Display shelf organizer

A display shelf organizer comprises a front channel to which are releasably secured a plurality of spaced apart dividers defining a plurality of compartments for displaying a plurality of products. A slider at the front end of each divider is slidable in a longitudinal track hingedly mounted on the front channel at the rear thereof enabling the dividers to be assembled to the front channel in spaced apart relation to form the display compartments. A plurality of holders for samples or promotional material are slidably mounted in a track at the front of the front channel and positioned in relation to products displayed in the compartments. The shelf organizer may be mounted on a shelf and secured thereto adhesively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a display shelf organizer for hair color products 
and the like. More particularly, it relates to a new and improved shelf 
organizer of this character that enables a plurality of such products to 
be displayed effectively in relation to samples illustrating the results 
likely to be obtained by the use of the products. 
Display shelf organizers have been proposed heretofore that comprise a 
container adapted to be placed on a shelf and having a plurality of 
side-by-side storage areas for products to be displayed, with a member at 
the front of the container for displaying price or other descriptive 
information regarding the use of the products. Such devices have usually 
been made of metal in standard sizes with no provision for easy 
modification to display effectively more or less than a standard number of 
products. Moreover, when such devices have been designed to display with 
the products samples or other information to assist a customer in 
determining which product to buy, it has not been possible to change or 
replace the samples or information easily. 
It is an object of the invention, accordingly, to provide a new and 
improved display shelf organizer of the above character that is free from 
the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved display 
shelf organizer of the above character that can be readily adjusted in 
size to accommodate effectively a range of products for display. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved display 
shelf organizer of the above character in which samples or other 
information displayed in relation to the products exhibited can easily be 
replaced. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved display 
shelf organizer of the above character that is effective in use and 
pleasing in appearance. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the invention, a display shelf organizer comprises a front 
channel to which are releasably secured a plurality of spaced apart 
dividers defining a plurality of side-by-side compartments or channels in 
which a plurality of different products are adapted to be displayed. Each 
divider is provided with a slider at the front end thereof that is adapted 
to the received in a longitudinal track hingedly mounted on the front 
channel at the rear thereof, enabling the dividers to be assembled to the 
front channel in predetermined spaced relationship to form channels for 
the different products as desired. 
The front channel is also provided with upper and lower inturned flanges on 
the front thereof, forming a second track in which a plurality of holders 
for samples or promotional or explanatory matter related to the products 
to be displayed are adapted to be slidably received and positioned 
removably in front of the respective products. 
The shelf organizer is preferably made of a pliable plastic material which 
is susceptible of easy modification to accommodate the number of products 
to be displayed. Also, end caps are provided for the front channel to 
prevent inadvertent removal of the divider sliders and sample holders from 
their tracks and to present a finished appearance. 
In use, the front channel is sized to accommodate the number of dividers 
required, and the latter are secured to the front channel by inserting the 
sliders thereon into the track at the rear of the channel and supporting 
the assembly on an existing shelf. The dividers are spaced apart as 
required to produce the required number of product display compartments or 
channels and are secured to the shelf in any suitable manner, as by 
adhesive, for example. The holders for samples or promotional or 
explanatory matter are inserted into the second track in front of the 
front channel to positions adjacent the channels in which the respective 
products are to be displayed, and the end caps are fitted over the 
opposite ends of the front channel.

For purposes of illustration, the shelf organizer of the invention will be 
described below as adapted for the display of packages of hair colorings. 
In FIG. 1, the shelf organizer 10 is mounted on a shelf 11 in a retail 
establishment, for example, and it comprises a front channel 12 provided 
with a plurality of rearwardly extending dividers 13 defining a plurality 
of compartments or channels 14 in which rows of different products 15, 16, 
17 are to be displayed. The front channel 12 is generally outwardly convex 
in cross-section and it is formed with inturned, longitudinally extending 
flanges 18 and 19 (FIG. 5) at the top and bottom thereof defining inwardly 
open grooves 20 and 21 in which a plurality of sample holders 22, 23, 24, 
25 and 26 (FIG. 1) are adapted to be slidably received and positioned in 
front of the respective products to be displayed. 
As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the flexible material of which the front 
channel 12 is made is reduced in thickness to form a longitudinally 
extending hinge 27 securing a longitudinally extending track 28 to the 
front channel 12. The track 28 may be formed by inwardly directed 
longitudinally extending flanges 29 and 30 defining inwardly open grooves 
31 and 32 in which angled sliders 33 formed at the front end of each 
divider 13 are adapted to be slidably received and positioned so as to 
define compartments or channels 14 for the products to be displayed. 
To assemble the shelf organizer, the front channel 12 is cut to the length 
required to accommodate the desired number of product display 
compartments. It is then positioned as shown in FIG. 6 with the track 28 
folded downwardly,and the sliders 33 of as many dividers 13 as are 
required to form the number of display compartments desired are inserted 
into the track 28. The front channel 12 and the dividers 13 are then 
positioned on the shelf 11 (FIG. 2) and secured thereto in any suitable 
manner, as by adhesive pads 34 interposed between the surface of the shelf 
and tabs 35 and 36 formed at the front and rear ends of each divider 13, 
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The dividers 13 may be scored at 37 (FIG. 3) to 
enable part thereof to be broken off so that they will fit narrow shelves. 
The sample holders or carriers are all essentially the same and it will be 
necessary to describe only one in detail. Referring now to FIG. 4, the 
sample holder or carrier 22 comprises a slider 38 shaped arcuately to 
conform generally to the shape of the channel member 12 and having upper 
and lower flanges 39 and 40 sized and shaped for easy entry into the 
grooves 20 and 21 in the channel member 12 and for sliding movement 
therein. Releasably secured to each slider 38 is a mounting 41 to which is 
secured a sample such as a hair swatch 42, for example. The mounting 41 
may be provided with conventional detent means 43 insertable in openings 
44 in the slider 38 to secure the mounting 41 releasably thereto. 
In a typical presentation, it may be desired to display, for example, a 
product intended to impart soft color highlights to hair and available in 
different formulations for hair of different colors. For such use, the 
shelf organizer may be assembled to the shelf 11 as described above with 
as many dividers 13 as required to provide compartments or channels 14 for 
the several products to be displayed. Thus, a plurality of different 
formulations of the product, e.g. for light blond hair, for light brown 
hair and for dark brown hair, may be displayed in separate channels 13. 
Positioned in registry with each product row is a sample holder carrying, 
for example, a swatch of hair of the color for which the product was 
formulated, after it has been treated with the product, to demonstrate to 
a prospective customer the effect produced by the product. 
Each sample holder may also carry suitable advertising copy or explanatory 
matter on the front thereof. Also, an insert strip 46 which may be of the 
same width and length as the front channel may be inserted into the 
grooves 20 and 21 and positioned beneath the sample holders to carry 
additional promotional or explanatory matter. 
End caps 47 and 48 shaped to conform to the cross-section of the front 
channel 12 are then fitted over the ends of the latter to impart a neat, 
finished appearance to the assembled device and to prevent the sample 
holders from being inadvertently removed. 
The shelf organizer of the invention may be supplied in the form of a kit 
with parts to form, say, five display channels. If it is desired to 
display less than five products, the plastic front channel can be cut to 
the proper width and fitted with the necessary reduced number of 
separators, and the end caps put in place to provide a neat and effective 
display. Alternatively, if more than five products are to be displayed, 
two shelf organizers can be used in side-by-side relation on a shelf, an 
insert strip 46 of suitable length being used to bridge the gap between 
the two, so that the assembly has an attractive, finished appearance. 
The invention thus provides a novel and highly effective shelf organizer 
that can easily be tailored to accommodate as many products as desired 
while retaining a neat and finished appearance. Moreover, by virtue of the 
close association of the sample holders with the respective displayed 
articles, it is possible for a customer to readily determine which of a 
plurality of products being displayed is best suited to her needs. In 
addition, the construction of the sample holders makes it possible for the 
samples to be easily changed or replaced. 
The specific embodiments described are intended to be merely illustrative, 
and modifications in form and detail are possible within the scope of the 
following claims.