Abstract:
A display rack and bottle are provided with one defining a keyway and the other defining a key. When the key is in the keyway, the bottle label faces forward. Removing a bottle does not alter the relationship between the key and keyway ensuring that the bottle labels always face forward.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a merchandising display device for displaying beverage bottles and dispensing the bottles one at a time, and, more particularly, to a device for orienting the bottles so that bottle labels face forward.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Display racks are used to hold merchandise awaiting purchase by a consumer. Some items, such as beverages, are best when consumed chilled, and are consequently housed in a refrigerator unit. Display racks are used in the refrigerator to hold beverage containers upright for easy viewing and to dispense them one at a time. Beverages are removed one at a time from the front of the rack and the remaining inventory is urged to the front of the rack for easy removal.  
           [0003]    Presentation of the beverage is very important; so, a viewing area at the front of the rack allows easy viewing of the label area of the beverage container. Unfortunately, in many instances where beverages are displayed in racks, especially where the beverage containers are suspended by their necks, the beverage containers are not always perfectly aligned with the labels facing forward for easy viewing because of the time required to align them and because rack stockers are generally not that attentive. In addition, even when initially perfectly aligned, they are subject to disturbance as consumers remove containers from the display. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it would be highly desirable to have a display system that aligns the beverage label so that container labels face forward and prevents disturbance as containers are removed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the invention, a merchandising system for displaying and orienting beverage bottles comprises a plurality of beverage bottles each having a body with a product identification panel, a shoulder atop the body, a neck, a protruding flange about the neck, and a head atop the neck. A cap is attached to the head. The cap has a lower portion engaging the head and an upper portion with a protrusion extending above the head. The protrusion has side faces and a front face with the front face aligned vertically with the product identification panel. A display rack has at least one channel member. There are means on the channel member for receiving the plurality of beverage bottles, holding the plurality of beverage bottles by the protruding flanges and dispensing the plurality of beverage bottles one at a time. The means includes a longitudinally extending slot in the channel and first and second keyways along the slot. The first keyway has a larger lateral dimension than the slot so that a neck flange can be inserted and removed through the keyway but cannot move laterally through the slot. The second keyway is adapted to receive the side faces of the protrusion of the cap so that the face of the protrusion and the product identification panel face forward in the channel.  
           [0005]    The present invention is a display rack and bottle with one defining a keyway and the other defining a key. When the key is in the keyway, the bottle label faces forward. Removing a bottle does not alter the relationship between the key and keyway ensuring that the bottle labels always face forward.  
           [0006]    According to another aspect of the invention, a merchandising system for displaying and orienting beverage bottles comprises a plurality of beverage bottles each having a body with a product identification panel, a shoulder atop the body and a neck. A cap is attached to the head. The cap has a lower portion engaging the head and an upper portion defining a keyway and a front face. The front face is aligned vertically with the product identification panel. A display rack has at least one channel member and defines a key for engaging the keyway and holding the plurality of beverage bottles by the cap and dispensing the plurality of beverage bottles one at a time. The keyway is adapted to receive the key so that the product identification panel faces forward on the display rack.  
           [0007]    In one adaptation, the key has a parallelepiped cross-section and the keyway has a parallelepiped opening. In another adaptation, the key has a circular cross-section and the keyway has a circular opening. When mated, the bottle is prevented from rotating so that the product label always faces forward. 
       
    
    
       [0008]    These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a merchandising display device and bottle according to the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the device and bottle of FIG. 1 as the bottle is removed from the display device.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a of a merchandising display device and bottle according to the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the device and bottle of FIG. 3 as the bottle is removed from the display device.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating another preferred embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 2 , a merchandising system  10  includes a display track device  12  and a plurality of bottles  14 . The merchandising system  10  displays and orients the beverage bottles  14  for dispensing one at a time. Each of the bottles  14  has a body  16 , a shoulder  18  atop the body  16 , a neck  20 , a protruding flange  22  about the neck  20 , and a head atop the neck  20 . The body  16  has product identification panel  24  to which product labeling may be affixed. Preferably, there are two product identification panels spaced 180 degrees from one another about the circumference of the bottle  14 .  
         [0015]    A cap  26  is attached to the head and has a lower portion engaging the head and an upper portion with a protrusion  28  extending above the head. Protrusion  28  has parallel side faces  30  and a front face  32 . Front face  32  is aligned vertically with the product identification panel  24 .  
         [0016]    A display rack  34  has at least one channel member  36  and preferably has a plurality of channel members. Means are provided on the channel member  36  for receiving the plurality of beverage bottles  14 , holding the plurality of beverage bottles  14  by the protruding flanges  22  and dispensing the plurality of beverage bottles  14  one at a time. The means includes a longitudinally extending slot in the channel  14  and first and second keyways  38 ,  40  along the slot. The first keyway  38  has a larger lateral dimension than the slot so that a neck flange  22  can be inserted and removed through the keyway  38  but can not move laterally through the slot. The second keyway  40  is adapted to receive the side faces  30  of the protrusion  28  of the cap  26  so that the front face  32  of the protrusion  28  and the product identification panel  24  face forward in the channel  36 . By this construction, a channel is formed that has a horizontal keyway  38  and a vertical keyway  40  above it. Horizontal keyway  38  supports the bottle by its neck ring or flange and limits horizontal movement of the bottle in the channel, while vertical keyway  40  forms a guide groove for receiving the flat sides of the protrusion of the cap to prevent rotation of the cap and therefore the bottle attached to it.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIGS.  3 - 5 , a merchandising system  50  includes a display rack device  52  and a plurality of bottles  54 . The merchandising system  50  displays and orients the beverage bottles  54  for dispensing one at a time. Each of the bottles  54  has a body  56 , a shoulder  58  atop the body  56 , a neck  60 , a protruding flange  62  about the neck  60 , and a head atop the neck  60 . The body  56  has product identification panel  64  to which product labeling may be affixed. Preferably, there are two product identification panels spaced 180 degrees from one another about the circumference of the bottle  54 . A cap  66  is attached to the head and has a lower portion engaging the head and upper portion defining a keyway  68  and a front face  70 . Front face  70  is vertically aligned with the product identification panel  64 .  
         [0018]    The display rack  52  has at least one elongated member  72  defining a key  74  for engaging the keyway  68  and holding the plurality of beverage bottles  54  by the cap  66  and dispensing the plurality of beverage bottles one at a time. The keyway  68  is adapted to receive the key  74  so that the product identification panel  64  faces forward on the display rack  52 . Key  74  has a circular cross-section and keyway  68  has a circular opening.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 illustrates another preferred embodiment of a key  76  and keyway  78 . Key  76  has a parallelepiped cross-section and the keyway  78  has a parallelepiped opening. The key and keyway may have any cross-sections that are mateable with one another to support the bottles for removal one at a time.  
         [0020]    While the invention has been described with particular reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements of the preferred embodiments without departing from invention. For example, the channel members may be constructed of metal, plastic or a composite material. Also, the protrusion on the cap need not have flat sides but could have a cylindrical configuration.  
         [0021]    As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular details of the examples illustrated, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications will occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, the keyway on the bottle for suspending the bottle need not be continuous, it could have a slit in its top to accommodate a hanging key suspended from above. It is accordingly intended that the claims shall cover all such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.