Abstract:
A product display shelving assembly is provided for displaying products to retail customers. The shelving assembly includes a pair of shelves in which one of the shelves is suspended from the other by a plurality of suspension pieces. Because the suspended shelf does not require a dedicated horizontal support member, a higher proportion of the shelving assembly&#39;s frontal area can be used for displaying products as compared to many types of conventional display shelving. More products can be thus displayed in a given space, less inventory needs to be warehoused and customers can shop more conveniently. The product display may be embodied in new shelving assemblies or conventional display shelving assemblies can be upgraded to accept the improved shelves.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to shelving assemblies, and more particularly to product display shelving assemblies.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Retail shelf space is valuable. Stores display retail products on shelves so that customers can inspect the products and select the ones that they will buy. Many customers make buying decisions while they are in the store, often quite literally within arm&#39;s reach of various competing products. In order for a product to be considered by these customers, it must be visible at the moment the buying decision is made. Without adequate, prominent retail shelf space, the product is effectively invisible.  
           [0003]    The basic unit of shelf space is a square foot of display frontal area. Conventional display shelving assemblies may often include a rectangular shape having a vertical support member, known as an “upright,” at each corner of the shelving assembly. The uprights are longitudinally connected via horizontal support members, referred to as “stretchers,” and are laterally connected via reinforcing support members. While this arrangement has served for many years, the stretchers tend to waste frontal area. Every square foot of frontal area occupied by a stretcher represents lost sales opportunities.  
           [0004]    A need exists for a new type of retail display shelving assembly that has a greater proportion of usable frontal area as compared to conventional shelving. Desirably, the new shelving assembly has fewer stretchers. More desirably, the new shelving assembly can be installed as an after-market accessory to upgrade conventional shelving assemblies.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The invention is a shelving assembly for displaying products to retail customers. The shelving assembly includes a suspended shelf that depends from another shelf by a plurality of suspension pieces. Because the suspended shelf does not require a dedicated horizontal support member, a higher proportion of the shelving assembly&#39;s frontal area can be used for displaying products as compared to many types of conventional display shelving. The suspension pieces are constructed as rigid members to lend stability to the shelves, and adjacent suspension pieces can be joined together to make the shelves even more stable. The suspension pieces may be fixed to the shelves or the shelving frame by fasteners, or the suspension pieces may include curves or angles that wrap around the shelves or the shelving frame. Conventional shelving assemblies can be upgraded to include the invention.  
           [0006]    In one embodiment, the invention is a product display shelving assembly adapted to support a product. The shelving assembly includes at least two spaced uprights and a stretcher extending laterally between the uprights. The stretcher and/or the uprights support an upper shelf. A lower shelf is positioned below the upper shelf and suspended from the upper shelf by a plurality of suspension pieces.  
           [0007]    The suspension pieces may be, for example, rigid metal brackets or bands that attach to the shelves via fasteners. Alternatively, the suspension pieces may include hooks for capturing a shelf or a stretcher.  
           [0008]    In another embodiment, the invention is a kit for upgrading a conventional shelving assembly to include a suspended shelf. The invention also provides a method for assembling the display assembly of the invention and a method for upgrading a conventional shelving assembly to include the invention.  
           [0009]    One advantage of the present invention is that additional merchandising space is created, as compared to the merchandising space of a comparatively sized, conventional product display shelving assembly. Using fewer stretchers than are required by conventional product display shelving assemblies creates the additional display space. The additional display space can be used for adding more shelves or for increasing the number of products displayed per shelf. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings is illustrated by way of example only. The various elements and combinations of elements described below and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged and organized differently to result in embodiments that are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a product display shelving assembly embodying the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a side view of the shelving assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded view of the front corner of the shelving assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is an enlarged, exploded view of the back corner of the shelving assembly of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another product display shelving assembly embodying the present invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a side view of the shelving assembly of FIG. 5.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a product display shelving assembly or rack  10  as depicted in FIG. 1. Shelving assembly (rack)  10  includes front uprights  22  and rear uprights  26  vertically supporting upper shelf  18 . Lower shelf  14  is suspended from upper shelf  18 . Front and rear uprights  22 ,  26  are generally arranged in a rectangular configuration, with front uprights  22  and rear uprights  26  attached, respectively, by stretchers  30 ,  34  (best seen in FIG. 2). Uprights  22 ,  26  are substantially vertically extending support members, and stretchers  22 ,  26  are substantially horizontally extending support members.  
         [0018]    Uprights  22 ,  26  include spaced apertures  38  along their lengths, and stretchers  30 ,  34  include mounting portions  42  having corresponding spaced apertures (FIG. 3) to line up with apertures  38  of uprights  22 ,  26  when stretchers  30 ,  34  are positioned on uprights  22 . Ordinary fasteners  50  are passed through apertures  38  and apertures of mounting portions  42  to affix stretchers  30 ,  34  on uprights  22 ,  26 . In other embodiments of the invention, stretchers  30 ,  34  utilize other components and methods to couple to uprights  22 ,  26  including nails, keys, protrusions, fingers, screws, pins, rivets, D-rings, welding, brazing, soldering and the like. Also, in yet other embodiments of the invention, more or fewer uprights  22 ,  26  and/or stretchers  30 ,  34  may be used to support upper shelf  18 .  
         [0019]    As shown in FIG. 1, upper and lower shelves  18 ,  14  each have wire frames  54 , which are constituted by a plurality of longitudinally and laterally extending wires  58 ,  62 , respectively. Alternatively, other types of shelves can be utilized in the invention, such as sheet metal or plastic shelves with a solid surface. Longitudinally extending wires  58  are interconnected with laterally extending wires  62  by, for example, welding, brazing, soldering, wrapping or the like. Wires  58 ,  62  are coated with a nonstick covering, such as paint, to help decrease any frictional forces developed at the surface of wire frame  54 . Alternatively, the nonstick covering may be a hard rubber or plastic.  
         [0020]    As shown in FIG. 2, shelves  14 ,  18  each have a front end  66  and a back end  70 . Front stretcher  30  supports front end  66  on front stretcher support portion  74 , and back stretcher  34  supports back end  70  on back stretcher support portion  78 . As shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 , front and back stretcher support portions  74 ,  78  include notches formed in front and back stretchers  30 ,  34 , respectively. Front and back stretchers  30 ,  34  are attached to uprights  22  in a manner that places the notches in stretchers  30 ,  34  in a facing relationship. Accordingly, front end  66  of upper shelf  18  is positioned and supported within the notch of front stretcher  30 , and back end  70  of upper shelf  18  is supported by the notch of back stretcher  34 . In other embodiments of the invention, stretcher support portions  74 ,  78  may include, for example, brackets, hinges, mounting tabs, interference fits, snap-fits or the like.  
         [0021]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, front stretcher  30  is mounted at a lower elevation relative to back end  70  so that upper shelf  18  is inclined at an angle relative to the floor or other support surface (not shown) supporting shelving assembly  10 . Lower shelf  14  is inclined at an angle similar to that of upper shelf  18 . As products are positioned on shelves  14 ,  18 , the inclines tend to slide the products to front end  66  so that the products are more visible and available to customers. Alternatively, horizontal shelves can be utilized in the invention.  
         [0022]    To prevent products from falling from front end  66 , front guard member  90  is attached to wire frame  54 . As shown in FIG. 2, front guard member  90  is attached substantially perpendicularly to front end  66 . Alternatively, front guard member  90  may be attached to front end  66  at any reasonable angle relative to wire frame  54 , such that front guard member  90  helps prevent the products from falling from the front of shelves  14 ,  18 .  
         [0023]    Front guard member  90  is preferably made from a clear plastic material, such as polycarbonate. Alternatively, front guard member  90  may be made of any transparent and/or translucent material that permits customers to view the products on shelves  14 ,  18 . Front guard member  90  may be utilized to support signs that convey information about the product, such as price.  
         [0024]    As can be seen in FIG. 3, front guard member  90  is clamped between first guard member bracket  94  and a second guard member bracket  98 . Like guard member  90 , first and second guard member brackets  94 ,  98  extend the length of shelves  14 ,  18 . Guard member  90  is secured between first and second guard member brackets  94 ,  98 , such that second guard member  98  lies above first guard member  94  and is attached between first guard member  94  and wire frame  54 . First and second guard member brackets  94 ,  98  can be welded together or are fastened to wire frame  54  by fasteners  100  or by interference-fit, snap-fit or the like.  
         [0025]    Turning now to FIG. 4, back guard member  102  is attached to back end  70  of wire frame  54  to help prevent the products from falling from the back of shelves  14 ,  18 . Like front guard member  90 , back guard member  102  extends the length of shelves  14 ,  18 . However, back guard member  102  is usually made of opaque metal rather than clear plastic.  
         [0026]    Back support bracket  110  is also attached to back end  70  of wire frame  54 , as depicted in FIG. 4. Back support brackets  110  support back end  70  on back stretcher support portion  78 . Back support brackets  110  include a slot (not shown) allowing back support brackets  110  to laterally adjust on wire frame  54  to accommodate the change in length caused by changes in the relative vertical positions of front and back stretchers  30 ,  34 .  
         [0027]    Continuing with FIG. 2, a plurality of wire guide members  118  extend laterally along wire frames  54  of shelves  14 ,  18  for organizing products on shelves  14 ,  18  into a product line  122  (best seen in FIG. 1). Wire guide members  118  include resilient, “C-shaped” wire  126 , with the ends of wire  126  coupling to guide member retainers  130 . Wire guide members  118  are preferably releasably attached to wire frame  54  and may therefore be adjusted thereon to fit the products carried on shelves  14 ,  18 .  
         [0028]    Wire guide members  118 , working in combination with coated and inclined wire frame  54 , promote “self-facing” of the products on shelves  14 ,  18 . When, for example, a customer removes a first product from product line  122 , guide members  118  and inclined shelves  14 ,  18  cooperate to slide the next product in product line  122  forward on wire frame  54  so that the customer can see and reach the next product in product line  122 .  
         [0029]    As can be seen in FIG. 2, suspension brackets  134  couple lower shelf  14  to upper shelf  18  for suspending lower shelf  14  from upper shelf  18 . Suspension brackets  134  include upper mounting portion  138 , middle portion  142  and lower mounting portion  146 . Upper and lower mounting portions  138 ,  146  are substantially perpendicular to middle portion  142 . Upper and lower mounting portions  138 ,  146  are substantially planar and parallel to each other. The mounting portions  138 ,  146  include apertures  150  (FIGS. 3 and 4) for fastening upper mounting portion  138  to upper shelf  18  and lower mounting portion  146  to lower shelf  14  using fasteners  100 ,  106 . As shown in FIG. 3, upper mounting portions  138  are fastened to upper shelf  18  together with first and second guard member brackets  94 ,  98  at front end  66 . As shown in FIG. 4, upper mounting portions  138  are fastened to upper shelf  18  together with back support brackets  110  and back guard member  102  at back end  70 . Similarly, FIG. 2 illustrates that lower mounting portions  146  are fastened to lower shelf  14  together with first and second guard member brackets  94 ,  98  at front end  66 , and lower mounting portions  146  are fastened to lower shelf  14  together with back support brackets  110  and back guard member  102  at back end  70  of lower shelf  14 . Alternatively, suspension brackets  134  may be riveted, pinned, welded, brazed or the like to shelves  14 ,  18 .  
         [0030]    In FIG. 2, suspension brackets  134  are preferably made from steel and are sized to hold lower shelf  14  substantially parallel to upper shelf  18 . In other embodiments of the invention, lower shelf  14  is not substantially parallel with upper shelf  18 . In that case, suspension brackets  134  may be designed and/or configured to provide a different suspension angle to lower shelf  14 .  
         [0031]    Suspending lower shelf  14  from supported upper shelf  18  helps to free more merchandising space on shelving assembly or rack  10 . More specifically, removing stretchers  30 ,  34  from lower shelf  14  improves space utilization and permits a higher proportion of shelving frontal area to be used for displaying products. Typically, stretchers  30 ,  34  are about 3 to about 5 inches tall and several feet long. By removing stretchers  30 ,  34 , the frontal area previously occupied by stretchers  30 ,  34  is freed to display additional products. In many instances, two front stretchers  30  and two rear stretchers  34  can be replaced by two suspended shelves  14  so as to free about 6 to about 10 inches of vertical merchandising space along the length of shelving assembly or rack  10  for displaying additional products. The additional space can be used for adding display shelves or for displaying more products per shelf.  
         [0032]    Another preferred embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. Elements depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 having numbers 500 units greater than the numbers of similar elements in FIGS.  1 - 4  correspond to those elements and conform to their descriptions. For example, upper shelf  518  in FIG. 5 corresponds to upper shelf  18  in FIG. 1 and conforms to its description. As another example, the number of front stretcher  530  in FIG. 5 is 500 units greater than the number for front stretcher  30  in FIG. 1.  
         [0033]    Turning now to FIG. 5, upper shelf  518  is mounted on front stretcher  530  and rear stretcher  534  of shelving assembly or rack  510 . Lower shelf  514  is suspended from upper shelf  518  by front suspension pieces  635  and rear suspension pieces  684 . Significantly, front and rear suspension pieces  635 ,  684  have several important differences as compared to suspension piece  134  depicted in FIG. 1.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 is a side view of the shelving assembly of FIG. 5. As can be seen in FIG. 6, front suspension piece  635  includes a middle portion  643 , a first end portion  639  and a second end portion  647 . Each of the end portions  639 ,  647  are curved or angled to form a hook suitable for holding and partially surrounding wire frame  554 , more particularly, holding and surrounding longitudinal wires  562  of upper shelf  518  and lower shelf  514 , respectively. As depicted in FIG. 6, these hooks wrap around and secure upper and lower shelves  518 ,  514  without any need for fasteners, interference fits, welding, brazing or the like. Front suspension piece  635  preferably attaches to the front portions of upper and lower shelves  518 ,  514  at a distance sufficiently removed from front  566  so as not to obstruct or interfere with front stretcher  530 , which supports upper shelf  518 . Front suspension pieces  635  may optionally be secured to upper and lower shelves  518 ,  514  by fasteners in addition to the hooks.  
         [0035]    Rear support piece  684  includes middle portion  692 , first end portion  688  and second end portion  696 . Each of the end portions  688 ,  696  is bent or angled to form a hook. Preferably, the hook of first end portion  688  is of appropriate size and shape to capture and partially surround rear stretcher  534 . The hook of second end portion  696  is appropriately shaped to capture back plate  610  of lower shelf  514 . Optionally, middle portion  692  includes apertures (not shown) that cooperate with fasteners  698  for additionally securing suspension  684  to rear stretcher  584 . Preferably, two or more suspension pieces  534  are employed, each located adjacent one of the rear corners of shelving assembly or rack  510 .  
         [0036]    In both of the preferred embodiments described above, suspension pieces  134 ,  635 ,  684  are preferably distributed along the front  66 ,  566  and the rear  70 ,  570  of shelving assemblies  10 ,  510 . If two suspension pieces  134 ,  635 ,  684  are located close to one another, they may be joined together by fasteners or the like to increase the rigidity and stability of the shelving assembly  10 ,  510 . If more than one shelving assembly or rack  10 ,  510  of the present invention is positioned immediately adjacent another such shelving assembly or rack  10 ,  510 , one or more suspension pieces  134 ,  634 ,  684  may be joined together with those of the other shelving assembly or rack  10 ,  510  in order to increase the overall rigidity and stability of the display.  
         [0037]    The invention better utilizes display shelving space. By using the invention, additional display shelves can be included in a shelving assembly or more products can be displayed per shelf. With the benefit of the invention, more products can be displayed in a given floor space, less inventory needs to be warehoused and customers can shop more conveniently.  
         [0038]    The preceding embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. These modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims, and it is not intended that the invention be otherwise limited.