Abstract:
A gravity feed display rack for supporting and displaying merchandise is provided. The rack has a merchandise channel support structure featuring a number of rods. Inner and outer dividers featuring merchandise supports and longitudinally extending walls are positioned on the rods in a sliding fashion. End portions of the rods feature adjustable latch slots and at least one outer divider features connectors with locking projections that engage the adjustable latch slots of the merchandise channel support structure. As a result, the dividers are located in spaced apart relationship upon the merchandise channel support structure and may be adjusted to accommodate varying sizes of merchandise.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/288,637, filed Nov. 29, 2005, currently pending. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates, generally, to bottle and can shelving systems and, in particular, to a user configurable shelving system for gravity-feed beverage containers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The prior art includes systems for displaying chilled beverage containers for ready access to retail customers. One system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,945, which issued to Rowse, et al., and which is incorporated herein by reference. The prior art further includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,176 which issued to Jay, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,993 which issued to Ondrasik.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a shelving system which may be configured by the retail business which displays and sells the containers or beverages.  
         [0005]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a bottle or container shelving system which may be reconfigured from the original arrangement.  
         [0006]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container shelving system which may be configured to accommodate a variety of container sizes, and reconfigured thereafter as desired.  
         [0007]     The present invention is a gravity feed display rack for supporting and displaying merchandise that includes a merchandise channel support structure including a rod. The rod has an adjustable latch slot formed therein. An inner divider is slidably mounted on the rod of the merchandise channel support structure. The inner divider includes a merchandise support and a longitudinally extending wall. An outer divider includes a merchandise support, a longitudinally extending wall and a connector. The connector is sized to receive the rod of the merchandise channel support structure. The connector has a locking projector sized to engage the adjustable latch slot of the rod so that the outer divider may be secured in a desired position on the rod of the merchandise channel support structure.  
         [0008]     The adjustable latch slot is formed in an end portion of the rod of the merchandise channel support structure. In addition, the adjustable latch slot features a plurality of teeth where the teeth define adjacent, semi-triangular openings in the adjustable latch slot. The locking projection is formed on a finger of the connector and is generally triangular shaped so as to selectively engage the semi-triangular openings of the adjustable latch slot.  
         [0009]     The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings, provide a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the shelf management system in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a partial exploded bottom perspective view of the shelf management system in accordance with the present invention, showing the left and right outer dividers, and a plurality of inner dividers, and a plurality of rods.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an inner divider and a plurality of rods.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of  FIG. 3 , with a rod extending through the rod passage of the inner divider.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the right outer divider and a portion of a plurality of rods, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6A  is an enlarged view of the connector of the right outer divider of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 6B  is a sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 6A  taken along line  6 B- 6 B.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a partial front view of the shelf management system showing a narrow spacer and a wide spacer, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of a narrow spacer, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the left outer divider in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of the left outer divider of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged side view of one of the connectors of the left outer divider of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 11  taken along line  12 - 12 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 11  taken along line  13 - 13 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view of a portion of one of the rods suitable for use with the left outer divider and connector of  FIGS. 9-13  in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 15  is a sectional view of the rod of  FIG. 14  taken along line  15 - 15 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the shelf management system in accordance with the present invention. A gravity feed display rack  12  is shown.  FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the rack  12 , shown partially disassembled. The rack  12  includes a plurality of inner dividers  14 , a right outer divider  16  and a left outer divider  18  (see  FIG. 2 ). The inner dividers  14  include a longitudinally extending wall  20 , with a right and left merchandise support  22 ,  24  extending in opposite directions from the wall  20 . The merchandise supports  22 ,  24  each having a longitudinally extending edge  26  (see  FIG. 2 ). The wall  20  splits into two diverging curved front walls  28 . The inner dividers  14  include a plurality of connectors  30  (see  FIG. 2 ).  
         [0027]     The right outer divider  16  includes a longitudinally extending wall  34 , with a right merchandise support  36  extending from the wall  34 . The merchandise support  36  having a longitudinally extending edge  40 . The wall  34  merges into a curved front wall  42 . The right divider  32  includes a plurality of connectors  60  (see also  FIGS. 6A and 6B ).  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows the left outer divider  18 . The left divider  18  includes a longitudinally extending wall  52 , with a left merchandise support  54  extending from the wall  52 . The merchandise support  54  having a longitudinally extending edge  56 . The wall  52  merges into a curved front wall  58  ( FIG. 7 ). Additional details of the left outer divider  18  are presented below with reference to  FIGS. 9-16B .  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows the connectors,  30  and  60 . Each connector  30  is shown to include two depending spaced apart facing connector walls  64  depending downwardly (as viewed from  FIG. 1 ) from the merchandise support. The connector walls each include a flange  66 .  FIGS. 5, 6A  and  6 B show that the connectors  60  include a top wall  68 , opposing sidewalls  70 , a bottom wall  72 , and an end wall  74 .  FIGS. 6A and 6B  show the bottom wall  72  of connector  60  to include a finger  76 , having a locking detent  78 . The end wall  74  includes an abutment  80 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 2  also shows the merchandise channel support structure  82 . The merchandise channel support structure  82  includes a plurality of rods  84 . The rods  84  include four walls  86 ,  88 ,  90  and  92  (see  FIG. 4 ). The bottom wall  92 , as viewed in  FIG. 1 , includes a latch opening  94  (See  FIG. 2 ) at the right end of each rod  84 .  
         [0031]     As demonstrated in  FIG. 1 , pairs of dividers  14 ,  16  and  18  form respective split merchandise channels  96 .  
         [0032]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show the plurality of rods  84 , each rod shown having an opening  94  to receive a detent  78  of the locking flange  76  for securing the rod in place with respect to the left outer divider at one side, and the right outer divider at the other side. The plurality of rods will extend through the respective openings or connectors of the inner, left outer and right outer dividers.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a enlarged view of one inner divider  14  with a rod  84  extending through the opening or connector  30 . The connector can be seen to be formed by a horizontal surface and two opposed parallel facing vertical surfaces or connector walls  64  having a flange  66  at the end for retaining the rod within the connector  30 . The rod extends within the connector  30  but not in an interference fit. Rather, the rod is slidable within the connector  30 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  shows a right outer divider  16  having a right or longitudinally extending outer wall  34  which extends in a forward direction and curves to provide the curved front wall  42  with lower and upper stops  98 . The divider further provides a horizontal surface or merchandise support  36  and a plurality of openings or connectors  60 .  
         [0035]     It will be appreciated that when an inner divider is adjacent to the left outer divider, a channel is formed for a certain container size, for example an eight ounce container. The distance between dividers may be expanded by the use of adaptors or spacers  100 ,  102  which may be positioned between adjacent dividers  14 ,  16 ,  18 . The spacers  100 ,  102  are shown in  FIG. 7  in one embodiment. The spacers include a generally longitudinally extending support surface  104  having a width. The spacers include a plurality of connectors  106  (see  FIG. 8 ) similar to connectors  30 . The spacers are positioned between adjacent dividers  14 ,  16  and  18  and increase the width between adjacent walls proportional to the width of the spacer. In one embodiment, two sizes of spacers are anticipated, such as the half inch and one inch length spacers  100 ,  102  shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0036]     The left outer divider in an embodiment of the present invention is indicated in general at  18  in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . As described previously with regard to  FIG. 2 , the left outer divider  18  includes a longitudinally extending wall  52  with a left merchandise support  54  extending from the wall  52 . The left outer divider also features a number of connectors indicated at  110   a - 110   g.    
         [0037]     An enlarged view of connector  110   c  of  FIGS. 9 and 10 , taken from the direction illustrated by arrow  112  of  FIG. 10 , is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . Alternative views of the connector  110   c  are presented in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . While the details of connector  110   c  are described below, it should be understood that connectors  110   a,    110   b  and  110   d - g  feature the same construction.  
         [0038]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 11-13 , similar to the connectors  60  of  FIGS. 5, 6A  and  6 B, the connector  110   c  includes a top wall  114 , opposing sidewalls  116   a  and  116   b  and a bottom wall  118 . The connector  110   c,  however, does not feature an end wall such as the one illustrated at  74  in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  for connector  60 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 11-13 , the bottom wall  118  of connector  110   c  includes a finger  120 , having a locking projection  122 .  
         [0039]     The details of the left end portion  124  of one of the rods  84  suitable for use with the left outer divider and connector of  FIGS. 9-13  is illustrated in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . More specifically, as described previously with regard to  FIG. 4 , the rod  84  includes four walls  86 ,  88 ,  90  and  92 . The bottom wall  92  includes an adjustable latch slot  126 . As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the slot is constructed from teeth  128  that define a series of adjacent semi-triangular shaped openings where each opening is sized and shaped to receive the locking projection  122  of the connector  110   c  of  FIGS. 11-13 .  
         [0040]      FIGS. 16A and 16B  show the left end of rod  84  extending through the connector  110   c  of the left outer divider  18 . The rod  84  slides freely within the connector  110   c  when the locking projection ( 122  in  FIGS. 11-13 ) on the finger  120  of the connector  110   c  is not engaging one of the openings of adjustable latch slot  126  ( FIGS. 14 and 15 ). Other rods  84  engage the other connectors  110   a,    110   b  and  110   d - 110   g  (of  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) in the fashion indicated for connector  110   c  in  FIGS. 16A and 16B .  
         [0041]     As illustrated in  FIG. 16A  for connector  110   c,  left outer divider  18  is initially installed on the left ends of the rods  84  so that locking projections of the connectors ( 110   a - 110   g ) engage the semi-triangular openings at the distal ends of the rod adjustable latch slots ( 126  in  FIG. 14 ). The left outer divider  18  may be adjusted inwards by movement in the direction indicated by arrow  130  in  FIG. 16A . As the left outer divider, and thus connector  110   c,  travels in the direction of arrow  130 , the locking projection of the connector ( 122  of  FIGS. 11-13 ), due to its triangular shape, forces the teeth  128  ( FIG. 14 ) of the adjustable latch slot to slightly compress so that the locking projector may travel between the semi-triangular openings of adjustable latch slot. As a result, the left outer divider travels in the direction of arrow  130  of  FIG. 16A  in a ratcheting fashion. The left outer divider thus may be slid to a desired position on rods  84 , as indicated in  FIG. 16B  for connector  110   c.    
         [0042]     It is to be understood that while the embodiment of the invention described above features a non-adjustable right outer divider  16  and an adjustable left outer divider  18 , the side of the adjustable outer divider could be reversed or both outer dividers could be adjustable in the manner described above for left outer divider  18 .  
         [0043]     It will be appreciated that the retail business will be capable of assembling a shelving system using the described component parts, to provide plurality of channels, wherein each channel may be of the same size or of an assortment of sizes, to accommodate various sized merchandise.  
         [0044]     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.