IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,702,079
Granted Patent B2
US 10,702,079 · App. 16/234,730 · Granted Jul 7, 2020

Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism

Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy (Wadsworth, OH)
Assignee: RTC Industries, Inc.
A47F5/005A47B57/581A47B57/585A47B57/586A47B57/588A47B65/15A47B73/006A47B87/0223A47B87/0269A47F1/04A47F1/125A47F1/126A47F3/02A47F3/14A47F5/0025A47F5/0068A47F7/0007A47F7/28A47F7/281B42F7/12Y10T29/49863
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,702,079
App. No.
16/234,730
Granted
Jul 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (34)

1. A merchandise display system comprising:

a curved mounting clip;

a front rail comprising an aperture configured to receive the mounting clip to prevent lateral movement of the front rail,

wherein the mounting clip is configured to fit into a corresponding aperture on a shelf;

at least one divider configured to attach to the front rail, the at least one divider including

a barrier configured to engage the front rail,

a divider wall extending in a direction perpendicular to the front rail,

a divider floor perpendicular to the divider wall, wherein the divider floor is configured to hold product; and

a resilient tab coupled to the divider, the resilient tab configured to move between a first position and a second position,

wherein the at least one divider is fixed in a lateral direction parallel to the front rail when the resilient tab is in the first position,

wherein the at least one divider is movable in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail when the resilient tab is in the second position.

2. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the aperture contains a wider portion and a narrower portion wherein the mounting clip contains a narrow portion at one end and a wider portion at the other end; wherein the wider portion can be inserted into the wider portion of the aperture in the front rail and into the aperture on the shelf; wherein after placement into the wider portion of the aperture, the mounting clip can be shifted laterally so the wider portion of the mounting clip engages the narrower portion within the aperture in the front rail to lock the mounting clip in place.

3. The merchandise display system of claim 1 , wherein the divider includes a plurality of teeth configured to engage the front rail.

4. The merchandise display system of claim 3 , wherein the divider teeth are configured to engage corresponding teeth on the front rail.

5. The merchandise display system of claim 3 , wherein the divider teeth are configured to engage a resilient surface on the front rail.

6. A merchandise display system comprising:

a curved mounting clip;

a front rail, the front rail comprising a first projection and a second projection, wherein the front rail comprises an aperture configured to receive the mounting clip to prevent lateral movement of the front rail, wherein the mounting clip is configured to fit into a corresponding aperture on a shelf; and

at least one divider configured to attach to the front rail, the at least one divider comprising a divider wall and a divider floor perpendicular to the divider wall, the at least one divider further comprising a recess and a third projection,

wherein at least one of the second projection or the third projection is a movable projection that is movable between a first position and a second position,

wherein the at least one divider is (a) movable in a lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in a direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first projection of the front rail is engaged with the recess of the divider and the movable projection is in the first position,

wherein the at least one divider is (a) immovable in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in the direction perpendicular to the front rail when the first projection of the front rail is engaged with the recess of the divider and the movable projection is in the second position, and

wherein the aperture contains a wider portion and a narrower portion wherein the mounting clip contains a narrow portion at one end and a wider portion at the other end; wherein the wider portion can be inserted into the wider portion of the aperture in the front rail and into the aperture on the shelf; wherein after placement into the wider portion of the aperture, the mounting clip can be shifted laterally so the wider portion of the mounting clip engages the narrower portion within the aperture in the front rail to lock the mounting clip in place.

7. The merchandise display system of claim 6 , wherein the movable projection is a cam.

8. The merchandise display system of claim 6 , wherein the movable projection is a resilient tab.

9. The merchandise display system of claim 6 , wherein the first projection of the front rail comprises a tongue and the recess of the divider comprises a groove.

10. A merchandise display system comprising:

a curved mounting clip;

a front rail, the front rail comprising at least one first projection and at least one second projection, the at least one second projection of the front rail configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the front rail comprises an aperture configured to receive the mounting clip to prevent lateral movement of the front rail, wherein the mounting clip is configured to fit into a corresponding aperture on a shelf; and

at least one divider configured to attach to the front rail, the at least one divider comprising a divider wall and a divider floor perpendicular to the divider wall, the at least one divider further comprising at least one recess,

wherein the at least one divider is (a) movable in a lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in a direction perpendicular to the front rail when the at least one first projection of the front rail is engaged with the at least one recess of the divider and the at least one second projection of the front rail is in the first position,

wherein the at least one divider is (a) fixed in the lateral direction parallel to the front rail and (b) secured in the direction perpendicular to the front rail when the at least one first projection of the front rail is engaged with the at least one recess of the divider and the at least one second projection of the front rail is in the second position, and

wherein the aperture contains a wider portion and a narrower portion wherein the mounting clip contains a narrow portion at one end and a wider portion at the other end; wherein the wider portion can be inserted into the wider portion of the aperture in the front rail and into the aperture on the shelf; wherein after placement into the wider portion of the aperture, the mounting clip can be shifted laterally so the wider portion of the mounting clip engages the narrower portion within the aperture in the front rail to lock the mounting clip in place.

11. The merchandise display system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first projection of the front rail comprises a tongue and wherein the at least one recess of the divider comprises a groove.

Continuity (15)
Continuation 15648799 · Jul 13, 2017
Division 14838695 · Aug 28, 2015
Division 14326612 · Jul 9, 2014
Continuation 14012715 · Aug 28, 2013
Continuation 13542419 · Jul 5, 2012
Continuation In Part 12639656 · Dec 16, 2009
Continuation In Part 12357860 · Jan 22, 2009
Continuation In Part 11760196 · Jun 8, 2007
Continuation In Part 11411761 · Apr 25, 2006
Provisional Application 61553545 · Oct 31, 2011
Provisional Application 61542473 · Oct 3, 2011
Provisional Application 61530736 · Sep 2, 2011
Provisional Application 60734692 · Nov 8, 2005
Provisional Application 60716362 · Sep 12, 2005
Related Publication 20190133343A1 · May 9, 2019