GONDOLA GRAVITY FEED CONVERSION BRACKET SYSTEM

Abstract

A bracket system for converting horizontally arranged shelving members in a gondola system to a gravity feed orientation including a left, right, and at least one center bracket member each selectively engageable with any one of a plurality of vertical upright support members associated with the gondola system, each bracket member having a front wall portion angularly oriented relative to the vertical upright support members and each having a plurality of receiver members for selectively engaging attachment members associated with each shelf member. The receiver members associated with the at least one center bracket member are configured to receive the attachment members associated with two adjacent side-by-side shelf members. When the bracket members are attached to the upright support members and the shelf members are attached to the bracket members, each shelf member is oriented in gravity feed orientation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Many of the modular display units that are presently available in retail stores are support shelf members or other display members that are arranged in a flat, horizontal position. One type of modular display unit commonly used in convenience stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, and other retail stores is known as a gondola shelving unit or system. Gondola shelving systems are in high demand among retailers because of their functionality and versatility. Gondola shelving is freestanding shelving that typically consists of a flat base and a plurality of vertical upright support members attached thereto which can be fitted with apertures, sleeves, hooks, or other means for receiving and engaging horizontal shelving at various user-customizable heights. Gondola shelving placed end-to-end can form multiple rows of shelving, for example, in store aisles. Standalone gondola shelving units tend to be used for special themed displays, for example, at the end of a store aisle.

Gravity feed type display devices are also in high demand in today's mass merchandising market. Gravity feed type display devices feature shelving that is downwardly sloped such that products may slide down the shelving to the front of the unit without assistance from a store employee or customer. Gravity feed type shelving systems help retail stores promote sales because the shelving systems continuously supply products and make the products readily available and easily accessible to a customer at a front portion of the shelving systems. This allows a store employee or customer to easily remove a product from the shelf and not have to reach deeply into the shelf to remove products. Such gravity feed devices also increase the visibility of products because the products are always replenished at the front portion of the shelf where they are easily viewed by a customer passing by.

Typically the gondola shelving units used in retail stores are not in gravity feed orientation. A variety of devices for converting the existing non-gravity feed type gondola shelving display devices to gravity feed systems have been developed. Several of those existing devices include angular or wedge shaped members, or other support bracket arrangements which may be positioned on an existing horizontal shelf surface or attached in some fashion to the rear portion of a non-gravity feed type unit. Those existing devices may cause one end portion of the shelf member to be elevated so as to create an inclined surface and convert existing horizontal display units into gravity feed type systems. See, for example, the conversion systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,205,421 and 4,872,567.

However, the existing conversion devices suffer from certain disadvantages and shortcomings. For example, a reduction in usable space between vertically spaced shelf members occurs with conversion devices that retain the original horizontal shelf member and add thereto an overlaying shelf member which is freestanding or supported by any sort of supporting device. Such conversion devices are likewise complex and may further lack stability and strength as they are not structurally integrated or connected to components of the modular display unit itself. The conversion devices may further be subject to being dislodged or bumped out of position during stocking or when a customer grabs merchandise from the converted shelf member.

The existing conversion devices fail to disclose an efficient, effective and stable means for converting standard gondola shelving systems to gravity feed type shelving systems. Similarly, none of the existing conversion devices disclose the use of a conversion system that when properly positioned and arranged with a shelf member peimits a plurality of horizontally disposed shelf members to be easily and quickly converted to a gravity feed system while maintaining a stable, unitized, and vertically aligned system.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gravity feed conversion bracket system for converting a standard gondola shelving system to a gravity feed shelving system. The system includes a left bracket member and a right bracket member, wherein each of the left bracket member and the right bracket member may be selectively engageable with an existing vertical upright support member associated with a typical gondola shelving system. The left bracket member and right bracket member may also each be selectively engageable with a shelving member associated with a standard gondola shelving system.

The left bracket member and right bracket member each include a plurality of receiver members that are positioned and located on a front wall surface respectively thereof that is angularly oriented relative to a vertical plane or relative to the vertical upright support members of the gondola system, the receiver members being adapted to receive and engage attachment members associated with the shelving members of a standard gondola shelving unit. The left bracket member and the right bracket member are each also selectively engaged with a vertical upright support member of a standard gondola shelving system through the use of a plurality of engaging members, and when the left and right bracket members are selectively engaged with the attachment members of a gondola shelving member, the angularly oriented front wall surface of each bracket member automatically positions the attached shelving member in a gravity feed orientation.

When a user would like to convert multiple gondola shelving units that are positioned and located adjacent to one another into gravity feed units, the system may also include at least one center bracket member. The center bracket member may also be selectively engageable with a vertical upright support member and a shelving member associated with a standard gondola shelving system. The center bracket member includes a plurality of receiver members positioned and located on a front wall surface, each receiver member being wider than those associated with the left and right bracket members, as well as a plurality of engaging members for engaging a vertical upright support member of a typical gondola system. Because the plurality of receiver members of the center bracket member are wider than those associated with the left and right bracket members, they may selectively engage attachment members from each of two adjacent side-by-side shelving members. Multiple center bracket members may be attached adjacently in this manner to provide for gravity feed system that includes multiple columns of shelving positioned in a side-by-side relationship to each other. Here again, the front wall surface of the center bracket member is arguably oriented relative to a vertical plane to impart the gravity feed orientation.

The present system also includes at least one stop member for preventing products positioned on a gravity feed shelving unit or a gravity feed shelving system from sliding off of a particular shelf unit. In the preferred embodiment, the stop member is a telescoping stop member that may extend to any particular length to accommodate the preferences of a particular user and a particular shelving application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like or similar parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a standard standalone gondola shelving unit that has been converted to a standalone gravity feed shelving unit according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gondola shelving unit having two adjacent shelving members that have been converted to a gravity feed shelving system according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial prospective view of a single gondola shelving unit that has been converted to a gravity feed shelving unit.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the gravity feed shelving unit of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of left and right bracket members in a standalone converted gravity feed unit as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a left bracket member of the converted gravity feed systems of FIGS. 1 and 2 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the left bracket member of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the left bracket member of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the left bracket member of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a right bracket member of the converted gravity feed shelving systems of FIGS. 1 and 2 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the right bracket member of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the right bracket member of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the right bracket member of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of two adjacent side-by-side shelf members associated with a standard gondola shelving system that have been converted to a gravity feed shelving system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the gravity feed shelving system of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of left, right and center bracket members in one embodiment of a converted gravity feed shelving system where the shelving system includes a plurality of side-by-side shelf members.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a center bracket member of the converted gravity feed shelving system of FIG. 2 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the center bracket member of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of the center bracket member of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the center bracket member of FIG. 17.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a telescoping stop member of the converted gravity feed shelving systems of FIGS. 1 and 2 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of the telescoping stop member of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is an end view of the telescoping stop member of FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is a side elevational view of the converted gravity feed shelving systems of FIGS. 1 and 2 with a roller glide gravity feed shelving system selectively engaged therewith.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a standard standalone gondola, shelving unit that has been converted to a gravity feed unit 1 according to the teachings of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, gravity feed unit 1 may include various components that are long known and recognized in the prior art. For example, converted gravity feed unit 1 includes conventional vertical upright support members 5, a base member 7 and a plurality of shelving members 10. Gravity feed unit 1 allows shelving members 10, which are typically positioned in a horizontal flat orientation when utilized in a prior art conventional gondola shelving unit, to be converted such that each shelf member 10 is oriented at a downward slope, or in a gravity feed orientation. The gravity feed orientation preferably allows products stocked on shelving members 10 to slide downwardly without assistance such that products are always positioned and located at a front portion 15 of shelving members 10. FIG. 1 illustrates shelving members 10 in a gravity feed orientation using bracket members 30 and 35 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention as will be hereinafter further explained.

A telescoping stop member 20, which will also be described in greater detail below, may be selectively engageable with apertures 22 associated with the shelving members 10. When stop member 20 is engaged with a shelf member 10, it prevents organizer units or other gravity-feed systems positioned on the shelf members 10 from falling off of shelf member 10 and onto the ground. Gravity feed unit 1 includes a plurality of shelving members 10 arranged substantially in one column as illustrated in FIG. 1. Gravity feed unit 1 may be used for many different applications including use as a “special” product display, for example, at the end portion of an aisle.

The present invention relates to a plurality of bracket members which convert a known gondola shelving unit to a gravity feed shelving unit 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The present bracket members include means for both engaging the slots 25 associated with the vertical upright support members 5 as well as for receiving and engaging the shelving members 10 when shelving members 10 are converted to the gravity feed orientation as shown in FIG. 1. The means and method by which the present bracket members are preferably received and engaged by the vertical upright support members 5 and attached to the existing shelf members 10 will be described below in detail.

FIG. 1 illustrates a left bracket member 30 and portions of a right bracket member 35 that are used to convert a standard gondola shelving unit to a gravity feed unit. FIG. 2 illustrates a gravity feed shelving system 40 wherein two shelving units 90 and 95 have been placed side-by-side at various heights according to the preferences of a user. In order to attach shelving units 90 and 95 to the vertical upright support members 5 commonly used in gondola shelving systems so as to convert the individual shelving members to a gravity feed orientation, adjacent shelving units 90 and 95 are engageable with a center bracket member 45 in addition to left bracket member 30 and right bracket member 35. Use of the center bracket member 45 will also be described below in detail.

FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of gravity feed unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 when assembled, and

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the shelf member 10 illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of left and right bracket members in a standalone converted gravity feed unit such as gravity feed unit 1 illustrated in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, each shelving member 10 associated with known gondola systems includes a plurality of left finger attachment members or projections 50 extending from the left rear portion of shelving member 10 and a plurality of right finger attachment members or projections 55 extending from the right rear portion of shelving member 10. In the illustrated embodiments, shelving member 10 includes three left finger members 50 and three right finger members 55. The attachment members 50 and 55 are typically associated with the opposed side walls of each shelf member 10, although other locations and arrangements are also possible. Regardless of the arrangement and/or location of the attachment members 50 and 55, these attachment members are positioned and configured for engagement with the slots 25 associated with the vertical upright support members 5. In alternative embodiments, depending on the type of gondola shelving system being used, each shelf member 10 may include greater or fewer attachment members 50, 55.

In describing the manner in which gravity feed unit 1 is assembled, reference will frequently be made to bracket members 30, 35. Left bracket member 30 is illustrated in various views showing greater detail in FIGS. 6-9, and right bracket member 35 is illustrated in various views showing greater detail in FIGS. 10-13. Receiver members or apertures 60, 65 may be positioned and located on the front wall portions of bracket members 30, 35, respectively. Front wall portions 75 of both bracket members 30, 35 are angularly oriented as best illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, 10 and 11. This angularly orientation can take on any inclination angle although typically the inclination angle is set at about 9°. Receiver members 60, 65 are positioned and located such that they will align with left finger members 50 and right finger members 55 associated with the shelf members 10 when bracket members 30, 35 receive and engage the shelf members 10. Left and right bracket members 30 and 35 preferably include the same number of receiver members 60, 65 as finger members 50, 55 of shelving members 10.

When attachment members 50, 55 of shelving members 10 are placed in substantial alignment with receiver members 60, 65 of bracket members 30, 35, attachment members 50 may be received by apertures 60, and attachment members 55 may be received be apertures 65. Attachment members 50, 55 may also include hook portions 70 extending downwardly therefrom. After the attachment members 50, 55 are received in the corresponding apertures 60, 65, the hook portions 70 will selectively secure the members 50 and 55 within receiver members 60 and 65. Other attachment members associated with other known gondola systems include mechanisms for engaging the receiving members 60 and 65.

Bracket members 30 and 35 also include front wall portions. 75 that will abut a rear portion (not illustrated) of shelving member 10 when receiver members 60, 65 and attachment members 50, 55 are selectively engaged. When the rear portion of a shelving member 10 abuts sloped front wall portion 75 of each bracket member, the angle of sloped portions 75 is transferred to shelving member 10 thereby positioning the shelving member 10 in a gravity feed orientation. In addition, the solid front wall portion 75 below the receiver members 60 and 65 associated with both bracket members 30 and 35 provide additional strength and stability to the now angularly oriented shelf member 10 when the shelf member is engaged with the bracket members 30 and 35.

Protrusions or engaging member 80 extending from the rear portion of each bracket member 30 and 35 are preferably configured so as to be received by the slots 25 of the vertical upright support members 5. In the preferred embodiment, the number of protrusions 80 is equal to the number of receivers 60 and 65, although in alternative embodiments, the number of protrusions 80 may vary depending in part on the strength of the attachment desired with the vertical upright support members 5 as well as the particular application. Bracket members 30, 35 may further include hook members 85 extending downwardly from protrusions 80. When protrusions 80 of bracket members 30, 35 are inserted and received within the slots 25 of vertical upright support members 5, hook members 85 engage an inner wall (not illustrated) of the vertical upright support members 5 so as to selectively engage and hold a particular bracket member at a desired location along the length of the vertical upright support member 5.

When bracket members 30, 35 have been engaged with a pair of vertical upright support members 5 via the slots 25, and when a shelving member 10 has been engaged to the bracket members 30 and 35, that particular shelf member 10 is converted into a gravity feed orientation. The process for converting a shelving member 10 into a gravity feed orientation may be repeated for additional shelf members 10 associated with a particular gondola system as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 illustrates a portion of shelving system 40 shown in FIG. 2 when assembled, and FIG. 15 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the shelving system 40 illustrated in FIG. 14. FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate just two side-by-side shelving members including a left shelving member 90 and a right shelving member 95. It is also recognized and anticipated that shelving system 40 may include any number of vertically and horizontally arranged shelving members depending upon the particular application. For example, FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the arrangement of left, center, and right bracket members associated with a shelving system that includes five shelving members positioned adjacent to one another in a side-by-side arrangement, including a left shelf member, three center shelf members, and a right shelf member.

Referring back to FIG. 15, left bracket member 30 and right bracket member 35 may receive and engage left attachment members 50 of left shelving member 90 and right attachment members 55 of right shelving member 95 respectively in substantially the same manner as previously described above for shelving unit 1. However, right attachment members 55 of left shelving member 90 and left attachment members 50 of right shelving member 95 are attached to slots 25 of vertical upright members 5 via center bracket member 45 in the manner described below. Center bracket member 45 is illustrated in greater detail in various views as illustrated in FIGS. 17-20.

Receiver members or apertures 100 of center bracket member 45 are wider, preferably two times as wide, than receiver members 60, 65 associated with left and right bracket members 30 and 35. Receiver members 100 are wider than receiver members 60, 65 so that receiver members 100 may receive both the right attachment members 55 associated with left shelving member 90 and the left attachment members 50 associated with right shelving member 95 at the same time as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The manner in which receiver members 100 may receive right and left attachment members 50 and 55 of adjacent shelving members 90 and 95 are substantially the same as described above with respect to gravity feed unit 1.

Center bracket member 45 likewise includes protrusions 80 extending from the rear portion thereof and hook members 85 extending downwardly therefrom as best illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18. Center bracket members 45 are selectively engageable with the slots 25 of vertical upright support members 5 via the protrusions 80 in a manner substantially similar to bracket members 30, 35 as previously explained. Center bracket member 45 also includes a sloped or angled front wall portion 75 that is transferred to shelf members 90 and 95 to yield the same angular inclination associated with the front wall portions 75 of bracket members 30 and 35 thereby resulting in a gravity feed orientation for both shelf members 90 and 95. The wider apertures 100 enable both shelf members 90 and 95 to be attached to a single center bracket 45.

A limitless number of shelving members 90 and 95 may be placed in side-by-side relationship to each other in the manner described above. Regardless of the number of side-by-side shelving members associated with a particular shelving system, attachment members of adjacent shelving units may be attached to vertical upright support members 5 via center bracket member 45. Left finger or attachment members 50 of the left-most shelving unit 90 and right finger or attachment members 55 of the right-most shelving unit 95 may be attached to vertical upright support members 5 via left bracket member 30 and right bracket member 35 respectively as previously described above.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for both shelving unit 1 and shelving system 40, a plurality of telescoping stop members 20 may be selectively engageable with shelving units 10, 90 and 95 to prevent organizer units or other gravity feed systems placed on the shelf members from sliding off of the respective members. Stop member 20 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 21-23.

Each stop member 20 may include both an outer rod member 105 and an inner rod member 110. As known in the art, outer rod member 105 preferably has a diameter slightly larger than inner rod member 110 such that inner rod member 110 may be able to telescopically slide within outer rod member 105, and thus extend the length of stop member 20 to accommodate the width of any particular shelf member such as shelf members 10, 90 and/or 95. Other known or foreseeable means for extending stop member 20 are also recognized, anticipated and contemplated herein.

Each stop member 20 also includes a plurality of pegs 115 extending downwardly therefrom. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22, each stop member includes three pegs 115, although in alternative embodiments, each stop member 20 may include any plurality of pegs 115 depending upon the overall length of each stop member 20. Pegs 115 each include a tip portion 120 that is of a size and shape that is compatible with apertures 22 associated with shelving members 10, 90 and 95 as best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 15. When a user has telescopically extended stop member 20 to a desired length, tip portions 120 are inserted into corresponding apertures 22 in substantial alignment therewith at the desired length. In the preferred embodiment, tip portions 120 and apertures 22 foam a friction fit. Tip portions 120 may also be slightly angled towards the rear portion of the shelving members 10, 90 and 95 so as to provide additional holding capacity to the stop member 20 when a plurality of products are resting against the stop member. This angled tip portion 120 makes it more difficulty for the tip portions 120 to become inadvertently disengaged from the apertures 22. Because each stop member 20 is selectively engageable with each shelving member, the stop member 20 may be repositioned on any shelf member as desired by a user.

As shown in FIG. 24, the present invention is also compatible with a wide variety of different organizer units and different gravity feed conversion systems such as roller system 125 illustrated in dashed outline form. Roller system 125 may include a plurality of rollers (not illustrated) that help facilitate the movement of products down a gravity feed system, a plurality of dividers (not illustrated) defining a plurality of product channels for separating products from one another on a shelf member, and an extended stop member 130 that is taller than stop member 20 for accommodating taller products such as bottled and canned soft drink products, all of which is more fully disclosed in Applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 14/305,486. Roller system 125 as well as many other organizer units may include a recess or channel 135 that is selectively engageable with stop member 20. When stop member 20 is received within and engaged with recess 135, roller system 125 will be stably secured to a shelf member 10. Other gravity feed and organizer systems known or foreseeable in the art may also be engageable with the stop member 20 in other embodiments.

It is recognized and anticipated that the present gondola gravity feed conversion bracket system can be utilized with a wide variety of different gondola systems present in the marketplace and that the attachment members or protrusions 80 along with hook members 85 associated with the left, right and center bracket members 30, 35 and 45 can be shaped and configured so as to be insertably receivable within the wide variety of different slots 25 associated with the wide variety of different vertical upright support members 5 associated with different gondola systems. The bracket members 30, 35 and 45 can be tailored and configured to mate with and engage both the vertical upright support members 5 as well as the individual shelf members 10, 90 and 95 associated with each different gondola system. The same is likewise true with respect to the pegs 115 associated with stop member 20, the pegs 115 being shaped and configured so as to be compatible with any particular aperture configuration associated with any particular shelf member 10, 90 and/or 95. Still further, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 16, any combination of left, right and center bracket members 30, 35 and 45 can be utilized in association with any gondola system so as to achieve any particular vertical and horizontal arrangement of shelf members 10, 90 and 95 associated with any particular gondola system. Other arrangements and configurations are likewise recognized and anticipated.

The constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts and principles of the present invention. Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A gravity feed conversion bracket system comprising:

a left bracket member selectively engageable with a vertical upright support member associated with a gondola shelving unit; and

a right bracket member selectively engageable with a vertical upright support member associated with a gondola shelving unit;

each of said left and right bracket members having a front wall portion angularly oriented relative to a vertical plane, said front wall portions including a plurality of receiver members for selectively engaging a shelving member associated with a gondola shelving unit;

wherein when said left and right bracket members are each selectively engaged with a respective vertical upright support member, and when the receiver members of said left and right bracket members are selectively engaged with a shelving member, the shelving member will be oriented in a gravity feed orientation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said left and right bracket members includes a plurality of protrusions for selectively engaging each of said left and right bracket members to a vertical upright support member of a gondola shelving unit.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of receiver members associated with said left and right bracket members are configured to receive and engage a plurality of left and right attachment members associated with a shelving member of a gondola shelving unit.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein at least some of said protrusions including a hook portion.

5. The system of claim 1 including a stop member selectively engageable with a shelving member of a gondola shelving unit.

6. A gravity feed conversion bracket system for converting a plurality of shelving members horizontally arranged in a side-by-side arrangement in a shelving system to a gravity feed orientation, the shelving system including a plurality of vertical upright support members for supporting the plurality of side-by-side shelving members in a non-gravity feed horizontal arrangement, the conversion system comprising:

a left bracket member selectively engageable with a vertical upright support member of the shelving system;

a right bracket member selectively engageable with a vertical upright support member of the shelving system; and

at least one center bracket member selectively engageable with a vertical upright support member of the shelving system;

said left, right and at least one center bracket members each having a front wall portion angularly oriented relative to the vertical upright support members of the shelving system, each of said front wall portions including a plurality of receiver members for selectively engaging a shelf member associated with the shelving system, the receiver members associated with said at least one center bracket member being wider than the receiver members associated with said left and right bracket members to accept the respective end portions of two adjacent side-by-side shelving members;

wherein when said left bracket member is selectively engaged with the left-most vertical upright support member and the receiver members of said left bracket member are selectively engaged with one end portion of the left-most shelf member, and wherein when the right bracket member is selectively engaged with the right-most vertical upright support member and the receiver members of said right bracket member are selectively engaged with one end portion of the right-most shelving member, and when the at least one center bracket member is selectively engaged with a respective vertical upright support member and the receiver members of said at least one center bracket member are selectively engaged with the respective end portions of two adjacent side-by-side shelving members, the left-most shelf member, the right-most shelf member and all horizontally arranged shelf members located therebetween will be oriented in a gravity feed orientation.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein each of said left bracket member, said right bracket member, and said at least one center bracket member includes a plurality of protrusions for selectively engaging each of said bracket members to a vertical upright support member of the shelving system.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of receiver members associated with said left and right bracket members are configured to receive and engage a plurality of left attachment members and a plurality of right attachment members associated with a shelving member of the shelving system, and wherein the plurality of receiver members associated with said at least one center bracket member are configured to receive and engage both a plurality of left attachment members and a plurality of right attachment members associated with adjacent side-by-side shelving members of the shelving system.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein at least some of said protrusions include a hook portion.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein said receiver members are apertures.

11. The system of claim 6 including at least one stop member selectively engageable with each of the shelving members associated with the shelving system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said stop member is expandable lengthwise to accommodate the length of any particular shelving member associated with the shelving system.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said at least one stop member includes a plurality of pegs, said plurality of pegs being selectively engageable with a plurality of apertures on the shelving members associated with the shelving system.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of pegs us angularly oriented towards the rear portion of each respective shelf member.

15. A gravity feed conversion bracket system for converting a plurality of shelving members horizontally arranged in a side-by-side non-gravity feed arrangement in a shelving system to a gravity feed orientation, the shelving system including a plurality of vertical upright support members having a plurality of slots associated therewith for supporting the plurality of side-by-side shelving members in a horizontal arrangement, each of the shelving members having attachment members associated with the opposed side end portions of the shelving member for selectively engaging the attachment members with one or more slots associated with the vertical upright support members, the conversion system comprising:

a left bracket member selectively engageable with one or more slots associated with a vertical upright support member of the shelving system;

a right bracket member selectively engageable with one or more slots associated with a vertical upright support member of the shelving system;

at least one center bracket member selectively engageable with one or more slots associated with a vertical upright support member of the shelving system; and

at least one stop member selectively engageable with each of the shelving members of the shelving system;

each of said left, right and at least one center bracket member having a front wall portion angularly oriented relative to the vertical upright support members of the shelving system, said front wall portions each including a plurality of receiver members for selectively receiving and engaging the attachment members associated with the opposed side end portions of each of the shelf members, each of the receiver members associated with said at least one center bracket member being sized and shaped to selectively engage the attachment members associated with two adjacent side-by-side shelving members;

wherein when the left bracket member is selectively engaged with the left-most vertical upright support member associated with the shelving system and the attachment member associated with one side end portion of the left-most shelving member in the shelving system is selectively engaged with the receiver members of said left bracket member, and when the right bracket member is selectively engaged with the right-most vertical upright support member of the shelving system and the attachment member associated with one side end portion of the right-most shelving member is engaged with the receiver members of said right bracket member, and when the respective other attachment members associated with both the opposite side end portions of the left-most and right-most shelving members and the opposed side end portions of the intermediate adjacent side-by-side shelving members associated with the shelving system are selectively engaged with the receiver members of said center bracket members, all of the adjacent side-by-side shelving members associated with the shelving system will be oriented in a gravity feed orientation.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein each of said left, right and at least one center bracket member includes a plurality of protrusions for selectively engaging each of said bracket members with a plurality of slots associated with the vertical upright support members of the shelving system.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein each of said plurality of protrusions includes a hook portion.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said receiver members are apertures.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one stop member is expandable lengthwise to accommodate the length of any particular shelving member associated with the shelving system.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one stop member includes a plurality of pegs, and wherein each of said shelving members includes a plurality of apertures, said plurality of pegs being selectively engageable with the plurality of apertures associated with each shelving member.