Abstract:
A system for displaying and supporting products on an adjustable shelf assembly, with a lower shelf and an upper shelf, using a bracket connected to a the upper shelf and an elongated brush consisting of a row of nylon bristles that are bound to a rigid spine that engages a channel formed in the bracket, where the row of bristles are oriented in a downward direction. A predetermined shelf spacing is selected such that when the product is placed on the lower shelf, an upper portion of the product will engage the row of bristles and maintain the product in a substantially vertical orientation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to product shelving systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a shelving system that employs a bristle type brush aligned to engage the upper portion of narrow profile products and retain them in a substantially vertical orientation. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Product shelving system are generally known in the art, and are in common use in retail, commercial, industrial, and residential applications. Wall mounted and free standing shelving system are available. Generally, there are plural vertical support members and plural horizontal shelves in a shelving system. Free standing shelves also include a support base. The shelves may be adjustable along the vertical axis of the support members to enable the storing of variously sized products. Shelving systems are frequently modular in design, having shelves of common widths and depths that can be positioned to extend their length indefinitely. The so-called big-box retailers and grocery stores use such shelving system in a manner familiar to most. 
         [0005]    Generally, products simply rest on the surface of a shelf For products with a low profile and that have a adequately flat base, the product will remain stable on the shelf. However, where products are particularly narrow or have a tall profile, instability can be an issue. Examples of such problematic products in the retail environment are binders, including 3-ring binders used to hold loose-leaf paper. Binders tend to be awkward and unstable on the shelf. This issue is exacerbated in the case were the product is removed and replaced on the shelf periodically. For example, in a retail environment, customers may remove a product from the shelf, examine it, and then return it to the shelf. It is often desirable for products to be aligned in an efficient, convenient, and attractive manner on a shelf. However, where the product is unstable on the shelf, and where it is accessed repeatedly, these goals are challenging to achieve. Stability can be achieved using support devices, such as book-ends, fixtures, or racks of various sorts. However, such devices need to be adjusted to fit the product, and the quantity of the product, and are cumbersome in their own right. They are therefore, not usually convenient for users to access and operate. Thus, it can be appreciated that there is a need in the art for a shelving system that overcomes the problems in product stability and convenience. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The need in the art is addressed by the systems of the present invention. The present invention teaches a system for displaying a product with a narrow profile on a shelf assembly that includes a lower shelf and an upper shelf with a predetermined shelf spacing therebetween. The system comprises a bracket connected to the upper shelf and an elongated brush connected to the bracket. There is a row of bristles oriented in a downward direction, and the predetermined shelf spacing and the brush are arranged such that when the product is placed on the lower shelf, an upper portion of the product will engage the row of bristles, thereby maintaining the product in a substantially vertical orientation. 
         [0007]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the lower shelf and the upper shelf are adjustable to enable selection of the predetermined shelf spacing. In a refinement to this embodiment, wherein the shelf assembly is selectably adjustable by an incremental distance, the row of bristles have a length that is greater than the incremental distance. 
         [0008]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the product has a shape that is prone to tip over without external support. In another embodiment, the product is plural binders. 
         [0009]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the bracket is connected to a bottom surface of the upper shelf. In another embodiment, the upper shelf has holes formed therethrough, and the bracket is connected to the upper shelf with fasteners that engage the holes. 
         [0010]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the brush comprised a row of nylon bristles that are bound to a rigid spine. In a refinement to this embodiment, the bracket is an extrusion shape having a channel formed therein for engaging the rigid spine. In another specific embodiment, the upper shelf and the lower shelf have a predetermined shelf length, and the elongated brush has a brush width that is substantially coextensive with the predetermined shelf length. 
         [0011]    The present invention also teaches a system for displaying a product with a narrow profile on a shelf assembly that includes a lower shelf and an upper shelf, which are adjustable to a predetermined shelf spacing therebetween. The system includes a bracket connected to the upper shelf and an elongated brush connected to the bracket, with a row of bristles oriented in a downward direction. The predetermined shelf spacing is selected such that when the product is placed on the lower shelf, an upper portion of the product will engage the row of bristles and maintain the product in a substantially vertical orientation. 
         [0012]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the shelf assembly is selectably adjustable by an incremental distance, and the row of bristles have a length that is greater than the incremental distance. In another specific embodiment, the product has a shape that is prone to tip over without external support. In another embodiment, the product is plural binders. 
         [0013]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the bracket is connected to a bottom surface of the upper shelf. In another specific embodiment, the upper shelf has holes formed therethrough, and the bracket is connected to the upper shelf with fasteners that engage the holes. 
         [0014]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the brush consists a row of nylon bristles that are bound to a rigid spine. In a refinement to this embodiment, the bracket is an extrusion shape with a channel formed therein for engaging the rigid spine. 
         [0015]    In a specific embodiment of the foregoing system, the upper shelf and the lower shelf have a predetermined shelf length, and wherein the elongated brush has a brush width that is substantially coextensive with the predetermined shelf length. 
         [0016]    The present invention also teaches a system for displaying a product with a narrow profile on a shelf assembly that includes a lower shelf and an upper shelf that has holes formed therethrough, and which are adjustable by an incremental distance to a predetermined shelf spacing therebetween. The system includes a bracket connected to a bottom surface of the upper shelf with fasteners that engage the holes, and wherein the bracket is an extrusion shape with a channel formed therein. An elongated brush consisting of a row of nylon bristles that are bound to a rigid spine engages the channel formed in the bracket, and the row of bristles is oriented in a downward direction. The predetermined shelf spacing is selected such that when the product is placed on the lower shelf, an upper portion of the product will engage the row of bristles and maintain the product in a substantially vertical orientation, because the row of bristles have a length that is greater than the incremental distance. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a drawing of a shelving system according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a shelving assembly detail drawing according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a detail drawing of a mounting bracket and brush according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an assembly drawing according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a section view of a mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a top view drawing of a mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a front view drawing of a mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a section view drawing of a mounting bracket and brush according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a section view drawing of a brush according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    Illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention. 
         [0027]    While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope hereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility. 
         [0028]    In considering the detailed embodiments of the present invention, it will be observed that the present invention resides primarily in combinations of steps to accomplish various methods or components to form various apparatus and systems. Accordingly, the apparatus and system components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the disclosures contained herein. 
         [0029]    In this disclosure, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, upper and lower, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
         [0030]    Novel approaches to supporting products in a vertical orientation on shelves are herein disclosed. Rather then employing bookends, brackets, or other adjustable structures to maintain products in a generally vertical orientation, the present disclosure employs a brush or similar bristled member that is positioned above a shelf and that flexibly engages and upper portion of the product to provided lateral, or side-to-side, support. The flexible feature enables the product to be pushed through the bristled member to facilitate insertion and removal of the product from the shelf. Tipping forces acting on the product are reasonably controlled by the resilience of the bristles. Also, since the bristles are generally smaller and closure together than the pertinent dimensions of the products, and since the bristles are disposed along a row placed laterally with respect to the shelf, the brush results in an infinitely adaptable arrangement to engage a wide variety of products without the need of adjustment. 
         [0031]    The only adjustment that is needed is the vertical spacing between the shelf and the brush, which is disposed above the product resting on the shelf, but also positioned to interfere with the product at its upper end. Since shelves commonly have a stack of plural shelves, this arrangement is readily facilitated by attaching the brush assembly to the underside of an upper shelf while resting the product on a lower shelf. Furthermore, since shelving systems are generally adjustable along the vertical axis of the support structure, the shelf positioning may be set to coordinate with the product height to provided the needed interference and bristle engagement. Also, where the vertical shelf spacing is incremental, such as one-inch adjustment steps, the length of the bristles is selected to insure that there can always be interference with the product. For example, the bristles may have a length of one and a half inches, or at least a length greater than one inch to provide interference in this example. 
         [0032]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 1 , which is a drawing of a shelving system  2  according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment illustrates a free standing shelf, as may be utilized by a retailer of consumer products. The shelving system  2  includes a base  4  with an integrated base shelf  8  and vertical support structure  6 , which has rails that are slotted to engages plural shelves  10 ,  12 ,  14 , and  16  at incremental height spacing. Generally, the basic shelving structure is of conventional design. The brush assembly  20  is fastened to the underside of an upper shelf  14  using threaded fasteners  22  that engages existing holes perforated though the shelf material. A brush assembly  20  is applied to each upper shelf. As used herein, an “upper” shelf is one that has another shelf below it. And, “lower” shelf is one that has another shelf above it. Thusly, is can be appreciated that the shelves function cooperatively, and that the bottom shelf  8  would never be an upper shelf, and a top shelf  16  would never be a lower shelf. 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 1 , each of shelves  10 ,  12 ,  14 , and  16  have a brush assembly attached to its lower surface adjacent to the front of the shelf. An exemplar product is illustrated with respect shelf  10 . Plural 3-ring binders  26  rest on shelf  10 . Shelf  12  has a brush  24  disposed below its lower surface, which acts to engage the upper edge of each binder  26 . As the binders  26  are pushed onto shelf  10 , the upper edge of the sidewalls of the binders spread the bristles of the brush  24  apart to pass therethrough. Once in place, the bristles resist tipping from side to side and maintain the binders  26  in a vertical orientation. Since the brush  24  is disposed across the entire width of the shelve, products  26  can be inserted at any location along the width of the shelf and still benefit from the lateral support. In addition, it does not matter what width each item of product is. In this example, the binders could be 1″, 2″, 3″, or a mixture thereof and the brush  24  would still function to support the product. 
         [0034]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 2 , which is a shelving assembly detail drawing according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  illustrates a front corner of a shelf  30 , which has a row of perforated holes  31  formed therethrough. Such perforations are common in retail, commercial, and industrial shelving systems. A mounting bracket  32 , in the form of a right-angled bracket, is fasted to the underside of the shelf  30  with one or more fasteners, which are a screw  38  and wing nut  40  in the illustrative embodiment. The bracket  32  has a slotted hole  36  formed in it, which provides for a degree of adjustment in the position of the bracket  32 . The mounting bracket  32  has an elongated brush  34  extending downwardly therefrom. The length that the brush  34  extends downwardly from the shelf  30  is selected to engage an upper portion of the intended product (not shown) that will be inserted below the shelf  30 . 
         [0035]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 3 , which is a detail drawing of a mounting bracket  42  and brush  44  according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shows that the bracket  42  is elongated and has plural mounting slots  43  used to attach it to the upper shelf (not shown). In the illustrative embodiment, the bracket is a plastic extrusion. An elongated brush  44  is engaged with the bracket  42  using a spine on the brush  44  and an extrusion channel on the bracket  42 , which will be more fully disclosed hereinafter. 
         [0036]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 4 , which is an assembly drawing according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  shows the bracket  42  and brush  44  of  FIG. 3  as they are assembled together. In  FIG. 4 , the elongated brush  44  is inserted into an extrusion channel in the bracket  42 . The two units as slid together to form an integrated brush assembly prior to attaching to the shelving system (not shown). 
         [0037]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 5 , which is a section view of a mounting bracket  48  according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The bracket  48  is a plastic extrusion in the illustrative embodiment. It is generally a right-angled bracket having a horizontal portion  50  and a vertical portion  52 . The horizontal portion  50  is attached to the underside of an upper shelf (not shown) using a slot  54  in the bracket  48 . The slot  54  is located in a recessed portion  51  that provides clearance for the fasteners (not shown). At the lower end of the vertical portion  52  that is a brush channel  56  formed for receiving the spine of an elongated brush (not shown). The length of the bracket  48  is generally coextensive with the width of the shelf (not shown) that it is to be attached to. 
         [0038]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , which are a top view and a front view drawing, respectively, of a mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  provides a view of the horizontal portion  50  of the bracket extrusion  48  showing three mounting slots  54 . The brush mounting channel  56  is visible in phantom lines.  FIG. 7  shows a front view of the vertical portion  52  of the mounting bracket. This view also shows the location of the elongated brush mounting channel  56 . 
         [0039]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 8 , which is a section view drawing of a mounting bracket  48  and brush  60  according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 8  shows the brush  60  engaged with the brush mounting channel  56  formed into the mounting bracket extrusion  48 . 
         [0040]    Reference is directed to  FIG. 9 , which is a section view drawing of a brush  60  according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. This elongated brush embodiment is fabricated using a row of nylon bristles  66  that are wrapped about a wire spindle  64 . The bristles  66  are held in place on the spindle  64  using a formed spine  62  that is crimped about the spindle  64 . In the illustrative embodiment, the spine  62  is formed from aluminum. The length of the bristles  66  is selected to provide adequate engagement with the product (not shown) in light of the incremental shelf spacing the is available in the target shelving system (not shown). 
         [0041]    Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof. 
         [0042]    It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.