IES20020197A2

IES20020197A2 - A product merchandising apparatus

Info

Publication number: IES20020197A2
Application number: IE20020197A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Oliver Mcelvaney
Original assignee: Kleerex Patents Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-16
Filing date: 2002-03-19
Publication date: 2002-10-02
Also published as: WO2003101258A1; AU2002241213A1

Abstract

A product merchandising apparatus (210) comprises a telescopic track (212) engageable with shelves of different depths, a product support member (218) mountable on the telescopic track (212) and a means for moving the product support member (218) and any product supported by the member from one end of the track (212) towards the other end. The means for moving the product support member may be a pusher or cassette (218) movable by gravity, a pulling mechanism (304) or a spring loaded mechanism (305). <Figure 8>

Description

A PRODUCT MERCHANDISING APPARATUS The present invention relates to a product merchandising apparatus, such as a gravity feed merchandising apparatus, a spring loaded merchandising apparatus or a merchandising apparatus with a product pulling mechanism, which is fitted to a sloping shelf, rack or other support unit used in shops, supermarkets and other retailing premises.

Gravity feed merchandising apparatus and systems have been used in the merchandising industry for a number of years and can be very effective in merchandising small bags, packs and boxes of merchandise, such as sweets, stockings, soups and the like. One such gravity feed merchandising apparatus is described in the present applicant’s published International Patent Application WO-A-9317607. That gravity feed apparatus has a sloped shelf, a vertical wall and a slidable cassette for pushing merchandise on the shelf towards the front wall. A portion of the merchandise on display is placed into the cassette. The combined weight of the cassette and the merchandise contained in it forces the remainder of the merchandise to the front of the shelf adjacent the front wall. Also, the lower front edge of the cassette has a rim which contacts the merchandise at its base in order to concentrate the force of pushing the -merchandise forward. -- · · A disadvantage associated with the above arrangement is that for lower density merchandise enough weight may not be generated by putting the merchandise into the cassettes to push the merchandise forward. Other systems use tracks to allow the cassette to slide with reduced friction and dividers to separate rows of product. A disadvantage with these systems is that it is necessary to manufacture many different depths of tracks and dividers to fit to the various sizes of retail shelves. Also, even though the cassette as shown in WO-A-9 317 607 is of simple construction, it still requires assembly by a shop assistant or a shopfitter.

The object of the invention is to alleviate the disadvantagng-.?ggr,Al.at/»d_^th.Jhp. prior art.

OUe'N TO PUBUC INSPECT! Cs UNDER SECTION 28 AND-RU-UM ¢0 20 1 9 7 The present invention provides a product merchandising apparatus comprising a telescopic track engageable with shelves of different depths; a product support member mountable on the telescopic track and a means for moving the product support member and any product supported by the member from one end of the track towards the other end. The means for moving the product support member may comprise a pusher element in which the means for moving the product support member comprises a pusher element movable by gravity, a pulling mechanism operable by a person or a spring loaded mechanism to urge the product support member towards the said other end of the track.

The present invention also provides a gravity feed merchandising apparatus comprising a track of low friction material and a pushing member slidably mounted on the track for pushing items of merchandise towards a dispensing end of a shelf.

Advantageously, the track is secured to the shelf at both ends. The track may be secured by a connector engaged with each end of the track and removably engageable with a rib element on the shelf at each end of the track.

Conveniently, the pushing member comprises a pair of runners slidably engageable with the track and a plate engageable with the runners.

Alternatively, the pushing member comprises a block slidably engageable with the track and an inverted V-shape plate member secured to the slidable block.

The present invention also provides a gravity feed merchandising apparatus comprising a cassette for containing items of merchandise and an elongated track on which the cassette is slidably mounted, the track being telescopic so as to allow the apparatus to be easily fitted to shelves of differing depths . The cassette with its contents provides a force to push items of merchandise towards a dispensing end of a shelf. 19 h Advantageously, the apparatus also includes dividing members secured to the shelf which keep the items of merchandise in ordered rows, the dividing members also being telescopic.

The invention is easy to assemble and fit to a shelf, requires no special skill, tools or knowledge and can therefore be fitted and loaded with merchandise by merchandising staff avoiding the necessity to call on the services of shopfitters.

In one embodiment of the invention the cassette which is constructed from a low friction material, slides on the track.

In another embodiment the cassette may be fitted with points of low friction material which slide directly on the surface of the shelf on which the apparatus is mounted.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the cassette is fitted with wheels or rollers which allow it to easily slide directly on the shelf surface.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only, a number of embodiments of a product merchandising apparatus according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of gravity feed merchandising apparatus; Figure 2 is an exploded side view of the first embodiment mounted on a sloping shelf; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of gravity feed merchandising apparatus; Figure 4 is a side view of the second embodiment mounted on a sloping shelf; ΙΕΟ 20 1 8 I Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pushing element of the second embodiment; Figure 6 is a side view of the pushing element of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of gravity feed apparatus according to the invention mounted on a shelf; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the third embodiment showing one divider, the cassette mounted on the track and the ribs which locate the invention on the shelf; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the telescopic track and telescopic divider mounted on the ribs; Figure 10 is a perspective view which shows only the track mounted on the ribs on the shelf; Figure 11 is a cross sectional view through the base of the cassette as mounted on the telescopic track; Figure 12 is a cross sectional view of the cassette runner on the telescopic track; Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of the telescopic track; Figure 14 is a perspective view from the front and one side of a further embodiment of a product merchandising apparatus according to the invention; Figure 15 is a perspective view from the rear and one side of the merchandising apparatus as shown in Figure 14; IC ο 2 δ 1 9 li COSB Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the product merchandising apparatus of Figures 14 and 15; and Figures 17 and 18 are perspective views from the front and rear respectively of the product merchandising modified for a particular merchandising arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, the first embodiment 10 of gravity feed merchandising apparatus comprises a central track 12 manufactured as an extruded strip of low friction material such as_______ nylon. The track 12 is provided with a front clip 14 and a rear clip 15 both of which are engaged with the track 12 by means of the tongue 16 engaging with channel 17. Each clip 14,15 has a socket 18 which locates over rib 20 to hold the track 12 in location. The ribs 20 are secured to the shelf 40 by adhesive.

Pusher 25 is slidably engaged on the track 12 so as to push items of merchandise (not shown) forward on shelf 40. The pusher 25 comprises a pair of runners 26 which engage with the sides of the track 12 and a metal plate 28 which sits into arms 27 of the runners 26. In use the items of merchandise are stacked on the track 12 in front of the pusher 25 which forces the products forward towards the front wall 42 of the shelf 40.

The second embodiment of gravity feed merchandising apparatus 110 shown in Figures 3 to 6 is similar to the first embodiment except that the pusher 125 comprises a sliding block 126 over which a double bent plate 128 is attached. The weight of the plate 128 and block 126 creates a force sufficient to move even the most difficult of merchandise to handle on the track 112.

Referring to Figure 7 and Figure 8, the third embodiment of product merchandising apparatus 210 comprises a telescopic central track 212 manufactured as two extruded parts of low friction material such as nylon. These parts fit one inside the other as illustrated in Figure 10 and the complete track can be therefore adjusted to fit any shelf depth , of for example, between 300mm and 600mm. The track is secured to the shelf at both ends. The track is ¢0 20 1 9 7: provided with a front clip 213 and a rear clip 214 incorporated into the track at the front and rear respectively. Each clip has a socket which locates over ribs 215 and 216 to hold the track 212 in position. Rib 215 includes a flexible element 235 which creates a suction grip on the shelf which can be easily lifted for cleaning. The rib 215 acts only to locate the front edge of the track and dividers.

A cassette 218 is slidably engaged on the track 212 so as to push items of merchandise (not shown) forward. The cassette 218 is supplied flat as one item and needs only to be folded into shape where it is locked in place by a ‘snap’ action for ease of assembly. The cassette has a runner 220 which interlocks with the track as shown in Figure 11. This allows the cassette to follow either section of the telescopic track or both sections together in the overlap between the sections. The front of the cassette is shaped to provide a protrusion 222 which contacts the base of the item of merchandise in front of it in order to concentrate the force of pushing the merchandise forward by the force of gravity. The cassette also contains a U-shaped cut out at the front to enable smaller items of merchandise to be lifted out easily by hand.

There are dividers 224 which separate the rows of merchandise. These dividers are telescopic, accommodating shelves between 300mm and 600mm in depth. The ends of the dividers have sockets which locate over ribs 215, 216 to hold the divider in position.

The fourth embodiment of product dispensing apparatus 300 is shown generally in Figures 14 to 18. Track components 301 and 302 are the two parts of the telescopic track that housing 305 slides along, component 301 being the rear or back element in the arrangement and component 302 being the front element. Track component 302 clips onto receiver/profile/rail 308 at the front of the retail shelf and track component 301 clips onto receiver/profile/rail 307 at the rear of the shelf. Rail 308/307 can manifest itself in a number of forms - as a coextrusion where the other flanges of the profile are of a soft flexible material allowing it to ‘grip’ like a suction cup to the surface it rests on, incorporating an adhesive tape on the underside of the profile in order to adhere to the surface or incorporating a strip of magnetic £0 20 1 91 tape to grip to metal shelving. Also, incorporated into this profile can be a facility for ticket strips and an upstand or ‘fence’ facility to stop product falling off the shelf.

Track component 301 comprises a number of ridges or dimples 311 equally spaced along its length corresponding to a V shaped detail 321 on track component 301 allowing the track to be setup on a display shelf at pre set positions - this is an interference fit which can be reset with adequate applied pressure. Elongate element 304 acts as a ‘puller’, which pulls housing 305 along track components 301 and 302 in turn pulling product forward on the shelf when the puller element 304 is pulled by a user. The puller element 304 incorporates a snap off section 340 allowing it to be used on different shelf depths.

Housing 305 acts as a housing for a spring (not shown) when in use and as a pusher along track components 301 and 302 when used in the pusher arrangement. In the “puller” arrangement as shown in the drawings it is being used as a platform or guide along the tracks 301,302 which in conjunction with facia 306 and puller 304 the product is pulled forward along the shelf.

Facia 306 can be produced in a range of shapes and sizes depending on the size and shape of the product being either manually pulled or pushed by the spring. Incorporated into the design of the facia is a transparent sleeve 360 that allows the retailer or brand manufacturer to insert a printed message such as indicating the product to be stocked in this row or an ‘out of stock’ indicator.

The arrangement shown in Figure 14 is set up as a puller arrangement as merchandising apparatus for flat or flat packed products such as sliced cheeses and meats.

Component 303 acts as a ridged guide allowing product to be gripped at an angle backwards to a plane shelf surface. Guide 303, nominally half the length of the extended track, is securely placed to the front of the track and retail shelf engaged with track component 302. The friction between housing 305 and track components 301 and 302 ensures that product is kept in line at the back section of the compartment - guide 303 keeping product presented correctly at the front of the shelf.

IE Ο 20 1 9 7 Figures 17 and 18 illustrate the arrangment of the embodiment 300 for use with spring loading of the housing 305. A flat section 351 is provided on front wall 350 housing 305 for contacting small items such as spice bottles and medicines. Above the flat section 351 is an angled profile which is a compromise between the puller arrangement (requiring an angle for flat packed products) and the pusher arrangement requiring a flat vertical surface. The house 305 contains the main portion of the spring behind the front wall 350 and is fed through orifice 352 and is held in place at the front of track component 302 by tension around retainer 325.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A product merchandising apparatus comprising a telescopic track engageable with shelves of different depths; a product support member mountable on the telescopic track and a means for moving the product support member and any product supported by the member from one end of the track towards the other end.

2. A product merchandising apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the means for moving the product support member comprises a pusher element movable by gravity, a pulling mechanism operable by a person or a spring loaded mechanism to urge the product support member towards the said other end of the track.

3. A product merchandising apparatus comprising a track of low friction material and a pushing member slidably mounted on the track for pushing items of merchandise towards a dispensing end of a shelf; optionally in which the track is securable to the shelf at both ends; optionally in which the track is securable by a connector engaged with each end of the track and is removably engageable with a rib element on the shelf at each end of the track; optionally in which the pushing member comprises a pair of runners slidably engageable with the track and a plate engageable with the runners; and optionally in which the pushing member comprises a block slidably engageable with the track and an inverted V-shape plate member securable to the slidable block.

4. A product merchandising apparatus comprising a cassette for containing items of merchandise and an elongated track on which the cassette is slidably mountable, the track being telescopic so as to allow the apparatus to be easily fitted to shelves of differing depths; whereby the cassette with its contents provides a weight to push items of merchandise towards a dispensing end of a shelf; optionally in which the apparatus includes dividing members securable to the shelf to keep items of merchandise in ordered rows and wherein the dividing members are telescopic; E0 20 1 97] optionally in which the cassette is manufactured from a low friction material, and is slidable on the track; optionally in which the cassette is provided with points of low friction material which 5 are slidable on the surface of the shelf on which the apparatus is mounted; and optionally in which the cassette is provided with wheels or rollers which allow it to slide directly on the shelf surface.

5. A product merchandising apparatus substantially in accordance with any of the 10 embodiments as herein described, with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.