CONVERTIBLE GONDOLA SHELVING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a merchandise display system for use on gondola shelving. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shelf system which can be converted between a horizontally oriented shelf and a vertically oriented pegboard panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various shelving systems are used in supermarkets and department stores for storage and display of merchandise. Merchandise must be kept in stock and available for sale but also is preferably displayed to attract potential buyers. Shelving systems are commonly in the form of rows of shelves with ends having so-called gondola arrangements. Gondolas are particularly useful for displaying merchandise and generally have a vertically oriented pegboard supported on a floor platform. The pegboard provides a useful means for hanging merchandise for display and sale. However, storeowners may prefer to have horizontal shelves at the ends of shelf systems to provide more storage for inventory or to better accommodate display of particular merchandise. Of course, the preferences of storeowners are constantly changing with changes of seasons, changes in merchandise as new products are developed and brought to market, or as consumers tastes change over time or in response to marketing efforts.

One, and problem encountered by storeowners is related to the need for gondola systems presenting horizontal shelves and an alternative need for gondola systems with vertical panels capable of hanging displays. Often the need to alternate between systems requires storage of relatively heavy shelves or panels when they are not needed.

There have been prior efforts to facilitate the display and storage of products for sale. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,846 which issued Oct. 22, 1991, to Close, for PULL DOWN DISPLAY AND STORAGE APPARATUS, discloses a pull down display and storage apparatus having a combination of a movable frame, pivot means, and the fixed support to provide a pulldown display and storage apparatus. The apparatus displays in stores items seven elevated height which can be pulled down to a convenient height to remove the items from the apparatus. Another example of a merchandise display system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,399 which issued May 16, 2000, to Henry et al., for MERCHANDISE DISPLAY SYSTEM CONFIGURABLE FOR INSTALLATION ON A VARIETY OF MERCHANDISE DISPLAY FRAMES. The Henry et al. patent discloses a merchandise display system for mounting on an existing gondola, which system includes a universal mount with two universal brackets that are carried by a crossbar and that are selectively movable on and along the crossbar for alignment with stanchion apertures. A frame assembly including a PEGBOARD® is removably secured to the universal mount. Still another example of an improvement relating to a gondola merchandising system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,944 which issued Jun. 18, 1996, to Merl for BALANCED INVENTORY/FACING CONSTRUCTION. The Merle patent describes a construction having a horizontal panel that can drop into a vertical position.

While the aforementioned prior efforts show improvements relating to a merchandise display and/or shelving systems, there remains a need for an improved gondola shelving system which is convertible between a horizontal shelf and a vertical display panel. In accordance with the present invention, a convertible gondola shelving system is provided which is readily adaptable between a horizontal shelf and a vertical PEGBOARD® panel system. There is no need in use of the present system to store either the horizontal shall or the vertical pegboard cents the same panel is utilized in both configurations.

Further understanding of the present invention will be had from the of following specification and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of convertible gondola shelving of the present invention shown in vertical or “peg board” orientation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a convertible gondola shelf shown in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 shown in horizontal or shelf position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the convertible gondola shelf of FIG. 2 shown attached in vertical orientation to vertical shelving supports; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from below the convertible gondola shelf of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A convertible gondola shelving system comprising a panel having a plurality of holes therethrough and a pair of brackets pivotally attached thereto, said the panel being adapted to attachment to vertical supports by said pair of brackets and being selectively movable between horizontal and vertical orientations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to FIGS. 1-4, a preferred embodiment of a convertible gondola shelving system of the present invention is shown and indicated generally by the numeral 10. Each gondola shelving system 10 is intended to be attached to the end vertical supports of conventional shelving as is commonly found in supermarkets, department stores and the like. Then each shelving system 10 can be selectively positioned between a horizontal “shelf” orientation and a vertical “peg board” orientation as described in more detail below.

Shelving system 10 broadly comprises shelf 12 and adjustable brackets 14 and 16. It is preferred that shelf 12 be of substantial, heavy-duty construction suitable for use in commercial establishments.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, shelf 12 has a panel 18 with a plurality of holes 20 therein and has forward skirt 22, rear skirt 24, and side skirts 26 and 28 formed integrally with panel 18 to provide substantial structural integrity to shelf 12. Various particular constructions of shelf 12 are intended to be within the broad scope of the present invention, and it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that shelf 12 can be constructed of various metallic materials, such as steel or aluminum, as well as strong plastic materials so long as the structural requirements of its use are met or exceeded. Furthermore it will be appreciated that the exact shape and design of shelf 12 can be varied within the broad scope of the present invention so long as the purpose of the design is achieved. Thus, the pattern of holes 20 shown in panel 18 can be modified so long as the holes do not conflict with use shelf 12 in its horizontal position and serve their function when shelf 12 is configured in a vertical position as described in more detail below.

Side skirts 26 and 28 have pins allowing shelf 12 to pivot between horizontal and vertical positions. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, side skirt 26 has pins 30 and 32 press fit in holes in side skirt 26 or otherwise fixedly secured thereto. Similarly, side skirt 28 has pins 34 and 36 press fit in holes in side skirt 28 or otherwise fixedly secured thereto. Of course, suitable pins, bolts, rods or the like can be substituted for the pins shown in the figures and attached by welding or other means so long as they allow pivotal movement between brackets 14 and 16 in accordance with this invention.

Bracket 14 has a generally U-shaped slot 38 into which pins 30 and 32 loosely and slidably extend. Optionally, the ends of pins 30 and 32 are enlarged after assembly of bracket 14 to side skirt 26 to retain bracket 14 in position on skirt 26.

Shelving system 10 is particularly well suited for use as gondola shelving as is commonly found in supermarkets, department stores and the like. Such shelving normally has a pair of vertical supports 40 and 42 at the end of each row of shelving as illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that conventional vertical supports 12 and 14 are provided with a plurality of vertically elongated slots 44 and 46 for attachment of shelving systems 10 of the present invention.

As best shown in FIG. 3, bracket 14 has an ear 48 extending upwardly and an ear 50 extending downwardly and adapted to fit into respective slots 44 in associated vertical support 40 with downwardly facing notches 52 and 54 located to capture the adjacent vertical edges of slots 44. Bracket 16 is of a construction analogous to bracket 14. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that brackets 14 and 16 can be selectively positioned and repositioned as desired into slots in associated vertical supports.

Bracket 14 has a U-shaped slot 38 which cooperates with pins 30 and 32 to allow shelf 12 to pivot between horizontal and vertical positions. In an analogous manner bracket 16 has U-shaped slot 56 which cooperates with pins 34 and 36 to allow shelf 12 to pivot between horizontal and vertical orientations or positions. Shelf 12 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 with pins 30 and 32 resting at the bottom or opposite ends of slot 38 and supporting shelf 12 in a vertical orientation. In this configuration shelf 12 provides a plurality of holes 28 for hanging display or presentation of merchandise or other display items.

Shelf 12 is shown in FIG. 2 in its horizontal orientation with pins 30 and 32 in the leftward vertically extending portion of slot 38 and thereby supporting shelf 12 in its horizontal orientation. In this orientation, shelf 12 can be used as a horizontal shelf for holding or displaying any merchandise placed thereon.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the convertible gondola shelving system of the present invention provides a storage and display system which is easily converted between a horizontal shelf intended for storage primarily or a vertical panel intended for display primarily. It is an advantage of the system of the present invention that conversion from one configuration to another does not require storage of any parts of the system. It is another advantage of the present system that conversion from one configuration to another does not require tools and can be readily done by a single person. It is a further advantage of the system of the present invention that a single system can provide a shelf for storage of inventory, which shelf can be repositioned to a vertical position to present a pegboard type panel for hanging of merchandise, displays, or the like.

While the present invention has been described herein in the form of a preferred embodiment, of course it is contemplated that the invention can be modified within the broad scope of the invention and it is intended that such modifications will be included within the invention which is intended to be limited only by the following claims.

CONVERTIBLE GONDOLA SHELVING

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