Glide floor for merchandising and display of retail products
A glide floor for use in supporting a number of containers, e.g. for retail display, includes a series of ribs on a top surface defined by the glide floor, in combination with a series of valleys between the ribs. Each rib defines a radiused uppermost tangency point that serves to minimize the contact area between the rib and a bottom surface of each container while providing smooth contact with the bottom surface of the container.
1. A glide floor for use in supporting a number of packages or containers, comprising:
a plurality of ribs on a top surface defined by the glide floor, each rib having an arch-shaped cross section;
a plurality of valleys between the ribs, wherein the plurality of ribs and the plurality of valleys create a continuous surface of the glide floor; and
a tab on one edge of the glide floor and;
a slot on an edge of the glide floor opposite the tab;
wherein the glide floor includes a low friction material;
wherein each rib has a height of between about 0.01 inch and about 0.1 inch;
wherein the distance between ribs is between about 0.2 inch and about 0.5 inch;
wherein the uppermost extent of each rib has a radius of curvature of between about 0.05 inch and about 0.1 inch.
2. The glide floor of claim 1 , wherein each rib has a convex cross section.
3. The glide floor of claim 2 , wherein the valleys between the ribs have a concave cross section.
4. The glide floor of claim 3 , wherein the valleys and ribs merge at angled transition areas between the valleys and ribs.
5. The glide floor of claim 1 , wherein the glide floor is positioned at an angle of between 4° and 8° from horizontal.
6. The glide floor of claim 5 , wherein the glide floor is positioned at an angle of 6° from horizontal.
7. The glide floor of claim 1 , wherein the glide floor has a width of about 8 inches.
8. The glide floor of claim 1 , wherein each valley has a substantially flat portion.
9. The glide floor of claim 8 , wherein for each valley the flat portion has a width of between about 0.05 inch and about 0.15 inch.
10. The glide floor of claim 1 , wherein the glide floor has a smooth cross section with respect to the ribs and valleys.
11. The glide floor of claim 1 , wherein the glide floor is one of a plurality of glide floors wherein the glide floors are secured together by tab-slot connection.