Abstract:
An improved product storage assembly attachable to a shelving assembly. The product display assembly including a base defining a support surface, and a backstop adjustable relative to the base. The backstop includes a first portion coupleable to the base, and a second portion extending generally upwardly from the first portion to display indicia creating the illusion of a fully stocked shelf.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/242,560 filed Sep. 15, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a shelving unit accessory, and more specifically to a shelving unit accessory with adjustable storage area. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A retail display desirably provides prominent and aesthetically pleasing display of and easy access to a product. When attempting to market a product, the seller typically wants consumers to easily recognize and remove the product from the display. Merchandise can be most easily recognized and accessed if located in an upright position maintained in close proximity to the forward edge of the merchandise shelf. It is also desirable for the display to be adaptable to changes in merchandise or packaging size. Furthermore, in order to increase the overall aesthetics of the product and display, retailers often prefer the appearance of fully stocked shelves. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In some embodiments, the present invention provides a product display assembly for placement on a shelving unit to display merchandise, and the product display assembly includes a base defining a support surface and a backstop adjustable relative to the base. The backstop includes a first portion coupleable to the base, a second portion extending generally upwardly from the first portion, and indicia displayed on the second portion. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, the invention provides a product display assembly for placement on a shelving unit to display merchandise, and the product display assembly includes a base having a support surface and a backstop adjustably coupled to the base and moveable between an increased inventory position and a decreased inventory position. The backstop includes a first portion and a second portion extending generally upwardly from the first portion, where the second portion is substantially adjacent to the base when the backstop is in the decreased inventory position and spaced from the base when the backstop is in the increased inventory position. The product display assembly also includes indicia displayed on the second portion. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, the invention provides a product display assembly for placement on a shelving unit to display merchandise, and the product display assembly includes: a base having a first support surface, a forward base edge, a rearward base edge opposite the forward base edge, and a pair of side base edges extending between the forward and rearward base edges. The base defines a first plurality of openings positioned substantially adjacent the forward base edge and a second plurality of openings. The product display assembly also includes a backstop movable relative to the base, the backstop including a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion extending upwardly from the generally horizontal portion, the generally horizontal portion having a forward backstop edge, a rearward backstop edge opposite the forward backstop edge, a pair of side backstop edges extending between the forward and rearward backstop edges, and slots extending substantially perpendicular the forward backstop edge. The generally horizontal portion defines a second support surface. The product display also includes indicia displayed on the vertical portion of the backstop and a pair of fasteners, each fastener extending through a respective one of the second plurality of openings and into a respective one of the slots for guiding movement of the backstop relative to the base. The backstop is linearly movable with respect to the base between a decreased inventory position where the generally vertical portion is substantially adjacent the rearward base edge and an increased inventory position where the vertical portion is spaced at an increased distance from the rearward base edge. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a product display assembly. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the product display assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a first product display assembly in an increased inventory position, and a second product display assembly in a reduced inventory position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the product display assembly of  FIG. 1  positioned on a shelving unit. 
       
    
    
       [0011]    It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]      FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a product display assembly  10  attachable to a support structure or shelving unit  14  to display merchandise  15  (see  FIG. 4 ) for example, in a retail outlet or supermarket. The product display assembly  10  includes a base  18  and a backstop  22  adjustably coupled to the base  18 . The backstop  22  includes a first substantially horizontal portion  26  coupled to the base  18 , and a second substantially vertical portion  30 . Indicia  34  can be displayed in front of vertical portion  30  and above the second portion  26  of the backstop  22 . As discussed below, the product display assembly  10  can be adjusted depending upon the amount of merchandise it holds. By replicating the appearance of the merchandise on assembly  10 , the indicia  34  cooperates with the backstop  22  to provide the appearance of a full supply of merchandise even as merchandise is removed from the display assembly  10 . 
         [0013]    The base  18  of the product display assembly  10  is generally rectangular and includes a support surface  38  for placing merchandise  12  (see  FIG. 4 ), a front edge  42 , a rear edge  46  opposite the front edge  42 , and a pair of side edges  50  extending between the front and rear edges  42 ,  46 . The base  18  also includes a first plurality of apertures  54  proximate the front edge  42  for coupling the base  18  to a corresponding shelf  16  (see  FIG. 4 ), and a second plurality of apertures  58  for adjustably coupling the base  18  and the backstop  22 . 
         [0014]    In the illustrated embodiment, the base  18  is substantially planar and formed of a suitable sheet material (e.g., steel), however in some constructions, the support surface  38  may be contoured to include grooves, channels, ridges, recesses, uprights, and the like, which may better support and/or stabilize certain types of merchandise that may be placed on the assembly  10 . In other constructions, the base  18  may have a unique contour to better correspond to the shape and/or size of the shelf  16  to which the assembly  10  is coupled. In yet other alternate constructions, the side edges  50  may include a plurality of tabs, recesses, hooks and the like corresponding to similar elements of adjacent product display assemblies to properly position, join, or secure each product display assembly  10  with respect to adjacent product display assemblies. In yet another construction, the front edge  42  of the base  18  may include signage (not shown) or suitable support features for such signage to display the name, price, or other information regarding the merchandise to be sold. In still other constructions, the base  18  may include recesses, hooks, or other mounting provisions for maintaining fencing, rails, signage, and the like to better support, separate, advertise, or maintain the merchandise  12 . 
         [0015]    The first plurality of apertures  54  are generally positioned proximate the front edge  42  of the base  18  to receive a fastener, such as a pine tree clip  62 , to couple the base  18  with the shelf  16 . In some alternate constructions, one or more apertures of the first plurality of apertures  54  may be elongated or oversized to allow the base  18  to be adjusted with respect to the shelf  16 . In still other constructions, the base  18  may include protrusions (not shown) extending from the bottom of the base  18 , configured to be received by a corresponding aperture in the shelf  16 . In still other constructions, the base  18  may include magnets, rubber pads, hooks, double stick tape and the like to limit movement of or otherwise secure the base  18  relative to the shelf  16 . 
         [0016]    Each of the second plurality of apertures  58  is positioned to correspond to a respective slot  70  (described below) to adjustably couple the base  18  and the backstop  22 . In the illustrated embodiment, each aperture is shaped to receive at least a portion of a fastener or plastic button clip  74 . In some constructions, one or more of the apertures  58  may be elongated or oversized to allow additional degrees of freedom between the base  18  and the backstop  22 . 
         [0017]    The first portion  26  of the backstop  22  includes an upper surface  66  and defines at least one and preferably a plurality of elongated slots  70  of preferably equal length. The elongated slots  70  extend generally perpendicular to the second portion  30  and are configured to receive at least a portion of the plastic button clip  74  that extends through a corresponding one of the second plurality of apertures  58 . In the illustrated embodiment, each slot  70  is also configured to permit the backstop  22  to slide relative to the plastic button clip  74  along at least a portion of the length of the slots  70 . 
         [0018]    In some constructions, the backstop  22  may include a plurality of side walls (not shown) extending generally perpendicular to both the second portion  30  and the first portion  26 . In other constructions, the backstop  22  may include grooves, channels, ridges, recesses, uprights, and the like that correspond to features that may also be present on the base  18 . In yet other constructions, each slot  70  may include indicia or a plurality of distinct recesses positioned a measured distance from one another to provide multiple pre-determined positions for the backstop  22 . 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the backstop  22  is adjustably coupled to the base  18  for movement between an increased inventory position and a decreased inventory position. When the backstop  22  is in the increased inventory position, the second portion  30  is spaced rearwardly from the rear edge  46  of the base  18 . When the backstop  22  is in the decreased inventory position, the second portion  30  is generally adjacent the rear edge  46  of the base  18 . The configuration of the slot  70  also allows the backstop  22  to be moved to a variety of intermediate positions between the increased and decreased inventory positions. The upper surface  66  of backstop  22  also provides a supplemental support surface  38   a  when the backstop  22  is at least partially moved away from base  18 . 
         [0020]    In the illustrated construction, the base  18  and the backstop  22  are adjustably coupled by way of fasteners, however in other constructions; the base  18  may include a channel able to accept at least a portion of the backstop  22 . In yet another construction, the backstop  22  may be adjustably coupled directly to the shelf  16 . In still other constructions, each base  18  may correspond to multiple backstops  22 , each backstop  22  able to be adjusted independently of one another. 
         [0021]    As seen in  FIG. 4 , when the product display assembly  10  is placed on a shelf  16 , it may produce a storage volume  78  behind the backstop  22  that is suitable for storing excess merchandise. When this occurs, the backstop  22  not only provides a rear boundary for the merchandise being displayed, but also at least partially shields the excess merchandise from view of the purchaser. In this regard, merchandise stored behind the backstop  22  can be arranged differently than merchandise in front of the second portion  30 , thereby maximizing the usefulness of the storage volume  78  while allowing merchandise in front of the second portion  30  to be positioned for easy removal by the customer. The backstop  22  can thus be adjusted not only to accommodate the size and quantity of the merchandise being displayed, but can be altered to adjust the amount of storage space available in storage volume  78 . 
         [0022]    Best illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the indicia  34  generally displays an image of the merchandise positioned within the product display assembly  10  and cooperates with the backstop  22  to provide the appearance that the shelf  16  is fully stocked. In some constructions, the indicia  34  may be printed directly on the backstop  22 . In other constructions, the indicia  34  may be removably coupled to the second portion  30  of the backstop  22  to display images of the product, advertisements, text, and the like. For example, the indicia  34  may include a removable vinyl sticker or magnet with an image printed on the surface so the indicia  34  may be changed with the merchandise being displayed in the assembly  10 . In some constructions, the product display assembly  10  may include multiple indicia  34 , and each indicia  34  may be independently removable from the backstop  22  to correspond to various products or items placed on the assembly  10 .