Abstract:
A gravity feed merchandise dispensing device comprises at least one plastic track capable of supporting in tandem a row of similar bottles of the type having an annular neck flange, and has a lead bottle support basket suspended at the front end of the track which is removable and interchangeable with other lead bottle supports so as to accommodate bottles of different heights. The rails of the track have a sloped transition section at the front end of the track which eases movement of bottles off the track and into the basket, and facilitates the front loading of bottles into the track.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/031,118, filed Nov. 18, 1996. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a merchandising display unit for bottles, and in particular, a merchandising display unit having interchangeable bottle dispensing components which accommodate bottles of different heights. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Refrigerated display cases for beverage containers, and the like, generally include vertically aligned rows of racks, commonly called glide racks, upon which the beverage containers are loaded. The beverage containers may be cans or bottles of any size and the width of the glide rack rows are adjusted accordingly to accommodate each particular container. The glide rack includes a plurality of rows extending from the front of the glide rack to the rear thereof. Each row may then be loaded with rows of beverage containers extending from the front of the display case to the rear of the display case. Each glide rack is disposed within the refrigerated display case at an angle of approximately five to twelve degrees. Thus, when the lead beverage container is removed from the row by a customer, the next beverage container will move forward to occupy the forwardmost position, and the remainder of the row of beverage containers will follow. In this manner, there is always a beverage container at the front of each row of the glide rack ready to be dispensed to a customer. 
     The smooth sliding surface of the glide rack soon wears off, however, thus creating more friction as the beverage containers slide thereon such the plastic sliding surface of the glide rack becomes more roughened. This in turn creates more problems as the beverage containers may fall over, tip, rotate, occasionally open and spill. The repeated sliding along the roughened sliding surface and the beverage containers tipping and spilling creates a worn and unusable glide rack within only three to four months of use. Therefore, it has generally been necessary to completely replace the entire glide rack once it reached this point of wear and tear, resulting in costly and repeated expenditures. 
     To avoid the drawbacks of conventional glide racks, another alternative for merchandising bottles for display and purchase is an overhead support system, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,221 to Suttles and U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,485 to Clement. In these types of systems, an overhead support track having a pair of rails is used to receive the neck flange of the bottle to be displayed. The bottles are inserted from the rear and slide forward under gravity feed due to the angle of the support track. 
     In some of these prior art configurations, the front end of the track is sloped upwardly so as to retard the forward motion of the bottles and to present the lead bottle to the customer. As a result, the bottom of the lead bottle is kicked out in a forward direction due to the force from the bottles therebehind, thereby presenting an unorganized merchandising display of the bottles. In addition, these types prior art systems require the customer to grasp the bottle by the bottom area and pull upwards in order to remove the bottle neck from the prior art track that holds it. This makes it more difficult for the customer to remove a bottle from the display. Further, should the customer change his mind about his beverage selection, it is extremely difficult to reinsert the bottle into the track from the front thereof. 
     In another prior art configuration, a fixed stirrup-like structure at the forward end of the track catches and supports the lead bottle, which no longer is supported by the track. This system cannot readily accommodate bottles of different heights. Further, due to the assembly of the display units of the prior art, should a single track need to be replaced, it is necessary to disassemble an entire shelf in order to do so. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a merchandising display system for bottles that is quickly and easily installed. The system of the present invention also provides easily interchangeable components tailored to bottles of different height and/or diameter, thus yielding greater flexibility for the use of the system. In addition, the system of the present invention offers increased visibility of the bottled product to be displayed for sale, both the bottle label and any distinctive shaping of the bottle itself, and enables the product to be loaded from either the front or the rear. 
     These and other objects are achieved by providing a gravity feed merchandise dispensing device of the type comprising at least one track, each track capable of supporting in tandem a row of similar bottles of the type having an annular flange on the neck of the bottle, and each track having a front end, a rear end and a pair of rails spaced apart to receive between them the necks of suitably sized bottles such that the underside of each bottle neck flange engages the rails whereby the bottles are suspended by their flanges for movement relative to the track. A lead bottle support is suspended from the track and sized to support the bottom of the lead bottle of the row with the neck of the lead bottle adjacent the front end of the track but disengaged from the rails. Each track normally is inclined downwardly toward the front end so as to permit the suspended bottles to gravity-feed one after the other to the front end of the track each time the lead bottle in the row is unloaded from the lead bottle support. The lead bottle support is removably suspended on the track and is interchangeable with other lead bottle supports, some of different height and/or diameter. 
     Preferably, the front end of each of the rails slants downwardly relative to the rail to form a transition ramp for bottle neck flanges as the bottles move from the track to the lead bottle support during dispensing, or as the bottles move from the lead bottle support to the track when the track is being loaded from the front. 
    
    
     Various additional advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are further pointed out in the claims that follow. However, for a better understanding of the invention and its advantages, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which illustrate and describe a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single dispensing track according to the present invention, showing the bottles in position on the track, with the lead bottle in a dispensing basket; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the track and basket empty; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, showing the track with the basket removed; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the assembly of two tracks and the crossbar supports to which they are attached; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the support posts and crossbars for the merchandising display unit on which the dispensing tracks of the invention are mounted; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one form of dispensing basket according to the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another form of dispensing basket according to the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a dispensing track according to the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged exploded view of the front end of the track of FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of a dispensing track and basket according to the invention, showing a bottle in the basket. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A merchandising display unit in accordance with the present invention may be used within a refrigerated display case in lieu of the prior art glide rack units, or anywhere else the merchandiser may be inclined to display the bottles for sale. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the display unit includes a plurality of posts  10  with crossbars  20  extending between adjacent front posts  10   a  and between adjacent rear posts  10   b , and a plurality of tracks or lanes  30  being mounted on the crossbars  20  by means of integral snap hooks  32   a ,  32   b , with a lead bottle support or dispensing basket  60  suspended on the front end of each track  30 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, rear crossbar  20   b  includes endplates  22  having securing hooks  24  extending from the ends thereof Each of posts  10   a ,  10   b  has a series of vertically spaced slots or holes  12  on the rear face thereof. Thus, as in a conventional shelving arrangement, securing hooks  24  are disposed in holes  12  and a downward force is used to secure the crossbars in place by engagement of securing hooks  24  with the edges of the holes. A similar attachment can be used for front crossbar  20   a , but chains  26  and S-hooks  28  are preferred because they more easily accommodate variations in post spacing. 
     After the crossbars  20   a ,  20   b  are installed, tracks  30  are mounted thereon by securing snap hooks  32   a ,  32   b  onto the crossbars. As shown in FIG. 4, one of the two rearmost snap hooks  32   b  is disposed over the rear crossbar  20   b  while the forwardmost snap hook  32   a  is disposed over the front crossbar  20   a . The rear crossbar  20   b  is mounted slightly higher than the front crossbar  20   a  such that track  30  is slightly inclined at a preferred angle of approximately seven to eleven degrees. The inclined slope of the track assists in providing a gravity feed for the bottles B when they are loaded therein and thereby assists in maintaining the lead bottle in the proper position for presentation to the customer. 
     Crossbars  20   a ,  20   b  have a preferred diameter of 0.75 inches and a preferred length of approximately 29.6 inches, but can be of two-part, telescopic construction so as to be adjustable. Endplates  22  have a preferred thickness of approximately 0.25 inches, a width and length of approximately 2.25 inches, and are welded or otherwise secured to the ends of crossbars  20 . Securing hook  24  extends approximately 0.5 inches from end plate  22  and is approximately 0.5 inches wide. Posts  10  are supported in conventional fashion, e.g., on adjustable leveling feet (not shown), and are fixed in relative positions by conventional top and bottom bracing (not shown). The crossbars  20 , end plates  22  and posts  10  preferably are made of steel and are painted or otherwise coated to inhibit corrosion. 
     Track  30  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3,  8 ,  9  and  10 . In a preferred embodiment, track  30  is injection molded of high impact polystyrene in left and right halves  30   a ,  30   b , which are welded together ultrasonically to form a unitary structure. A rear bottle stop  34  in the form of a wire loop is inserted into recesses in the track halves prior to welding. Reinforcing ribs  36  are integrally molded into each track half  30   a ,  30   b . Track  30  has a length of approximately 29.5 inches and a width of approximately 2.770 inches, although it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that any desired width and length could be used depending upon the size of the bottles to be supported and the overall size of the entire merchandising display unit. 
     As shown in FIGS. 8,  9  and  10 , the lower surface of track  30  includes two lips or rails  40   a ,  40   b  extending inwardly from the opposing sides thereof by a distance of approximately 0.19 inches. Also extending inwardly approximately 0.105 in. from track halves  30   a ,  30   b  are upper ribs  42   a ,  42   b . Rails  40   a ,  40   b  and ribs  42   a ,  42   b  extend substantially the full length of track  30 . For bottles having a 28 mm closure, rails  40   a ,  40   b  and ribs  42   a ,  42   b  define a bottle top channel  44  having a width of approximately 31.24 mm between ribs  42   a ,  42   b , and a bottom opening between rails  40   a ,  40   b  of 26.95 mm. 
     The necks of most bottles B having a 28 mm closure include a flange or ring R having a diameter of approximately 32.4 to 33.02 mm, depending on the size of the bottle. Thus, rails  40   a ,  40   b  serve to support bottle B by the neck ring R when the top of the bottle is disposed within channel  44 , while ribs  42   a ,  42   b  limit sideways tilting of the bottles to keep the row of bottles substantially aligned. The track of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will support typical 12 oz, 16 oz, 20 oz, 24 oz and one liter bottles, which have a common 28 mm closure. Other sizes of bottles, such as those having a 38 mm closure, could of course be accommodated in the present invention by altering the size of the bottle top channel and the width of the rails  40   a ,  40   b , and any other support structure as necessary. 
     The forward ends of rails  40   a ,  40   b  comprise transition ramps  46   a ,  46   b , respectively, which slant downwardly at an angle of approximately 15° from the rails, and extend forwardly and to the sides of the front opening of the bottle top channel  44 . Ramps  46   a ,  46   b  serve to ease the movement of the lead bottle B off rails  40   a ,  40   b . Referring to FIG. 10, the bottle is supported with its flange or ring R no lower than ramps  46   a ,  46   b , and preferably at about the same level as the ramps. This arrangement facilitates the bottle&#39;s reinsertion into track  30  in the case of a purchaser who has changed his beverage selection and wishes to make room in basket  60  for the bottle that he has just removed. It also allows for speedy loading of bottles into track  30  by beverage delivery personnel. 
     As noted, track  30  is suspended from crossbars  20  by means of snap hooks  32  which are integrally molded into track halves  30   a ,  30   b . Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, each snap hook  32  is formed at the rear of an upwardly open recess  33 , and comprises a part-cylindrical socket  35  approximately 0.760 in. in diameter and 240° in extent, with a forward-facing opening approximately 0.656 in. in size. Socket  35  snugly receives crossbar  20  after the crossbar enters recess  33  and track  30  is pushed forwardly to force crossbar  20  past the narrower opening and into the socket. Track  30  thus is suspended at the front by crossbar  20   a  received in snap hook  32   a , and at the rear by crossbar  20   b  received in one of the rear snap hooks  32   b.    
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 9, the front end of track  30  has a basket-carrying or retainer section  50  defined by an arcuate saddle  52 , a front flange  54 , a rear flange  56  and a central longitudinal slot  58  in saddle  52 . Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, bottle dispensing basket  60  preferably is injection molded of polycarbonate and comprises an arcuate upper hanger portion  62 , opposing sidewalls  64  extending downwardly therefrom, a front waist band  66  and a floor structure or platform  68  with a front stop  69  to support the lead bottle B, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10. Upper hanger portion  62  includes a depending short rib  70  which engages slot  58 . Each sidewall  64  has a locking element in the form of a rib  72  which snaps under the edge of track  30  to removably secure basket  60  in the correct position. Thus, basket  60  is removably secured on track  30  for dispensing bottles  20  without the use of additional hardware such as screws, rivets, etc. In addition, there are no moving parts or mechanisms associated with this arrangement that will fail to operate properly due to dirt, dust, or sticky syrup spilling within the display unit. Further, as seen in FIG. 1, basket  60  supports a bottle with little obstruction so that the bottle is highly visible and can easily be grasped and removed by the purchaser. Basket  60  is sized to support a 20 oz. bottle. 
     Platform  68  of basket  60  preferably includes grooves  67  therein which decrease the surface contact between the bottle and the floor to thereby assist the bottle thereon in maintaining an upright position and provide better seating of the bottle within the forward portion of the basket. Basket  60  may easily be removed or replaced when the size of the bottle to be displayed is changed, e.g., from a 20 oz. bottle to a 1 liter bottle. 
     FIG. 6 depicts an alternate basket configuration  160  for accommodating larger bottles, e.g., of the one-liter size. Basket  160  is similar to basket  60 , with an arcuate upper hanger portion  162 ; sidewalls  164 ; a front waist band  166 ; a floor structure or platform  168  with ribs  167  and a front stop  169 ; a short rib  170  for engaging slot  58 ; and ribs  172  which snap under the edges of track  30 . 
     The invention thus provides a gravity feed system for merchandising bottles for sale. The bottles are suspended within a plurality of tracks  30  that are disposed in a plurality of rows, and the angle of inclination from the rear to the front of the track  30  assures that the bottles will slide forward. The tracks confine the necks and closures of the bottles to keep them aligned, while the basket at the front end of each track presents an upright, highly visible bottle. Thus, the lead bottle does not kick out forward or to the right or left as in the prior art, such that a neater, more organized display is obtained. The purchaser merely grasps the head or shoulders of the bottle and removes the bottle from the basket. If the purchaser changes his beverage selection, he can replace the removed bottle in the basket  60  merely by pushing rearwardly on the bottle occupying the basket so that its flange or ring R rides up ramps  46   a ,  46   b  and onto rails  40   a ,  40   b . This arrangement also allows for quick and easy loading of bottles into the track from the front by delivery personnel. 
     From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the aforementioned invention pertains.