This disclosure relates generally to merchandising assemblies, such as may be used for large items. The disclosure relates more particularly to a shelf assembly having an improved mechanism for displaying and pushing product forward on a shelf.
In self-service retail establishments, such as drug stores, grocery stores and the like, articles are usually displayed for sale on racks consisting of vertically spaced shelves on which the articles are arranged in rows. In displaying product, it is desirable for the product to be situated towards the front of the shelf so that the product is visible and accessible to consumers, particularly if the shelf is not at eye level. To accomplish this placement, known systems may include inclined trays or shelves which through gravity will cause the product to move forward towards the front of the shelf. Other systems include the use of pusher devices to urge the product towards the front of the shelf. Such pusher devices can be used on both gravity fed shelves and horizontal shelves. The known pusher systems are typically mounted to a track and include a pusher paddle and a coiled spring to urge the product forward on the shelf. However, as the system is used over time, the track may become obstructed with dirt or sticky materials which hinder the proper operation of the pusher system in the track. In addition, depending on the size, shape and weight of the product which is to be merchandised, the known pusher paddles may occasionally tip or bend backwards, thereby causing a binding of the pusher mechanism in the track. In those situations, the pusher mechanism may not properly push product toward the front of the shelf.
As a result, some have provided trackless pusher systems which can work with either gravity fed merchandising systems or non-gravity fed merchandising systems to urge product forward on a shelf. However, the known trackless pusher systems also have disadvantages, particularly when they are employed for urging larger merchandise forward on a shelf. As mentioned, the size, shape and/or weight of the merchandise may cause the known pusher paddles to twist in relation to the axis of a column of product and, thus, fail at their function of urging merchandise forward on the shelf. Also, without the track, and with the pusher not operating correctly, the merchandise may be able to bend or bow outwardly any divider walls employed in the merchandising system. This results in the merchandise not being held in a tight columnar arrangement on the shelf. In addition, without the track, the pusher may slip off the back of the rear item and, therefore, the merchandise is not urged forwardly or “faced” as expected.
There exists, therefore, a need in the art for a pusher system which addresses one or more of the above noted disadvantages of the known trackless pusher systems.
According to one embodiment, a trackless pusher system for advancing product supported on an associated shelf comprises at least one divider mountable to the associated shelf, the at least one divider delimiting one side of a pathway for associated product supported on the associated shelf, and a trackless pusher assembly for advancing the associated product along the pathway, the trackless pusher assembly comprising a pusher body, a securement member securable to a leading portion of the associated shelf, and a spring extending between and connecting the pusher body to the securement member, an adjustable first protrusion extending laterally away from the pusher body, the protrusion being slideably received in a slot at least partially defined by the at least one divider, the slot having a longitudinal axis extending in a common direction with the pathway. The pusher body is stabilized by the divider as the pusher body advances along the pathway.
The first protrusion can comprise an elongated arm. The elongated arm can be movable in relation to the pusher body, and adjusting a position of the arm relative to the pusher body changes a lateral extent of the arm. The system can further include a lock mechanism for locking the elongated arm in a selected one of a plurality of angular positions in relation to the pusher body. The lock mechanism can include a gear shaped protrusion associated with the arm, the gear shaped protrusion being adapted to cooperate with a fixed ribbed socket defined in the pusher body, the gear shaped protrusion being telescopically insertable in the ribbed socket in a plurality of orientations corresponding to different angular positions of the arm, whereby the gear shaped protrusion is movable axially between a locked position at which it is telescopically received within the ribbed socket to an unlocked position at which it is axially spaced from the ribbed socket and is allowed to rotate. A spring can bias the gear shaped protrusion into the locked position. The arm can further comprise a projection, the projection being mounted in a slot in the pusher body, whereby the lateral extent of the adjustable arm can be adjusted by sliding the projection within the slot in the pusher body. The projection of the arm can include an elongated portion to restrict rotation of the arm in relation to the pusher body. A second protrusion can be provided wherein the first and second protrusions extend laterally from opposed side edges of the pusher body. The at least one divider can comprise two spaced dividers between which the trackless pusher assembly is located such that the first and second protrusions cooperate with a respective one of the two spaced dividers.
In accordance with another aspect, a trackless pusher assembly for advancing product along a pathway of an associated shelf comprises a pusher body having a width, a securement member securable to a leading portion of the associated shelf, a spring extending between and connecting the pusher body to the securement member, at least one adjustable protrusion extending laterally from the pusher body and adapted to be received in a slot of an associated divider, the at least one adjustable protrusion being adapted to extend beyond the width of the pusher body a desired distance such that the pusher body can be positioned a variable distance from the associated divider so as to maintain a distal end of the at least one protrusion in the slot.
At least one protrusion can comprise an arm. The arm can be rotatably secured to the pusher body, and adjusting a rotational position of the arm relative to the pusher body changes a lateral extent of the arm. The assembly can further comprise an angular lock mechanism for locking the arm in a desired one of a plurality of angular positions. The angular lock mechanism can include a gear shaped protrusion associated with the arm and adapted to cooperate with a fixed ribbed socket defined in the pusher body, the gear shaped protrusion being telescopically insertable in the ribbed socket in a plurality of positions corresponding to different angular positions of the arm, whereby the gear shaped protrusion is movable axially between a rotationally interlocked position at which it is telescopically received within the ribbed socket to a rotatable position at which it is axially spaced from the ribbed socket. A spring can bias the gear shaped protrusion towards the first position. The arm can further comprise a projection, the projection being mounted in a slot in the pusher body, whereby the lateral extent of the arm can be adjusted by sliding the projection within the slot in the pusher body. The projection of the arm can include an elongated portion which cooperates with the slot to restrict rotation of the arm in relation to the pusher body. The protrusion can further include a grasping element extending away from the elongated portion. The trackless pusher wherein the at least one adjustable protrusion comprises two protrusions extending laterally from opposed side edges of the pusher body.
The present invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangements of parts, several embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating several embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting same,
With reference now also to
As best seen in
Further provided in the merchandising assembly is a pusher 50. With reference now to
With reference again to
However, upon pushing down the pivot member 80 thereby overcoming the biasing force of the spring 68, the protrusions 72 are pushed beneath the ribs 64 so as to enable a rotation of the arm 80 in relation to the pusher 50. In this way, the arm can be rotated as may be desired or necessary in order to accommodate the arm in the slot or gap 46 as can be best see in
Urging the pusher forward on the shelf 10 is a spring 94. With reference now to
As noted, the pusher 50 extends across a width of the product pathway P and urges product forward along the product pathway P toward the front of the shelf. It should be appreciated that because the divider assemblies 40 can be placed at various positions to create product pathways having a variety of different widths, the adjustable arms of the pusher can be adjusted inwardly/outwardly to engage with the slots of the dividers. In some configurations, it may be desirable to have the pusher offset between respective divider assemblies. In such case, one adjustable arm can be configured to extend further than the other.
With reference now to
With reference now to
It should be appreciated that the divider members 110, 120 rest on the base 132 of the cap 130, thereby enlarging the height of the slot 46 defined between bottom surfaces of the divider bases 112, 122 and the top surface of the shelf 10.
The end of each shelf 10, i.e., laterally to the left end and right end of the shelf, there is an end divider assembly (see
Another embodiment of a pusher according to the present disclosure is illustrated in
With reference now to
With reference now to
Disclosed has been a trackless pusher system for a shelf which defines a top surface and a pusher which includes a base supported by the shelf top surface, such that no portion of the pusher base extends beneath the shelf top surface. Rather, the pusher is mounted to the shelf only by a first end of a coiled spring. A second end of the coiled spring can be supported by the pusher base. Also mounted to the shelf is a divider which comprises a base wall that is spaced from the shelf top surface so as to define a slot between the shelf top surface and the divider base wall. At least one arm is mounted to the pusher for lateral extension in relation to the pusher so that the arm extends into the slot and rides in the slot as the pusher moves forwards and backwards on the shelf.
In one embodiment, the shelf can comprise a wire shelf including a plurality of rods. It should be appreciated, however, that in other embodiments, the shelf may have a solid surface. The divider, as well as the first end of the coiled spring can be mounted to a front grid or other type of mounting structure that is itself mounted to the shelf. In one embodiment, the divider can include first and second L-shaped members and a front cap to which these members are secured. Alternatively, an integrated T-shaped divider can be employed.
In one embodiment, the arm can be pivotable in relation to the pusher base and can be spring biased to one end position, thereby locking the arm in a particular angular orientation in relation to the pusher. One embodiment of such a locking mechanism includes interengaging gear-like ribs or teeth on the pusher and gear-like ribs or teeth on the arm. In another embodiment, the arm is slidable in relation to the pusher base. If desired, two such arms can be employed, one extending laterally from each side of the base so as to be accommodated in a respective slot of a respective one of two divider assemblies located on either side of the pusher and the column of merchandise which is urged forwardly on the shelf by the pusher.
The present disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon the reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the present disclosure be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents therefor.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/864,966, filed Aug. 12, 2013, which application is hereby incorporated by reference.
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