Patent Publication Number: US-2006016774-A1

Title: Gondola conversion apparatus and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Priority is hereby claimed to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/583,120 filed on Jun. 25, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      A large number of different merchandise storage and display structures exist, most of which are designed to perform a limited number of functions. However, the market for such structures continues to change, and places increasing demands upon manufacturers for merchandise display structures having increased versatility. It is often desirable for a merchandise storage and display structure to be configured in different manners at different times. For example, the volume of soft drinks stored and displayed in a particular area can change from time to time. Therefore, the same conventional merchandise storage and display structure may not always be well-suited to store and display soft drinks at different times.  
      One solution to such problems is to use different merchandise storage and display structures as different needs of the user arise. However, this can require the purchase of merchandise storage and display structures that are not always used, and can require the user to move, assemble, and disassemble structures from time to time. As another solution, some merchandise storage and display structures can be configured in two or more manners in order to store and display different types and amounts of items. These structures can provide significant advantages over their non-reconfigurable counterparts.  
      In light of the limitations of many existing merchandise storage and display structures, new merchandise storage and display structures capable of being configured in different manners would be welcome additions to the art.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various 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 which are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional gondola shelving system, shown with the decks, shelves, and shelf supports removed;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the gondola shelving system illustrated in  FIG. 1  and parts of a rack system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of the portion of the gondola shelving system and the parts of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , shown with the rack system in a first state;  
       FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of the portion of the gondola shelving system and the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , shown With shelving installed and with the rack system in the first state;  
       FIG. 5  is an assembled perspective view of the portion of the gondola shelving system and the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , shown with shelving installed and with the rack system in a second state;  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a shelf arm of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 ;  
       FIG. 7  is an assembled perspective view of the shelf arm illustrated in  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a shelf of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 ;  
       FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a shelf divider according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 10  is an assembled perspective view of the shelf divider illustrated in  FIG. 9 ;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective detail view of a rack system according to the present invention, shown installed a gondola system and with shelving dividers of the type illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10  in a first state;  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective detail view of the rack and gondola systems illustrated in  FIG. 11 , shown with the shelving dividers in a second state;  
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a rack system according to the present invention, shown installed in a conventional gondola shelving system;  
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the rack system illustrated in  FIG. 13 , shown with additional rack system components installed;  
       FIG. 15  is a perspective detail view of portion of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , shown with product fronting mechanisms and product dividing mechanisms installed in a first state;  
       FIG. 16  is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in  FIG. 15 , shown with the product fronting mechanisms and product dividing mechanisms in a second state;  
       FIG. 17  is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , shown with the product fronting mechanisms and product dividing mechanisms in a third state;  
       FIG. 18  is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 15-17 , shown with product installed in the rack system; and  
       FIG. 19  is a perspective detail view of the portion of the rack system illustrated in  FIGS. 15-18 , shown with product being fronted in the rack system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , standard gondola-type shelving systems typically have a number of bases (for example, gondola shoes  10  in the illustrated embodiment) connected to uprights  12 , a number of lateral stretchers  14  connecting the uprights  12 , a deck (not shown) resting upon and spanning the gondola shoes  10  to provide a lower surface upon which items can be stored and/or displayed, and a kick plate (also not shown) connecting the gondola shoes  10  and providing a front surface for each gondola bay (indicated generally at  16 ). The gondola shoes  10 , uprights  12 , and lateral stretchers  14  can be tubular or solid and can have any cross-sectional shape. By way of example only, the gondola shoes  10 , uprights  12  and/or lateral stretchers  14  can have a variety of hollow or solid cross sections as may be required or desirable, such as rectangular, C-shaped, round, or I- or L-shaped. These elements also can be solid bars or rods or have other polygonal cross sections with flanges, extensions, and other features as needed. The gondola shoes  10 , uprights  12 , and lateral stretchers  14  can be made of any resilient material such as metal, composites, high-strength plastic, wood, and the like. In some embodiments, these elements are made of a relatively high-strength material such as steel, iron, or aluminum.  
      Each gondola bay  16  can have any number of elements adapted to store and/or display items in the gondola bay  16 , and in some cases can define a frame such as that shown in the accompanying figures. By way of example only, each bay  16  can have a panel  18  attached to the uprights  12  in an adjustable or non-adjustable manner. Any number of shelf brackets, peg board elements, or other fixtures can be mounted to the panel  18  in order to support items upon the panel  18 . As another example, each bay  16  can have one or more shelf brackets or other fixtures connected directly to the uprights  12  in an adjustable or non-adjustable manner.  
      With reference, for example, to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in some embodiments of the present invention, the gondola bay  16  is modified into a rack (indicated generally at  20 ) by the installation of a rack assembly  22 . The rack assembly  22  includes one or more feet (for example, rack shoes  24  in the illustrated embodiment), and can also include a kick plate  28  and/or a header  30  connecting the rack uprights  26 . In some embodiments (e.g., the illustrated embodiments), the rack shoes  24  are permanently connected to the rack uprights  26 , such as by welding, brazing, riveting, by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by forming the rack shoes  24  integrally with the rack uprights  26 , and the like. In other embodiments, the rack shoes  24  can be releasably connected to the rack uprights  26  in a number of different manners. For example, the rack shoes  24  can be connected to the rack uprights  26  by pins on the rack shoes  24  releasably inserted within one or more mating apertures in the rack uprights  26  (or vice versa), can have ends shaped to be received within one or more apertures, sockets, or other receptacles in the rack uprights  26  (or vice versa), can be connected to the rack uprights  26  by threaded connections or inter-engaging elements, or can be bolted, pinned, clamped, clipped, or secured to the rack uprights  26  with one or more conventional fasteners in any other manner.  
      In some embodiments, the rack shoes  24  (also referred to herein as “feet” of the rack assembly  22 ) are at least partially hollow, or are otherwise each shaped to receive at least a portion of a gondola shoe  10  as will be described in greater detail below. In other embodiments, the rack shoes  24  have a substantially solid cross-sectional shape.  
      As mentioned above, the rack assembly  22  can have a kick plate  28  and/or a header  30  connecting the rack uprights  26 . If used, the kick plate  28  and/or header  30  can have any constant or varying cross-sectional shape desired, including without limitation rectangular, round, oval, triangular, irregular, or other cross-sectional shapes. The kick plate  28  and header  30  can each be permanently connected to the rack uprights  26  in any manner, such as by welding, brazing, riveting, or by forming the kick plate  28  and header  30  integrally with the rack uprights  26 . Alternatively, the kick plate  28  and header  30  can each be releasably connected to the rack uprights  26  in any of the manners described above with reference to the connection between the rack shoes  24  and rack uprights  26 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 2-5 , the kick plate  28  and header  30  are riveted at opposite ends to the rack uprights  26 , wherein the rivets are passed through apertures in the ends of the kick plate  28  and header  30  and through apertures in the rack uprights  26 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 2-5 , the kick plate  28  and header  30  are attached by headed pins  32  (see  FIG. 2 ) removably received within apertures  34  in the rack uprights  26 . However, any combination of connection types can be used to secure the kick plate  28  and header  30  to the rack uprights  26  as desired.  
      In some embodiments, to install the rack assembly  22  on a gondola bay  16 , the rack shoes  24  of the rack assembly  22  can be coupled to the gondola shoes  10  of the gondola bay  16 . In some embodiments, the rack shoes  24  and gondola shoes  10  are coupled in telescoping relationship with one another (i.e., wherein the rack shoes  24  are received in telescoping relationship within the gondola shoes  10 , or wherein the gondola shoes  10  are coupled in telescoping relationship with the rack shoes  24 ). In the embodiment of  FIGS. 2-5 , for example, the rack shoes  24  are shaped to receive the gondola shoes  10 . This telescoping relationship can be enabled by using rack shoes  24  that are tubular or that otherwise have an open elongated center dimensioned to receive the gondola shoes  10 . With reference to  FIG. 2 , for example, the rack shoes  24  can each have a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape into which the gondola shoes  10  can be received. As shown in  FIG. 2 , some types of gondola shoes  10  have adjustable leveling devices  36  attached thereto. In such cases, the rack shoes  10  can also be dimensioned to receive the leveling devices  36  of the gondola shoes  10 .  
      Although U-shaped rack shoes  24  are used in the illustrated embodiments, in other embodiments the rack shoes  24  can take any other shape capable of receiving at least part of the gondola shoes  10  in telescoping relationship. For example, the rack shoes  24  can have a closed cross-sectional shape (e.g., tubular rack shoes having any cross-sectional shape), a C-shaped cross section, and the like while still performing the telescoping function with the gondola shoes  10  described above.  
      As mentioned above, in some embodiments the rack shoes  24  are instead dimensioned to be received in telescoping relationship within the gondola shoes  10 . In such cases, the gondola shoes  10  can take any of the shapes described above (with reference to the illustrated rack shoes  24 ) for telescoping movement with respect to the rack shoes  24 . In still other embodiments, the rack shoes  24  and gondola shoes  10  can be coupled to permit relative axial movement between the rack and gondola shoes  24 ,  10  in other manners. For example, adjacent rack and gondola shoes  24 ,  10  can be connected by one or more pins, bosses, flanges or other elements on one shoe  24 ,  10  slidably coupled to one or more elongated recesses in the other shoe  10 ,  24 . Any other connection between the rack and gondola shoes  24 ,  10  permitting relative axial movement therebetween can be used, and falls within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      With reference now to  FIGS. 2-7  and  11 - 19 , some embodiments of the present invention have arms  38  extending between uprights  12  of the gondola bay  16  and the rack uprights  26 . The arms  38  can be used to support a deck  40  and/or shelves  42  of the rack  20  as will be described in greater detail below. Also, in some embodiments the arms  38  can provide further support for the rack uprights  26  in their substantially vertical positions. The arms  38  can be permanently coupled to the gondola and/or rack uprights  12 ,  26 , such as by welding, brazing, adhesive or cohesive bonding material, rivets and other permanent fasteners, and the like. However, in some embodiments, the arms  38  are removably coupled to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 .  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , each arm  38  in the illustrated embodiments includes two elongated pieces  44 ,  46  that are adjustable to different positions with respect to one another. The first elongated piece  44  of each arm  38  has a generally hat-shaped cross-section, with a receptacle  48  located between walls of the first elongated piece  44 . The second elongated piece  46  of each arm  38  has an inverted generally T-shaped cross section (i.e., having a main portion  50  and a flange  52  extending therefrom). The flange  52  of the second elongated piece  46  is received within the receptacle  48  of the first elongated piece  44 . By virtue of the mating shapes of the first and second elongated pieces  44 ,  46 , the first and second elongated pieces  44 ,  46  can be adjusted to two or more different positions with respect to one another, such as by inserting the flange  52  of the second elongated piece  46  in the receptacle  48  of the first elongated piece  44 , by sliding the first elongated piece  44  with respect to the second elongated piece  46  (and/or vice versa), and the like. Such adjustment enables the arm  38  to be adjusted to two or more different lengths.  
      Although hat and T-shaped elongated arm pieces  44 ,  46  are used for the adjustable arms  38  in the illustrated embodiments, other types of arms  38  having the same or similar length adjustment capabilities can instead be used. By way of example only, each arm  38  can have a first elongated piece telescoping within a second elongated piece (in a manner similar to the relationship between the gondola and rack shoes  10 ,  24  described above). In other embodiments, first and second elongated pieces of each arm  38  are slidably engaged in any other manner, thereby enabling each arm  38  to be elongated and shortened as desired.  
      In some embodiments, the pieces  44 ,  46  of the arms  38  can be secured in different relative positions (i.e., at different arm lengths). For example, in the illustrated embodiments, the first elongated piece  44  has apertures  54  at different locations corresponding to different lengths of the arm  38 . A screw, pin, or other fastener (not shown) received within an aperture  56  in the second elongated piece  46  can also be received within any of the apertures  54  in the first elongated piece  44  to secure the first and second elongated pieces  44 ,  46  in position with respect to one another and at a corresponding length of the arm  38 . In this regard, any number of apertures  54 ,  56  at any number of different positions along the first and second elongated pieces  44 ,  46  can be used for this purpose. It will also be appreciated that the first and second elongated pieces  44 ,  46  can be secured at two or more different lengths of the arm  38  in a number of other manners, such as by one or more clamps, inter-engaging elements, spring-loaded detents, and the like on either or both elongated pieces  44 ,  46  of the arm  38 . Still other manners of securing the elongated pieces  44 ,  46  of the arm  38  at different arm lengths are possible, and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      The arms  38  can be attached at opposite ends to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in any manner. In the illustrated embodiments for example, the arms  38  have strikers  60 ,  62  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) at opposite ends thereof (i.e., one striker  60  on an end of the first elongated arm piece  44  and another striker  62  on an end of the second elongated arm piece  46 ). Such strikers  60 ,  62  can be used on any other type of arm  38  used with the present invention. Both illustrated strikers  60 ,  62  are generally hook shaped, and can be received within apertures  64 ,  66  in the gondola uprights  12  and rack uprights  26  (see  FIGS. 11 and 12 ), respectively. In this manner, the strikers  60 ,  62  can releasably connect the ends of the arms  38  to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 . In some embodiments, the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  have multiple apertures  64 ,  66  at different locations and/or ranges or locations along the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 , thereby enabling the strikers  60 ,  62  to be connected to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at different locations. Accordingly, the deck  40  and/or shelves  42  of the rack  20  can be installed at different heights in the rack  20 .  
      In the illustrated embodiments, the strikers  60 ,  62  are integral with respective pieces  44 ,  46 , respectively, of the arm  38 . However, in other embodiments, the strikers  60 ,  62  can be separate elements connected to the arm  38  in any manner, such as by welding, brazing, or riveting, by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by one or more pin and aperture connections, by threaded connections or inter-engaging elements, by bolts, clamps, clips, screws, nails, or other conventional fasteners, and the like. Also, any type of arm (e.g., adjustable-length arms  38  as shown in the figures or non-adjustable length arms) can be provided with strikers  60 ,  62  for connection to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 .  
      Although striker and aperture connections are used to connect the arms  38  to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in the illustrated embodiments, any other type of releasable connection between the arms  38  and the uprights  12 ,  26  can be used. For example, the arms  38  can have projections with any other shape releasably connectable within apertures  64 ,  66  in the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 . Similarly, the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  can have apertures with any other shape adapted to receive projections of the arms  38 . By way of example only, the arms  38  can have projections with enlarged heads received within apertures having any shape capable of receiving the heads of the projections (e.g., apertures having square, triangular, or other polygonal shapes, keyhole-shaped apertures, irregularly-shaped apertures, and the like). Alternatively, the locations of the projections and apertures can be reversed, so that the arms  38  have apertured ends receiving projections extending from the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 .  
      In some embodiments, the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  have one or more pegs, fingers, hooks, or other projections coupled to or integral with the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  and to which the arms  38  can be releasably coupled. Such projections can be integral with the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  or can be coupled thereto in any manner, including those mentioned above with reference to the connection between the strikers  60 ,  62  and their respective arm pieces  44 ,  46 . As yet another example, the arms  38  can be releasably coupled to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  by inter-engaging elements on the arms  38  and the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 , by one or more conventional fasteners releasably coupling the ends of the arms  38  to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 , by any of the other releasable connection manners mentioned above with reference to the connection between the strikers  60 ,  62  and their respective arm pieces  44 ,  46 , and the like. Any type of releasable connection can be used between the arms  38  and the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 , and falls within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      In some embodiments, one or more of the arms  38  can have a lock  68  that helps to secure the arms  38  to the gondola and/or rack uprights  12 ,  26 . An example of such a lock  68  is illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In the illustrated embodiments, each arm  38  has a lock  68  located at an end thereof. Depending upon the orientation in which the arm  38  is installed on the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 , the lock  68  can releasably engage a gondola upright  12  or a rack upright  26 . The lock  68  can have one or more projections  70  that extend into an aperture  64 ,  66  of the upright  12 ,  26  to which the arm  38  is coupled. By way of example only, the projection(s)  70  can extend into an aperture  64 ,  66  of the upright  12 ,  26  immediately below the aperture  64 ,  66  in which a striker  60 ,  62  is received, thereby providing resistance against disconnection of the arm  38  from the upright  12 ,  26 . In such cases, the arm  38  can be disconnected from the upright  12 ,  26  by pivoting the arm  38  until the projection(s)  70  of the lock  68  are removed from an aperture  64 ,  66  in the upright  12 ,  26 . As another example, the projection(s)  70  can extend into the same aperture  64 ,  66  as an adjacent striker  60 ,  62  (e.g., by pivoting the arm  38  after insertion of the striker  60 ,  62  into an aperture  64 ,  66  in the upright  12 ,  26 , or in any other manner). In still other embodiments, the lock  68  can releasably secure the arm  38  to an upright  12 ,  26  in any other manner, including those used to secure stretchers and other elements to uprights  12 ,  26  in conventional rack assemblies.  
      In some embodiments of the present invention, the arms  38  can be releasably coupled to gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in a number of different orientations. For example, an arm  38  can be coupled to gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in locations at a common elevation (e.g., for supporting a substantially horizontal shelf  42 ). As another example, the ends of an arm  38  can be coupled to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at different elevations (e.g., one end coupled to a gondola upright  12  at an elevation and another end coupled to a rack upright  26  at a lower elevation), such as to support a shelf  42  at an incline. Depending at least in part upon the available arm connection locations on the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 , the arm  38  can be oriented in any desired manner in the rack assembly  22  and/or can be coupled at any desired height in the rack assembly  22 .  
      It will be appreciated that different distances are spanned by the arms  38  when the arms  38  are installed in different orientations in a rack assembly  22  (in which the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  are separated by the same distance in the different arm orientations). Accordingly, the adjustable-length feature of the arms  38  according to some embodiments of the present invention (described above) enables the arms  38  to be adjusted as necessary to connect to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in different orientations. For example, for a given distance between a gondola upright  12  and a rack upright  26 , an arm  38  illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5  can be adjusted to different lengths to connect the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  when the arm  38  is installed in different orientations. In this example, the arm  38  can be adjusted to a relatively short length as shown in the bottom of  FIG. 5  in order to connect to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at locations having substantially the same elevation, to a longer length as shown in the middle of  FIGS. 3 and 4  to connect to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at an incline, and to an even longer length to connect to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at an even greater incline. Examples of different arm orientations (and corresponding arm lengths) between gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  separated by a constant distance are illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 ,  13 , and  14 .  
      As an alternative to the use of arms  38  having adjustable lengths in order to span distances between gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in different arm orientations, some embodiments of the present invention use two or more different non-adjustable arms  38  having different lengths. Accordingly, arms  38  to be installed in the rack assembly  22  in a desired orientation can be selected from arms  38  having different lengths. Of course, in those embodiments in which the arms  38  are to be installed only in one orientation in the rack assembly  22 , non-adjustable arms  38  provided in only one length can be used.  
      With reference to the description above regarding the relationship between the gondola and rack shoes  10 ,  24  of the present invention, the gondola shoes  10  can be moved to different positions with respect to the rack shoes  24 . Accordingly, the positions of the rack uprights  26  (and kick plate  28  and header  30 , if used) can be adjusted with respect to the gondola bay  16  in which the rack assembly  22  is installed. In the illustrated embodiments, for example, the rack shoes  24  can be moved through a range of forward and rearward positions with respect to the gondola shoes  10 , thereby enabling the rack assembly  22  to be adjusted to different depths. Once a particular rack assembly depth is selected, adjustable or non-adjustable arms  38  can be installed on the gondola and rack upright  12 ,  26  as described above. In this regard, the use of arms  38  having adjustable lengths enables the arms  38  to be installed in different depths of the rack assembly  22 . For example, an arm  38  can be adjusted to a relatively short length as shown in the bottom of  FIG. 5  in order to connect to gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in a particular orientation of the arm  38  when the rack assembly  22  is adjusted to a selected depth, to a longer length as shown at the bottom of  FIGS. 3 and 4  to connect to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in the same orientation of the arm  38  when the rack assembly  22  is adjusted to a greater depth, and to an even longer length as shown at the middle and top of  FIGS. 3 and 4  to connect to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in the same orientation of the arm  38  when the rack assembly  22  is adjusted to an even greater depth. Examples of different arm lengths at different depths of the rack assembly  22  are illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 ,  13 , and  14 .  
      As an alternative to the use of arms  38  having adjustable lengths in order to span distances between gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at different depths of the rack assembly  22 , some embodiments of the present invention use two or more different non-adjustable arms  38  having different lengths. Accordingly, non-adjustable arms  38  to be installed in the rack assembly  22  can be selected according to the depth of the rack assembly  22 .  
      In some embodiments, the arms  38  of the rack assembly  22  can be installed at different depths of the rack assembly  22  and in different orientations in the rack assembly  22  as described above. In such embodiments, the use of arms  38  having adjustable lengths can be used for increased rack versatility, although non-adjustable arms  38  provided in different lengths can instead be used as desired.  
      In order to provide additional stability and strength for the rack assembly  22 , some embodiments of the present invention have one or more front-rear stretchers  88  (see  FIGS. 13 and 14 ) extending between the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26 . The front-rear stretchers  88  can be directly or indirectly coupled to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in any manner, including without limitation those described above with reference to the connection between the header  30  and kick plate  28  and the rack uprights  26 . The front-rear stretchers  88  can be coupled to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at any elevation and orientation (e.g., horizontal or inclined) in the rack assembly  22 .  
      With reference for example to  FIGS. 4, 5 , and  11 - 14 , the rack assembly  22  according to the present invention can also be provided with one or more shelves  42 . The shelves  42  can take any form, such as planks, plates, grids, and the like, and can be made of any material, such as metal, composites, high-strength plastic, wood, and the like. The shelves  42  can each be a single element or can be constructed from multiple elements assembled in any manner. In some embodiments, the shelves  42  can have reinforcing elements or features to provide additional strength to the shelves  42 . For example, the shelf  42  illustrated in  FIG. 8  includes a reinforcing beam  74  coupled to the underside of the shelf  42  by welding, although the reinforcing beam  74  can be coupled to the shelf  42  in any other manner, and can be coupled to any other location on the shelf  42  (e.g., to a top surface of the shelf  42 , adjacent any edge of the shelf  42 , and the like). If used, shelf reinforcing elements or features can have any shape and form, including without limitation beams, tubes, rods, bars, embossed or ribbed shelf surfaces, and the like.  
      In some embodiments of the present invention, the shelves  42  are supported in the rack assembly  22  by one or more of the arms  38  described above. With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5  by way of example only, the shelves  42  can be supported along opposite edges by resting upon arms  38  located on opposite sides of the rack assembly  22 . Accordingly, each shelf  42  can be supported at a desired height in the rack assembly  22  by coupling the arms  38  to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at the desired height. Also, each shelf  42  can be supported in a desired orientation in the rack assembly  22  by coupling opposite ends of the arms  38  to the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  at heights to place the arms  38  in the desired orientation. For example, the lowest arms  38  illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5  support the lowest shelf (sometimes referred to as a deck  40  of the rack assembly  22 ) in a horizontal orientation, and the higher arms  38  support higher shelves  42  at different inclined orientations.  
      As described above, some embodiments of the rack assembly  22  enable the rack assembly  22  to be adjusted to different depths and/or permit the arms  38  (and therefore, the shelves  42 ) to be installed in different orientations within the rack assembly  22 . In such embodiments, shelves  42  having the same dimensions can be used in different shelf orientations and/or in different rack depths. However, in such cases, the shelves  42  may not extend fully between the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in some shelf orientations and/or when the rack assembly  22  is adjusted to some rack depths. If desired, shelves  42  having different dimensions can be provided in order to span different horizontal distances in the rack assembly  22  based upon the desired orientation of each shelf  42  and/or based upon the depth of the rack assembly  22 . However, in some embodiments, adjustable shelves  42  can be used. Such shelves  42  can have two or more parts movable to different positions with respect to one another in order to change the shelf depth. By way of example only, an adjustable shelf  42  can have two parts that telescope with respect to one another to change the depth of the shelf  42 . Other adjustable-length shelves  42  can instead be used, are well known to those skilled in the art, and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      As an alternative to adjustable length shelves  42 , some embodiments of the present invention use one or more planks  76  to span a distance not spanned by a shelf  42  in one or more shelf orientations and/or in one or more rack assembly depths. Examples of such planks  76  are shown in  FIGS. 4 and 11 - 19 . The planks  76  can take any form, including those described above with reference to the shelves  42  of the present invention, and can be supported within the rack assembly  22  in the same manner as the shelves  42  as described above.  
      The planks  76  can be provided in a single size (e.g., all having a common length, width, and thickness), or can be provided in multiple sizes (e.g., planks  76  having common lengths and thicknesses, but different widths). For example, one of the two planks  76  illustrated in  FIG. 4  can be half the width of another of the planks  76 . Any number of different plank sizes can be provided in different embodiments of the present invention to span different distances between shelves  42  and uprights  12  or  26  (in different shelf orientations and/or at different rack depths).  
      In some embodiments, two or more planks  76  can be used to span a gap between a shelf  42  and uprights  12  or  26  of the rack assembly  22 . In embodiments having planks  76  of different sizes, planks  76  having different dimensions can be combined as desired to span different gaps between the shelf  42  and uprights  12  or  26 .  
      Some embodiments of the present invention can have one or more product dividers  78  supported within the rack assembly  22 . Examples of product dividers  78  are shown in  FIGS. 912 and 14 - 19 . The illustrated product dividers  78  can be used to store items in rows as is well known to those skilled in the art, although product dividers  78  having other configurations and shapes can be used.  
      If used, the product dividers  78  can be supported upon shelves  42 , arms  38 , and/or other elements of the rack assembly  22  (e.g., upon a kick plate  28 , lateral stretchers (not shown) extending between gondola uprights  12 , lateral stretchers (also not shown) extending between rack uprights  26 , directly upon gondola and/or rack uprights  12 ,  26 , and the like). In some embodiments, the product dividers  78  can be supported within the rack assembly  22  in different orientations, such as in horizontal and inclined orientations. For example, the product dividers  78  can be supported upon shelves  42  of the rack assembly  22 , and therefore can have any of the same orientations of the shelves  42  described above.  
      As also described above, some embodiments of the rack assembly  22  enable the rack assembly  22  to be adjusted to different depths and/or permit the product dividers  78  to be installed in different orientations within the rack assembly  22 . In such embodiments, product dividers  78  having the same dimensions can be used in different product divider orientations and/or at different rack depths, in which cases the product dividers  78  may not extend fully between the gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  in some product divider orientations and/or when the rack assembly  22  is adjusted to some rack depths. If desired, product dividers  78  having different dimensions can be provided in order to span different distances in the rack assembly  22  based upon the desired orientation of each product divider  78  and/or based upon the depth of the rack assembly  22 . However, in some embodiments, adjustable product dividers  78  can be used. Such product dividers  78  can have two or more parts movable to different positions with respect to one another in order to change the product divider depth. By way of example only, an adjustable product divider  78  can have two parts that telescope with respect to one another to change the depth of the product divider  78 . Examples of such product dividers  78  are illustrated in  FIGS. 9-12  and  14 - 19 . In these embodiments, the product divider  78  has a first part  80  with dividers  82  that telescope within hollow dividers  86  of a second part  84  (see  FIGS. 9 and 10 ). Therefore, the two parts  80 ,  84  can be moved to different positions with respect to one another in order to lengthen or shorted the product divider  78  (e.g., for different product divider orientations in the rack assembly  22  and/or for different rack assembly depths).  
      As an alternative to telescoping product divider parts, product dividers  78  can be adjustable in a number of other manners, including those described above with reference to the relationship between the gondola and rack shoes  10 ,  24 , by other types of sliding connections between product divider parts, product divider parts that can be coupled together in different positions using clips, clamps, screws, pins, or any conventional fasteners, and the like.  
      By enabling the rack assembly  22  to be adjusted to different depths with respect to the gondola bay  16  (with accompanying changes in the configuration of arms  38 , shelves  42 , and/or planks  76 , in some embodiments), a user can easily adapt the rack assembly  22  to meet changing product storage and display needs. Also, because the rack assembly  22  can be installed on an existing gondola bay  16 , fewer dedicated product storage and display structures need to be purchased.  
      With reference now to  FIGS. 14-19 , some embodiments of the present invention use product barriers  90  to separate product stored in rows in the rack assembly  22 . The product barriers  90  can help prevent product in a row from interfering with product in another row, such as when the product is being stocked and/or removed from the rack assembly  22 . The product barriers  90  can also help retain product in desired rows in the rack assembly  22 .  
      In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 14-19 , for example, product barriers  90  are used in conjunction with product fronting mechanisms  92  to prevent interference between product in different rows when product is stocked upon shelves  42 , fronted upon shelves  42 , and/or removed from shelves  42 , and can help retain products in the rows. It should be noted, however, that the product barriers  90  can be used with or without product fronting mechanisms  92 , and are illustrated in  FIGS. 14-19  in conjunction with product fronting mechanisms  92  by way of example only.  
      Each product barrier  90  illustrated in  FIGS. 14-19  has a sheet of material  94  positioned between product rows  96  in the rack assembly  22 . The sheets of material  94  illustrated in  FIGS. 14-19  are flexible, and can be made of any durable material, such as plastic, fabric, flexible composite material, and the like. In other embodiments, the sheet of material  94  is semi-flexible or is substantially rigid, such as sheets of material  94  made of metal, glass, and the like. In some embodiments, the material selected for the sheets  94  is transparent or semi-transparent as shown in  FIGS. 14-19  in order to increase product visibility. However, opaque materials can instead be used for the sheets  94 , if desired.  
      Each sheet  94  can be attached to a product divider  78  in any manner. In the embodiments of  FIGS. 14-19 , for example, each sheet  94  is coupled to the dividers  82 ,  84  of a product divider  78  by being looped about the dividers  82 ,  84  and heat staked, glued, stitched, coupled with snaps, clips, or other conventional fasteners, or coupled in any other manner about the divider  78  and to itself. In this manner, the sheet  94  has a loop of material through which the dividers  82 ,  84  are received. In other embodiments, the sheet  94  can be coupled to the product divider  78  in other manners, such as by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by screws, bolts and nuts, rivets, clips, clamps, and other conventional fasteners, and the like.  
      Each product barrier  90  illustrated in  FIGS. 14-19  also has a rod  98  to which the sheet  94  is coupled. The rod  98  can have any cross-sectional shape and size, and can be hollow or solid. The sheet  94  can be coupled to the rod  98  in any of the manners described above with reference to the connection between the sheet  94  and the product divider  78 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 14-19 , the sheet  94  is coupled to and wound about the rod  98 .  
      Each product barrier  90  can also have at least one mount  100  used to couple the product barrier  90  to a shelf  42  above or at a higher elevation than the product barrier  90 . Two mounts  100  are located at opposite ends of each rod  98  in the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 14-19 , although any other number of mounts (e.g., one, three, or more) can be coupled to or integral with the rod  98  at any location on the rod  98 .  
      The mounts  100  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 14-19  are made of or include magnetic material. The mounts  100  can therefore be releasably coupled to a shelf  42  made of material attracted to the magnetic material (e.g., a steel shelf  42 ) without damage to the shelf  42 , without tools, and without fastener and fastening features on the shelf  42 . In other embodiments, the mounts  100  are coupled to the overhead shelf  42  in any other manner, such as by welding, brazing, or riveting, by adhesive or cohesive bonding material, by one or more pin and aperture connections, by threaded connections or inter-engaging elements, by bolts, clamps, clips, screws, nails, or other conventional fasteners, and the like.  
      The rod  98  can be coupled to the mounts  100  in any of the manners just described with reference to the connection between the mounts  100  and the shelf  42 . However, in some embodiments, the rod  98  is rotatably coupled to the mounts  100 , such as by being received within apertures in the mounts  100  as shown in  FIGS. 14-19 . In such embodiments, any part of the sheet  94  of the product barrier  90  can be wound about the rod  98 , thereby enabling the sheet  94  to be wound and unwound to a desired length corresponding to a distance between the product divider  78  and an overhead shelf  42 . In some embodiments, one or more of the mounts  100  includes a reel mechanism (e.g., a ratchet and pawl mechanism, and the like) capable of securing the sheet  94  at any desired length and/or of exerting a spring force to coil the sheet  94  about the rod  98 . Any reel mechanism can be employed for these purposes, such as those used for window blinds, tape measures, and the like. Such reel mechanisms are conventional in nature and are not therefore described further herein.  
      By using the rod and mount structure just described, the product barriers  90  illustrated in  FIGS. 14-19  can be adjusted to fit between shelves  42  separated by a number of different distances. For example, the sheets  94  of the product barriers  90  can be wound about their respective rods  98  sufficiently to be received between shelves  42  that are relatively close together (see  FIGS. 15 and 16 ) or can be unwound sufficiently to be received between shelves  42  separated by a greater vertical distance (see  FIGS. 14 and 17 - 19 ). In other embodiments, the sheets  94  are not wound about the rod  98  in different amounts for different shelf spacings, in which case different product barriers  90  can be used for different shelf spacings.  
      In the illustrated embodiments of  FIGS. 14-19 , the sheet  94  of each product barrier  90  is looped about the dividers  82 ,  86  of the product dividers  78  as described above. This manner of connection enables the product barrier  90  to be coupled to an adjustable product divider  78  as described above, wherein the dividers  82 ,  86  are still adjustable while being coupled to the product barrier  90 . However, in other embodiments, the sheet  94  can be coupled to a non-adjustable product divider  78  in any manner.  
      Each product barrier  90  illustrated in  FIGS. 14-19  is coupled to a product divider  78  below the product barrier  90  and to a shelf  42  above the product barrier (by the rod and mount structure described above). In other embodiments, the product barrier  90  can be coupled to a shelf  42  below and to a shelf  42  above by respective rod and mount structures. Alternatively, the product barrier  90  can be coupled to the shelf  42  below by a rod  98  and mount(s)  100 , and can be coupled to the shelf  42  above in any other manner.  
      By using the adjustable product dividers  78  described above (e.g., wherein the sheets  94  of the product dividers  78  can be wound or unwound as needed), such product dividers  78  can be adjusted to accommodate different spacings between shelves  42  in the rack assembly  10 . However, non-adjustable product dividers  78  can be used in other embodiments, if desired.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the product fronting mechanisms  92  can be used to front product  102  on the shelves  42  of the rack assembly  22 . By pulling on a handle  103  of a product fronting mechanism  92 , a strip  104  attached to the handle  14  can be pulled in a forward direction. In some embodiments, a pushing member  106  attached to the strip  104  can push the product  102  from a location behind the product  102 . The strip  104  can be positioned upon the shelf  42  so that the product  102  rests upon the strip  104  (in which case the product  102  can be pulled in a forward direction by pulling the handle  103 ), or can be recessed within the shelf  42  so that the product  102  is pushed in a forward direction by the pushing member  106  when the handle  103  is pulled. After product has been fronted by pulling the handle  103 , in some embodiments the strip  104  is wound into the handle  103  as the handle  103  is returned to its at rest position at the front of the shelf  42 .  
      During the product fronting procedure just described, product  102  in a row of product  96  being fronted can be prevented from interfering with product  102  in one or more adjacent rows  96  by the sheets  94  of product barriers  90 . Also, the sheets  94  can prevent product  102  from falling or otherwise moving from one row  96  to another row  96  in the rack assembly  22 .  
      The embodiments described above and illustrated in the figures are presented by way of example only and are not intended as a limitation upon the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that various changes in the elements and their configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claim.  
      For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, non-adjustable arms can be used in place of the adjustable arms  38  described above and illustrated in the figures. In such cases, non-adjustable arms can be provided in different lengths in order to span different distances in the rack assembly  22  (e.g., when different arm orientations between gondola and rack uprights  12 ,  26  are desired and/or when the rack assembly  22  is adjusted to different depths).