Abstract:
A gravity feed dispenser for containers, in which the dispenser carrying the containers includes a pair of longitudinally extending fingers engaging with shelf rack in snap-fitting relation to secure the dispenser in to the rack.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates generally to container dispensers for refrigerators and particularly to a plurality of gravity feed dispensers which are snap-fitted to a merchandiser rack. The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,746 issued to True Manufacturing Co, Inc. of St. Louis, Mo. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention comprises a gravity feed container dispenser in which the dispenser provides longitudinally extending ribs on the defining attachments means engaging the rails of the shelf rack in snap-fitted relation to hold the dispenser in place. 
         [0005]    It is an aspect of this invention to provide an open top container dispenser having spaced apart sidewalls to retain the containers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the container dispenser; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a view of the dispenser snap fitted onto a shelf rack; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of the dispenser; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the dispenser; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the dispenser snap-fittingly engaged with the shelf rack; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the dispenser; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a rear view of the dispenser; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of the shelf rack with the dispensers shown in the phantom outline 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the shelf rack loaded with bottle containers. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    This shelf organizer consists essentially of a rack  20  formed from a generally rectangular frame  22  having opposed side members  24  and front and rear members  28  and lateral intermediate support members  32  extending between the side members  24  in generally parallel relation to said front and rear members  28 . The rack  20  also includes a plurality of longitudinally extending rails  34  and front and rear upper stop members  44  lying on the rails  34  and providing stop members above the front and rear members  28 , respectively. The rack  20  is preferably integrally formed by welding and is held in an inclined position, sloping downwardly from the rear end by clip supports  40 . The profile of the refrigerator is shown by numeral  10 . 
         [0016]    The rack  20  provides container dispensers  50 , preferably of plastic, which, in the embodiment shown, seats on the rack rails  34 . The dispenser  50  in the preferred embodiment is preferably molded from plastic and includes opposed sidewalls  52  connected by a floor  54 . The floor  54  includes a plurality of longitudinal stringers  56  extending substantially from top to bottom of the container  50 , and a plurality of connecting lateral stringers  58  which extend substantially from side to side of said dispenser. At its front end the retainer includes a short floor portion  60  integrally formed with the longitudinal stringers  56 . The sidewalls  52  are of diminishing height rearwardly and are connected by arcuate strap members  62  and  64  at its front and rear ends respectively. At its front end, intermediate the strap member  62  and the floor portion  60 , are opposed, arcuately formed strap members  66  which are not connected. 
         [0017]    The rack  20  may be seated on the clips  40  such that an inclined upper plane is formed from the upper surface of the rails  34 . Typically, the inclined upper plane will be at about 5 to 10 degrees which is sufficient to provide an equally sloping floor for the container dispensers  50 . 
         [0018]    Importantly, each dispenser  50  is removably attached to the rack  20  so that the dispensers can be removed to accommodate different sized containers. To this end the container dispenser  50  includes opposed longitudinally extending stringers  80 ,  82  and  84  at intervals constituting attachment means which depend below the floor member and are spaced to engage the rails  34  in snap-fitted relation. As shown in  FIG. 3  and in  FIG. 5  each stringer  82  is spaced from its cooperating stringer  82  and includes a turned-in end  88  to facilitate the snap-fitting action. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the rails  34  are equally spaced across width of the rack  20 . Ideally, the distance between the outside faces of the stringers  82  is equal to the distance between the inside faces of the adjacent rail  34 . With this arrangement the distance between the in-turned portion  88  of the stringers  80 ,  82  and  84  is slightly greater than that of the engaged rail  34  so that it is sprung below the rail  34  into overlapping engagement with the rail. 
         [0020]    The configuration of the in-turned portion  88  of the finger, constituting upset stringer portions, is such that the retainer  50  is readily removed and replaced and yet is firmly held in position on the rack. Although bottle containers C is shown in  FIG. 9 , it will be understood that the container dispenser can also accept cans or other packages. 
         [0021]    Typically, the container dispensers  50  are held in side-by-side relation touching, or almost touching, and the containers are slidingly received on the floor so as to be gravity fed on said floor with the angle of inclination of the container dispenser floor being adjusted by virtue of the clips  40 . The containers C, which are shown in  FIG. 9 , are received within the dispensers  50  for easy removal and the dispensers themselves are readily removed as by pulling upwardly on the straps  62 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  the lateral stringers  58  between the first and second rails from each side  52  include tapered relief slits  70 . These relief slits  70  are spaced to permit the sides of the containers to flex, to suit different diameter containers, yet maintain rigidity between the lateral stringers, in the vicinity of the attachment means. 
         [0023]    Also, the structure of the containers readily permits the length and width thereof to be adapted to suit the size of the cooler with which they are used by adjustment of the size and spacing of the lateral stringers. 
         [0024]    Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense many variations being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.