Supports: racks – Special article – Stacked articles
Utility Patent
1998-07-02
2001-01-02
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Stacked articles
C108S108000, C108S147170, C248S242000
Utility Patent
active
06168032
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a merchandising system and more particularly to an improved shelf construction for use in conjunction with conventional store shelf mounting systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The majority of inventory in retail stores is displayed on forms of shelving constructions utilizing gondolas or trays for the products. The basic format of such construction has changed little over the years. A floor platform supports a vertical, upright backing board which defines a rear wall of the gondola. The gondola includes vertical uprights having a plurality of slots. The slotted uprights are adapted to support shelving and other elements in or upon which merchandise is placed for display.
The gondolas are required to display and support an ever increasing number of products in a staggering assortment of packaging in a space which is unable to expand commensurately with the demands placed upon it. Conventional gondola shelving systems often use space relatively inefficiently, and are ill equipped to handle a variety of products. The result is that there is typically insufficient gondola space available to keep and display all the desired products neatly and efficiently both for stocking purposes by store personnel and for observation and selection by customers.
While conventional shelves may be provided with pre-marked or segmented areas extending the depth of the shelf to divide the shelf area for multiple products, only limited flexibility in product arrangement is provided thereby. In addition, access to the rear of the shelf is often difficult, both for inventory and stocking purposes as well as for product selection by the consumer. Typically, product at the front of the shelf is removed first, making each subsequent selection and purchase more difficult, both for product accessibility as well as for product visibility on the shelf.
It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved shelf construction for the effective presentation of products in a store environment.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a shelf construction and system which is capable of segmentation and division to accommodate a variety of different products.
Still a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a shelf construction and system capable of maintaining products in a pleasing arrangement and urging them toward the forward end of the shelf for optimum visibility and availability.
Yet a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a shelf construction and system which is of a modular type, adaptable to a variety of shelf depths and widths, which can allow for the segmenting and separation of a plurality of different size products across the shelf, and which can be utilized in conjunction with conventional gondola constructions and shelf supports.
A still further purpose of the present invention is to provide a shelf construction and system of the aforementioned character which is of efficient and economical construction, having ease of assembly and use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In furtherance of the foregoing and other and additional objects and purposes, a shelf construction in accordance with the present invention comprises a shelf surface mountable upon a series of spaced brackets which in turn are mounted to a plurality of spaced shelf support uprights located at the rear of store gondola constructions. The shelf preferably has an upper surface formed to have a low coefficient of friction with respect to products placed thereon. The brackets upon which the shelf is placed are of an angled configuration, whereby the shelf slopes downwardly from rear to front.
Front and rear rail elements are mountable to the front and rear edges, respectively, of the shelf. Preferably the front and rear rails support the shelf upon the brackets, are in the form of extrusions, and include reception means for removable dividers which are supported by the rails and extend therebetween to divide the shelf area into a plurality of product-receiving sections. The dividers themselves extend vertically upward from the shelf surface and are positionable as desired along the length of the shelf. The dividers may further be provided with support means along their front edges, above the rails, to accept a secondary front rail which retains the stacked products therebehind and provides additional rigidity to the divider structure.
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Harris Erica B.
Schweitzer Cornman Gross & Bondell LLP
Stodola Daniel P.
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