Patent ID: 7913860

Claim:
A gravity-fed storage and dispensing unit comprising: first and second spaced sidewalls, each of said sidewalls having a first generally horizontal downward rearwardly sloping ledge defining a lower rearwardly directed path for products placed thereon; a second generally L-shaped ledge having a generally horizontal downward rearwardly sloping portion above the rearwardly sloping portion of the first ledge and a generally vertical rear portion, said second ledge defining an upper rearwardly directed path for products placed thereon, the vertical rear portion being located rearwardly of a rear end of the first ledge and forming a barrier for products on the first ledge; each of the first and second sidewalls further having an opposed third ledge below the first and second ledges defining a forwardly directed path for products received from the first and second ledges; the vertical rear portion of the second ledge forming a forward wall for a generally vertical fall portion of the upper product path and forming a rearward wall for a generally vertical fall portion of the lower product path whereby the vertical fall portions are separate and parallel to each other; rear portions of the third ledges forming a product receiving bin area for the vertical fall portions and forward portions forming a product dispensing region with forward ends of the third ledges defining a stop to restrain products on the third ledges in the product dispensing region: said first ledges and third ledges being spaced sufficiently apart along their lengths to accommodate two rows of interdigitated product extending from said receiving bin to said forward ends of the third ledges; the first and second fall portions and receiving bin area being constructed and aligned such that products passing therethrough fall into said product receiving bin area and collect in two interdigitated stacked rows of product extending to the forward ends of said third ledges for dispensing: said forward ends of the third ledges having an extended ledge portion extending upwardly and forwardly from said stop which form an exposed forward end of a reception area for returned product, the reception area projecting forwardly of the forward ends of the first and second ledges, wherein the extended ledge portion comprises a substantially rectangular member positioned on a middle portion of the forward end of each of the opposed third ledges, the extended ledge portion having a width that is narrower than the width of the end of the opposed third ledge.