Abstract:
A frame for a shelving system for presenting items includes a front member ( 200 ) and a rear member ( 400 ), which rear member is spaced apart from the front member and connected to the front member by at least two spaced apart further frame members ( 110 ). In one aspect, a source of illumination ( 800 ) is housed at least partly within the front member, and a lens member ( 600 ) extends upwardly from the front member and is able to receive light from the source of illumination. Items presented for display adjacent the lens member are at least partly illuminated by light projected by the lens member. In another aspect, at least one product support ( 120 ) extends between the front member and the second member in one of a plurality of laterally spaced product support positions, and at least one key mechanism ( 510, 128 ) is able to selectively permit and prevent movement of the product supports between the product support positions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to shelving systems and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to shelving systems for use in retail environments.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Shelving systems are used in retail environments such as supermarkets to present product items for sale. It is desirable that the items be attractively displayed in a low-cost and convenient manner to encourage customers to purchase, and to present the supermarket as an appealing and attractive venue to shop.  
           [0003]    It is recognised that a significant factor in presenting items involves the appropriate use of lighting. Typically, supermarkets use banks of fluorescent tubes to create relatively bright ambient lighting. However, due to the regular placement of high shelves, typically arranged in a number of long rows, the aisles can requires a great deal of lighting to achieve adequate illumination.  
           [0004]    In the past, the impact of lighting has been enhanced by fitting existing shelves with fluorescent tube lighting. The fluorescent tubes are located under the shelves, hidden from the view of customers but positioned to light up the products on the shelf immediately below. Typically there may be fitted a baffle to hide the tube and associated components, thus avoiding any direct exposure to the lighting produced by the tubes, which is relatively harsh when not reflected from the product items on display.  
           [0005]    This approach achieves a generally favourable result, but is not without limitations. In particular, it can be relatively expensive to retrofit existing shelving systems so that they are capable of being lit in the manner described. Also, this exercise does not necessarily result in the most favourable presentation of illuminated items. In particular, the items may cast shadows, as the lighting produced by the fluorescent tubes is not sufficiently dispersed.  
           [0006]    It is accordingly an object of the invention in a first aspect to address these and other problems associated with the prior art.  
           [0007]    Another desirable feature for retail shelving, especially in supermarkets, is an ability to freely vary the lateral space occupied by rows of products. A common approach is to avoid the use of dividers altogether, but this has the disadvantage that disorder can easily become the norm on the shelving, and spaces created when all of a given product have been taken can easily be closed by adjacent product. The absence of the product is then readily overlooked, and a mismatch with pricemarks arises. Dividers overcome these problems but usually cannot be freely placed on the shelving but have fixed engagement locations that define a restricted number of alternative row widths. A result of this reduced flexibility is that shelf space is not occupied to an efficient optimum.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to provide a shelving system with product dividers that are adjustable to allow an efficient use of display space.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    A first inventive concept resides in a recognition that lighting in display shelving is advantageously improved by the introduction of an elongate source of illumination which is able to project light though an upstanding lens member that preferably assists in improving the ambient lighting in the display shelving as well as highlighting items on display in the shelving.  
           [0010]    Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a frame for a shelving system for presenting items. The frame includes a front member and a rear member. The rear member is spaced apart from the front member and connected to the front member by two spaced apart further frame members. A source of illumination is housed at least partly within the front member, and a lens member extends upwardly from the front member and is able to receive light from the source of illumination. Items presented for display adjacent the lens member are at least partly illuminated by light projected by the lens member.  
           [0011]    Preferably, the front, rear and side members are each generally elongate in construction. Preferably, the lens member is substantially elongate and planar in form.  
           [0012]    Preferably, the lens member is generally planar and has a front face, a rear face, a lower end and upper end. In use, the front face is preferably facing outwardly from the front member, and the lower end is adapted to be received within the front member.  
           [0013]    Preferably, the front member includes respective portions interconnected in use so that, when connected, they jointly house the source of illumination completely within the resulting front member.  
           [0014]    Preferably, at the lower end of the lens member there is a support portion which slots within a suitably dimensioned slot in the front member.  
           [0015]    Preferably, the front member and the rear member can be manufactured as extruded lengths for construction of shelving frames of the required dimensions.  
           [0016]    Preferably, the lens member includes means on its rear face to space items adjacent to it at least a predetermined distance from it. This spacing preferably assists in improving the visual impact of the lighting provided by the lens member on the product.  
           [0017]    A second inventive concept resides in a recognition that shelving systems are advantageously improved by the use of a key mechanism that is able to selectively engage product supports such as dividers that separate the shelving space of the shelving system into discrete partitions, to facilitate the convenient reconfiguration of the placement of the product supports along the shelving system.  
           [0018]    Accordingly, in a second aspect, the invention provides a shelving system for presenting items. The system includes a front member and a rear member spaced apart from the rear member. Means is provided joining the front member and the rear member. At least one product support extends between the front member and the rear member in one of a selectable plurality of product support positions. At least one key mechanism is provided to selectively permit and prevent movement of the product supports between the product support positions.  
           [0019]    Preferably, the key mechanism includes one or more elongate key members disposed on the front member and/or the rear member.  
           [0020]    Preferably, the key members have a wing or lever portion and a body portion. Preferably, the elongate key members are retained within a housing portion of the front member or rear member, so that the main body portion is rotatable by manual movement of the lever portion between engaging and non-engaging positions in which the key members respectively prevent and permit movement of the product supports.  
           [0021]    The or each key member may define a plurality of slots or notches spaced in its longitudinally direction for receiving a complementary portion of the respective product support, eg. a depending fin of the product support.  
           [0022]    In one embodiment, the product support is or includes a product divider. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a shelving system constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of part of FIG. 1 showing the lens panel and the two components of the front rail assembly of the shelving system of FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a cross-section of an alternative one-piece front rail assembly.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the rear rail assembly of the shelving system of FIG. 1.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a centre rail of the shelving system of FIG. 1.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 6 and 7 are respective perspective and end elevational views of a product support, which is also a product divider.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 8 and 9 are respective isometric views of the rib-locking key member of the shelving system of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]    [0030]FIG. 1 illustrates, in cross-section, a shelving system  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. The shelving system  100  is supported by two or more brackets  110  that engage a wall or a matching vertically-oriented fitting such, as a slotted pillar or other upright (not shown). The brackets have upper edges that define an inclination at which products are to be displayed by the system.  
         [0031]    The brackets  110  connect front and rear members in the form of a front rail assembly  200  and a rear rail assembly  400 . These assemblies are oriented substantially parallel to each other. The front rail assembly  200  and rear rail assembly  400  are spaced apart from each other, as illustrated, and connected by brackets  110 . A centre rail  300  is also oriented substantially parallel with the front and rear rail assemblies  200 ,  400 , and is supported by the brackets  110  and located about midway between the front and rear rail assemblies  200 ,  400 . In smaller systems, centre rail  300  is omitted.  
         [0032]    The front rail assembly  200  is comprised of two principal co-operating components, ie. a first elongate member  220  and a second elongate member  260  that jointly house a source of illumination  800  in a cavity  802  defined between them. The source of illumination is an elongate tubular lighting member, such as a fluorescent or incandescent light tube  800 . Extending upwardly from the front rail assembly  200  is a generally planar lens panel  600 , constructed of a substantially transparent or at least translucent material.  
         [0033]    The lens panel  600  is located with respect to the front rail assembly  200  so that it receives illumination from the light tube  800 . The light tube is located immediately below the bottom edge  620  of panel  600  so that light from the tube is projected upwardly within the lens panel  600  and then outwardly from the panel  600  to illuminate items presented for purchase by the shelving system. It will be appreciated that the combination of light tube  800  and lens panel  600  is an edge lighting configuration, and that panel  600  also doubles as a front ledge or produce stop for the shelving system.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 2 illustrates, in cross-section, the lens panel  600  more clearly. The lens panel is an integral item of generally planar and laterally elongate form, and has a lower edge  620  joined to an upper edge  660  by a body or middle section  640 . Adjacent the lower edge  620 , which engages the front rail assembly  200 , there is a main lower edge portion  622  wider than middle section  640 . At the top of lower edge portion  622 , a front base flange  628  extends the full length of the panel and has a down-turned outer lip  629 . At regular intervals vertical vent openings  624  through edge portion  622  and flange  628  allow ventilation of hot air from light cavity  802 . On the rear of the panel  600  and aligned with front base flange  628  is a corresponding rear base flange  630 . A retaining lip  626  depends from the rear base flange  630 , parallel to but spaced from edge portion  622 , to engage the second elongate member  260 , in a manner to be explained.  
         [0035]    The upper edge  660  of lens panel  600  has a rearwardly and downwardly arched profile immediately above a rearwardly projecting product spacing flange  662 . The rear base flange  630  and the product spacing flange  662  are contacted in use by products held in the shelving system and thereby maintain the products a minimum distance from the body  640  of the lens panel. This is desirable to ensure that the front products so presented are well lit by the lens panel  600 . It will of course be appreciated that the products are urged into contact with flanges  630 ,  662  by the inclined orientation of the system.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 2 also more clearly illustrates the complementary cross-sections of the first and second members  220 ,  260  of the front rail assembly  200 . Members  220 ,  260 , and rail  300  and rear rail  400 , are typically powder-coated aluminium extrusions of uniform cross-section and will hereinafter be referred to as cover extrusion  220  and key supporting extrusion  260 . The front face  222  of the cover extrusion  220  includes pairs of matched undercut slots  224 ,  226  into which data ticket strips for product labels or the like (not shown) can be pairwise fitted. These strips can be variously positioned on the front face  222 , depending on which pair of the slots  224 ,  226  are used. A base flange  232  and a lower partition  234  parallel to flange  232  define retaining spaces  230 ,  231  extending the full length of the cover extrusion. Space  230  locates tabs (not shown) on brackets  110 . The lower partition  234  is connected to a flat rear wall  238  by an arched externally convex wall  236  that bounds the front of cavity  802 . In the full assembly, rear wall  238  locates behind flange lip  829  of lens panel  600 .  
         [0037]    The key support extrusion  260  has an uppermost retaining flange  278  that is vertically oriented in situ and is received firmly between retaining lip  626  and edge portion  622  of lens panel  600  so that the two components remain engaged when the front rail assembly  200  is disassembled. The retaining flange  278  is connected to a ledge  276  on which product supports  120  rest as they extend between the front rail assembly  200  and the rear rail assembly  400 . The ledge  276  is, in turn, attached to a part annular member  272  which provides a bearing for a rib-locking key member to be later described in further detail.  
         [0038]    Key support extrusion  260  is completed by a pair of parallel bottom flanges  284 ,  286  defining, with a front connecting web  290 , a rearwardly opening U-shaped channel  285 , again for locating tabs of brackets  110 . The U-shaped structure is linked to key bearing member  270  by web  280 .  
         [0039]    A pair of integral forwardly open part-annular channels  274 ,  282  are respectively formed on the rear of key bearing member  272  and web  280 : these receive self-tapping screws by which extrusion  260  is fastened to support brackets  110  at each end, and also provide respective seats for the legs  812  of brackets  810  mounting light tube  800  in cavity  802 .  
         [0040]    Cover extrusion  220  is retained by location behind flange lip  629  and by clips slid into retaining spaces  231 ,  285  on the respective components. This allows easy removal for replacement or service of the light fitting.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 3 is a cross-section of an alternative one-piece front rail assembly  200 ′ where a light fitting is not required. Like parts are indicated by like primed reference numerals. An alternative data strip and label mounting face is also depicted.  
         [0042]    Rear rail assembly  400  is detailed in FIG. 4 and, in one-piece, complements a number of features of the components of front rail assembly  200 , including a part-annular key bearing member  412 , ledge  414  on which dividers  120  rest, screw mounting channels  420 ,  422  for fixing the support brackets  110 , a rear vertically oriented channel  427  for locating tabs of brackets  110 , and an integral rear stop panel  416 . There is also a rear channel  425  for fitting a rear panel or basket attachment.  
         [0043]    Centre rail  300  is depicted in FIG. 5 and has an upstanding flat topped ridge  310  on which the support shelves and dividers rest, defined longitudinally extending slots  320  to locate tabs of brackets  110 , a screw receiving formation  315 , and slots  325  to support an optional shelf base  325 .  
         [0044]    As already foreshadowed, several product supports  120  that are also product dividers are arranged along and rest on ledge  276  at the front, ridge  310  at the centre and ledge  414  at the rear. Product supports  120  are generally in the form of an inverted T, save for the L-shaped supports placed at the lateral ends of the unit. The inverted T supports  120  can be selectively placed at intermediate positions to suit desired widths of product display spaces. Once in position, the product supports are locked in place by rotatable key members  510 .  
         [0045]    Each product support  120  (FIGS. 6 and 7) consists of an elongate flat base  124 , a main upright divider panel  126  that intersects base  124  along its longitudinal centre line so that the respective halves of the base provide lateral support surfaces  125  for the products to be displayed. Accordingly, each pair of supports  120  must be placed sufficiently close for the associated products to bridge any gap between them. Surfaces  125  have shallow longitudinal ribs  123  to reduce product friction so that they can freely slide down the incline. Depending from base  124  at its longitudinal edges are a pair of fins or ribs  128 . These fins or ribs are set back from the front and rear ends of the product support in order to accommodate ledges  276 ,  414 , and are divided centrally by cross-fins  127   a ,  127   b  defining a channel  129  that nests with ridge  310  of centre rail  300 . Channel  129  also helps in locating the product support so that it is square to the rails when placed into position.  
         [0046]    Each product support  120  is latched into its selected position by rotatable key members  510  at front and rear that grip and thereby lock the ribs or fins  128 .  
         [0047]    A typical rib-locking key member  510  is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. It has a main body  514  defined by baffles  511  and generally circular cross-braces  513 , and a projecting planar lever wing  512  in a plane offset from the axis of body  514 . Body  514  is of overall cylindrical profile and is rotatably retained in part-annular bearing member  272  or  412  with wing  512  under the product supports and pointing to the other end. The top of body  514  is truncated flush with the top of wing  512  to a mid-line  517  and then from this mid-line a longitudinally extending ridge  519  is multiply slotted to define multiple thin tabs  515 . Tabs  515  are separated by a distance defining respective slots  518  to receive ribs or fins  128  of product supports  120  in a firm fit. Each key member  510  is rotatable, by grasping wing  512 , between a product support release position (FIG. 1 at right), in which wing  512  is raised and fin  128  is clear of slots or notches  518  and tabs  515 , and a product support latch position (FIG. 1 at left), in which wing  512  is down and ribs or fins  128  are gripped and thereby “locked” in a respective slot or notch  518  between tabs  515 . Slot or notch  518  is tapered at its entry as shown to facilitate increasing clamping engagement as the key member is rotated to the latch position.  
         [0048]    There may be one or several key members  510  along each of the front and rear of the system, according to the width of the system. To move a given product support laterally involves three easily executed steps. The appropriate front and rear key members are rotated upwardly to release the product support, the product support is slid along to the new selected position, and the key members are rotated down again. In a system of sufficient width, multiple product supports or dividers can be freely arranged to define product spaces of different widths.  
         [0049]    It will be understood that the system is readily adapted to a different mode of use in which product supports  120  with divider panels  126  are not employed but instead simple shelf segments or mats are arranged on the support ledges  276 ,  414 .