The present invention relates generally to a system for displaying merchandise. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for displaying merchandise on a shelf.
The growing presence of large retail stores both in the U.S. and internationally is but one indication of the large populations that such retail stores host on a daily basis. For example, over 100 million people shop in Wal-Mart every week, with Target Stores seeing even higher same-store sales than Wal-Mart in 2006 (www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/secrets/stats.html; http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aVTcNu9noi9U&refer=top_world news). Such figures indicate the tremendous flow of customer traffic in such stores. What follows, however, is also a tremendous amount of retail theft. For example, shoplifting caused $9.7 billion in losses to U.S. retailers in 2001 (retailindustry.about.com/od/statistics_loss_prevention/1/aa021126a.htm).
One approach to minimizing retail theft is to modify the manner in which product is displayed for customers. Common types of retail displays, such as open shelves, may easily have products swiped from them, and bins make it especially easy to carry off multiple products.
It is also significant for retailers, however, to display product in a manner that it is highly visible to customers and that promotes product appearance. As a result, customers may easily find the items they are searching for and may also be prompted to make purchases of additional products with shelf appeal.
Also, product displays that keep products organized look more appealing to customers and make products easier to find. This is advantageous over several types of displays, such as open shelves common in grocery stores, that have no built-in organization system. This lack of organization leads to products being misplaced and difficult to locate, often wasting customers' time. Another problem with such displays is that having products unorganized diminishes store appearance. On the other hand, having a product display system with built-in organization capability improves the shopping experience by keeping product in place and promoting a store's image of cleanliness and organization. This in turn leads to increased customer satisfaction and favorable sales.
Furthermore, it is helpful for retailers to have product displays that are easily used by employees. In particular, product displays that are easily accessible to employees make product stocking more efficient. Additionally, product displays that keep product organized lessen employees' time needed for organizing products during product stocking or during shopping hours.
It is desirable, therefore, to have product displays that reduce the possibility of product theft. It is also desirable to have product displays that make product visible to customers and promote product appearance. It is further desirable to have product displays with organizational capability. It is also desirable to have product displays that allow for efficient product stocking.
The present invention is a self-contained retractable shelf and pusher system for displaying and dispensing products, while reducing or deterring theft. The invention features generally a product display system for a shelf comprising a shelf, a moveable pusher member, a rotatable dispensing member, a rotatable knob that causes rotation of the dispensing member, a trough portion, and a hinged lid covering at least part of the trough portion, wherein rotation of the dispensing member causes a product to be dispensed in the trough such that the product can be retrieved from the trough by moving the hinged lid to an open position, and wherein access to products on the shelf is minimized when the hinged lid is in the open position.
and
The invention comprises a product display system 5 for displaying product merchandise, particularly in a retail setting.
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As the pushers 14 move the product toward the front portion 32, the product contacts a rotatable dispensing disc 12 located at or near the front portion 32. The illustrations provided herein feature a dispensing disc 12 in a circular form. However, any shape suitable for achieving the intended purpose may be used such as a bar or oval. In one embodiment, the number of pushers 14 corresponds to the number of dispensing discs 12. Each pusher 14 is thus aligned with a dispensing disc 12 so that each pusher 14 consistently pushes product toward a corresponding dispenser disc 12. The dispensing disc 12 serves as both a product stop and a product lifter. The dispensing disc 12 is generally a height such that the product is almost fully viewable behind the dispensing disc 12 while also being able to hold the product in position when the dispensing disc 12 is stationary. When rotated, the dispensing disc 12 causes the product to be dispensed to a location accessible to customers. To provide additional detail, each dispensing disc 12 features a raised portion 12a that engages a bottom portion of the product contacting the disc 12 when the disc 12 is rotated. As the raised portion 12a engages the bottom portion of the product, the product is raised to a height above the disc 12, and the pusher 14 is allowed to move forward a distance equal to the void left by the product lifted. This motion ejects the product into a trough area 19 above the front portion 32 of the shelf 13.
The rotation of each dispensing disc 12 is facilitated by a corresponding knob 18 in communication with the disc 12 and located on the front portion 32. Preferably, each disc 12 has one corresponding knob 18. Likewise, each knob 18 corresponds to the product behind each disc 12, so that a customer rotates the knob 18 corresponding to a desired product in order to get the product. Preferably, from the customer's perspective, each knob 18 is in approximately a same vertical plane as the corresponding product. Each knob 18 is located on the front portion 32 to allow for easy access and maneuverability by customers. The knobs 18 are affixed to the front portion 32 in a semi-permanent fashion and are joined to the dispensing discs 12 by means of a rod or a bolt protruding through a surface of the front portion 32. In this manner, when a knob 18 corresponding to a desired product is rotated by a customer, the dispensing disc 12 is in turn rotated and causes the product to be dispensed, as described above.
In addition to dispensing product, the knobs 18 have an additional sound notification feature. Specifically, each knob 18 features an audible “clicking” sound as it is rotated, preferably in a clockwise manner. This clicking results from two surfaces contacting each other as the knob 18 rotates, such as fins or tabs on the front portion 32 contacting corresponding gears or teeth on the knob 18. In one embodiment, the gears or teeth are on an inner surface of the knob 18. The fins or tabs may be injection-molded on the shelf 13. The clicking sound notification feature serves to notify customers that the rotation of the knob is performing a task that will dispense the product desired, to notify store personnel that products are being dispensed, and to notify a would-be thief that his/her actions may draw unwanted attention.
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The trough area 19 is mostly or fully covered by a hinged lid 22, when the hinged lid 22 is in a closed position, as shown in
The hinged lid 22 is comprised of a clear, rigid material, preferably plastic and supported by a metal support 23. The metal support 23 is integrated with a product shield 23a. The product shield 23a provides a protective barrier to the remaining products in the shelf 13 as the hinged lid 22 is lifted to the open position, therefore making it difficult to grab any other product that has not been dispensed into the trough area 19 of the shelf. The hinged lid 22 moves to the open position by operation of a piano hinge 30 and a tracking hinge 32, as shown in FIG. The lid 22 is connected to the piano hinge 30 by a panel 33 extending therebetween. The panel 33 extends approximately the length of the lid 22. When the lid 22 is in the closed position, the closed position of the piano hinge 30 is at an angle of approximately 0-15 degrees, 5-15 degrees, or 5-12 degrees. As the hinged lid 22 is lifted open, the piano hinge 30 rotates open, causing the panel 33 to be lifted with the lid 22. The panel 33 provides an additional barrier to the product on the shelf, because it effectively serves as an extension of the lid 22. The opening of the piano hinge 30 is accelerated compared to the opening of the lid 22, as the lid opens to an angle of approximately 45-75 degrees relative to its closed position, while the piano hinge 30 rotates to an angle of approximately 120-160 degrees relative to its closed position. This is caused by a tracking pin 36, which is operably connected to the tracking hinge 32, that is connected to the piano hinge 30 by a connecting member 42, such as a rod. The tracking pin 36 moves vertically within a tracking slot 38 located on the side panels 40 of the shelf 13. As the lid 22 is opened, the tracking pin 36 moves down the tracking slot 38, allowing the piano hinge 30 to open to an angle that allows the panel 33 to shield the product on the shelf 13.
After the product has been retrieved, the hinged lid 22 automatically returns to the closed position by means of gravity. Should the consumer decide not to purchase the dispensed product, the product may be placed back into the trough area 19 by lifting the hinged lid 22.
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To continue with describing a method in which product is retrieved from the product display system 5, a customer will be able to view a desired product on the shelf 13 through the clear plastic front 20 of the trough area 19. The customer then rotates the knob 18 corresponding to the product, wherein the knob 18 is in front of the dispensing disc 12 that helps to hold the desired product in place. For assistance, the knob 18 may have an arrow (not shown) pointing in the knob's 18 rotational direction and the term “open” in an applicable language so a customer is made aware of how to operate the knob 18. When the customer rotates the knob 18, the dispensing disc 12 is in turn rotated, and the raised portion 12a engages a bottom surface of the desired product. As the disc 12 rotates, the product's engagement with the raised portion 12a causes the product to be raised to a height above the disc 12. Then, the pusher 14 moves forward, also pushing the product remaining in the product row forward, to eject the desired product into the trough area 19. The customer then lifts the hinged lid 22 and reaches into the trough area 19 to retrieve the dispensed product. Afterward, the hinged lid 22 returns to the closed position by means of gravity.
To continue with describing a method in which a retail employee may stock the shelf with merchandise, an employee first rotates the gravity release hardware 11 under the shelf portion 13. The employee then retracts the shelf 13 to the stocking position, i.e. so that the bottom surface 3 and dividers 17 are accessible. The employee then moves the dividers 17 among the slots 18 to create desired row widths, and then fills product in the rows between the dividers. At the same time, the pushers 14 are positioned at the rear portion 30 of the shelf to create room for stocking product. After the product is stocked, the shelf 13 is moved back to the sales position, so that the gravity release hardware 11 secures the shelf 13 in the sales position. The employee may also cause the security lock 16 to engage the release hardware 11 to further secure the shelf 13 in the sales position.
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the present invention to the preferred embodiments, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventions. Thus, the present inventions are intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present inventions as defined by the claims.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 and any other applicable statutes, of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/699,288, filed Jul. 14, 2005, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference
Number | Date | Country | |
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60699288 | Jul 2005 | US |