Patent Application
20100230369
The present invention relates generally to product displays for consumer goods and products, and more particularly to an adjustable product display system for displaying goods and products to consumers for distribution or purchase.
Product displays have been used by retailers in the sale of goods or products from fixed locations such as a boutique shop, department or discount stores or kiosk. Such product displays are typically utilized in conjunction with shelves for holding a large number of products and maintaining the products in an orderly, upright arrangement to provide a visually pleasant appearance. The product displays generally comprise one or more shelf structures with each having one or more dividers to partition the shelf structure into sections for setting apart and holding different groups of products. The products are arranged in columns on the shelf structure within the respective sections. The use of sections enables the retailer to maximize or vary the number of products for display, thus allowing the customer to readily differentiate between the different products.
The sections of the shelf structure generally include specialized push mechanisms utilizing tracks to urge the products to a forward position, thereby further enhancing visibility and access for the customers. The push mechanisms are usually mounted on display trays each specially configured for holding products of particular sizes. The customer selecting a product can remove the forward-most product of the column in the display tray. The pusher mechanism moves the remaining products forward to the position previously occupied by the removed product. In this manner, the pusher mechanism ensures that the products remain readily accessible for the next customer.
Difficulties are manifested when the retailer needs to change the shelving configuration in order to add or remove product lines depending on demand or need. The product display trays and the associated push mechanisms are designed and sized to accommodate a particular size of product. If the size or type of product changes, the existing product display trays must be removed and replaced with other appropriately sized product display trays. Replacing the product display trays is usually a time consuming and labor intensive process.
Accordingly, there is a need for an adjustable product display system utilizing a pusher mechanism that is independently positionable directly on a planar support surface or shelf structure, while maintaining a clean and unobtrusive appearance. There is a need for an adjustable product display system utilizing one or more pusher mechanisms that can be selectively added or removed to readily accommodate products of varying sizes with minimal effort and time. There is a further need for an adjustable product display system utilizing a minimal number of different components to realize greater ease of use and fabrication, and lower costs, while effectively overcoming the difficulties encountered above.
The present invention relates generally to an adjustable product display system, which may be utilized, among other applications, for displaying goods and products to customers for purchase. The adjustable product display system includes a plurality of pusher mechanisms each positionable on a planar support surface (e.g., shelf) in a coextensive spaced-apart manner. The pusher mechanisms are positioned to define between adjacent ones a product area with front and rear ends, wherein the product area is adapted to hold one or more products in a continuous arrangement such as a column.
Each pusher mechanism is configured for magnetic engagement to the planar support surface, and includes a pusher having a contact portion, and a partition fixedly attached thereto proximate the pusher. The pusher is configured for applying a force via said contact portion on the one or more products to advance the products toward the front end of the corresponding product area. The system further includes means for retaining the one or more products against the contact portion of the pusher within the corresponding product area.
The system of the present invention utilizes a minimal number of different components for enhanced ease of use and fabrication, and requires little or no prior modifications to existing support surfaces. The system of the present invention is designed to display products in a manner that is enhances visibility and access to the products. The system of the present invention is further adapted for flexible modification to accommodate products of varying sizes in a quick and simple manner. Furthermore, the system of the present invention is simple, cost effective and reliable, while remaining readily configurable to meet required display requirements.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjustable product display system, which comprises:
a plurality of pusher mechanisms each positionable on a planar support surface in a coextensive spaced-apart manner for defining therebetween a product area with front and rear ends, wherein the product area is adapted to hold one or more products in a continuous arrangement;
the pusher mechanism being configured for magnetic engagement to the planar support surface, the pusher mechanism including a pusher having a contact portion, and a partition fixedly attached thereto proximate the pusher;
the pusher being configured for applying a force via the contact portion on the one or more products to advance the products toward the front end of the corresponding product area; and
means for retaining the one or more products against the contact portion of the pusher within the corresponding product area.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjustable product display system, which comprises:
a pusher mechanism being configured for magnetic engagement to a planar support surface, the pusher mechanism including a pusher having a contact portion, and a partition fixedly attached thereto proximate the pusher;
an end divider having a base portion configured for magnetic engagement to the planar support surface, the end divider being adapted for placement in a coextensive spaced-apart manner with the pusher mechanism to define therebetween a product area with front and rear ends, wherein the product area is adapted to hold one or more products in a continuous arrangement;
the pusher being configured for applying a force via the contact portion on the one or more products to advance the products toward the front end of the corresponding product area; and
means for retaining one or more products against the contact portion of the pusher within the corresponding product area.
The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable product display system, which may be utilized, among other applications, for displaying goods and products to customers for purchase. The adjustable product display system includes a plurality of pusher mechanisms each positionable on a planar support surface (e.g., shelf in a coextensive spaced-apart manner. The pusher mechanisms are positioned to define between adjacent ones a product area with front and rear ends, wherein the product area is adapted to hold one or more products in a continuous arrangement such as a column.
Each pusher mechanism is configured for magnetic engagement to the planar support surface, and includes a pusher having a contact portion, and a partition fixedly attached thereto proximate the pusher. The pusher is configured for applying a force via said contact portion on the one or more products to advance the products toward the front end of the corresponding product area. The system further includes means for retaining the one or more products against the contact portion of the pusher within the corresponding product area.
The system of the present invention utilizes a minimal number of different components for enhanced ease of use and fabrication, and requires little or no prior modifications to existing support surfaces. The system of the present invention is designed to display products in a manner that is enhances visibility and access to the products.
The system of the present invention is further adapted for flexible modification to accommodate products of varying sizes in a quick and simple manner. Furthermore, the system of the present invention is simple, cost effective and reliable, while remaining readily configurable to meet required display requirements.
Referring to
In particular, the pusher mechanisms 16 are adapted for magnetic engagement to the support surface 12. The support surface 12 may be composed of a magnetic material, preferably a ferromagnetic material such as iron, steel, cobalt, nickel, and the like. This magnetic interaction permits the pusher mechanisms 16 to be securely attached to the support surface 12 during display of the products 14, while allowing them to be quickly relocated during adjustment or modification as will be described hereinafter.
Each pusher mechanism 16 is arranged coextensively with one another in a spaced apart manner on the support surface 12, and defines a product area 18 with front and rear ends 20 and 22 for holding the products 14 in a continuous end-to-end arrangement or column. The product area 18 establishes a space for displaying the products 14 in a manner drawing the consumer's attention to the product 14, while the pusher mechanisms facilitates ease of restocking. The size of the product area 18 can readily be adjusted by moving adjacent pusher mechanisms relative to one another to accommodate the product 14.
The pusher mechanism 16 includes an elongate base 24 extending from the back end 22 to the front end 20 of the product area 18, a pusher 26 having a contact portion 28, adapted to slidably move along the length of the elongate base 24, and a partition 30 fixedly attached to the elongate base 24 proximate the pusher 26. The base 24 of the pusher mechanism 16 supports at least a portion of the product 14 thereon. The products 14 are placed proximate the front end 20 of the product area 18 with the pusher 26 positioned near the rear end 22 of the product area 18. The pusher 26 is biased toward the front end 20 of the product area via a spring mechanism as will be described hereinafter.
The contact portion 28 of the pusher 26 presses on the rear side of the products 14. A fence 32 is affixed to the support surface 12 at the front end 20 of the product area 18 to prevent the forward-most product 14 from advancing beyond the edge of the support surface 12. The fence 32 ensures the products 14 are retained against pusher 26 within the product area 18, and maintained in a fixed arrangement (e.g., a column) as shown. As shown in
As the pusher 26 applies a force via the contact portion 28, the products 14 are securely retained in juxtaposition with one another within product area 18 between the contact portion 28 of the pusher 26 and the front fence 32. The pusher 26 constantly thrusts the retained products 14 toward the front fence 32 as the products 14 are removed. When the forward-most product 14 is removed, the pusher 26 moves the remaining products 14 forward to the position previously occupied by the removed product 14. To restock the product 14, the pusher 26 is retracted to the rear end 22 of the product area 18 as the product 14 is replenished.
The pusher mechanisms 16 each further include a bearing surface 42 extending along the length of the base 24 proximate the partition 30 for supporting at least a portion of the product 14 in an adjacent product area 18. The bearing surface 42 raises the product 14 off of the support surface 12 leveled with the base 24 of the adjacent pusher mechanism 16. The bearing surface 42 maintains the elevated product 14 straight and leveled in the product area 18, and minimizes the frictional resistance encountered by the pusher 26.
The system 10 further includes an end divider 36 having a bottom portion or base 38 adapted for magnetic engagement to the support surface 12, and an end partition 40 affixed to the base 38. The end divider 36 is adapted for placement on the support surface 12 spaced apart from the end pusher mechanism 16 in the sequence to define the corresponding product area 18. The end divider 36 further includes a bearing surface 44 extending along the base 38 proximate the partition 40 for supporting at least a portion of the product 14. The bearing surface 44 of the end divider 36 functions similarly as the bearing surface 42 of the pusher mechanism 16.
Referring to
The pusher mechanism 16 further includes one or more magnets 54 mounted to the bottom side of the base 24. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pusher mechanism 16 includes a first pair of magnets 54 attached proximately to the rear end 48 of the base 24 and a second pair of magnets 54 attached proximately to the front end 50 of the base 24. The magnets 54 are used to securely affix the pusher mechanism 16 to the support surface 12, while permitting the user to move the pusher mechanism 16 as necessary. Examples of suitable magnets include ceramic or ferrite, alnico alloys, ticonal alloys, rare earth magnets such as neodymium and samarium-cobalt, and the like.
As previously described, the spring 74 biases or urges the pusher 26 toward the front end 50 of the base 24. In
Referring to
Referring to
The base 38 includes one or more magnets 64 mounted to the bottom side of the base 38. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pusher mechanism includes a first magnet 64 attached proximately to the rear end 60 of the base 38 and a second magnet 64 attached proximately to the front end 62 of the base 38. The magnets 64 are used to securely affix the end divider 36 to the support surface 12, while permitting the user to move the end divider 36 as necessary.
Referring to
The upper portion 68 functions to block or prevent the products 14 in the product area 18 from advancing beyond the front fence 32. The upper portion 68 may include an information display area 74 on the side opposite from the lower portion 66. The information display area 74 may be used to display information in the form of printed indicia. The information may include details and graphics associated with the products 14 offered by the system 10. The information may be presented in the form of electronic displays, printed indicia, drawings, pictures, illustrations, graphics, and the like.
Referring to
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
