Patent Application
20150108074
The present disclosure relates generally to a merchandising system for displaying products on a shelf. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a merchandising system and method for storing and/or displaying products to provide for the space-efficient presentation of groups of products within a given or fixed display area, and/or allowing for convenient and orderly presentation, dispensing, stocking, and storage of products.
Various types of product merchandisers are commonly used in retail environments to display different types of products. As opposed to simply positioning products on shelves, product displays are commonly used to position products on a shelf in manner which automatically advances (e.g., via gravity or a pusher) a trailing or distal product (i.e., a product that is behind a lead or proximal-most product) closer to a consumer once the lead product has been removed from the shelf. As can be appreciated, such product displays facilitate the arrangement and upkeep of products, as the trailing products do not have to be manually moved toward the front of the shelf, for instance.
The present disclosure relates to a merchandising system for a displaying a plurality of products. The system includes a base and a proximal member. The base includes a product-supporting surface which defines a longitudinal axis. The proximal member is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a proximal portion of the base. The proximal member includes an arcuate portion extending between a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the proximal member. The proximal member includes a scalloped portion extending from an upper portion of the proximal member toward a lower portion of the proximal member.
In disclosed embodiments, the merchandising system further includes a pusher assembly disposed in mechanical cooperation with the base. The pusher assembly is configured to urge products on the base toward the proximal portion of the base.
In disclosed embodiments, the proximal member further includes a cutout extending therethrough. The cutout is fully enclosed by the remainder of the proximal member. Here, it is disclosed that the cutout is between about 30% and about 70% of the size of the entire proximal member. It is further disclosed that a height of a center of the cutout, as measured from the product-supporting surface of the base is between about 0.5 inches and about 3.5 inches.
In disclosed embodiments, the arcuate portion of the proximal member defines a radius of curvature of between about 2 inches and about 4 inches.
In disclosed embodiments, a height of a bottom of the scalloped portion as measured from the product-supporting surface of the base is between about 1.5 inches and about 6 inches.
In disclosed embodiments, the merchandising system further includes a plurality of products positioned on the base. Each product has a height of between about 3 inches and about 9 inches, and wherein each product has a center of gravity of between about 1.5 inches and about 5 inches. Here, it is disclosed that the center of gravity of the product is lower than a midpoint of the height of the product.
The present disclosure also relates to a method of stocking a merchandising system. The method comprises providing a merchandising system including a base and a proximal member disposed in mechanical cooperation with a proximal portion of the base. The proximal member includes an arcuate portion extending between a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the proximal member, a scalloped portion extending from an upper portion of the proximal member toward a lower portion of the proximal member, and a cutout extending through the proximal member. The method also includes positioning a first product in contact with the proximal member, contacting the first product through the cutout in the proximal member, pushing the first product distally along a portion of the base, and inserting a second product proximally of the first product.
In disclosed embodiments, the method further comprises urging the products on the base toward the proximal portion of the base with a pusher assembly.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings wherein:
Embodiments of the presently disclosed merchandising system are described in detail with reference to the drawings wherein like numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. As is common in the art, the term “proximal” refers to that part or component closer to the user, e.g., customer, while the term “distal” refers to that part or component farther away from the user.
Generally, with particular reference to
One merchandising system 10 includes a plurality guide assemblies 100. In the embodiment illustrated in
The base 200, which is designed to be placed on a horizontal or inclined store shelf (or to be secured to a gondola), is configured to support a plurality of products “P” thereon. In the illustrated embodiments, base 200 is shown with a particular type of product “P” having packaging that includes a pouch (e.g., salad dressing, beverages, soups, condiments, packaged meat, etc.). Generally, the center of gravity of such products are significantly below the midpoint of the height, thus making the products bottom-heavy. For example, it is envisioned that the products “P” illustrated herein have a height “hP” of between about 4 inches and about 12 inches (e.g., approximately 10 inches), and have a center of gravity “cgP” of between about 1.5 inches and about 6 inches (e.g., approximately 3.5 inches) from its bottom surface (see
The pusher assembly 300 is configured to urge product(s) “P” on the base 200 toward proximal member 500. The lateral guides 400 are disposed in mechanical cooperation with base 200 (e.g., are integrally formed therewith, connectable thereto, etc.) and help maintain the products “P” on the base 200. A distal wall 201 extends upward from base 200 and is also configured to help maintain the products “P” on the base 200. The proximal member 500 is disposed in mechanical cooperation (e.g., via a snap-fit connection) with a proximal portion 202 of base 200 and is configured to resist the proximal force enacted by pusher assembly 300 and to help maintain the products “P” on the base 200.
With reference to
With reference to
Base member 320 includes rails 322 positioned on each lateral side which are configured to engage track 250 of base 200 (see
Referring now to
Scalloped portion 520 extends from an upper portion 522 of proximal member 500 toward a lower portion 524 of proximal member 500, such that a lower-most portion 526 of scalloped portion 520 is between first lateral side 512 and second lateral side 514 of proximal member 500 (see
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, proximal member 500 also includes a cutout 530 extending therethrough. Cutout 530 is configured to facilitate stocking or re-stocking products “P” onto guide assembly 100. That is, a user (e.g., store clerk) is able to force the products “P” on base 200 distally by placing his or her hand or a tool through cutout 530 and pushing the products “P.” More particularly, due to the nature of the packaging of product “P” (e.g., substantially similar to the illustrated package), the product “P” may tend to fall over or slump when its upper portion is pushed rearwardly, especially in the circumstances where pusher assembly 300 (and/or a gravity-fed guide assembly 100) is urging the products “P” proximally. When existing products “P” are pushed distally through cutout 530, the product “P” tends to remain upright, thus facilitating placement of other products “P” (i.e., proximally of existing products “P”).
While cutout 530 is illustrated as having a particular size and shape, it is envisioned that cutout 530 is any reasonable size and any regular or irregular shape. For example, it is envisioned that cutout 530 is between about 30% and about 70%, e.g., about 50%, of the size of the entire proximal member 500. It is further envisioned that a vertical center of cutout 530 is aligned with, substantially aligned with, or below the vertical center of gravity of the product “P” designed to be positioned on base 200. Here, the vertical center of cutout 530 (i.e., distance from product-supporting surface 210) is between about 2 inches and about 4 inches, and is approximately equal to 2.75 inches (see
It is further envisioned that at least a portion of proximal member 500 is transparent or translucent to allow a consumer to view a portion of the proximal-most product “P” on the merchandising system 10 therethrough.
The present disclosure also includes a method of displaying items or products, and a method of stocking or restocking products using the merchandising system 10 described above. The present disclosure also includes a system including the merchandising system 10 described above along with particular products, such as those described above.
While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the figures, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.
