IP Library › Granted Patent US 12667206
Granted Patent B2
US 12667206 · App. 18/953,706 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Retail merchandise tray and display incorporating same

Inventors: Thomas O. Nagel (Rockford, IL); Brent O. Ewing (Roscoe, IL)
Assignee: Fasteners for Retail, Inc.
A47F1/126A47F5/0025A47F5/005A47F5/16A47B57/585A47F1/04A47F1/12A47F2005/165
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667206
App. No.
18/953,706
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A retail merchandise tray and display incorporating the same are provided. The display includes a shelf and the tray mounted to the shelf. The tray includes a pair of opposed mounting rails with at least one tray section situated between the first and second mounting rails. A support leg is mounted to the first mounting rail and elevates a back end of the retail merchandise tray relative to a front end.

Claims (32)

1 . A tray section comprising:

a base member defining a top support surface for storing retail merchandise thereon, the base member extending between opposed front and rear ends of the base member, the base member including a plurality of rails defining a plurality of channels therebetween, the channels extending generally parallel to a feed direction of the tray, the top support surface and the plurality of rails being formed as a single continuous piece of material;

first and second cap members attached to the base member with the base member being interposed between the first and second cap members such that the first cap member is removably attached to the front end of the base member and the second cap member is removably attached to the rear end of the base member, wherein:

each of the first and second cap members includes a body portion;

each of the first and second cap members includes a plurality of projections extending away from each body portion respectively, each projection being received in a corresponding channel of the plurality of channels to secure each cap member to the base member; and

the body portion of each of the first and second cap members having a linear row of slots extending therethrough, each row being generally perpendicular to the feed direction, each slot being elongated generally parallel to the feed direction between a slot first end proximate the base member when mounted to the base member and a slot second end opposite the slot first end, each slot having a first slot depth at the slot first end and a second slot depth at the slot second end, the first depth being greater than the second depth.

2 . The tray section of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the body portion of each of the first and second cap members through which the linear row of slots extends includes a stepped region interposed between the first and second slot ends that defines the difference in the first and second slot depths.

3 . The tray section of claim 1 , wherein:

the body portion of each of the first and second cap members includes a first surface on a first side of the body portion and a second surface on a second side of the body portion, each slot extending through the first and second surfaces;

a portion of the first surface through which the slots extend is planar proximate the slots;

a portion of the second surface through which the slots extend is non-planar.

4 . The tray section of claim 3 , wherein the non-planar portion is provided by a stepped region defining first and second offset surface regions, the first and second offset surface regions being offset from one another parallel to an axis that is generally orthogonal to the top support surface.

5 . A tray section comprising:

a base member defining a top support surface for storing retail merchandise thereon, the base member extending between opposed front and rear ends of the base member, the base member including a plurality of rails defining a plurality of channels therebetween, the channels extending generally parallel to a feed direction of the tray;

first and second cap members attached to the base member with the base member being interposed between the first and second cap members such that the first cap member is removably attached to the front end of the base member and the second cap member is removably attached to the rear end of the base member;

wherein:

each of the first and second cap members includes a body portion;

each of the first and second cap members includes a plurality of projections extending away from each body portion respectively, each projection being received in a corresponding channel of the plurality of channels to secure each cap member to the base member;

the body portion of each of the first and second cap members having a linear row of slots extending therethrough, each row being generally perpendicular to the feed direction, each slot being elongated generally parallel to the feed direction between a slot first end proximate the base member when mounted to the base member and a slot second end opposite the slot first end, each slot having a first slot depth at the slot first end and a second slot depth at the slot second end, the first depth being greater than the second depth

wherein:

the first cap member has a first elastically deformable tab;

the second cap member has a second elastically deformable tab;

the linear row of slots of the first cap member is positioned along the feed direction between the plurality of projections of the first cap member and the elastically deformable tab of the first cap member; and

the linear row of slots of the second cap member is positioned along the feed direction between the plurality of projections of the second cap member and the elastically deformable tab of the second cap member.

6 . A tray section comprising:

a base member formed from a plurality of subsections, each subsection defining a portion of a top support surface of the base member for storing retail merchandise thereon, the base member extending between opposed front and rear ends of the base member, each subsection including a plurality of rails, the rails of the base member defining a plurality of channels therebetween, the channels extending generally parallel to a feed direction of the tray;

first and second cap members attached to the base member with the base member being interposed between the first and second cap members such that the first cap member is removably attached to the front end of the base member and the second cap member is removably attached to the rear end of the base member;

wherein:

for each of the subsections, the portion of the top support surface defined thereby and the plurality of rails thereof are formed as a single continuous piece of material;

each of the first and second cap members includes a body portion;

each of the first and second cap members includes a plurality of projections extending away from each body portion respectively, each projection being received in a corresponding channel of the plurality of channels to secure each cap member to the base member; and

the body portion of each of the first and second cap members having a linear row of slots extending therethrough, each row being generally perpendicular to the feed direction, each slot being elongated generally parallel to the feed direction between a slot first end proximate the base member when mounted to the base member and a slot second end opposite the slot first end, each slot having a first slot depth at the slot first end and a second slot depth at the slot second end, the first depth being greater than the second depth.