Display assembly
A method and apparatus of feeding containers on a pusher track includes these steps. Push a pusher back before the tray is loaded. Latch the pusher at a back end of the pusher track, by catching a pusher guide in a horizontal notch in an edge of the track. Load a backmost container. Load further containers, and thereby push the backmost container towards the pusher, and automatically unlatch the pusher. Push the backmost container against a more forwardly rotated sidewall of the pusher, thereby horizontally rotating the pusher slider out of the notch, and unlatching the pusher, to push the containers forward.
1. An apparatus for displaying and dispensing containers of product, said apparatus comprising:
a tray and track assembly ( 600 );
a pusher track;
a slot ( 622 );
a first track edge ( 615 ) on a notchward side of the slot;
the first track edge ( 615 ) has a first track edge forward part;
a second track edge ( 423 ) on an opposite side of the slot;
the second track edge ( 423 ) has a second track edge forward part;
a straight centerline ( 617 );
a notchward guide slider ( 411 );
an opposite guide slider ( 410 );
a pair of hooks ( 424 ) mounted to the guide sliders ( 410 - 411 );
a coil spring ( 10 );
a pusher ( 400 );
said pusher mounted atop the guide sliders;
said pusher having: a notchward pusher side and an opposite pusher side;
a guide wall ( 404 ) affixed to the opposite pusher side;
the tray and track assembly ( 600 ) comprises:
a tray floor ( 626 ); and
the slot ( 622 ) formed between the first track edge ( 615 ) and the second track edge ( 423 );
the straight centerline ( 617 ) is midway between:
the first track edge forward part; and
the second track edge forward part;
the first track edge ( 615 ) has a back portion ( 616 ), angled away from the straight centerline ( 617 );
the second track edge ( 423 ) comprises a stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 );
the second track edge ( 423 ) comprises an angled line ( 625 ):
from the stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 ),
back toward the centerline ( 617 ), and
parallel to the back portion ( 616 ) of the first track edge ( 615 );
the guide sliders ( 410 - 411 ) are hooked by the hooks ( 424 ) under the track edges ( 615 & 423 ) as guides for the pusher ( 400 ) along the track edges ( 615 & 423 );
the notchward guide slider ( 411 ) having a retainable fit in the stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 );
the angled line ( 625 ) of the second track edge ( 423 ) is a guide for the opposite guide slider ( 410 ) in a rotational direction notch-ward, for a forward corner of the notchward guide slider ( 411 );
a pressure against the guide wall ( 404 ), through the pusher ( 400 ), is a release for the forward corner of the guide slider ( 411 ) from the stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 );
and
the coil spring ( 10 ) biases the pusher ( 400 ) forward.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the containers of product are ice cream pint containers, each ice cream pint container having a pint container side and having a cylindrical lid, said apparatus further comprising:
two front pylons ( 111 - 112 );
each front pylon having a cooperatively curved inner surface ( 113 );
said front pylons ( 111 - 112 ) having a height which is adapted to locate their cooperatively curved inner surfaces ( 113 ) in contact with the cylindrical lid;
cooperatively curved inner surfaces ( 113 ) being cooperatively angled to the pint container side, is adapted to contact said cylindrical lid.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , in which:
the tray and track assembly ( 600 ) further comprises:
a sidewall ( 630 );
a top surface ( 645 ) of the sidewall ( 630 );
a pair of slots ( 640 ) in the top surface ( 645 ) of the sidewall ( 630 );
said apparatus further comprising:
a fence ( 500 );
said fence ( 500 ) comprises:
a pair of feet ( 520 );
said pair of feet ( 520 ) having a plurality of protrusions ( 501 - 505 );
said protrusions ( 501 - 505 ) cooperatively formed to securably engage the pair of slots ( 640 ) in the top surface ( 645 ) of the sidewall ( 630 ).
4. The Apparatus according to claim 3 , in which:
said protrusions ( 501 - 505 ) comprise:
a first pair of inverted Ts;
a second pair of inverted Ts;
a pair of centering tabs ( 505 );
there is a second tray and track assembly ( 600 R);
the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R) has a second pair of slots ( 640 ) in a top surface ( 645 ) of a sidewall ( 630 );
the pair of centering tabs ( 505 ) are located between the tray and track assembly ( 600 L);
the first pair of inverted Ts engage the slots of the tray and track assembly ( 600 L);
the second pair of inverted Ts engage the second pair of slots of the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R);
the feet ( 520 ) of the fence ( 500 ) thereby interlock the tray and track assembly ( 600 L) to the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R).
5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , in which:
there is a second identical tray and track assembly ( 600 R);
the tray and track assemblies ( 600 - 600 R) each further comprise:
a sidewall ( 630 );
a top surface ( 645 ) of the sidewall ( 630 );
a pair of slots ( 640 ) in the top surface ( 645 ) of the sidewall ( 630 );
said apparatus further comprising:
a fence ( 500 );
said fence ( 500 ) comprises:
a pair of feet ( 520 );
said pair of feet ( 520 ) having a plurality of protrusions;
said protrusions cooperatively configured to securably engage the pair of slots ( 640 ) in the top surface ( 645 ) of the sidewall ( 630 );
said protrusions comprise:
a first pair of inverted Ts;
a second pair of inverted Ts;
a pair of centering tabs ( 505 );
the pair of centering tabs ( 505 ) are located between the tray and track assembly ( 600 L) and the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R);
the first pair of inverted Ts ( 501 - 503 ) engage the slots of the tray and track assembly ( 600 L);
the second pair of inverted Ts ( 502 - 504 ) engage the slots of the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R),
the feet ( 520 ) of the fence ( 500 ) thereby interlock the tray and track assembly ( 600 L) to the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R) thereby joining the second tray and track assembly ( 600 R) to the tray and track assembly ( 600 L).
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the containers of product are ice cream pint containers, each ice cream pint container: having a side, and having a cylindrical lid, said apparatus further comprising:
latching means, comprising the stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 ), configured for latching the pusher at a back end of said pusher track, by catching the notchward guide slider ( 411 ) in the stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 );
unlatching means for:
automatically unlatching the pusher by the pressure against the guide wall ( 404 ), through the pusher ( 400 ), to the release of the forward corner of the notchward guide slider ( 411 ) from the stepwise horizontal notch ( 421 );
and
thereby unlatching the pusher, to spring bias and push the ice cream pint containers forward.