Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism
A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam that may define a cam glide.
1. A merchandise display system comprising:
a front rail that is mountable to a shelf;
a first divider configured to engage the front rail and to receive product, the first divider comprising a first divider floor and a first divider wall extending upwardly from the first divider floor;
a portion of the first divider having a first lock;
a first front barrier mounted to the first divider, the first front barrier defining a plane extending perpendicularly to both the first divider floor and the first divider wall;
a first pusher mechanism coupled to the first divider floor; and
a second divider comprising a second divider floor configured to engage the front rail and to receive product and comprising a second divider wall extending upwardly from the second divider floor; a portion of the second divider having a second lock; a second front barrier mounted to the second divider, the second front barrier defining a plane extending perpendicularly to both the second divider floor and the second divider wall; and a second pusher mechanism coupled to the second divider floor,
wherein a portion of the first lock is positioned in front of the first barrier and in front of the first pusher mechanism both when the first divider floor is empty and when the first divider floor is loaded with product and wherein the portion of the first lock is configured to be digitally accessible by a user's thumb or finger when product is on the first divider floor and without having to push back product located on the first divider floor,
wherein the first lock when in a first position permits slidable movement of the first divider floor relative to the front rail,
wherein the first lock prevents slidable movement of the first divider floor relative to the front rail when in a second position,
wherein a portion of the second lock is positioned in front of the second barrier and in front of the second pusher mechanism both when the second divider floor is empty and when the second divider floor is loaded with product and wherein the second lock portion is configured to be digitally accessible by a user's thumb or finger when product is on the second divider floor and without having to push back product located on the second divider floor, wherein the second lock when in a first position permits slidable movement of the second divider floor relative to the front rail, and wherein the second lock prevents slidable movement of the second divider floor relative to the front rail when in a second position, and
wherein the front rail further defines a tongue extending upwardly from the front rail, the first divider floor defines a first groove for receiving the tongue when the first divider floor is mounted to the front rail, and the second divider floor defines a second groove for receiving the tongue when the second divider floor is mounted to the front rail.
2. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the first lock and the second lock are configured to stay in the first position such that both the first divider floor and the second divider floor can be moved simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to the front rail.
3. The merchandise display system of claim 2 , wherein the first lock and the second lock are configured to stay in the second position such that the first divider floor and the second divider floor remain locked to the front rail.
4. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the first positions of the first lock and the second lock are unlocked positions and the second positions of the first lock and the second lock are locked positions and wherein the first lock and the second lock are configured to be independently locked or unlocked for adjustment of the first divider floor and the second divider floor.
5. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the front rail further defines a plurality of teeth, and wherein the first lock can engage the plurality of teeth to prevent slidable movement of the first divider floor relative to the front rail and wherein the second lock can engage a second portion of the plurality of teeth to prevent slidable movement of the second divider floor relative to the front rail.
6. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the first pusher mechanism further includes a first pusher extender and wherein the second pusher mechanism further includes a second pusher extender.
7. The merchandise display system of claim 6 , wherein the first pusher mechanism further includes a first pusher floor extending forwardly of the first pusher extender and wherein the second pusher mechanism further includes a second pusher floor extending forwardly of the second pusher extender.
8. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the first lock and the second lock each define a portion that extends upwardly from the respective first divider floor or the second divider floor.
9. A merchandise display system comprising:
a front rail that is mountable to a shelf;
a first divider configured to engage the front rail and to receive product, the first divider comprising a first divider floor and a first divider wall extending upwardly from the first divider floor;
a portion of the first divider having a first lock;
a first front barrier mounted to the first divider, the first front barrier defining a plane extending perpendicularly to both the first divider floor and the first divider wall;
a first pusher mechanism coupled to the first divider floor; and
a second divider comprising a second divider floor configured to engage the front rail and to receive product and comprising a second divider wall extending upwardly from the second divider floor; a portion of the second divider having a second lock; a second front barrier mounted to the second divider, the second front barrier defining a plane extending perpendicularly to both the second divider floor and the second divider wall; and a second pusher mechanism coupled to the second divider floor,
wherein a portion of the first lock is positioned in front of the first barrier and in front of the first pusher mechanism both when the first divider floor is empty and when the first divider floor is loaded with product and wherein the portion of the first lock is configured to be digitally accessible by a user's thumb or finger when product is on the first divider floor and without having to push back product located on the first divider floor,
wherein the first lock when in a first position permits slidable movement of the first divider floor relative to the front rail,
wherein the first lock prevents slidable movement of the first divider floor relative to the front rail when in a second position,
wherein a portion of the second lock is positioned in front of the second barrier and in front of the second pusher mechanism both when the second divider floor is empty and when the second divider floor is loaded with product and wherein the second lock portion is configured to be digitally accessible by a user's thumb or finger when product is on the second divider floor and without having to push back product located on the second divider floor, wherein the second lock when in a first position permits slidable movement of the second divider floor relative to the front rail, and wherein the second lock prevents slidable movement of the second divider floor relative to the front rail when in a second position, and
wherein the front rail further defines a plurality of teeth, and wherein the first lock can engage the plurality of teeth to prevent slidable movement of the first divider floor relative to the front rail and wherein the second lock can engage a second portion of the plurality of teeth to prevent slidable movement of the second divider floor relative to the front rail.
10. The merchandise display system of claim 9 , wherein the first lock and the second lock are configured to stay in the first position such that both the first divider floor and the second divider floor can be moved simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to the front rail.
11. The merchandise display system of claim 10 , wherein the first lock and the second lock are configured to stay in the second position such that the first divider floor and the second divider floor remain locked to the front rail.
12. The merchandise display system of claim 9 , wherein the first positions of the first lock and the second lock are unlocked positions and the second positions of the first lock and the second lock are locked positions and wherein the first lock and the second lock are configured to be independently locked or unlocked for adjustment of the first divider floor and the second divider floor.
13. The merchandise display system of claim 9 , wherein the first pusher mechanism further includes a first pusher extender and wherein the second pusher mechanism further includes a second pusher extender.
14. The merchandise display system of claim 13 , wherein the first pusher mechanism further includes a first pusher floor extending forwardly of the first pusher extender and wherein the second pusher mechanism further includes a second pusher floor extending forwardly of the second pusher extender.
15. The merchandise display system of claim 9 , wherein the first lock and the second lock each define a portion that extends upwardly from the respective first divider floor or the second divider floor.