Gondola conversion apparatus and method

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a rack assembly adjustably coupled to another structure, which in some cases can be a gondola-type product storage and display assembly. In some embodiments, the rack assembly can be adjusted to define different depths of the rack assembly, such as by moving one or more rack shoes with respect to corresponding gondola shoes, adjusting one or more shelf-supporting arms and/or product dividers of the rack assembly to different lengths, and adjusting the depth of the shelving within the rack assembly. The rack assembly can be provided with one or more product fronting mechanisms to front product in the rack assembly. Also, the rack assembly can be provided with one or more adjustable or non-adjustable product barriers separating rows of product in the rack assembly.

Description

BACKGROUND

A large number of different merchandise storage and display structures exist, most of which are designed to perform a limited number of functions. However, the market for such structures continues to change, and places increasing demands upon manufacturers for merchandise display structures having increased versatility. It is often desirable for a merchandise storage and display structure to be configured in different manners at different times. For example, the volume of soft drinks stored and displayed in a particular area can change from time to time. Therefore, the same conventional merchandise storage and display structure may not always be well-suited to store and display soft drinks at different times.

One solution to such problems is to use different merchandise storage and display structures as different needs of the user arise. However, this can require the purchase of merchandise storage and display structures that are not always used, and can require the user to move, assemble, and disassemble structures from time to time. As another solution, some merchandise storage and display structures can be configured in two or more manners in order to store and display different types and amounts of items. These structures can provide significant advantages over their non-reconfigurable counterparts.

In light of the limitations of many existing merchandise storage and display structures, new merchandise storage and display structures capable of being configured in different manners would be welcome additions to the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings is illustrated by way of example only. The various elements and combinations of elements described below and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged and organized differently to result in embodiments which are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional gondola shelving system, shown with the decks, shelves, and shelf supports removed;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the gondola shelving system illustrated in FIG. 1 and parts of a rack system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the portion of the gondola shelving system and the parts of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, shown with the rack system in a first state;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of the portion of the gondola shelving system and the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, shown With shelving installed and with the rack system in the first state;

FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the portion of the gondola shelving system and the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, shown with shelving installed and with the rack system in a second state;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a shelf arm of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 2-5;

FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view of the shelf arm illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a shelf of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 2-5;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a shelf divider according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an assembled perspective view of the shelf divider illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective detail view of a rack system according to the present invention, shown installed a gondola system and with shelving dividers of the type illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 in a first state;

FIG. 12 is a perspective detail view of the rack and gondola systems illustrated in FIG. 11, shown with the shelving dividers in a second state;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a rack system according to the present invention, shown installed in a conventional gondola shelving system;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the rack system illustrated in FIG. 13, shown with additional rack system components installed;

FIG. 15 is a perspective detail view of portion of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, shown with product fronting mechanisms and product dividing mechanisms installed in a first state;

FIG. 16 is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in FIG. 15, shown with the product fronting mechanisms and product dividing mechanisms in a second state;

FIG. 17 is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, shown with the product fronting mechanisms and product dividing mechanisms in a third state;

FIG. 18 is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 15-17, shown with product installed in the rack system; and

FIG. 19 is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in FIGS. 15-18, shown with product being fronted in the rack system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, standard gondola-type shelving systems typically have a number of bases (for example, gondola shoes 10 in the illustrated embodiment) connected to uprights 12, a number of lateral stretchers 14 connecting the uprights 12, a deck (not shown) resting upon and spanning the gondola shoes 10 to provide a lower surface upon which items can be stored and/or displayed, and a kick plate (also not shown) connecting the gondola shoes 10 and providing a front surface for each gondola bay (indicated generally at 16). The gondola shoes 10, uprights 12, and lateral stretchers 14 can be tubular or solid and can have any cross-sectional shape. By way of example only, the gondola shoes 10, uprights 12 and/or lateral stretchers 14 can have a variety of hollow or solid cross sections as may be required or desirable, such as rectangular, C-shaped, round, or I- or L-shaped. These elements also can be solid bars or rods or have other polygonal cross sections with flanges, extensions, and other features as needed. The gondola shoes 10, uprights 12, and lateral stretchers 14 can be made of any resilient material such as metal, composites, high-strength plastic, wood, and the like. In some embodiments, these elements are made of a relatively high-strength material such as steel, iron, or aluminum.

Each gondola bay 16 can have any number of elements adapted to store and/or display items in the gondola bay 16, and in some cases can define a frame such as that shown in the accompanying figures. By way of example only, each bay 16 can have a panel 18 attached to the uprights 12 in an adjustable or non-adjustable manner. Any number of shelf brackets, peg board elements, or other fixtures can be mounted to the panel 18 in order to support items upon the panel 18. As another example, each bay 16 can have one or more shelf brackets or other fixtures connected directly to the uprights 12 in an adjustable or non-adjustable manner.

With reference, for example, to FIGS. 4 and 5, in some embodiments of the present invention, the gondola bay 16 is modified into a rack (indicated generally at 20) by the installation of a rack assembly 22. The rack assembly 22 includes one or more feet (for example, rack shoes 24 in the illustrated embodiment), and can also include a kick plate 28 and/or a header 30 connecting the rack uprights 26. In some embodiments (e.g., the illustrated embodiments), the rack shoes 24 are permanently connected to the rack uprights 26, such as by welding, brazing, riveting, by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by forming the rack shoes 24 integrally with the rack uprights 26, and the like. In other embodiments, the rack shoes 24 can be releasably connected to the rack uprights 26 in a number of different manners. For example, the rack shoes 24 can be connected to the rack uprights 26 by pins on the rack shoes 24 releasably inserted within one or more mating apertures in the rack uprights 26 (or vice versa), can have ends shaped to be received within one or more apertures, sockets, or other receptacles in the rack uprights 26 (or vice versa), can be connected to the rack uprights 26 by threaded connections or inter-engaging elements, or can be bolted, pinned, clamped, clipped, or secured to the rack uprights 26 with one or more conventional fasteners in any other manner.

In some embodiments, the rack shoes 24 (also referred to herein as “feet” of the rack assembly 22) are at least partially hollow, or are otherwise each shaped to receive at least a portion of a gondola shoe 10 as will be described in greater detail below. In other embodiments, the rack shoes 24 have a substantially solid cross-sectional shape.

As mentioned above, the rack assembly 22 can have a kick plate 28 and/or a header 30 connecting the rack uprights 26. If used, the kick plate 28 and/or header 30 can have any constant or varying cross-sectional shape desired, including without limitation rectangular, round, oval, triangular, irregular, or other cross-sectional shapes. The kick plate 28 and header 30 can each be permanently connected to the rack uprights 26 in any manner, such as by welding, brazing, riveting, or by forming the kick plate 28 and header 30 integrally with the rack uprights 26. Alternatively, the kick plate 28 and header 30 can each be releasably connected to the rack uprights 26 in any of the manners described above with reference to the connection between the rack shoes 24 and rack uprights 26. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 2-5, the kick plate 28 and header 30 are riveted at opposite ends to the rack uprights 26, wherein the rivets are passed through apertures in the ends of the kick plate 28 and header 30 and through apertures in the rack uprights 26. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 2-5, the kick plate 28 and header 30 are attached by headed pins 32 (see FIG. 2) removably received within apertures 34 in the rack uprights 26. However, any combination of connection types can be used to secure the kick plate 28 and header 30 to the rack uprights 26 as desired.

In some embodiments, to install the rack assembly 22 on a gondola bay 16, the rack shoes 24 of the rack assembly 22 can be coupled to the gondola shoes 10 of the gondola bay 16. In some embodiments, the rack shoes 24 and gondola shoes 10 are coupled in telescoping relationship with one another (i.e., wherein the rack shoes 24 are received in telescoping relationship within the gondola shoes 10, or wherein the gondola shoes 10 are coupled in telescoping relationship with the rack shoes 24). In the embodiment of FIGS. 2-5, for example, the rack shoes 24 are shaped to receive the gondola shoes 10. This telescoping relationship can be enabled by using rack shoes 24 that are tubular or that otherwise have an open elongated center dimensioned to receive the gondola shoes 10. With reference to FIG. 2, for example, the rack shoes 24 can each have a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape into which the gondola shoes 10 can be received. As shown in FIG. 2, some types of gondola shoes 10 have adjustable leveling devices 36 attached thereto. In such cases, the rack shoes 10 can also be dimensioned to receive the leveling devices 36 of the gondola shoes 10.

Although U-shaped rack shoes 24 are used in the illustrated embodiments, in other embodiments the rack shoes 24 can take any other shape capable of receiving at least part of the gondola shoes 10 in telescoping relationship. For example, the rack shoes 24 can have a closed cross-sectional shape (e.g., tubular rack shoes having any cross-sectional shape), a C-shaped cross section, and the like while still performing the telescoping function with the gondola shoes 10 described above.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments the rack shoes 24 are instead dimensioned to be received in telescoping relationship within the gondola shoes 10. In such cases, the gondola shoes 10 can take any of the shapes described above (with reference to the illustrated rack shoes 24) for telescoping movement with respect to the rack shoes 24. In still other embodiments, the rack shoes 24 and gondola shoes 10 can be coupled to permit relative axial movement between the rack and gondola shoes 24, 10 in other manners. For example, adjacent rack and gondola shoes 24, 10 can be connected by one or more pins, bosses, flanges or other elements on one shoe 24, 10 slidably coupled to one or more elongated recesses in the other shoe 10, 24. Any other connection between the rack and gondola shoes 24, 10 permitting relative axial movement therebetween can be used, and falls within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

With reference now to FIGS. 2-7 and 11-19, some embodiments of the present invention have arms 38 extending between uprights 12 of the gondola bay 16 and the rack uprights 26. The arms 38 can be used to support a deck 40 and/or shelves 42 of the rack 20 as will be described in greater detail below. Also, in some embodiments the arms 38 can provide further support for the rack uprights 26 in their substantially vertical positions. The arms 38 can be permanently coupled to the gondola and/or rack uprights 12, 26, such as by welding, brazing, adhesive or cohesive bonding material, rivets and other permanent fasteners, and the like. However, in some embodiments, the arms 38 are removably coupled to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each arm 38 in the illustrated embodiments includes two elongated pieces 44, 46 that are adjustable to different positions with respect to one another. The first elongated piece 44 of each arm 38 has a generally hat-shaped cross-section, with a receptacle 48 located between walls of the first elongated piece 44. The second elongated piece 46 of each arm 38 has an inverted generally T-shaped cross section (i.e., having a main portion 50 and a flange 52 extending therefrom). The flange 52 of the second elongated piece 46 is received within the receptacle 48 of the first elongated piece 44. By virtue of the mating shapes of the first and second elongated pieces 44, 46, the first and second elongated pieces 44, 46 can be adjusted to two or more different positions with respect to one another, such as by inserting the flange 52 of the second elongated piece 46 in the receptacle 48 of the first elongated piece 44, by sliding the first elongated piece 44 with respect to the second elongated piece 46 (and/or vice versa), and the like. Such adjustment enables the arm 38 to be adjusted to two or more different lengths.

Although hat and T-shaped elongated arm pieces 44, 46 are used for the adjustable arms 38 in the illustrated embodiments, other types of arms 38 having the same or similar length adjustment capabilities can instead be used. By way of example only, each arm 38 can have a first elongated piece telescoping within a second elongated piece (in a manner similar to the relationship between the gondola and rack shoes 10, 24 described above). In other embodiments, first and second elongated pieces of each arm 38 are slidably engaged in any other manner, thereby enabling each arm 38 to be elongated and shortened as desired.

In some embodiments, the pieces 44, 46 of the arms 38 can be secured in different relative positions (i.e., at different arm lengths). For example, in the illustrated embodiments, the first elongated piece 44 has apertures 54 at different locations corresponding to different lengths of the arm 38. A screw, pin, or other fastener (not shown) received within an aperture 56 in the second elongated piece 46 can also be received within any of the apertures 54 in the first elongated piece 44 to secure the first and second elongated pieces 44, 46 in position with respect to one another and at a corresponding length of the arm 38. In this regard, any number of apertures 54, 56 at any number of different positions along the first and second elongated pieces 44, 46 can be used for this purpose. It will also be appreciated that the first and second elongated pieces 44, 46 can be secured at two or more different lengths of the arm 38 in a number of other manners, such as by one or more clamps, inter-engaging elements, spring-loaded detents, and the like on either or both elongated pieces 44, 46 of the arm 38. Still other manners of securing the elongated pieces 44, 46 of the arm 38 at different arm lengths are possible, and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The arms 38 can be attached at opposite ends to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in any manner. In the illustrated embodiments for example, the arms 38 have strikers 60, 62 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) at opposite ends thereof (i.e., one striker 60 on an end of the first elongated arm piece 44 and another striker 62 on an end of the second elongated arm piece 46). Such strikers 60, 62 can be used on any other type of arm 38 used with the present invention. Both illustrated strikers 60, 62 are generally hook shaped, and can be received within apertures 64, 66 in the gondola uprights 12 and rack uprights 26 (see FIGS. 11 and 12), respectively. In this manner, the strikers 60, 62 can releasably connect the ends of the arms 38 to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26. In some embodiments, the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 have multiple apertures 64, 66 at different locations and/or ranges or locations along the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26, thereby enabling the strikers 60, 62 to be connected to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at different locations. Accordingly, the deck 40 and/or shelves 42 of the rack 20 can be installed at different heights in the rack 20.

In the illustrated embodiments, the strikers 60, 62 are integral with respective pieces 44, 46, respectively, of the arm 38. However, in other embodiments, the strikers 60, 62 can be separate elements connected to the arm 38 in any manner, such as by welding, brazing, or riveting, by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by one or more pin and aperture connections, by threaded connections or inter-engaging elements, by bolts, clamps, clips, screws, nails, or other conventional fasteners, and the like. Also, any type of arm (e.g., adjustable-length arms 38 as shown in the figures or non-adjustable length arms) can be provided with strikers 60, 62 for connection to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26.

Although striker and aperture connections are used to connect the arms 38 to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in the illustrated embodiments, any other type of releasable connection between the arms 38 and the uprights 12, 26 can be used. For example, the arms 38 can have projections with any other shape releasably connectable within apertures 64, 66 in the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26. Similarly, the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 can have apertures with any other shape adapted to receive projections of the arms 38. By way of example only, the arms 38 can have projections with enlarged heads received within apertures having any shape capable of receiving the heads of the projections (e.g., apertures having square, triangular, or other polygonal shapes, keyhole-shaped apertures, irregularly-shaped apertures, and the like). Alternatively, the locations of the projections and apertures can be reversed, so that the arms 38 have apertured ends receiving projections extending from the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26.

In some embodiments, the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 have one or more pegs, fingers, hooks, or other projections coupled to or integral with the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 and to which the arms 38 can be releasably coupled. Such projections can be integral with the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 or can be coupled thereto in any manner, including those mentioned above with reference to the connection between the strikers 60, 62 and their respective arm pieces 44, 46. As yet another example, the arms 38 can be releasably coupled to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 by inter-engaging elements on the arms 38 and the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26, by one or more conventional fasteners releasably coupling the ends of the arms 38 to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26, by any of the other releasable connection manners mentioned above with reference to the connection between the strikers 60, 62 and their respective arm pieces 44, 46, and the like. Any type of releasable connection can be used between the arms 38 and the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26, and falls within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In some embodiments, one or more of the arms 38 can have a lock 68 that helps to secure the arms 38 to the gondola and/or rack uprights 12, 26. An example of such a lock 68 is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the illustrated embodiments, each arm 38 has a lock 68 located at an end thereof. Depending upon the orientation in which the arm 38 is installed on the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26, the lock 68 can releasably engage a gondola upright 12 or a rack upright 26. The lock 68 can have one or more projections 70 that extend into an aperture 64, 66 of the upright 12, 26 to which the arm 38 is coupled. By way of example only, the projection(s) 70 can extend into an aperture 64, 66 of the upright 12, 26 immediately below the aperture 64, 66 in which a striker 60, 62 is received, thereby providing resistance against disconnection of the arm 38 from the upright 12, 26. In such cases, the arm 38 can be disconnected from the upright 12, 26 by pivoting the arm 38 until the projection(s) 70 of the lock 68 are removed from an aperture 64, 66 in the upright 12, 26. As another example, the projection(s) 70 can extend into the same aperture 64, 66 as an adjacent striker 60, 62 (e.g., by pivoting the arm 38 after insertion of the striker 60, 62 into an aperture 64, 66 in the upright 12, 26, or in any other manner). In still other embodiments, the lock 68 can releasably secure the arm 38 to an upright 12, 26 in any other manner, including those used to secure stretchers and other elements to uprights 12, 26 in conventional rack assemblies.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the arms 38 can be releasably coupled to gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in a number of different orientations. For example, an arm 38 can be coupled to gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in locations at a common elevation (e.g., for supporting a substantially horizontal shelf 42). As another example, the ends of an arm 38 can be coupled to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at different elevations (e.g., one end coupled to a gondola upright 12 at an elevation and another end coupled to a rack upright 26 at a lower elevation), such as to support a shelf 42 at an incline. Depending at least in part upon the available arm connection locations on the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26, the arm 38 can be oriented in any desired manner in the rack assembly 22 and/or can be coupled at any desired height in the rack assembly 22.

It will be appreciated that different distances are spanned by the arms 38 when the arms 38 are installed in different orientations in a rack assembly 22 (in which the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 are separated by the same distance in the different arm orientations). Accordingly, the adjustable-length feature of the arms 38 according to some embodiments of the present invention (described above) enables the arms 38 to be adjusted as necessary to connect to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in different orientations. For example, for a given distance between a gondola upright 12 and a rack upright 26, an arm 38 illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 can be adjusted to different lengths to connect the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 when the arm 38 is installed in different orientations. In this example, the arm 38 can be adjusted to a relatively short length as shown in the bottom of FIG. 5 in order to connect to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at locations having substantially the same elevation, to a longer length as shown in the middle of FIGS. 3 and 4 to connect to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at an incline, and to an even longer length to connect to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at an even greater incline. Examples of different arm orientations (and corresponding arm lengths) between gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 separated by a constant distance are illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, 13, and 14.

As an alternative to the use of arms 38 having adjustable lengths in order to span distances between gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in different arm orientations, some embodiments of the present invention use two or more different non-adjustable arms 38 having different lengths. Accordingly, arms 38 to be installed in the rack assembly 22 in a desired orientation can be selected from arms 38 having different lengths. Of course, in those embodiments in which the arms 38 are to be installed only in one orientation in the rack assembly 22, non-adjustable arms 38 provided in only one length can be used.

With reference to the description above regarding the relationship between the gondola and rack shoes 10, 24 of the present invention, the gondola shoes 10 can be moved to different positions with respect to the rack shoes 24. Accordingly, the positions of the rack uprights 26 (and kick plate 28 and header 30, if used) can be adjusted with respect to the gondola bay 16 in which the rack assembly 22 is installed. In the illustrated embodiments, for example, the rack shoes 24 can be moved through a range of forward and rearward positions with respect to the gondola shoes 10, thereby enabling the rack assembly 22 to be adjusted to different depths. Once a particular rack assembly depth is selected, adjustable or non-adjustable arms 38 can be installed on the gondola and rack upright 12, 26 as described above. In this regard, the use of arms 38 having adjustable lengths enables the arms 38 to be installed in different depths of the rack assembly 22. For example, an arm 38 can be adjusted to a relatively short length as shown in the bottom of FIG. 5 in order to connect to gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in a particular orientation of the arm 38 when the rack assembly 22 is adjusted to a selected depth, to a longer length as shown at the bottom of FIGS. 3 and 4 to connect to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in the same orientation of the arm 38 when the rack assembly 22 is adjusted to a greater depth, and to an even longer length as shown at the middle and top of FIGS. 3 and 4 to connect to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in the same orientation of the arm 38 when the rack assembly 22 is adjusted to an even greater depth. Examples of different arm lengths at different depths of the rack assembly 22 are illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, 13, and 14.

As an alternative to the use of arms 38 having adjustable lengths in order to span distances between gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at different depths of the rack assembly 22, some embodiments of the present invention use two or more different non-adjustable arms 38 having different lengths. Accordingly, non-adjustable arms 38 to be installed in the rack assembly 22 can be selected according to the depth of the rack assembly 22.

In some embodiments, the arms 38 of the rack assembly 22 can be installed at different depths of the rack assembly 22 and in different orientations in the rack assembly 22 as described above. In such embodiments, the use of arms 38 having adjustable lengths can be used for increased rack versatility, although non-adjustable arms 38 provided in different lengths can instead be used as desired.

In order to provide additional stability and strength for the rack assembly 22, some embodiments of the present invention have one or more front-rear stretchers 88 (see FIGS. 13 and 14) extending between the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26. The front-rear stretchers 88 can be directly or indirectly coupled to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in any manner, including without limitation those described above with reference to the connection between the header 30 and kick plate 28 and the rack uprights 26. The front-rear stretchers 88 can be coupled to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at any elevation and orientation (e.g., horizontal or inclined) in the rack assembly 22.

With reference for example to FIGS. 4, 5, and 11-14, the rack assembly 22 according to the present invention can also be provided with one or more shelves 42. The shelves 42 can take any form, such as planks, plates, grids, and the like, and can be made of any material, such as metal, composites, high-strength plastic, wood, and the like. The shelves 42 can each be a single element or can be constructed from multiple elements assembled in any manner. In some embodiments, the shelves 42 can have reinforcing elements or features to provide additional strength to the shelves 42. For example, the shelf 42 illustrated in FIG. 8 includes a reinforcing beam 74 coupled to the underside of the shelf 42 by welding, although the reinforcing beam 74 can be coupled to the shelf 42 in any other manner, and can be coupled to any other location on the shelf 42 (e.g., to a top surface of the shelf 42, adjacent any edge of the shelf 42, and the like). If used, shelf reinforcing elements or features can have any shape and form, including without limitation beams, tubes, rods, bars, embossed or ribbed shelf surfaces, and the like.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the shelves 42 are supported in the rack assembly 22 by one or more of the arms 38 described above. With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 by way of example only, the shelves 42 can be supported along opposite edges by resting upon arms 38 located on opposite sides of the rack assembly 22. Accordingly, each shelf 42 can be supported at a desired height in the rack assembly 22 by coupling the arms 38 to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at the desired height. Also, each shelf 42 can be supported in a desired orientation in the rack assembly 22 by coupling opposite ends of the arms 38 to the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 at heights to place the arms 38 in the desired orientation. For example, the lowest arms 38 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 support the lowest shelf (sometimes referred to as a deck 40 of the rack assembly 22) in a horizontal orientation, and the higher arms 38 support higher shelves 42 at different inclined orientations.

As described above, some embodiments of the rack assembly 22 enable the rack assembly 22 to be adjusted to different depths and/or permit the arms 38 (and therefore, the shelves 42) to be installed in different orientations within the rack assembly 22. In such embodiments, shelves 42 having the same dimensions can be used in different shelf orientations and/or in different rack depths. However, in such cases, the shelves 42 may not extend fully between the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in some shelf orientations and/or when the rack assembly 22 is adjusted to some rack depths. If desired, shelves 42 having different dimensions can be provided in order to span different horizontal distances in the rack assembly 22 based upon the desired orientation of each shelf 42 and/or based upon the depth of the rack assembly 22. However, in some embodiments, adjustable shelves 42 can be used. Such shelves 42 can have two or more parts movable to different positions with respect to one another in order to change the shelf depth. By way of example only, an adjustable shelf 42 can have two parts that telescope with respect to one another to change the depth of the shelf 42. Other adjustable-length shelves 42 can instead be used, are well known to those skilled in the art, and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As an alternative to adjustable length shelves 42, some embodiments of the present invention use one or more planks 76 to span a distance not spanned by a shelf 42 in one or more shelf orientations and/or in one or more rack assembly depths. Examples of such planks 76 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 11-19. The planks 76 can take any form, including those described above with reference to the shelves 42 of the present invention, and can be supported within the rack assembly 22 in the same manner as the shelves 42 as described above.

The planks 76 can be provided in a single size (e.g., all having a common length, width, and thickness), or can be provided in multiple sizes (e.g., planks 76 having common lengths and thicknesses, but different widths). For example, one of the two planks 76 illustrated in FIG. 4 can be half the width of another of the planks 76. Any number of different plank sizes can be provided in different embodiments of the present invention to span different distances between shelves 42 and uprights 12 or 26 (in different shelf orientations and/or at different rack depths).

In some embodiments, two or more planks 76 can be used to span a gap between a shelf 42 and uprights 12 or 26 of the rack assembly 22. In embodiments having planks 76 of different sizes, planks 76 having different dimensions can be combined as desired to span different gaps between the shelf 42 and uprights 12 or 26.

Some embodiments of the present invention can have one or more product dividers 78 supported within the rack assembly 22. Examples of product dividers 78 are shown in FIGS. 912 and 14-19. The illustrated product dividers 78 can be used to store items in rows as is well known to those skilled in the art, although product dividers 78 having other configurations and shapes can be used.

If used, the product dividers 78 can be supported upon shelves 42, arms 38, and/or other elements of the rack assembly 22 (e.g., upon a kick plate 28, lateral stretchers (not shown) extending between gondola uprights 12, lateral stretchers (also not shown) extending between rack uprights 26, directly upon gondola and/or rack uprights 12, 26, and the like). In some embodiments, the product dividers 78 can be supported within the rack assembly 22 in different orientations, such as in horizontal and inclined orientations. For example, the product dividers 78 can be supported upon shelves 42 of the rack assembly 22, and therefore can have any of the same orientations of the shelves 42 described above.

As also described above, some embodiments of the rack assembly 22 enable the rack assembly 22 to be adjusted to different depths and/or permit the product dividers 78 to be installed in different orientations within the rack assembly 22. In such embodiments, product dividers 78 having the same dimensions can be used in different product divider orientations and/or at different rack depths, in which cases the product dividers 78 may not extend fully between the gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 in some product divider orientations and/or when the rack assembly 22 is adjusted to some rack depths. If desired, product dividers 78 having different dimensions can be provided in order to span different distances in the rack assembly 22 based upon the desired orientation of each product divider 78 and/or based upon the depth of the rack assembly 22. However, in some embodiments, adjustable product dividers 78 can be used. Such product dividers 78 can have two or more parts movable to different positions with respect to one another in order to change the product divider depth. By way of example only, an adjustable product divider 78 can have two parts that telescope with respect to one another to change the depth of the product divider 78. Examples of such product dividers 78 are illustrated in FIGS. 9-12 and 14-19. In these embodiments, the product divider 78 has a first part 80 with dividers 82 that telescope within hollow dividers 86 of a second part 84 (see FIGS. 9 and 10). Therefore, the two parts 80, 84 can be moved to different positions with respect to one another in order to lengthen or shorted the product divider 78 (e.g., for different product divider orientations in the rack assembly 22 and/or for different rack assembly depths).

As an alternative to telescoping product divider parts, product dividers 78 can be adjustable in a number of other manners, including those described above with reference to the relationship between the gondola and rack shoes 10, 24, by other types of sliding connections between product divider parts, product divider parts that can be coupled together in different positions using clips, clamps, screws, pins, or any conventional fasteners, and the like.

By enabling the rack assembly 22 to be adjusted to different depths with respect to the gondola bay 16 (with accompanying changes in the configuration of arms 38, shelves 42, and/or planks 76, in some embodiments), a user can easily adapt the rack assembly 22 to meet changing product storage and display needs. Also, because the rack assembly 22 can be installed on an existing gondola bay 16, fewer dedicated product storage and display structures need to be purchased.

With reference now to FIGS. 14-19, some embodiments of the present invention use product barriers 90 to separate product stored in rows in the rack assembly 22. The product barriers 90 can help prevent product in a row from interfering with product in another row, such as when the product is being stocked and/or removed from the rack assembly 22. The product barriers 90 can also help retain product in desired rows in the rack assembly 22.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 14-19, for example, product barriers 90 are used in conjunction with product fronting mechanisms 92 to prevent interference between product in different rows when product is stocked upon shelves 42, fronted upon shelves 42, and/or removed from shelves 42, and can help retain products in the rows. It should be noted, however, that the product barriers 90 can be used with or without product fronting mechanisms 92, and are illustrated in FIGS. 14-19 in conjunction with product fronting mechanisms 92 by way of example only.

Each product barrier 90 illustrated in FIGS. 14-19 has a sheet of material 94 positioned between product rows 96 in the rack assembly 22. The sheets of material 94 illustrated in FIGS. 14-19 are flexible, and can be made of any durable material, such as plastic, fabric, flexible composite material, and the like. In other embodiments, the sheet of material 94 is semi-flexible or is substantially rigid, such as sheets of material 94 made of metal, glass, and the like. In some embodiments, the material selected for the sheets 94 is transparent or semi-transparent as shown in FIGS. 14-19 in order to increase product visibility. However, opaque materials can instead be used for the sheets 94, if desired.

Each sheet 94 can be attached to a product divider 78 in any manner. In the embodiments of FIGS. 14-19, for example, each sheet 94 is coupled to the dividers 82, 84 of a product divider 78 by being looped about the dividers 82, 84 and heat staked, glued, stitched, coupled with snaps, clips, or other conventional fasteners, or coupled in any other manner about the divider 78 and to itself. In this manner, the sheet 94 has a loop of material through which the dividers 82, 84 are received. In other embodiments, the sheet 94 can be coupled to the product divider 78 in other manners, such as by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by screws, bolts and nuts, rivets, clips, clamps, and other conventional fasteners, and the like.

Each product barrier 90 illustrated in FIGS. 14-19 also has a rod 98 to which the sheet 94 is coupled. The rod 98 can have any cross-sectional shape and size, and can be hollow or solid. The sheet 94 can be coupled to the rod 98 in any of the manners described above with reference to the connection between the sheet 94 and the product divider 78. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 14-19, the sheet 94 is coupled to and wound about the rod 98.

Each product barrier 90 can also have at least one mount 100 used to couple the product barrier 90 to a shelf 42 above or at a higher elevation than the product barrier 90. Two mounts 100 are located at opposite ends of each rod 98 in the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 14-19, although any other number of mounts (e.g., one, three, or more) can be coupled to or integral with the rod 98 at any location on the rod 98.

The mounts 100 in the embodiment of FIGS. 14-19 are made of or include magnetic material. The mounts 100 can therefore be releasably coupled to a shelf 42 made of material attracted to the magnetic material (e.g., a steel shelf 42) without damage to the shelf 42, without tools, and without fastener and fastening features on the shelf 42. In other embodiments, the mounts 100 are coupled to the overhead shelf 42 in any other manner, such as by welding, brazing, or riveting, by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by one or more pin and aperture connections, by threaded connections or inter-engaging elements, by bolts, clamps, clips, screws, nails, or other conventional fasteners, and the like.

The rod 98 can be coupled to the mounts 100 in any of the manners just described with reference to the connection between the mounts 100 and the shelf 42. However, in some embodiments, the rod 98 is rotatably coupled to the mounts 100, such as by being received within apertures in the mounts 100 as shown in FIGS. 14-19. In such embodiments, any part of the sheet 94 of the product barrier 90 can be wound about the rod 98, thereby enabling the sheet 94 to be wound and unwound to a desired length corresponding to a distance between the product divider 78 and an overhead shelf 42. In some embodiments, one or more of the mounts 100 includes a reel mechanism (e.g., a ratchet and pawl mechanism, and the like) capable of securing the sheet 94 at any desired length and/or of exerting a spring force to coil the sheet 94 about the rod 98. Any reel mechanism can be employed for these purposes, such as those used for window blinds, tape measures, and the like. Such reel mechanisms are conventional in nature and are not therefore described further herein.

By using the rod and mount structure just described, the product barriers 90 illustrated in FIGS. 14-19 can be adjusted to fit between shelves 42 separated by a number of different distances. For example, the sheets 94 of the product barriers 90 can be wound about their respective rods 98 sufficiently to be received between shelves 42 that are relatively close together (see FIGS. 15 and 16) or can be unwound sufficiently to be received between shelves 42 separated by a greater vertical distance (see FIGS. 14 and 17-19). In other embodiments, the sheets 94 are not wound about the rod 98 in different amounts for different shelf spacings, in which case different product barriers 90 can be used for different shelf spacings.

In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 14-19, the sheet 94 of each product barrier 90 is looped about the dividers 82, 86 of the product dividers 78 as described above. This manner of connection enables the product barrier 90 to be coupled to an adjustable product divider 78 as described above, wherein the dividers 82, 86 are still adjustable while being coupled to the product barrier 90. However, in other embodiments, the sheet 94 can be coupled to a non-adjustable product divider 78 in any manner.

Each product barrier 90 illustrated in FIGS. 14-19 is coupled to a product divider 78 below the product barrier 90 and to a shelf 42 above the product barrier (by the rod and mount structure described above). In other embodiments, the product barrier 90 can be coupled to a shelf 42 below and to a shelf 42 above by respective rod and mount structures. Alternatively, the product barrier 90 can be coupled to the shelf 42 below by a rod 98 and mount(s) 100, and can be coupled to the shelf 42 above in any other manner.

By using the adjustable product dividers 78 described above (e.g., wherein the sheets 94 of the product dividers 78 can be wound or unwound as needed), such product dividers 78 can be adjusted to accommodate different spacings between shelves 42 in the rack assembly 10. However, non-adjustable product dividers 78 can be used in other embodiments, if desired.

As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the product fronting mechanisms 92 can be used to front product 102 on the shelves 42 of the rack assembly 22. By pulling on a handle 103 of a product fronting mechanism 92, a strip 104 attached to the handle 14 can be pulled in a forward direction. In some embodiments, a pushing member 106 attached to the strip 104 can push the product 102 from a location behind the product 102. The strip 104 can be positioned upon the shelf 42 so that the product 102 rests upon the strip 104 (in which case the product 102 can be pulled in a forward direction by pulling the handle 103), or can be recessed within the shelf 42 so that the product 102 is pushed in a forward direction by the pushing member 106 when the handle 103 is pulled. After product has been fronted by pulling the handle 103, in some embodiments the strip 104 is wound into the handle 103 as the handle 103 is returned to its at rest position at the front of the shelf 42.

During the product fronting procedure just described, product 102 in a row of product 96 being fronted can be prevented from interfering with product 102 in one or more adjacent rows 96 by the sheets 94 of product barriers 90. Also, the sheets 94 can prevent product 102 from falling or otherwise moving from one row 96 to another row 96 in the rack assembly 22.

The embodiments described above and illustrated in the figures are presented by way of example only and are not intended as a limitation upon the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that various changes in the elements and their configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claim.

For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, non-adjustable arms can be used in place of the adjustable arms 38 described above and illustrated in the figures. In such cases, non-adjustable arms can be provided in different lengths in order to span different distances in the rack assembly 22 (e.g., when different arm orientations between gondola and rack uprights 12, 26 are desired and/or when the rack assembly 22 is adjusted to different depths).

Claims

1. A rack assembly for connection to a structure having a base and a substantially vertical standard coupled to the base, the rack assembly comprising: a foot adjustable to different positions with respect to the base; an upright coupled to the foot and adjustable with the foot to different positions with respect to the standard corresponding to different depths of the rack assembly; and a shelf at least partially supported by the upright, the shelf having different surface areas corresponding to the different depths of the rack assembly.

2. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shelf has a first configuration in which the shelf comprises a single integral unit having a first surface area, and a second configuration in which the shelf comprises at least two separate parts collectively having a second surface area larger than the first surface area.

3. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an arm at least partially supporting the shelf, releasably coupled to the upright, and adapted to be releasably coupled to the standard.

4. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the arm is adjustable to different lengths corresponding to the different depths of the rack assembly.

5. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the arm comprises first and second pieces slidable with respect to one another to define different lengths of the arm.

6. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the arm is adjustable to different positions along the upright.

7. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a product divider releasably coupled to the shelf and adjustable to different lengths corresponding to the different depths of the rack assembly.

8. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot is a first foot and the upright is a first upright, the rack assembly further comprising: a second foot; and a second upright coupled to the second foot and separated from the first upright by a distance, wherein the shelf has a width at least as long as the distance.

9. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one of a header and a kick plate coupled to and extending between the first and second uprights.

10. The rack assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot is adapted to telescope with respect to base.

11. An adjustable-depth rack assembly, comprising: first and second substantially vertical uprights separated from one another by a distance; a shelf; and first and second arms extending from the first and second uprights, respectively, each of the first and second arms positioned to at least partially support the shelf and adjustable to different lengths to change a depth of the rack assembly.

12. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the rack assembly has a front and a rear between which the depth of the rack assembly is defined; and the first and second uprights are located proximate the front of the rack assembly.

13. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the shelf has a first configuration in which the shelf comprises a single integral unit having a first surface area, and a second configuration in which the shelf comprises at least two separate parts collectively having a second surface area larger than the first surface area.

14. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second arms are releasably coupled to and adjustable along the first and second uprights, respectively.

15. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the arm comprises first and second pieces slidable with respect to one another to define different lengths of the arm.

16. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein; the distance is a first distance; and the shelf spans a second distance between the first and second arms and is supported upon the first and second arms.

17. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a product divider releasably coupled to the shelf and adjustable to different lengths corresponding to different depths of the rack assembly.

18. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising at least one of a header and a kick plate coupled to and extending between the first and second uprights.

19. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the first and second arms each have a first end coupled to a corresponding upright of the first and second uprights; and a second end opposite the first end; and the first end of each arm is located at a height in the rack assembly different from that of the second end of the same arm.

20. The adjustable-depth rack assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second ends of each of the first and second arms are adjustable to different positions along the first and second uprights.

21. A method of changing a depth of a rack assembly with respect to a support to which the rack assembly is coupled, the method comprising: moving an upright of the rack assembly to change a distance between the upright and the support; adjusting an adjustable arm to a selected length based at least in part upon the distance; coupling the adjustable arm to the upright and the support in a position in which the adjustable arm extends between the upright and the support; and installing a shelf in a position in the rack assembly in which the shelf is at least partially supported by the adjustable arm.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein: the support comprises a substantially vertical standard; and moving the upright comprises moving the upright with respect to the standard to change the distance.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising sliding a foot of the rack assembly with respect to a base of the frame while moving the upright.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein sliding the foot with respect to the base comprises sliding the foot in telescoping relationship with respect to the base.

25. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein adjusting the adjustable arm comprises coupling a first substantially elongated piece of the adjustable arm to a second substantially elongated piece of the adjustable arm.

26. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein coupling the adjustable arm comprises coupling a first portion of the adjustable arm to the frame at an elevation different from an elevation at which a second portion of the adjustable arm is coupled to the upright.

27. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising selecting an elevation at which the adjustable arm is coupled to the upright from at least two different elevations along the upright.

28. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein installing the shelf comprises installing at least two pieces of the shelf in the rack based at least in part upon the distance.

29. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the rack assembly has a front and a rear defining therebetween a depth of the rack assembly, the method further comprising coupling at least one of a header and a kick plate to the upright proximate the front of the rack assembly.

30. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising: adjusting a dimension of a product divider based at least in part upon the distance; and installing the divider in the rack assembly proximate the shelf.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein adjusting the dimension of the product divider comprises sliding a first portion of the product divider with respect to a second portion of the product divider.