Patent ID: 7207447

Claim:
A modular storage and dispensing assembly comprising: a plurality of panels; a connector assembly for connecting adjacently disposed panels such that a chute is provided between each of the adjacently disposed panels; a rail assembly disposed in each chute for defining a travel path, the rail assembly comprising: an upper rail supported by adjacently disposed panels and a lower rail supported by adjacently disposed panels, the upper rails being spatially disposed and in a facing relationship, the lower rails being spatially disposed and in a facing relationship, the upper rails each having a first end and second end and the upper rails are sloped in a downward direction from their first ends to their second ends, the lower rails each having an arcuate shaped second end, the lower rails and their arcuate shaped second ends disposed a distance from the upper rails so that objects moving along the travel path of the chute are provided with a smooth transition from the upper rails to the lower rails, the lower rails are further characterized as having a first end portion and the lower rails extend in a downward direction toward the first end portions and wherein the first end portion of the lower rails is provided with an arcuate configuration which extends a distance outwardly from the first end of the upper rails and downwardly from the lower rails for restraining an object therein while permitting the object to be removed therefrom wherein the remaining objects supported by the rail assembly move along the travel path of the chute until the object adjacent the object removed reaches the arcuate shaped first end portions of the lower rails whereby movement of an object disposed in the area defined by the arcuate shaped first end portions of the lower rails of the rail assembly is maintained in a stable position in the arcuate shaped first end portions of the lower rails of the lower rail assembly whereby the object is prevented from moving in a forwardly or rearwardly direction.