Patent ID: 7918353
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: A47F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for displaying and dispensing merchandise at a point-of-purchase adjacent a display shelf extending in lateral directions, the merchandise being in the form of packages arranged serially along a path of travel extending longitudinally toward a forward dispensing location placed at the point-of-purchase, the apparatus comprising: a pusher track assembly for extending along a longitudinal direction adjacent the path of travel in juxtaposition with the serially arranged packages, the pusher track assembly including a near end for placement adjacent the forward dispensing location, a far end spaced longitudinally away from the near end, a pusher movable along the path of travel and a selectively retractable gate adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly; a securing arrangement for securing the near end of the pusher track assembly to the display shelf at a selected lateral location along the display shelf, with the pusher track assembly extending within a basal plane, and the near end affixed against inadvertent movement in lateral directions within the basal plane, as well as against inadvertent movement in longitudinal directions within the basal plane, the securing arrangement including a retainer plate for affixation to the display shelf with the retainer plate extending along the lateral directions adjacent the point-of-purchase; the retainer plate extending longitudinally from a laterally extending forward lip to a laterally extending rearward lip, and not beyond the forward and rearward lips, such that the retainer plate is bounded by the forward and rearward lips; a forward hook depending from the pusher track assembly and extending in lateral directions along the pusher track assembly, adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly in place for engaging the forward lip of the retainer plate; a rearward finger depending from the pusher track assembly and extending in lateral directions along the pusher track assembly, adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly, and spaced longitudinally rearwardly from the forward hook for engaging the rearward lip of the retainer plate when the forward hook is engaged with the forward lip such that the retainer plate is enveloped between the forward hook and the rearward finger; at least one tongue extending in longitudinal directions along one of the retainer plate and the pusher track assembly, adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly and placed intermediate the forward hook and the rearward finger, and intermediate the forward and rearward lips when the forward hook is engaged with the forward lip and the rearward finger is engaged with the rearward lip; and at least one groove extending in longitudinal directions along another of the retainer plate and the pusher track assembly, adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly, the groove being complementary to the tongue; a stabilizing arrangement for stabilizing the pusher track assembly against inadvertent movements of the far end in lateral directions within the basal plane when the near end is secured at the selected lateral location, the stabilizing arrangement including: a pair of keys spaced apart longitudinally from one-another and extending in lateral directions along one of the retainer plate and the pusher track assembly, adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly; and a pair of keyways spaced apart longitudinally from one-another and extending in lateral directions along another of the retainer plate and the pusher track assembly, adjacent the near end of the pusher track assembly; the keys and the keyways, and the tongue and the groove being dimensioned, configured and located relative to one-another for complementary interengagement, with each key interlocked longitudinally with a complementary keyway, and the tongue interlocked with the groove, the keys being spaced apart and the keyways being spaced apart in longitudinal directions by a predetermined longitudinal spacing, and engaged along prescribed lateral spans, and the tongue and the groove extending longitudinally along a prescribed longitudinal length, the longitudinal spacing being great enough, the lateral spans being extensive enough, and the prescribed longitudinal length being great enough such that upon engagement of the forward hook with the forward lip, engagement of the rearward finger with the rearward lip, interengagement of the complementary keys and keyways, and engagement of the tongue and the groove, the engagement of the forward hook with the forward lip and the engagement of the rearward finger with the rearward lip captures the pusher track assembly upon the retainer plate, with the retainer plate enveloped between the forward hook and the rearward finger, while the engagement of the tongue and the groove in concert with interengagement of the complementary keys and keyways essentially precludes canting of the pusher track assembly relative to the retainer plate within the basal plane and the pusher track assembly is stabilized, in alignment with the longitudinal direction.