MERCHANDISING SYSTEM
A merchandising system includes a deck adjustable to various angles to accommodate merchandise for display on a shelf at such various angles. The system may include a front stop and dividers.
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The metal shelf has been the backbone of brick and mortar retail stores for almost a century. Today, it is still common for merchandise to be placed onto shelves. Most standard shelves are horizontal to the ground, but some shelves are positioned at a non-zero angle to the around for better consumer viewing and/or to assist in gravity feeding of the merchandise. However, this type of angled shelf is at a fixed angle and cannot be adjusted to accommodate various target angles for various applications. In other words, if a different angle is desired other than the angle of the fixed-angle shelf, then a different fixed angle shelf is needed. There is thus a need for a merchandising system to allow simple and effective placement of merchandise on a shelf at various angles, without having to replace the entire shelf to accommodate the desired angle(s).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a merchandising unit and methods of use thereof. The merchandising unit facilitates presentation of merchandise on a retail shelf using a deck adjustable to various target angles to accommodate merchandise for display on the shelf at such angles. The system includes a deck and one or more pairs of angled supports to be removably attached to the bottom surface of the deck, each pair supporting the deck at a corresponding target angle. The angled supports may have visual indicia on them corresponding to their respective target angles.
The system may also include a front stop to be removably attached to the shelf and to the front of the deck, for retaining merchandise that might otherwise fall off the shelf due to gravity and/or other contact forces. The system may also include dividers for placement on the top surface of the deck to help separate merchandise into various columns, and the deck may have alignment indicia/tally marks at the front and corresponding alignment indicia/tally marks at the back to help align dividers.
A single unit may suffice for certain applications, or multiple units may be placed adjacent each other to cover a wider shelf area as needed, either continuously to cover an entire shelf, or intermittently to cover various sections of the shelf. Likewise, multiple units may be used together with angled supports of differing target angles for applications requiring various shelf space to accommodate merchandise at various angles. The angles may also facilitate gravity feeding of the merchandise, especially when the top surface of the deck is configured to assist in gravity feed, but the present invention may also be used with spring-loaded pusher systems, manual feed systems, and/or other merchandising systems.
Typically each unit will include a deck (preassembled), a front stop (preassem bled), a plurality of pairs of angled supports configured to support the deck at differing target angles, and a plurality of dividers. To install a unit, the desired pair of angled supports is removably attached to the bottom surface of the deck, the front stop is removably attached to the shelf using locking tabs or the like, the front of the deck is removably attached to the front stop using locking tabs or the like, and then the angled supports are laid to rest on the shelf to support the deck at the target angle. Dividers may be removably attached to the top surface of the deck. If no front stop is used, the angled supports are simply laid to rest on the shelf without attaching the deck to a front stop.
The system has a relatively flat profile which facilitates shipping. Further, the system (preassembled deck, preassembled front stop, angled supports, and dividers) can be assembled for use on location and installed on conventional shelving such as gondola and refrigerator coolers in minutes without tools. These and other advantages as described herein will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art, when read in conjunction with the attached drawings.
Deck 10 is typically rectangular and flat, and thus has a left side 30, a right side 35, a left edge 40, a right edge 45, a front 50, a back 55, a top surface 60, and a bottom surface 65. Deck 10 is typically 12 inches wide and 18 inches, 20 inches, or 22 inches deep, but may be any dimensions. Deck 10 may be made of plastic, metal, or any suitable material. In one embodiment, top surface 60 comprises a grooved low-friction surface such as a MOTION MAT by Sandee Manufacturing in Franklin Park, Ill., to facilitate gravity feeding of merchandise as the front specimens are removed by consumers. In such a case, the MOTION MAT is affixed to deck 10 by glue and/or other suitable means, typically as part of the factory assembly process. For example, magnets (with corresponding flat washers), or lock washers may be used for easier replacement and maintenance.
Deck 10 has a front panel 70 and a back panel 75 each having correspondingly-aligned connectors (such as slots) 80f and 80b respectively for receiving complimentary connectors (such as tabs) 85f and 85b respectively of dividers 25. Deck 10 also has tabs 95 to mate with slots 150 of front stop 20 as explained herein. Panels 70 and 75 may be part of a single-piece deck body, or they may be separate pieces as shown in
Turning now to
An angled support 15 may be attached to bottom surface 65 of deck 10 in any suitable manner, but in one embodiment of the present invention, bottom surface 65 of deck 10 has a slot 100L on the left side 30 configured to receive a leg 105L extending from one angled support (e.g., 15L(8)), and a slot 100R on the right side 35 configured to receive a leg 105R extending from another angled support (e.g., 15R(8)). In another embodiment, an angled support 15 has two legs 105, and bottom surface 65 of deck 10 is configured to receive both legs 105 of angled support 15, either in a single slot 100, or in two slots 100 as seen in
In another embodiment of the present invention as seen in
Turning now to
Supports 15 shown in
Angled supports 15 each have a straight bottom edge 135 and a straight top edge 140 at a non-zero angle 160 (see
In alternative embodiments of the present invention, angled supports 15 may have a profile as seen in
Turning now to
Referring now to
Turning now to
But to change the non-zero target angle 160 from an angle x to another angle y, angled supports 15L(x) and 15R(x) are detached from bottom surface 65 of deck 10 at Step 960, and replaced with a different pair of angled supports 15L(y) and 15R(y) at Step 970, configured to achieve the new target angle y 160. The unit 5 with new angled supports 15L(y) and 15R(y) attached thereto is then placed back on shelf 145 at Step 980. This may include reattaching deck 10 to front stop 20 if deck 10 was removed form front stop 20, and reattaching front stop 20 to shelf 145 if front stop 20 was removed from shelf 145. In this manner, a unit 5 may be efficiently adjusted to any desired target angle 160 thus allowing merchandise to be presented at such angle, without having to replace an entire shelf 145. With multiple units 5 on a shelf 145, this also allows only desired sections of shelf 145 to be reconfigured as opposed to having to reconfigure an entire shelf 145.
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A merchandising system comprising:
- a deck having a left side, a left edge, a right side, a right edge, a front, a back, a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a first pair of supports comprising a first left support and a first right support, each having a first straight bottom edge and a first straight top edge at a first non-zero angle relative to the first straight bottom edge;
- a second pair of supports comprising a second left support and a second right support each having a second straight bottom edge and a second straight top edge at a second non-zero angle relative to the second straight bottom edge, the second non-zero angle being different than the first non-zero angle; and
- a merchandise divider configured to be removably attached to the top surface of the deck;
- wherein the first left support is configured to be removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the first straight top edge of the first left support is substantially flush with the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, and the first right support is configured to be removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the first straight top edge of the first right support is substantially flush with the right side of bottom surface of the deck, whereby when the first left support is removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck and the first right support is removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck, the deck is at the first non-zero angle; and
- wherein the second left support is configured to be removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the second straight top edge of the second left support is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the deck, and the second right support is configured to be removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the second straight top edge of the second right support is substantially flush with the right side of bottom surface of the deck, whereby when the second left support is removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck and the second right support is removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck, the deck is at the second non-zero angle.
22. The merchandising system of claim 21, wherein the top surface of the deck has a front connector at the front of the deck and a back connector at the back of the deck, the divider has a front connector and a back connector, and the front and back connectors of the divider are configured to mate with the front and back connectors of the deck respectively to removably attach the divider to the top surface of the deck.
23. The merchandising system of claim 22, wherein the top surface of the deck has a plurality of front connectors at the front of the deck and a plurality of corresponding back connectors at the back of the deck, and the top surface of the deck has front alignment indicia at the front of the deck and corresponding back alignment indicia at the back of the deck, such that attachment of the front connector of the divider to one of the plurality of front connectors of the deck at a position relative to the front alignment indicia and attachment of the back connector of the divider to the corresponding back alignment indicia aligns the divider along the top surface of the deck in parallel relation to the left and right edges of the deck.
24. The merchandising system of claim 21 wherein the left side of the bottom surface of the deck has a slot and the right side of the bottom surface of the deck has a slot, and wherein the first left support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, the first right support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the right side of the bottom surface of the deck, the second left support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, and the second right support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the right side of the bottom surface of the deck.
25. The merchandising system of claim 24, wherein the left side of the bottom surface of the deck has a second slot and the right side of the bottom surface of the deck has a second slot, and wherein the first left support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, the first right support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the right side of the bottom surface of the deck, the second left support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, and the second right support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the right side of the bottom surface of the deck.
26. The merchandising system of claim 21, further comprising a left rail attached to the bottom surface of the deck on the left side and having a slot therein, and a right rail attached to the bottom surface of the deck on the right side and having a slot therein, and wherein the first left support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the left rail, the first right support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the right rail, the second left support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the left rail, and the second right support has a leg configured to be removably secured into the slot of the right rail.
27. The merchandising system of claim 26, wherein the left rail has a second slot and the right rail has a second slot, and wherein the first left support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the left rail, the first right support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the right rail, the second left support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the left rail, and the second right support has a second leg configured to be removably secured into the second slot of the right rail.
28. The merchandising system of claim 21, wherein the first non-zero angle and the second non-zero angle are both selected from the group consisting of: 4 degrees; 6 degrees; 8 degrees; 10 degrees; and 12 degrees.
29. The merchandising system of claim 21, wherein the first non-zero angle and the second non-zero angle are both angles in the range between approximately 4 degrees and approximately 12 degrees.
30. The merchandising system of claim 21, wherein the first left support and the first right support have angle indicia corresponding to the first non-zero angle, and the second left support and the second right support have angle indicia corresponding to the second non-zero angle.
31. A merchandising system comprising:
- a deck having a left side, a left edge, a right side, a right edge, a front, a back, a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a first pair of supports comprising a first left support and a first right support, each having a first straight bottom edge and a first straight top edge at a first non-zero angle relative to the first straight bottom edge; and
- a second pair of supports comprising a second left support and a second right support each having a second straight bottom edge and a second straight top edge at a second non-zero angle relative to the second straight bottom edge, the second non-zero angle being different than the first non-zero angle;
- wherein the first left support is configured to be removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the first straight top edge of the first left support is substantially flush with the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, and the first right support is configured to be removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the first straight top edge of the first right support is substantially flush with the right side of bottom surface of the deck, whereby when the first left support is removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck and the first right support is removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck, the deck is at the first non-zero angle;
- wherein the second left support is configured to be removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the second straight top edge of the second left support is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the deck, and the second right support is configured to be removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck such that the second straight top edge of the second right support is substantially flush with the right side of bottom surface of the deck, whereby when the second left support is removably secured to the left side of the bottom surface of the deck and the second right support is removably secured to the right side of the bottom surface of the deck, the deck is at the second non-zero angle; and
- wherein the first left support has a pull ring with a catch configured to be removably secured into a slot of the left side of the bottom surface of the deck when a leg of the first left support is removably secured into the slot of the left side of the bottom surface of the deck, and the first right support has a pull ring with a catch configured to be removably secured into a slot of the right side of the bottom surface of the deck when a leg of the first right support is removably secured into the slot of the right side of the bottom surface of the deck.
32. The merchandising system of claim 31, wherein the first left support and the first right support have angle indicia corresponding to the first non-zero angle, and the second left support and the second right support have angle indicia corresponding to the second non-zero angle.
33. The merchandising system of claim 31, wherein the first non-zero angle and the second non-zero angle are both selected from the group consisting of: 4 degrees; 6 degrees; 8 degrees; 10 degrees; and 12 degrees.
34. The merchandising system of claim 31, wherein the first non-zero angle and the second non-zero angle are both angles in the range between approximately 4 degrees and approximately 12 degrees.
35. The merchandising system of claim 31, wherein the first left support and the first right support have angle indicia corresponding to the first non-zero angle, and the second left support and the second right support have angle indicia corresponding to the second non-zero angle.
36. The merchandising system of claim 31, further comprising a front stop configured to be removably attached to a shelf and to the front of the deck, and to extend vertically upward relative to the shelf when attached to the shelf and to the front of the deck.
37. The merchandising system of claim 36, wherein the front stop has slots and the deck has deck tabs at the front, and the slots of the front stop are configured to mate with the deck tabs to removably attach the front stop to the front of the deck.
38. The merchandising system of claim 31, further comprising a front stop integrated into the front of the deck and configured to be removably attached to a shelf and to extend vertically upward relative to the shelf when attached to the shelf.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 28, 2019
Publication Date: Jul 23, 2020
Applicant: DISPLAYS PLUS, INC. (Placentia, CA)
Inventors: Robert Paul Colelli (Yorba Linda, CA), Eric Edward Oberg (Huntington Beach, CA)
Application Number: 16/665,427