Supports: racks – Special article – Stacked articles
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2001-12-11
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Stacked articles
C211S049100, C211S181100, C211S153000, C211S074000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328170
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gravity feed shelf for use in a display stand or in a refrigerator unit; and, more particularly, to a gravity feed shelf, capable of allowing a distance between a plurality of guide rails to be easily adjusted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
There is shown in
FIG. 1
a typical gravity feed shelving system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,443, including a shelf supporting member
10
, a plurality of lower shelf members
20
and an upper shelf member
30
.
The shelf supporting member
10
includes a rectangular frame
12
having a pair of horizontal intermediate bars
15
and a plurality of longitudinal supporting rails
14
fixed on the frame
12
by welding. The frame
12
is supported by a suspension(not shown) fixed on an inner rear surface of a showcase and inner hangers(not shown) formed on inner lateral surfaces thereof. One of the longitudinal supporting rails
14
is placed adjacent and parallel to each of the longitudinal sides of the frame
12
, respectively, and three sets of three longitudinal supporting rails
14
are positioned therebetween with a predetermined space between the single rail and each set of the rails.
On the other hand, each of the lower shelf member
20
includes a plurality of overlays
22
having a pair of longitudinal fingers
24
and thin longitudinal ribs
26
formed on an upper surface of the overlay
22
so as to reduce a friction between containers and the overlay
22
, respectively. The longitudinal fingers
24
are spaced apart to be closely adjacent to or engage the outer sides of rails
14
, permitting a snap fit between the overlay
22
and the shelf supporting member
10
.
Further, the upper shelf member
30
includes a plurality of guide rails
32
for preventing containers from falling through the sides of the shelf, a pair of cross bars
34
for preventing the containers from falling off the shelf, and a pair of junction bars
36
for fixing the guide rails
32
on the shelf supporting member
10
. Accordingly, in the above conventional gravity feed shelving system, the lower shelf member
20
for supporting the containers is installed so as to incline from back to front. The guide rails
32
are used so that the containers placed on the lower shelf member
20
are arranged in rows and feed forward, by gravity, when the frontmost container in the row is removed. The cross bar
34
extending across the front of the lower shelf member
20
keeps the containers from falling off.
However, in such a prior art gravity feed shelving system, as a result of the guide rails
32
being fixed to the shelf supporting member
10
, the cross bar
34
and the junction bar
36
, the width between the guide rails
32
cannot be adjusted, thereby preventing the system from efficiently accommodating the containers having different diameters.
Further, in order for the refrigerator unit or display stand to accommodate the system, it must be provided with inner hangers on lateral surfaces on a plane inclined from back to front and a suspension on an rear surface thereof, thereby limiting the use of the system.
In addition, in order for the system to function properly, the size of the longitudinal ribs
26
formed on an upper surface of the overlay
22
must be properly matched with the height of the containers. If the thin longitudinal ribs
26
are too wide relative to the weight of the containers, the containers cannot slide smoothly as a result of the friction therebetween, whereas when too narrow, the containers too slide quickly, causing the containers to collide with each other or with the front cross bar
34
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a gravity feed shelf which is capable of allowing a distance between a plurality of guide rails to be easily adjusted.
It is another object of the invention to provide a gravity feed shelf which is designed to be accommodated into a refrigerator unit or a display stand provided with horizontal inner hangers.
It is a still another object of the invention to provide a gravity feed shelf capable of allowing a sliding surface of the containers to be adjusted depending on the weight of the containers to be stored.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided with a gravity feed shelf for use in a refrigerator unit or a display stand, said gravity feed shelf comprising:
a shelf supporting member including a rectangular frame and a plurality of longitudinal supporting rails;
a plurality of lower shelf members including a plurality of overlays having a pair of longitudinal fingers and thin longitudinal ribs formed on an upper surface of the overlays so as to reduce a friction between containers and the overlays, respectively; and
an upper shelf member including a plurality of guide rails for preventing the containers from falling through both sides of the shelf, a pair of side frames, a pair of cross bars fixed on an upper portion of the side frames, respectively, for preventing the containers from falling off the shelf, a pair of junction bars fixed on a lower portion of the side frames for fixing the guide rails on the shelf supporting member, and a pair of guide fixing members, each being disposed on the cross bars.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a gravity feed shelf for use in a refrigerator unit or a display stand, said gravity feed shelf comprising:
a shelf supporting member including a rectangular frame, a pair of fixing members, and a plurality of longitudinal supporting rails;
a plurality of lower shelf members including a plurality of overlays having a pair of longitudinal fingers and thin longitudinal ribs formed on an upper surface of the overlays so as to reduce a friction between containers and the overlays, respectively; and
an upper shelf member including a plurality of guide rails for preventing the containers from falling through both sides of the shelf, a pair of cross bars for preventing the containers from falling off the shelf, and a pair of junction bars for fixing the guide rails on the shelf supporting member.
In accordance with a still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a gravity feed shelf for use in a refrigerator unit or a display stand, said gravity feed shelf comprising:
a shelf supporting member including a rectangular frame, a pair of fixing members, each being mounted on a front portion and a rear portion of the frame, and a plurality of longitudinal supporting rails insertably fixed on the fixing members;
a lower shelf member including a pair of U-shaped channels having a laterally opened groove and a plurality of plane members having a first surface with a plurality of projections with a relatively low contact area and a second surface with a plurality of projections with a relatively large contact area; and
an upper shelf member including a plurality of guide rails for preventing containers from falling through both sides of the shelf, a pair of cross bars for preventing the containers from falling off the shelf, and a pair of junction bars for fixing the guide rails on the shelf supporting member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2218444 (1940-10-01), Vineyard
patent: 3161296 (1964-12-01), Sartor
patent: 3545624 (1970-12-01), Krikorian
patent: 3780873 (1973-12-01), Silva
patent: 3998069 (1976-12-01), Kronenberger et al.
patent: 4128177 (1978-12-01), Bustos
patent: 4138015 (1979-02-01), Rabley
patent: 4416380 (1983-11-01), Flum
patent: 4461388 (1984-07-01), Bustos
patent: 4685574 (1987-08-01), Young et al.
patent: 4757769 (1988-07-01), Suttles
patent: 4801025 (1989-01-01), Flum et al.
patent: 4890746 (1990-01-01), Trulaske, Sr.
patent: 4901869 (1990-02-01), Hawkinson et al.
patent: 4927022 (1990-05-01), Wilson
patent: 4955486 (1990-09-01), Trulaske, Sr.
patent: 5076443 (1991-12-01), Trulaske, Sr.
patent: 5199584 (1993-04-01), Fowler et al.
patent: 5240124 (1993-08-01), Buday
patent: 5645176 (1997-07-01), Jay
patent: 6010016 (2000-01-01), Siegal
patent: 6135297 (2000-10-01), DeSha
Daewoo Electronics Co. Ltd.
Novosad Jennifer E.
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Stodola Daniel P.
LandOfFree
Gravity feed shelf does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gravity feed shelf, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gravity feed shelf will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2560846