materials, such as silicone, polystyrene, polycarbonates, various nylons, vinyl compositions and/or polyesters. In certain embodiments, the tray can comprise a base layer and an upper layer formed from a material having a relatively lower coefficient of friction that the base layer.

When used to display and dispense products, a slick tray 86 can allow a row of products 8 to gravitationally slide toward the front of a shelf 6 when the front-most product is removed. The parallel grooves 110 running in the front-to-back direction also help increase the slideability of products 8 toward the front of the shelf 6.

When a product row slides toward the front of a shelf, the window 74 can act as a stop to prevent the front-most product from tipping forward over the front of the shelf due to the momentum of the whole row of products. The dividers can also abut the side of a row of products to keep the row aligned while the products slide forward.

The front-to-back tilt angle of the shelf 6 can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the shelf brackets 28 on the corner members. Each shelf can be supported by four shelf brackets, namely, two rear brackets 28 attached to the corner members 12 at the rear of the frame 4 and two front brackets 28 attached to the corner members 12 at the front of the frame 4. For a steeper tilt angle, the rear shelf brackets 28 can be attached to the rear corner members 12 at higher slots 32, 34 relative to the front shelf brackets 28. The evenly spaced apart notched slots 34 function as visual indicia that help identify the slot of one corner member 12 that is at the same height as a slot of another corner member on the opposite side of the frame.

The side walls 66 of each shelf 6 can include a series of longitudinally spaced tilt notches 67 near the front of the side walls, as shown in FIG. 13, that can engage the shelf hooks 38 of the front shelf brackets 28. Engaging the shelf hooks 38 to a more rearward tilt notch 67 allows the shelf to protrude farther forward from the frame 4. The rear of the shelf can slideably engage the rear shelf hooks 38 to allow for adjustments to be made as to which tilt notch 67 is engaged to the front shelf hooks 38. In the illustrated embodiment, selecting a different tilt notch 67 to adjust the fore-aft position of a shelf relative to the frame does not change the tilt angle of the shelf.

The frame can support a plurality of shelves 6, each at different heights, tilt angles, and/or fore-aft positions. Dispensing different products on each shelf can require different orientations of each shelf. The top braces 30 can be adjusted up or down depending on the height of the top-most shelf and the height of the products on that shelf. As the rear of the shelf is typically higher than the front of the shelf, the rear top brace 30 can be adjusted higher than the front top brace. To adjust either top brace up or down, the spring clip button 48 is first pushed inside of the corner member button hole 49 (see FIG. 3H). Once the button 48 is sufficiently depressed, the top brace 30, along with the top brace extenders 40 can be raised or lowered to a desired position where the button 48 can spring back out of a different corner member button hole 49 and thereby re-fix the height of the top brace.

Each shelf 6 can hold multiple rows of products 8 and one or more dividers 78, 80 to separate the products of one row with an adjacent row. Each row of products can have different widths. The dividers 78, 80 can be used to create rows of different widths on each shelf. To adjust the width of the rows, such as when different products are to be displayed, the dividers can be easily slid side-to-side. In addition, additional dividers can be added to created more rows, or dividers can be removed to create fewer, wider rows. To adjust a divider side-to-side, the nut or knob 84 is first loosened. Next, the divider can be manually moved sideways, causing the flanges 102 and 104 to slide along the channels 88 and 94, and the bolt 82 or other fastening device to slide along the slot 98 until the divider is at the desired position. The nut or knob 84 can then be retightened to re-secure the divider. A divider can be removed by sliding the divider all the way to one side of the shelf such that the flanges move to the far end of the channels. At the ends of the front and rear divider support members 70 and 72, the lips 90 and 96 can terminate sufficiently far enough from the bent flanges 92 and 100 to allow the flanges 102 and 104 of a divider to disengage from the channels 88 and 94 of the divider support members.

The tray 86 can be removed from the shelf 6 by pulling the tray by the handle 108 out through the gap 85. The tray 86 can slide in and out of the shelf without any fasteners, rollers, latches or other aids or inhibiters. Gravity can be used to hold the tray 86 in place when installed in a shelf 6. If, for example, a product 8 leaks and spills on the tray 86, the tray can be pulled out of the shelf 6, cleaned, and re-inserted without adjusting any other components of the display 2. The material of the tray 86 can have a low coefficient of friction to reduce the force needed to remove and insert the tray from and into the shelf. The V-shaped brace 68 can facilitate the insertion of the tray 86 into the shelf 6. If the tray were to bow downward between the left and right angle members during insertion, the V shape of the brace can help to gradually urge the bowed tray 86 back into a flat shape as the tray is moved forward.

FIGS. 20-31 show an embodiment of an alternative shelf 206 that can be used with the frame 4. As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the shelf 206 can comprise left and right shelf side wall members 266 oriented in the front-to-rear direction. The left and right side wall members can include lower, inwardly extending, horizontally disposed angle members 260, 262 that can be connected together by a pair of transverse inner braces 264 and a V-shaped inner brace 268. A front divider support member 270 can be supported between the front portions of the left and right side wall members 266 and rear divider support member 272 can be supported between the rear portions of the left and right side wall members 266 and spaced above the rear end portions of angle members 260, 262 and the rearmost transverse brace 264. The left and right side wall members 266 define opposing side edges of the shelf 206 while the front and rear divider support members 270, 272 define opposing front and rear edges, respectively, of the shelf. The front divider support member 270 can support a front angle member 276 and a tag holder 275 (see FIG. 21) that can be used to display price tags or other information. The two divider support members 270 and 272 can cooperate to support one or more dividers 278, 294 (see FIGS. 25-29) between them. The shelf 206 can further include a removable lower tray 86 supported by the left and right angle members 260, 262, as shown in FIGS. 29 and 30.

In some embodiments, each divider 278, 294 can be entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members 270, 272. In these embodiments, the dividers 278, 294 can be suspended above the lower tray 86 such that the dividers do not contact and are spaced from the tray. The front and/or rear divider support members can in turn be entirely supported by the left and right side wall members 266. For example, the rear divider support member 272 can be positioned above the rearmost transverse brace 264, leaving a rear opening in the shelf defined by the rearmost transverse brace on the bottom, the rear divider support member on the top, and the left and right side wall members on the sides. This opening can be sized slightly larger than the tray 86 to allow insertion and removal of the tray through the slot.

The rear divider support member 272 can be similar in construction to the front divider support member 270, with the two divider support members being generally mirrored copies facing opposite directions. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 31, each divider support member 270, 272 can comprise a generally “C” shaped cross-sectional profile that defines an internal channel 288. The divider support members 270, 272 can further comprise a pair of bent flanges 292 at either end of the divider support members that can be attached to respective end portions of side walls 266 of the shelf 206.

The rear divider support member 272 can have a front portion 273, a top portion 274 and a bottom portion 275, a top lip 290, and a bottom lip 291. The front portion 273 can be generally in a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion 274 can extend rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion 275 can extend rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip 290 can extend downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the bottom lip can extend upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion. The front divider support member 272 can have similar corresponding portions. FIG. 23 shows an end portion of a divider support member before the upper and lower portions 274, 275, the lips 290, 291 and the flanges 292 are bent.

Each divider support member 270, 272 can further comprise a plurality of vertically oriented slots 280 that are spaced apart from one another at regular intervals across the width of the shelf, as shown in FIG. 24. The slots 280 are configured to receive opposing end portions 279, 296 of the dividers 278, 294, as shown in FIG. 29. Each of the front and rear divider support members 270, 272 can have the same number of slots 280 spaced at the same intervals, such that each slot 280 is aligned with a corresponding slot on the opposing divider support member. One or more dividers 278 and/or 294 can be installed in the shelf 206 with the end portions of each divider positioned in a pair of corresponding slots 280 of the front and rear dividers 270, 272.

As shown in the FIGS. 22-24, the slots in the rear divider support member 272 can each comprise a top opening 284 and a front opening 285. The slots 280 can also comprise a bottom opening 286 in some embodiments. The bottom opening 286 can extend from an intermediate part of the bottom portion 275 of the divider support member forwardly to a bottom end of the front opening 285. The front opening 285 can extend from the bottom opening 286 upwardly across the front portion 273 to the top opening 284. The top opening 284 can extend from a top end of the front opening 285 rearwardly into the top portion 274. As can be seen in FIGS. 23 and 24, top openings 284 of the slots 280 can extend deeper into the top portion 274 of the divider support member than the bottom portions 286 of the slots extend into the bottom portion 275 of the divider support member. The front divider support member can similarly comprise slots 280 having top, front and bottom opening.

As shown in FIG. 31, when an end portion 279 of a divider 278, 294 is positioned in a slot 280 of a divider support member 270, 272, a bottom surface of the end portion 279 of the divider can rest against the lower portion 275 of the divider support member while, in some embodiments, an upper surface of the end portion of the divider can extend upwardly through the top opening 284 of the slot 280, and in other embodiments, an upper surface of the end portion 279 of the divider can be positioned below the top opening 284 of the slot. Because the end portions 279, 296 of the dividers 278, 294 rest on the bottom portions 275 of the divider support members 270, 272, the dividers can be entirely supported by the divider support members and can be spaced above the angle members 260, the transverse inner braces 264, and the V-shaped brace 268, thereby creating vertical space for the tray 86 to be inserted below the dividers 278 without contacting the dividers, as shown in FIG. 30. The tray 86 can be removed from and inserted into the shelf 206 without removing or adjusting the dividers 278,294.

In addition, the top lips 290 and/or the bottom lips 291 of the front and rear divider support members 270, 272 can together restrict the placement and motion of the dividers in the frontward and rearward directions. For example, as shown in FIG. 31, the rear end of the divider 294 can be adjacent to and/or abutting the top and/or bottom lips 290, 291 of the rear divider support member 272, which restricts the divider from moving rearward when inserted in a slot 280.

Some of the slots 280 can include visual indicia, such as markings, notches or cut-outs, for ease of indexing. In some embodiments, at least one pair of slots 282 having the same horizontal position each include an indicator feature that is not included in immediately adjacent slots 280, the pair of slots including one slot 282 in the front divider support member 270 and one slot 282 in the rear divider support member 272, such that the front slots can be indexed relative to the rear slots without respect to the left or right side wall members 266 or inserted dividers 278, 294. In the illustrated embodiment, every fifth slot includes a rounded notch in the top opening 284 of the slot, such that the marked slots 282 can be easily identified when viewed from above. The front and rear divider support members 270, 272 can have matching pairs of marked slots 282 that are at the same horizontal position between the left and right side walls 266 of the shelf. In this manner, two slots 280, one on each divider support member, that are at the same horizontal position can easily be identified by the respective positions of the closest marked slots 282 at the same horizontal position. This feature can simplify aligning a divider parallel with the side walls 266.

Each divider 278, 294 can be adjusted side-to-side of the shelf to a plurality of discrete horizontal slot positions to accommodate different sized products on the shelf 206. A divider can be adjusted by lifting the divider upwardly until the end portions 279, 296 release from the top openings 284 of the slots 280 and then re-inserting the end portions into a different pair of slots. No fasteners are needed in this embodiment to secure the dividers to the shelf. The dividers can be maintained in a desired position by the slots 280 and by gravity. In some embodiments, the slots 280 and the end portions 279, 296 of the dividers can be sized to create a tight, friction fit such that additional force is required to overcome the friction to lift the dividers out of the slots. This can provide resistance against vertical movement of the dividers 278, 294, such as when a product is lifted out of the shelf, and can limit horizontal movement of the dividers, such as vibration or rattling of the dividers within the slots.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles disclosed herein may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only exemplary examples and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A product display, comprising:

a support frame;

at least one shelf supported by the support frame, the shelf comprising opposing front and rear divider support members and opposing left and right side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf; and

at least one elongated divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that the at least one divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the at least one divider being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member;

wherein the at least one divider is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members.

2. The product display of claim 1, wherein each of the front and rear divider support members further comprises a bottom portion that extends horizontally along the width of the divider support members, the front end portion of the at least one divider is supported by the bottom portion of the front divider support member, and the rear end portion of the at least one divider is supported by the bottom portion of the rear divider support member.

3. The product display of claim 1, wherein the front and rear divider support members each further comprise a vertically oriented lower lip that extends horizontally along the width of the divider support members, wherein the lower lips together restrict the motion of the at least one divider in the frontward and rearward directions.

4. The product display of claim 1, wherein the rear divider support member is supported entirely by the left and right side wall members.

5. The product display of claim 1, wherein the shelf further comprises a removable tray that forms a floor of the shelf for supporting products on the shelf, and the at least one divider is spaced above the tray and does not contact the tray, such that the tray can be removed from the shelf without removing or adjusting the at least one divider.

6. The product display of claim 5, wherein the tray is supported by horizontal flanges of the left and right side wall members and the tray can be inserted and removed from the shelf by sliding the tray through a rear opening in the shelf that is defined by the rear divider support member above the rear opening and the horizontal flanges below the rear opening.

7. The product display of claim 1, wherein the rear divider support member further comprises a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a top lip and a bottom lip, each extending horizontally between the left and right side wall members;

wherein the front portion is generally in a plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion extends rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion extends rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip extends downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the lower lip extends upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion.

8. The product display of claim 7, wherein the slots in the rear divider support member each comprise a front opening and a top opening, the front opening extending from the bottom portion upwardly across the front portion and to the top portion, and the top opening extending from a top end of the front opening rearwardly into the top portion.

9. The product display of claim 8, wherein, when the at least one divider is being inserted into the shelf, the rear end portion of the divider enters top opening of a selected slot in the rear divider support member and slides downwardly into the front opening of the selected slot until the rear end portion of the divider contacts the bottom portion of the rear divider support member.

10. The product display of claim 10, wherein, when the rear end portion of the at least one divider is positioned with the selected slot of the rear divider support member and is supported by the bottom portion of the rear divider support member, a top edge of the rear end portion of the divider is positioned below the top opening of the selected slot.

11. The product display of claim 8, wherein the slots of the front divider support member correspond in horizontal alignment with the slots of the rear divider support member, and wherein the slots of the front divider support member each comprise a top opening and a rear opening such that when the at least one divider is being inserted into the shelf, the front end portion of the divider enters the top opening of a selected slot in the front divider support member and slides downwardly into the rear opening of the selected slot until the front end portion of the divider contacts a bottom portion of the front divider support member.

12. The product display of claim 11, wherein at least one pair of slots having the same horizontal position each include an indicator feature that is not included in immediately adjacent slots, the pair of slots including one slot in the front divider support member and one slot in the rear divider support member, such that the front slots can be indexed relative to the rear slots without respect to the left or right side wall members or inserted dividers.

13. The product display of claim 12, wherein the indicator features are included in a plurality of pairs of slots each spaced a regular number of slots apart from one another.

14. The product display of claim 12, wherein, for each of the pair of slots, the indicator features comprise a first notch positioned at the top opening of the rear slot of the pair of slots, and a second notch positioned at a the top opening of the front slot of the pair of slots, such that the indicator features are readily visible when the shelf is viewed from above.

15. The product display of claim 7, wherein the rear divider support member defines a channel extending horizontally along its length, and wherein the rear end portion of the at least one divider is positioned within the channel when engaged by one of the slots of the rear divider support member.

16. A shelf for displaying products, the shelf comprising:

opposing left and right side wall members;

opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf;

at least one elongated divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that the at least one divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the at least one divider being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member; and

a removable tray that forms a floor of the shelf for supporting products on the shelf, wherein the at least one divider is suspended above the tray by the front and rear divider support members and a lower edge of the divider is spaced from the top surface of the tray, such that the tray can be removed from the shelf without removing or adjusting the at least one divider.

17. The shelf of claim 16, wherein the at least one divider is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and does not contact the tray.

18. The shelf of claim 17, wherein the rear divider support member further comprises a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a top lip and a bottom lip, each extending horizontally between the left and right side wall members;

wherein the front portion is generally in a plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion extends rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion extends rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip extends downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the lower lip extends upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion.

19. The shelf of claim 18, wherein the slots in the rear divider support member each comprise a front opening and a top opening, the front opening extending from the bottom portion upwardly across the front portion and to the top portion, and the top opening extending from a top end of the front opening rearwardly into the top portion.

20. A product display, comprising:

a support frame and a plurality of shelves, each shelf supported by the frame in a tilted position with a rear end of the shelf higher than a front end, each shelf comprising:

opposing left and right side wall members and opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf;

a removable tray supported by the side wall members and positioned beneath the divider support members, the tray having an upper sliding surface for supporting products that can slide in a direction from the rear end to the front end of the shelf under gravity, a plurality of drainage grooves formed in the upper surface of the tray, the drainage grooves extending lengthwise of the tray, an arced collection groove in a front end portion of the tray and in liquid communication with each of the drainage grooves, at least one drain hole passing through the tray and in liquid communication with the collection groove, wherein liquid in the drainage grooves is directed to flow by gravity through the drainage grooves into the collection groove and through the drain hole; and

a plurality of elongated dividers, each divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that each divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the dividers being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member, wherein the dividers are entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and spaced above the tray.