CA1328641C - Display rack - Google Patents
Display rackInfo
- Publication number
- CA1328641C CA1328641C CA000616516A CA616516A CA1328641C CA 1328641 C CA1328641 C CA 1328641C CA 000616516 A CA000616516 A CA 000616516A CA 616516 A CA616516 A CA 616516A CA 1328641 C CA1328641 C CA 1328641C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- shelf
- forwardly
- shelves
- base
- top surface
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure A high density pack out gondola display rack comprises a fixed base, an upright extending vertically from the rear of the fixed base, which upright has at least one shelf supported in cantilever fashion over the fixed base.
Both the base and the shelf have downwardly and forwardly sloping top surfaces such that product supported on the top surfaces slide forwardly against abutments at the front edge of the base and shelf. An additional display rack having multiple columns and rows of forwardly and downwardly sloping shelves is mounted on the base. Each additional shelf may be individually pulled forwardly on a frame mounted on the base for the loading of product thereon.
Both the base and the shelf have downwardly and forwardly sloping top surfaces such that product supported on the top surfaces slide forwardly against abutments at the front edge of the base and shelf. An additional display rack having multiple columns and rows of forwardly and downwardly sloping shelves is mounted on the base. Each additional shelf may be individually pulled forwardly on a frame mounted on the base for the loading of product thereon.
Description
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This is a division of commonly owned Canadian Patent Application No. 568,874 filed June 7, 1988.
This invention relates to display racks, and more particularly to an improved gondola display rack of the gravity-feed type.
The invention of this application is particularly adapted, but not necessarily limited, to use in the merchandising of beverages, as for example,~soft drinks and ~ beer. Gondola display racks, constructed primarily of sheet ~- metal, are commonly used in grocery stores, supermarkets, and the like for the dlsplay and merchandising~ of~beverages.
Beverages are sold in bottles and containers of various sizes,~ tbe smaller bottl-s being commonly~ packaged in ~ 15 cartons, and the larger multi-liter sizes being-generally in -~ ~ the form of individual bottlea. The~ sizes of the small bottles may vary, and the~relative proportion of cartons to large bottles in a parti-cular display also varies, depending -upon the demand experienced by a~particular vendor. For ~ these reasons, gondola display racks are commonly supplied - with vertically movable shelves IN/jj adapted to be positioned for optimum usage of available space.
A typical gondola display rack comprises a sheet metal base and a vertical upright extending upwardly from the rear of the base. Beverage cartons are normally stacked on the base, and larger bottles are normally arranged on shelves supported from the upright and cantilevered over~the baseO In order to stabilize the stack of cartons, the upper surface of the base is commonly tilted backwardly by a few degrees. This backward tilting has heretofore been provided in order to stabilize a stack of cartons reating upon the rearwardly tilted base, which stack can be four or five cartons high.
15A common problem characteristic of gondola displays ~.s that the capaclty of such`displays ls limited, primarily because of the need to maintain stability in the rack when it i fully loaded with product. The merchandiser would like to increase the capacity of gondola displays, particularly if that ` could be accomplished without increasing the floor space occupied by the gondola. The design of the gondola and the maximum height to which customers can effectively reach has, though, heretofore limited the capacity of such displays.
Another problem characteristic of gondola displays is that there is very littIe flexibility in the mix of products which may be displayed on the -~
lower portion of the gondola display. This lack of -flexibility is primarily attributable to the fact that all of the product displayed in a single row of products and then in a single stack of products on the lower portion of the gondola display must be identical. Any mix of products in a single row and stack would make it impossible to renove a second or third product in a single row or in a single stack 10 without removing products in front of or on top of ;~
the desired packaged product. ~
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It has therefore been an objective of this invention to provide an improved gondola display wherein the capacity of the display may be markedly increased without any appreciable increase in floor space occupied by the gondola display.
In accordance with the practice of this invention, the improved gondola display of this invention effects anywhere from a 40 to 60 percent increase in the capacity or "pack-out" of a gondola display over that possible with prior art gondola displays of the type described hereinabove. -Still another objeotive of this in;vention ,~ .
; has ~been to provide a gondola display which is ~amenable to greater flexlbility of product mix than -, :
prior art gondola displays of the type described hereinabove. In accordanoe with one aspect of this : :
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invention, identical products must be packaged in each row of product, but each stack of rows may be occupied by different products, all of which are equally accessible without any need for removal of one product in order to access another.
Generally speaking, the above objects are met by the invention of the parent application which provides a display rack for merchandising products supported upon ~he rack, the rack comprising: a fixed base; at least one upright extending vertically from the rear of the fixed base; the fixed base having a product supporting top surface; stop means at the front edge of the top surface of the base; the top surface of the base being angled downwardly and forwardly at a sufficient slope so as to enable products nupported upon the top surface to slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly ~and downwardly over the top surface into engagément with the stop means on the front edge of the ba8e; and spring-up shelr mean- attached to the upright and extending forwardly from the upright over ;the base, the npring-up shelf means .
extending downwnrdly and forwardly from the upright parallel to the~top surface of the base when loaded with products atop the~ spring-up shelf means, and the spring-up shelf means being automatically movable away from products supported ~`
beneath the spring-up shelf means when all products are as ~ ~removed from atop the spring-up shelf means.
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A gondola display rack made in accordance with the invention of the parent application comprises a sheet metal base and a vertical upright support extending upwardly from the rear of the base. The base has a forwardly and downwardly sloping top surface such that all products supported upon the base are gravity fed forwardly over the base to a front stop located along the front edge of the base. Mounted above the fixed base are multiple shelves adjustably mounted upon the upright support and cantilevered over the base. Each of the shelves has a forwardly and downwardly sloping top surface operative to gravity feed products supported upon the shelf to the front edge of the shelf. Because of this parallel orientation of the top surface of the base and the top surface of the shelves, a greater capacity of product may be stored upon the gondola display than has heretofore been possible when the shelves were either horizontal or downwardly and rearwardly sloping.
The gondola display made in accordance with the invention of the parent application also hag a plurality of spring-up shelves made from .'' ' ";.' - ~ -- :.
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~ _5_ 1328641 welded rods and mounted above the base and below the cantilevered shelves. Each of the spring-up shelves is mounted such that it will support a plurality of packaged products in such a fashion as to gravity feed the products stored on the top of the spring-up shelf to the front edge of the shelf. So long as product rests atop the spring-up shelf, the shelf in turn rests upon products supported beneath it. As soon as the last package of product is removed from the spring-up shelf, the shelf springs upwardly so as to facilitate access to product mounted beneath the . .. ~ .
raised spring-up shelf.
On the other hand, the invention of this application provides a gondola display rack for merchandising products supported upon the rack, the rack comprising: a fixed base;
at least one upright extending vertically from the rear of the fixed base, the upright having at least two parallel columns of vertically spaced slots therein; at least one shelf; shelf supporting bracket means engageable with the glots of-the upright to support the shelf from the upright in a position cantilevered over the fixed base; both the fixed base and the shelf having a product supporting top surface; stop means at the front edge of the top surface of the base and the sheIf; both the sholf and the base having a top surface angled downwardly and forwardly at a sufficient slope so as to enable products supported upon the top surface to slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly and . - .
downwardly over the top surface into engagement with the stop means on the front edges of the base and shelf; a frame . ~
IN/ j j '.,. ,' " ',' 1~28641 -5a-mounted upon the fixed base; and a plurality of additional shelves mounted upon the frame, the additional shelves being arranged in side-by-side rows and in spaced vertical columns, each of the additionaI shelves having stop means on the S forward edge thereof, and each of the additional shelves sloping downwardly and forwardly parallel to the downwardly and forwardly sloping top surface of the fixed base.
Thus, the present invention utilizes a fixed shelf supporting frame attached to the base. This frame supports an array of horizontally aligned and vertically stacked shelves, each of which is made from welded wired rods and each of which slopes downwardly and forwardly parallel to the top surface of the base. Each sheIf in turn is individually slidable on the frame such that it may be lifted and pulled forwardly until only the rear edge of the shelf is supported upon the frame. In this pulled out position of the shelf, it may be quickly loaded with product and then returned to its originally forwardly and downwardly sloping position in the ~'''~'''`'' :",, ' ,'-' ~' ;, ' IN/jj :
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1328641 : -frame wherein the shelf loaded with product slopes forwardly and downwardly in parallel with the top surface of the gondola base.
The improved gondola display of this invention has many advantages over prior art gondola displays. Among those advantages is that all product supported upon the display is gravity fed to the forward edge of the base or each shelf of the display, whether that product is a package of bottles or containers or a plurality of individual bottles or containers. Because o this characteristic of the display, the capacity of the display is greatly increased over prior art displays, as well as the ease of access of product located in the display.
Additionally, the use of a fixed frame with a plurality of wire rod slide-out shelves on the bottom portion of the display facilitates greater flexibility of product mix within the display. Each ~ .... .. ..
shelf may contain a different product, even though the shelves are stacked immediately above one another? Sufficient clearance is left between the vertically stacked shelves so as to enable different .,. . :..
products to be mounted on each shelf and still remain --fully accessible to customers at the front of the ~
25 shelf. Because the shelves slide out on the fixed ~ -fràme, the shelves may be more quickly loaded with packaqes oS products than has heretofore been ; ~".:' '':.
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These and other features and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following ~:
description of the invention in which~
5Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gondola display incorporating the invention of this application.
Figure 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view ..
of a portion of a fixed frame and shelf mounted upon the base of the gondola display of Figure 1. -~
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Figure 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional :
view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ;
fixed frame and slidable shelf portion of the gondola display of Figure l.
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Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on : `'.
line 5-5 of Figure 4. .;``":
Figure 6 is an enlarged, perspective vlew '.
of a portion of a spring-up shelf of the gondola lO display of Figure l. :
Figure 7 is a top plan view of the ;~
:spring-up shelf of Figure 4. -: ~ ~Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on .~
line 8-8 of Figure 7. .~-, 15Figure 9:is an exploded perspective view of ^~
a spring-up shelf mounting pIate illustrating the ~, .
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manner in which the plate may be used to span a : `:
connection between two adjacent gondola displays.
-Referring first to Figure lj there is .:: .
20 illuqtrated a beverage gondola display or so-called ~.
~ gondola rack lO~ for displaying packages of ~everage - products 5 or individual bottled products 6. Such ;~-::-:~
displays or racks are commonly used for dis~playing beverage bottles or packages of beverages in stores :25 or retail establishments.
The~ gondola display rack lO comprises a wedge-shaped basè ll to which are attached vertical -.
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side posts 12 and 13. The front edges of these posts 12 and 13 define spaced, vertical slots 14 adapte~ to receive hook-shaped tabs (not shown) of shelf mounting brackets 15 for removable securement of S shelves 17 upon the posts 12 and 13. A back panel 18 spans the area between the side posts 12 and 13 and serves, as explained more ully hereinafter, as a support for spring-up shelves 19 and for a fixed .
shelf supporting frame 40. ~ -In Figure 1, the gondola rack 10 is illus-trated as having one shelf 17, the top surface of which slopes downwardly and forwardly at an angle of -approximately 8 so as to faciIitate sliding of ;
. .
bottles or articles 6 supported upon the top surface of the shelf forwardly to the front edge of the shelf and against an abutment 20 secured to the front edge ~
of the shelf. In the illustrated embodiment, the -abutment 20 comprises multiple U-shaped wires 20a having a horizontal span and two vertical legs 20 extending downwardly from opposite ends of the ---: , horizontaI span. The lower ends of these legs 20b are mounted within mounting holes at the front edge of the shelf. - ~ :
;There are multiple channel-shaped or L-shaped dividers 22 mounted upon the top surface 21 of each shelf 17. The bottom surface of these sheet .
~ metal dividers 22 has downwardly extending, ':
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` 1328641 :
hook-shaped, tabs (not shown~ pressed therefrom such that the dividers may be attached to the top surface of the shelf at any desired location by simply inserting the tabs into holes formed in the top surface 21 of each shelf. Preferably, such divider is secured or locked to the top surface of the shelf by a conventional sheet metal screw extending downwardly through the channel and the top surface of the shelf. Thereby, a trackway 23 is defined between two adjacent dividers 22 for the support of a column of packages or bottles 6. In Figure 1, the bottles 6 are illustrated as two-liter bottles. They could as : ..: ... .:
well, though, be individual beverage cans or packages ` :
of beverage cans or bottles, in which ~event the spacing between adjacent dividers 22 would be differ-: .
ent from that illustrated in Figure 1. Each trackway 23 defined between adjacent dividers 22 i8 provided with a strlp 24 of sillaone lmpregnated plastic materlal over wh~ch the bottles 6 slide. The strip :
of sllicone impregnated plastic material provides a - slip surface which enables the beverage bottIes 6 to - , : ~ : : ..
-- slide downwardly and forwardly over the downwardly and forwardly sloping surface 21 whenever the forwardmost bottle in a column of bottles is removed from the shelf. One material suitable for use as a strip 24 for supporting a column of bottles 6 is completely described in U.S. Patent No. 4,314,648.
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-1~2864~ :
Another material suitable for use as a slip surface is described in U.5. Patent No. 4,461,388.
Obviously, other materials are suitable for forming strips 24 of slippery material over which plastic bottles or beverage containers can slide ~ith a minimum of friction between the bottle and the slip surface.
With reference now to Figures 2 and 4, it will be seen that the wedge-shaped base 11 comprises a sheet metal bottom plate, the forward edge of which is bent upwardly into a vertical plane to form a front lip 31 on the base. A top plate 32 extends upwardly and rearwardly from a midpoint on the front lip or front wall 31 of the base. The top surface of this top plate 32 forms a downwardly and forwardly sloping surface from the rear wall 34 of the base.
There is preferably an angle iron plate 35 located in the inside front corner of the base to reinforce the front of the base at this point. A similar angled : ,~
20 plate (not shown) reinforces the rear wall of the ~ -base. Additionally, there are front-to-rear ~ extending braces (not shown) located internally of ;~ the wedge-shaped base 11. The vertical side posts 12, 13 are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the -~
bottom rear section of the wedge-shaped base. Side plates 36 enclose the sides of the base 11.
".'~', '. ':'' '''' - .,-' ',~: ' There is located atop the left side, as viewed in Figure 1, of the top surface 33 of the wedge-shaped base a fixed shelf supporting frame 40.
This frame 40 functions to support parallel vertical rows and columns of longitudinally slidable shelves 70. All of the shelves 70 have bottom walls 75 which slope downwardly and forwardly parallel to the top surface 33 of the base 11. Consequently, articles or products, such as packages of beverage cans 5 supported upon the shelves will slide forwardly over the shelves whenever the forwardmost package in a row of packages is removed from the shelf.
The shelf supporting frame 40 comprises side walls 45, as well as one or more vertical divider walls 46, extending parallel to the side walls 45. These walls 45, 46 are all attached at the rear to the back panel 18 by conventional connectors (not qhown). The side walls are formed by a plurality of spaced parallel right angle channels 48 tied together by front, middle and rear vertical posts 49, 50 and 51, respectively. These posts are all slidably received within pockets 49a, 50a, and . .
51a, defined by vertical offsets 52 fo~ed in -vertical legs 54 of the channels 48 and matching offsets 52a formed in a sheet metal brace 53 welded ::
to the inside vertical wall of the channel 48. These posts are vertically slidable into the pockets 49a, .
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50a and Sl to a depth of a punched stop 52b formed in each offset 52. Each channel has a horizontal leg 55 which extends inwardly from the vertical leg 54 of the channel to form a shelf support over which the shelves 70 are slidable.
The divider wall 46 is substantially identical to the side walls 45, except that the divider wall is formed by a pair of L-shaped shelf supporting channels 60, 61 welded or otherwise fixedly secured together in side-by-side relation.
Offsets 63 formed in the channel 60 and matching : . ., offsets 63a formed in the channel 61 define between them three vertical pockets for the reception of front, middle and rear posts 62a, 62b and 62c, respectively. These posts extend into the pockets to the depth of a punched stop 63b formed in each ofset. The vertical posts 62a, 62b and 62c tie together the vertLcally spaced parallel channels 60, 61 of the divider wall 46. Otherwise expressed, the divider wall 46 is generally identical to the side walls 45, except that the divider wall 46 has a pair of channels 60, Sl welded together from which ~ .,: :
horizontal legs extend outwardly on both sides of the diviaer wall to slidably support shelves 70 thereon.
At the top, the side wall posts 49, 50 and 51 and the divider wall posts 62a, 62b and 62d are preferably tied together by a top crossbar 62d. This -~
-14- 1328641 :~
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top crossbar prevents spreading of the side walls and potential collapse of the side walls.
As should now be readily apparent, the horizontal leg or flange of each channel 48, 60, 61 functions as a forwardly and downwardly sloping shelf support for one of the forwardly and downwardly sloping shelves 70 upon which the packaqes of beverage products 5 are supported.
According to the practice -of this invention, the shelves 70 whlch support the packages of beverage products 5 are slidable on the frame, rather than being fixed theroto. ~The slldabiiity of~
these shelves enables the shelves 70 to be pulled forwardly from the frame so as to facilitate the loading of product onto the shelves. The manner in which the shelves may be pullod forwardly from the frame i9 illustrated in Figure 1 wherein it is shown how a hand 71 may grasp the underside of the shelf, ~. .
; lift it upwardly and pull it forwardly untll the rear of the shelf is supported solely by the frame 40 and the for~ard edge is supported by the hand of a person loading the~ shelf. Such a person would ordinarily ;hold the forward end of the shelf in one hand and load packages of product onto~the shelf~with the ~ other hand. When the shelf was fully loaded, the person would push the loaded shelf rearwardly in the ~ . .~ . , , : ~ , ~ frame until~downwardly extending detents 72 on the -.
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13286~
underside of the shelf engage in holes 73 (Figures 2 and 4) of the horizontal flanges 55 of the channels 48, 60 and 61 to lock the shelves against forward sliding movement in the frame. ~-As may be seen most clearly in Figures 1 and 2, each shelf 70 comprises a pan 74 formed from a plurality of longitudinally extending rods 79 and a plurality of transversely extending rods 80. The -transverse rods extend beneath the longitudinally 10 extending rods 79 and are welded at their ~
intersections. The rods are shaped so~as to form a ~;
bottom wall 75, side walls 76, 77 extending~upwardly from the bottom wall 75, and a front wall or lip 78 extending upwardly from the bottom wall. A recess 78a formed in the forward edge of the shelf enables product supported upon the shelf to be engaged on the ;
underside and lifted over the forward lip 78 of the shelf. ~ ~
; Mounted upon the top of each ~of the P `-centermost, longitudinally extending rods 79a, 79b, 79c and 79d there is a s1ip surface element or cap 81. In the preferred embodiment, this slip surface eIement comprises a section of extruded plastic, ~ -~
preferably having silicone embedded thereln, so as to facilitate the sliding of product, such as a package ..
of beverage cans S, over the top surface of the slip surface element 81. -~
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Each slip surface element is in the shape of a channel which has an inside surface 81a which conforms to the exterior shape of the longitudinally extending rod 79 over an angle of approximately 240 S arcuate degrees. This configuration of the slip surface element enables the slip surface element to be snap-fit onto the top surface of the rods 79 and to form a cap thereon. In the preferred embodiment, each slip surface element 81 has a ridge or rib 81b (Figure 3) formed on the top surface thereof so as to minimize the surface contact of the bottom of the . .
cans or products supported upon the shelves with the supporting surface of the slip~ surface element 81.
The slip; surface element 81 may be permanently adhered to the top surface of the longitudinal rods 79, or it may be secured thereon by the snap-fit connection only. The elements extend from the rearward edge of the shelf 70 to the front edge thereof.
The shelf supporting frame 40 is generally ;
:: :: .' designed to handle only one size or height and width ~
of product. The shelf supporting channels~are verti- --cally spaced~apart approximately one inch mo;re than ~the helght of the product supported on the shelves.
~25 Except for the bottommost shelf,~no greater spacing -~ is required because the recesses ?8a cut in the front ~ of each shelf enable a person to reach the underside , .
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of the product, such as the package of beverage products S, and lift that product upwardly over the lip 78 on the front of the shelf. That lip is usually approximately one-half inch in height. To ~ ~
5 remove product from the shelf 70, all that lS ~,. ~ .'~,.
required is to lift the forwardmost product supported ~ :
on the shelf upwardly high enough for the bottom of ;
the product to be located above the top surface of ;
the lips 78 on the front of the shelves. When the ~ -product is lifted to that height, it may be pulled : .... .
forwardly off of the front of the shelf. When the ~-forwardmost pacXage of products or the forwardmost .
product supported on a shelf is removed from the shelf, all of those products stored to the rear of the forwardmost product slide forwardly over the ~ ,- . ::: - .
downwardly and forwardly sloping shelf until the next ~ -following product supported on the shelf engages the .: ..
lip 78 on the forward end of the downwardly and ;j~
forwardly sloping shelf.
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20The advantage of this construction of the - ~ ~
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~ shelf supporting frame and shelves supported thereby ~ ,.
is that it enables a very large pack-out of product 5 ~ -:-. ~ ~ -.. : -~ to be supported upon the frame. Because the shelves - ~
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are removable from the frame and may be pulled for-25 wardly, as illustrated in Figure 1, to load the `
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~ shelves, the products 5-may be easily placed on the ::: -:
frame without the need to physically push all of the - ~
: . :- . -~ ~ . ."-', ' : ,- .:' ~:' product on the shelf rearwardly in order to add additional products to the shelf. This would be the case if the shelves were fixedly secured to the frame. It also enables the frame to be placed S against a rigid wall, such as the rear wall of the gondola, without any need to gain access through the rear wall in order to load product onto the shelves.
In Figure 1, the shelf supporting frame has only been illustrated as extending over approximately one-half of the total surface area of the base 11.
In accordance with the practice of this; invention, and in order to facilitate the display of a greater variety of shapes and slzes of products, the remainder of the surface area of the base is utilized lS to support product Sa which is supported on the base 11 or on spring-up shelves 19 located above the base.
These spring-up shelves 19 enable a greater variety of products and siz-s of products to be supported upon the base than i9 possible with the shelf .. ... .
supporting frame 40 and shelves 70 supported thereon.
It is within the scope of this invention, though, that the complete surface area of the base would be occupied by one or more shelf supporting frames 40. ;;
These frames~ might vary in spacing of the shelves thereon so as to;enable differing sized and shaped products to be supported upon the same gondola display rack. ~ -~' ~ '-."';
1328641 ~
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Referring now to Figures 1, 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that the right-hand section 85 of the gondola display rack 10 as viewed in Figure 1 comprises a plurality of spring-up shelves 19 ~. .. . .
supported from the back panel 18 of the rack lO.
This back panel 18 extends between the side posts 12 .
and 13 and is fixedly attached thereto. : -: - ,, ,~ . .
The back panel 18 has a plurality of spaced slots formed in the panel. These slots 9~1~are ar-ranged in vertical columns and horizontal rows. The . . -. ;., slots 91 of each horizontal row are spaced apart the -:: .~ . ,~ -same distance as the slots of the adjacent row. The slots of adjacent rows, though, are laterally offset so that the slots of one row partially overlap in the vertical direction the slots of an adjacent row. As explained more fully hereinafter, this spacing of the 810t9 enables the shelves to be more closely spaced than would be the case if the slots did not vertically overlap the slots of an adjacent row.
The slots 91 are adapted to receive ears or ~-- tabs 92 of a spring-up shelf supporting bracket assembly 94. Extending forwardly from each of these shelf supporting bracket assemblies 94 is a spring-up shelf l9. Springs 95 of the bracket assemblies 94 bias these shelves upwardly, as indicated by the arrows 96 of Figure l, to a position in which the ~ .; . . .
~ shelves are disengaged from products or cans mounted ~
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beneath the shelf such that the exposed products are accessible for removal of the cans or products. The ;
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position of the shelves 19 when product has been removed therefrom is best illustrated in Figure 1 wherein there are two shelves 19a and l9b which have been moved upwardly to their uppermost position in which the products supported on the next adjacent lower shelf is exposed and accessible.
The purpose of spring-up shelves is to enable products to be stacked in columns supported upon the spring-up shelves and, when the ~product is - ~ -removed from the topmost shelf, to have the front end :: :
of that shelf spring up about a~rearward pivot so that the shelf no longer interfere~s with the removal of product on the next lower shelf. The shelves 19 function in this way to enable product to be stacked upon a plurality of shelves without any spacing between the top of the row of products Sa and the bottom of the shel~es 19 above the row. Because the : . :. .
shelves do not carry or support the weight of the product~ they may be made relatively light and may be~ ;
cantilevered from the back panel~18 of the display.
As is best illustrated Ln Figure 1, the -~
lowermost rows of product supported in the~section 85 ~;
of the gondoIa rack 10 are supported upon the top surface 33 of the base. This section is divided into columns by dividers 22 identical to the dividers ~: ~. ~. .. .
21 1328~41 which divide the space on the shelves 17 into columns. Slip surface elements (not shown) similar to the slip surface elements 24 on the shelves 17 are located between the dividers 22 on the top surface 33 of the base. These slip surface elements facilitate sliding of product stored on the base to the forward edge of the base upon removal of the orwardmost product in a column. The spacing between the dividers 22 on the base 11 is the same as the width of the spring-up shelves 19 located above the column formed by the dividers 22. ~
There are advantages to the use of spring-up shelves, such as are employed in the section 85 of the gondola display rack 10, over the fixed shelf supporting frame 40, and there are advantages to the fixed shelf supporting frame section of the display rack over the spring-up chelves. Specifically, the fixed shelf supporting frame 40 has the advantage that differing products : . .
may be stacked one atop the other within the shelf supporting frame section of the rack, and still, each different product will be accessible éven though there are differing products mounted atop it. The fixed shelf supporting frame section of the rack, though, has the disadvantage that it requires an inch or so of vertical clearance or spacing between adja-cent rows of product in order to enable the products : .:
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to be removed. It i5 also more difficult to load than the spring-up shelf section. The spring-up section, though, is capable of greater density or pack-out than the fixed shelf supporting iframe 40, but it requires that all product in a vertical column of product be the same because the lowermost product is not accessible until the product above it has been removed.
With reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that each spring-up shelf 19 comprises a shelf pan lO0 substantially identical to the shelf ~ pan 74 described hereinabove. The spring-up shelf 19 - differs from the sliding shelf 70 described hereinabove only in that the two centermost longitudinal rods 79b, 79c extend rearwardly beyond .
the rearwardmost transverse rod 80a, and there are two short longitudinal rods 97, 97a added to the rear of the shelf and aIso extending beyond the rearwardmost transverse rod 80a. The reàrward ends ~-. .
20 ~ of the rods 97, 97a and rods 79b, 79c are welded to a ~ -pivot shaft 113. ~ ~ ;
As in the case of the shelf 70, there is a ~ -plastic slip surface element 81 snap-fit over the top -~
- surface of the-}ongitudinaI rods 79a, 79b, 79c and 25~ 79d. These slip surface elements facilitate sliding :;`
of product over the top surface of the shelf 19.
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.
, :, -23- 132864~ -:
The spring-up shelves are supported from the shelf supporting bracket assembly 94 by the shafts 113 to which the rear of the shelves are fixedly secured by having the rear of the longitudinally extending rods 79b, 79c, 97 and 97a of the shelves welded thereto. This connection of the shelve.s to the pivot shaft 113 enables the shelf to be movable between its downwardly and forwardly sloping loaded position, and its upwardly and forwardly sloping unloaded position. The shaft 113 supports the torsion springs 95 which bias the shelf to its upwardly sloping position. The shelves l9a and l9b are illustrated in Figure 1 in the upwardly and forwardly sloping position, while the other shelvec 19 are illustrated in this Figure in their downwardly and forwardly sloping loaded position wherein the shelves extend parallel to the downwardly sloping top surface 33 of the base 11.
The shaft 113 is supported from a pair of vertically movable spring clips 114, which clips are each mounted within a vertical channel 117 of a slideway bracket 116. The s~lideway bracket 116 has a - pair of channel deflning flanges 117a, 117b punched from each side edge of the bracket. These flanges lI7a, 117b extend forwardly from the~forward side of the bracket to define the channels within which the spring clips 114 are slidable.
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, ' . , -24- 1328641 ~ ~
As may best be seen in Figures 7 and 8, the spring clips 114 are each generally U-shaped when viewed in top plan. When the outer free ends 114a of the clip are squeezed together, the clip may be inserted into the channels 117 of the bracket 116.
When the free ends 114a of the clips are released, the clips bind against the outer, inwardly turned ends 117c of the flanges 117a, 117b to frictionally secure the spring clips within the channels 117.
The spring clips 114 also serve as anchors for one end 95a of the torsion springs 95. This one end extends through holes 114b~formed in the spring clips. The opposite ends 95b of the torsion springs 95 extend beneath the longitudinal rods 97, 97a of the shelf 19 so as to bias the shelf upwardly.
:.: , On its rear side, the bracket 116 has a horizontal extending slideway 119 defined by top and bottom flanges 118. This horizontal slideway 119 rides within a pair of channels 120a, 120b of a mounting plate 120 from which the ears 92 extend rearwardly. There are two such ears 92 spaced apart a multiple of the distance between adjacent slots 91 in the rows of siots formed in the back panel 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the ears 92 are spaced apart four times~the distance between adjacent slots in a horizontal row of slots in the back panel.
,:.', '. -: .:
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The ears or tabs 92 are generally hook .
shaped and extend rearwardly at 90 to the vertical : -~
plane of the mounting plate 120. These hook-shaped :-ears 92 provide a slot 121 in the ear such that the ^
5 ears may be inserted into a slot 91 of the back panel :
18 and then moved vertically downwardly so as to lock .;
the mounting plate to the back panel 18. `.. : ::
As should now be appreciated, the spring-up ;
shelves 19 are adjustable both horizontally and vertically on the back panel 18. Vertical adjustment results from movement ~f the pivot shaft supporting clips 114 within the vertical channels 117, and ~ :
horizontal adjus~tment results from horlzontal ;:
movement of the bracket 116 within the channels 120a, . :
: 15 120b of the mounting plate 120. .-.
To frictionally secure the bracket 116 ;.::~
against lateral movement within the channels of the mounting plate 120, there is a sheet metal leaf spring 130~ sandwiched therebetween. This leaf spring - -::20 130 has its lower end located between the mounting . ~
plate 120 and the sliding bracket 116. Intermediate -.. .
its ends, the leaf spring extends through a slot 131 in the mounting plate 120. The upper end of the leaf . f spring passes between the rear surface of the . .
25 mounting plate 120 and the front surface of the back .. ;
-panel 18 of the gondola. The upper end of the leaf spring has a rearwardly extending tab 132 punched ;~
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: .:
1328641 ::
therefrom and receivable in one of the slots 91 of the back panel to lock the shelf supporting bracket assembly against inadvertent disengagement of the tabs 92 from the back panel 18.
In order to mount the spring-up shelves on the back panel 18, a column of product is first loaded onto the top surface of the wedge-shaped base 11. With that column in place, a first spring-up shelf l9c is placed atop that product column and the shelf supporting bracket assembly of that shelf attached to the back panel 18. This i6~accomplished by centering the mounting plate 120 relative~to the horizontal slideway 119 in the slideway bracket 116 and centering the spring clips 114 in the vertical channels 117 on the front side of this same slideway bracket. The tabs~ 92 of the mounting plate 120 are then positioned in the closest pair of mounting s}ots 91 of the back panel 18, and the tab 132 of the leaf spring into another of slots 91. The rear of the~
spring-u,p shelf 19 is then pushed downwardly against the top surface of the row of products supported upon the top surface 33 of the base. While the rear of the shelf is held against the top surface of the , base, the shelf is moved laterally to the particular 25~ desired position in which the side walls 102, 103 of the shelf align with the dividers 22 of a channel on the top surface 33 of the base 11. When the shelf :,' ' :':
1 3 2 8 6 ~
-27- :.:
has thus been horizontally and vertically positioned, : :
: . .
the shelf support bracket assembly 94 is frictionally locked in the newly adjusted position by the leaf spring 130 which secures the assembly against 5 horizontal movement and by the spring clips 114 ~:
frictionally locking in the vertical channels 117.
After one spring-up shelf l9c has been .
mounted upon the back panel 18, then that shelf is :
loaded with product 5a, and the next spring-up shelf .
10 l9d is positioned atop that row of product. That ; :.-next shelf l9d is the~ mounted in the same manner :- .
that the shelf l9c was unted and adjustably :
positioned on the back panel 18. This process is repeated until all of the spring-up shelves are .
.
15 properly positioned and fixedly secured to the back i :~.
panel with product contained on each shelf. -In use, product is removed from the topmost : f one of the product supporting shelves 19 until all of . .
:the product is removed therefrom. After each item of 20 product is removed from the front of the shelf, all ... :
of the products then remaining on the shelf slide forwardly until the then forwardmost item of product ~ :on the shelf engages the front wall 105 of the shelf.
;:~ When all of the product has been removed from a -25 particular shelf, the front of the shelf springs :.
.: : .
~:-upwardly as the shelf pivots about the axis of pivot : :
~;shaft 113 so as to expose products stored on the next ~
,~ ' ;' '';, ' ":
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lowermost shelf. This process is repeated until all of the shelves have sprung out of the way and the products supported upon the top surface 33 of the wedge-shaped base are exposed for removal.
With reference to Figure 9, it will be seen that the shelf supporting bracket assembly of this invention facilitates location of the mounting plate 120 in a position to span two different gondolas so as not to leave any gap in product stored and displayed on both gondola displays. To that end, the first vertical row of slots on each edge of the gondola is spaced from the vertical ;edge of the gondola twice the distance of the spacing between adjacent vertical rows of slots 91. When this condition obtains, and when the tabs 92 or a mounting plate 120 are spaced apart the same width as the . .
horizontal spacing between four vertical rows of -slots 91, the mounting plate 120 may be~mounted on two gondolas so as to span the vertical edge between the two. Because of the adjustability of the shelf supporting bracket assembly mounted from the mounting `- -plate 120, there need be no gap between product supported on the two gondolas. - ~
While I have described only one embodiment - -of my invention, persons skiIled in this art will appreciate changes and modifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of my : . , ' :' ' ' ... . ..
1328641 `--29- , :
invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following claims. . `
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This is a division of commonly owned Canadian Patent Application No. 568,874 filed June 7, 1988.
This invention relates to display racks, and more particularly to an improved gondola display rack of the gravity-feed type.
The invention of this application is particularly adapted, but not necessarily limited, to use in the merchandising of beverages, as for example,~soft drinks and ~ beer. Gondola display racks, constructed primarily of sheet ~- metal, are commonly used in grocery stores, supermarkets, and the like for the dlsplay and merchandising~ of~beverages.
Beverages are sold in bottles and containers of various sizes,~ tbe smaller bottl-s being commonly~ packaged in ~ 15 cartons, and the larger multi-liter sizes being-generally in -~ ~ the form of individual bottlea. The~ sizes of the small bottles may vary, and the~relative proportion of cartons to large bottles in a parti-cular display also varies, depending -upon the demand experienced by a~particular vendor. For ~ these reasons, gondola display racks are commonly supplied - with vertically movable shelves IN/jj adapted to be positioned for optimum usage of available space.
A typical gondola display rack comprises a sheet metal base and a vertical upright extending upwardly from the rear of the base. Beverage cartons are normally stacked on the base, and larger bottles are normally arranged on shelves supported from the upright and cantilevered over~the baseO In order to stabilize the stack of cartons, the upper surface of the base is commonly tilted backwardly by a few degrees. This backward tilting has heretofore been provided in order to stabilize a stack of cartons reating upon the rearwardly tilted base, which stack can be four or five cartons high.
15A common problem characteristic of gondola displays ~.s that the capaclty of such`displays ls limited, primarily because of the need to maintain stability in the rack when it i fully loaded with product. The merchandiser would like to increase the capacity of gondola displays, particularly if that ` could be accomplished without increasing the floor space occupied by the gondola. The design of the gondola and the maximum height to which customers can effectively reach has, though, heretofore limited the capacity of such displays.
Another problem characteristic of gondola displays is that there is very littIe flexibility in the mix of products which may be displayed on the -~
lower portion of the gondola display. This lack of -flexibility is primarily attributable to the fact that all of the product displayed in a single row of products and then in a single stack of products on the lower portion of the gondola display must be identical. Any mix of products in a single row and stack would make it impossible to renove a second or third product in a single row or in a single stack 10 without removing products in front of or on top of ;~
the desired packaged product. ~
'" ' :":
It has therefore been an objective of this invention to provide an improved gondola display wherein the capacity of the display may be markedly increased without any appreciable increase in floor space occupied by the gondola display.
In accordance with the practice of this invention, the improved gondola display of this invention effects anywhere from a 40 to 60 percent increase in the capacity or "pack-out" of a gondola display over that possible with prior art gondola displays of the type described hereinabove. -Still another objeotive of this in;vention ,~ .
; has ~been to provide a gondola display which is ~amenable to greater flexlbility of product mix than -, :
prior art gondola displays of the type described hereinabove. In accordanoe with one aspect of this : :
...........
invention, identical products must be packaged in each row of product, but each stack of rows may be occupied by different products, all of which are equally accessible without any need for removal of one product in order to access another.
Generally speaking, the above objects are met by the invention of the parent application which provides a display rack for merchandising products supported upon ~he rack, the rack comprising: a fixed base; at least one upright extending vertically from the rear of the fixed base; the fixed base having a product supporting top surface; stop means at the front edge of the top surface of the base; the top surface of the base being angled downwardly and forwardly at a sufficient slope so as to enable products nupported upon the top surface to slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly ~and downwardly over the top surface into engagément with the stop means on the front edge of the ba8e; and spring-up shelr mean- attached to the upright and extending forwardly from the upright over ;the base, the npring-up shelf means .
extending downwnrdly and forwardly from the upright parallel to the~top surface of the base when loaded with products atop the~ spring-up shelf means, and the spring-up shelf means being automatically movable away from products supported ~`
beneath the spring-up shelf means when all products are as ~ ~removed from atop the spring-up shelf means.
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A gondola display rack made in accordance with the invention of the parent application comprises a sheet metal base and a vertical upright support extending upwardly from the rear of the base. The base has a forwardly and downwardly sloping top surface such that all products supported upon the base are gravity fed forwardly over the base to a front stop located along the front edge of the base. Mounted above the fixed base are multiple shelves adjustably mounted upon the upright support and cantilevered over the base. Each of the shelves has a forwardly and downwardly sloping top surface operative to gravity feed products supported upon the shelf to the front edge of the shelf. Because of this parallel orientation of the top surface of the base and the top surface of the shelves, a greater capacity of product may be stored upon the gondola display than has heretofore been possible when the shelves were either horizontal or downwardly and rearwardly sloping.
The gondola display made in accordance with the invention of the parent application also hag a plurality of spring-up shelves made from .'' ' ";.' - ~ -- :.
,.
:; ' ' ~ IN/j~
"~' '' ':'~
~ _5_ 1328641 welded rods and mounted above the base and below the cantilevered shelves. Each of the spring-up shelves is mounted such that it will support a plurality of packaged products in such a fashion as to gravity feed the products stored on the top of the spring-up shelf to the front edge of the shelf. So long as product rests atop the spring-up shelf, the shelf in turn rests upon products supported beneath it. As soon as the last package of product is removed from the spring-up shelf, the shelf springs upwardly so as to facilitate access to product mounted beneath the . .. ~ .
raised spring-up shelf.
On the other hand, the invention of this application provides a gondola display rack for merchandising products supported upon the rack, the rack comprising: a fixed base;
at least one upright extending vertically from the rear of the fixed base, the upright having at least two parallel columns of vertically spaced slots therein; at least one shelf; shelf supporting bracket means engageable with the glots of-the upright to support the shelf from the upright in a position cantilevered over the fixed base; both the fixed base and the shelf having a product supporting top surface; stop means at the front edge of the top surface of the base and the sheIf; both the sholf and the base having a top surface angled downwardly and forwardly at a sufficient slope so as to enable products supported upon the top surface to slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly and . - .
downwardly over the top surface into engagement with the stop means on the front edges of the base and shelf; a frame . ~
IN/ j j '.,. ,' " ',' 1~28641 -5a-mounted upon the fixed base; and a plurality of additional shelves mounted upon the frame, the additional shelves being arranged in side-by-side rows and in spaced vertical columns, each of the additionaI shelves having stop means on the S forward edge thereof, and each of the additional shelves sloping downwardly and forwardly parallel to the downwardly and forwardly sloping top surface of the fixed base.
Thus, the present invention utilizes a fixed shelf supporting frame attached to the base. This frame supports an array of horizontally aligned and vertically stacked shelves, each of which is made from welded wired rods and each of which slopes downwardly and forwardly parallel to the top surface of the base. Each sheIf in turn is individually slidable on the frame such that it may be lifted and pulled forwardly until only the rear edge of the shelf is supported upon the frame. In this pulled out position of the shelf, it may be quickly loaded with product and then returned to its originally forwardly and downwardly sloping position in the ~'''~'''`'' :",, ' ,'-' ~' ;, ' IN/jj :
' ~ ~
:
1328641 : -frame wherein the shelf loaded with product slopes forwardly and downwardly in parallel with the top surface of the gondola base.
The improved gondola display of this invention has many advantages over prior art gondola displays. Among those advantages is that all product supported upon the display is gravity fed to the forward edge of the base or each shelf of the display, whether that product is a package of bottles or containers or a plurality of individual bottles or containers. Because o this characteristic of the display, the capacity of the display is greatly increased over prior art displays, as well as the ease of access of product located in the display.
Additionally, the use of a fixed frame with a plurality of wire rod slide-out shelves on the bottom portion of the display facilitates greater flexibility of product mix within the display. Each ~ .... .. ..
shelf may contain a different product, even though the shelves are stacked immediately above one another? Sufficient clearance is left between the vertically stacked shelves so as to enable different .,. . :..
products to be mounted on each shelf and still remain --fully accessible to customers at the front of the ~
25 shelf. Because the shelves slide out on the fixed ~ -fràme, the shelves may be more quickly loaded with packaqes oS products than has heretofore been ; ~".:' '':.
` ~ ' '.'~
, ~ '-. ' .'; ,. , . , ~; ; ~. ' ' ~.. :`.. , possible when fixed shelves were mounted upon the frame.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following ~:
description of the invention in which~
5Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gondola display incorporating the invention of this application.
Figure 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view ..
of a portion of a fixed frame and shelf mounted upon the base of the gondola display of Figure 1. -~
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1328~41 ~-~
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Figure 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional :
view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ;
fixed frame and slidable shelf portion of the gondola display of Figure l.
., . : ~.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on : `'.
line 5-5 of Figure 4. .;``":
Figure 6 is an enlarged, perspective vlew '.
of a portion of a spring-up shelf of the gondola lO display of Figure l. :
Figure 7 is a top plan view of the ;~
:spring-up shelf of Figure 4. -: ~ ~Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on .~
line 8-8 of Figure 7. .~-, 15Figure 9:is an exploded perspective view of ^~
a spring-up shelf mounting pIate illustrating the ~, .
, .:
manner in which the plate may be used to span a : `:
connection between two adjacent gondola displays.
-Referring first to Figure lj there is .:: .
20 illuqtrated a beverage gondola display or so-called ~.
~ gondola rack lO~ for displaying packages of ~everage - products 5 or individual bottled products 6. Such ;~-::-:~
displays or racks are commonly used for dis~playing beverage bottles or packages of beverages in stores :25 or retail establishments.
The~ gondola display rack lO comprises a wedge-shaped basè ll to which are attached vertical -.
:; .
1328641 ~ ~
side posts 12 and 13. The front edges of these posts 12 and 13 define spaced, vertical slots 14 adapte~ to receive hook-shaped tabs (not shown) of shelf mounting brackets 15 for removable securement of S shelves 17 upon the posts 12 and 13. A back panel 18 spans the area between the side posts 12 and 13 and serves, as explained more ully hereinafter, as a support for spring-up shelves 19 and for a fixed .
shelf supporting frame 40. ~ -In Figure 1, the gondola rack 10 is illus-trated as having one shelf 17, the top surface of which slopes downwardly and forwardly at an angle of -approximately 8 so as to faciIitate sliding of ;
. .
bottles or articles 6 supported upon the top surface of the shelf forwardly to the front edge of the shelf and against an abutment 20 secured to the front edge ~
of the shelf. In the illustrated embodiment, the -abutment 20 comprises multiple U-shaped wires 20a having a horizontal span and two vertical legs 20 extending downwardly from opposite ends of the ---: , horizontaI span. The lower ends of these legs 20b are mounted within mounting holes at the front edge of the shelf. - ~ :
;There are multiple channel-shaped or L-shaped dividers 22 mounted upon the top surface 21 of each shelf 17. The bottom surface of these sheet .
~ metal dividers 22 has downwardly extending, ':
~ , ,'.:
` 1328641 :
hook-shaped, tabs (not shown~ pressed therefrom such that the dividers may be attached to the top surface of the shelf at any desired location by simply inserting the tabs into holes formed in the top surface 21 of each shelf. Preferably, such divider is secured or locked to the top surface of the shelf by a conventional sheet metal screw extending downwardly through the channel and the top surface of the shelf. Thereby, a trackway 23 is defined between two adjacent dividers 22 for the support of a column of packages or bottles 6. In Figure 1, the bottles 6 are illustrated as two-liter bottles. They could as : ..: ... .:
well, though, be individual beverage cans or packages ` :
of beverage cans or bottles, in which ~event the spacing between adjacent dividers 22 would be differ-: .
ent from that illustrated in Figure 1. Each trackway 23 defined between adjacent dividers 22 i8 provided with a strlp 24 of sillaone lmpregnated plastic materlal over wh~ch the bottles 6 slide. The strip :
of sllicone impregnated plastic material provides a - slip surface which enables the beverage bottIes 6 to - , : ~ : : ..
-- slide downwardly and forwardly over the downwardly and forwardly sloping surface 21 whenever the forwardmost bottle in a column of bottles is removed from the shelf. One material suitable for use as a strip 24 for supporting a column of bottles 6 is completely described in U.S. Patent No. 4,314,648.
.
-1~2864~ :
Another material suitable for use as a slip surface is described in U.5. Patent No. 4,461,388.
Obviously, other materials are suitable for forming strips 24 of slippery material over which plastic bottles or beverage containers can slide ~ith a minimum of friction between the bottle and the slip surface.
With reference now to Figures 2 and 4, it will be seen that the wedge-shaped base 11 comprises a sheet metal bottom plate, the forward edge of which is bent upwardly into a vertical plane to form a front lip 31 on the base. A top plate 32 extends upwardly and rearwardly from a midpoint on the front lip or front wall 31 of the base. The top surface of this top plate 32 forms a downwardly and forwardly sloping surface from the rear wall 34 of the base.
There is preferably an angle iron plate 35 located in the inside front corner of the base to reinforce the front of the base at this point. A similar angled : ,~
20 plate (not shown) reinforces the rear wall of the ~ -base. Additionally, there are front-to-rear ~ extending braces (not shown) located internally of ;~ the wedge-shaped base 11. The vertical side posts 12, 13 are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the -~
bottom rear section of the wedge-shaped base. Side plates 36 enclose the sides of the base 11.
".'~', '. ':'' '''' - .,-' ',~: ' There is located atop the left side, as viewed in Figure 1, of the top surface 33 of the wedge-shaped base a fixed shelf supporting frame 40.
This frame 40 functions to support parallel vertical rows and columns of longitudinally slidable shelves 70. All of the shelves 70 have bottom walls 75 which slope downwardly and forwardly parallel to the top surface 33 of the base 11. Consequently, articles or products, such as packages of beverage cans 5 supported upon the shelves will slide forwardly over the shelves whenever the forwardmost package in a row of packages is removed from the shelf.
The shelf supporting frame 40 comprises side walls 45, as well as one or more vertical divider walls 46, extending parallel to the side walls 45. These walls 45, 46 are all attached at the rear to the back panel 18 by conventional connectors (not qhown). The side walls are formed by a plurality of spaced parallel right angle channels 48 tied together by front, middle and rear vertical posts 49, 50 and 51, respectively. These posts are all slidably received within pockets 49a, 50a, and . .
51a, defined by vertical offsets 52 fo~ed in -vertical legs 54 of the channels 48 and matching offsets 52a formed in a sheet metal brace 53 welded ::
to the inside vertical wall of the channel 48. These posts are vertically slidable into the pockets 49a, .
"''`'-132864~
50a and Sl to a depth of a punched stop 52b formed in each offset 52. Each channel has a horizontal leg 55 which extends inwardly from the vertical leg 54 of the channel to form a shelf support over which the shelves 70 are slidable.
The divider wall 46 is substantially identical to the side walls 45, except that the divider wall is formed by a pair of L-shaped shelf supporting channels 60, 61 welded or otherwise fixedly secured together in side-by-side relation.
Offsets 63 formed in the channel 60 and matching : . ., offsets 63a formed in the channel 61 define between them three vertical pockets for the reception of front, middle and rear posts 62a, 62b and 62c, respectively. These posts extend into the pockets to the depth of a punched stop 63b formed in each ofset. The vertical posts 62a, 62b and 62c tie together the vertLcally spaced parallel channels 60, 61 of the divider wall 46. Otherwise expressed, the divider wall 46 is generally identical to the side walls 45, except that the divider wall 46 has a pair of channels 60, Sl welded together from which ~ .,: :
horizontal legs extend outwardly on both sides of the diviaer wall to slidably support shelves 70 thereon.
At the top, the side wall posts 49, 50 and 51 and the divider wall posts 62a, 62b and 62d are preferably tied together by a top crossbar 62d. This -~
-14- 1328641 :~
,..; ., .... - .
top crossbar prevents spreading of the side walls and potential collapse of the side walls.
As should now be readily apparent, the horizontal leg or flange of each channel 48, 60, 61 functions as a forwardly and downwardly sloping shelf support for one of the forwardly and downwardly sloping shelves 70 upon which the packaqes of beverage products 5 are supported.
According to the practice -of this invention, the shelves 70 whlch support the packages of beverage products 5 are slidable on the frame, rather than being fixed theroto. ~The slldabiiity of~
these shelves enables the shelves 70 to be pulled forwardly from the frame so as to facilitate the loading of product onto the shelves. The manner in which the shelves may be pullod forwardly from the frame i9 illustrated in Figure 1 wherein it is shown how a hand 71 may grasp the underside of the shelf, ~. .
; lift it upwardly and pull it forwardly untll the rear of the shelf is supported solely by the frame 40 and the for~ard edge is supported by the hand of a person loading the~ shelf. Such a person would ordinarily ;hold the forward end of the shelf in one hand and load packages of product onto~the shelf~with the ~ other hand. When the shelf was fully loaded, the person would push the loaded shelf rearwardly in the ~ . .~ . , , : ~ , ~ frame until~downwardly extending detents 72 on the -.
- ..
-.
13286~
underside of the shelf engage in holes 73 (Figures 2 and 4) of the horizontal flanges 55 of the channels 48, 60 and 61 to lock the shelves against forward sliding movement in the frame. ~-As may be seen most clearly in Figures 1 and 2, each shelf 70 comprises a pan 74 formed from a plurality of longitudinally extending rods 79 and a plurality of transversely extending rods 80. The -transverse rods extend beneath the longitudinally 10 extending rods 79 and are welded at their ~
intersections. The rods are shaped so~as to form a ~;
bottom wall 75, side walls 76, 77 extending~upwardly from the bottom wall 75, and a front wall or lip 78 extending upwardly from the bottom wall. A recess 78a formed in the forward edge of the shelf enables product supported upon the shelf to be engaged on the ;
underside and lifted over the forward lip 78 of the shelf. ~ ~
; Mounted upon the top of each ~of the P `-centermost, longitudinally extending rods 79a, 79b, 79c and 79d there is a s1ip surface element or cap 81. In the preferred embodiment, this slip surface eIement comprises a section of extruded plastic, ~ -~
preferably having silicone embedded thereln, so as to facilitate the sliding of product, such as a package ..
of beverage cans S, over the top surface of the slip surface element 81. -~
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Each slip surface element is in the shape of a channel which has an inside surface 81a which conforms to the exterior shape of the longitudinally extending rod 79 over an angle of approximately 240 S arcuate degrees. This configuration of the slip surface element enables the slip surface element to be snap-fit onto the top surface of the rods 79 and to form a cap thereon. In the preferred embodiment, each slip surface element 81 has a ridge or rib 81b (Figure 3) formed on the top surface thereof so as to minimize the surface contact of the bottom of the . .
cans or products supported upon the shelves with the supporting surface of the slip~ surface element 81.
The slip; surface element 81 may be permanently adhered to the top surface of the longitudinal rods 79, or it may be secured thereon by the snap-fit connection only. The elements extend from the rearward edge of the shelf 70 to the front edge thereof.
The shelf supporting frame 40 is generally ;
:: :: .' designed to handle only one size or height and width ~
of product. The shelf supporting channels~are verti- --cally spaced~apart approximately one inch mo;re than ~the helght of the product supported on the shelves.
~25 Except for the bottommost shelf,~no greater spacing -~ is required because the recesses ?8a cut in the front ~ of each shelf enable a person to reach the underside , .
~; ' '' : .
1328641 :
, .~, ....
of the product, such as the package of beverage products S, and lift that product upwardly over the lip 78 on the front of the shelf. That lip is usually approximately one-half inch in height. To ~ ~
5 remove product from the shelf 70, all that lS ~,. ~ .'~,.
required is to lift the forwardmost product supported ~ :
on the shelf upwardly high enough for the bottom of ;
the product to be located above the top surface of ;
the lips 78 on the front of the shelves. When the ~ -product is lifted to that height, it may be pulled : .... .
forwardly off of the front of the shelf. When the ~-forwardmost pacXage of products or the forwardmost .
product supported on a shelf is removed from the shelf, all of those products stored to the rear of the forwardmost product slide forwardly over the ~ ,- . ::: - .
downwardly and forwardly sloping shelf until the next ~ -following product supported on the shelf engages the .: ..
lip 78 on the forward end of the downwardly and ;j~
forwardly sloping shelf.
. :, ~ ,.:-:
20The advantage of this construction of the - ~ ~
. :-. :: .:
~ shelf supporting frame and shelves supported thereby ~ ,.
is that it enables a very large pack-out of product 5 ~ -:-. ~ ~ -.. : -~ to be supported upon the frame. Because the shelves - ~
~, ~ . :.:
are removable from the frame and may be pulled for-25 wardly, as illustrated in Figure 1, to load the `
~: . .. , - .
~ shelves, the products 5-may be easily placed on the ::: -:
frame without the need to physically push all of the - ~
: . :- . -~ ~ . ."-', ' : ,- .:' ~:' product on the shelf rearwardly in order to add additional products to the shelf. This would be the case if the shelves were fixedly secured to the frame. It also enables the frame to be placed S against a rigid wall, such as the rear wall of the gondola, without any need to gain access through the rear wall in order to load product onto the shelves.
In Figure 1, the shelf supporting frame has only been illustrated as extending over approximately one-half of the total surface area of the base 11.
In accordance with the practice of this; invention, and in order to facilitate the display of a greater variety of shapes and slzes of products, the remainder of the surface area of the base is utilized lS to support product Sa which is supported on the base 11 or on spring-up shelves 19 located above the base.
These spring-up shelves 19 enable a greater variety of products and siz-s of products to be supported upon the base than i9 possible with the shelf .. ... .
supporting frame 40 and shelves 70 supported thereon.
It is within the scope of this invention, though, that the complete surface area of the base would be occupied by one or more shelf supporting frames 40. ;;
These frames~ might vary in spacing of the shelves thereon so as to;enable differing sized and shaped products to be supported upon the same gondola display rack. ~ -~' ~ '-."';
1328641 ~
-19- .,.",, .:
Referring now to Figures 1, 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that the right-hand section 85 of the gondola display rack 10 as viewed in Figure 1 comprises a plurality of spring-up shelves 19 ~. .. . .
supported from the back panel 18 of the rack lO.
This back panel 18 extends between the side posts 12 .
and 13 and is fixedly attached thereto. : -: - ,, ,~ . .
The back panel 18 has a plurality of spaced slots formed in the panel. These slots 9~1~are ar-ranged in vertical columns and horizontal rows. The . . -. ;., slots 91 of each horizontal row are spaced apart the -:: .~ . ,~ -same distance as the slots of the adjacent row. The slots of adjacent rows, though, are laterally offset so that the slots of one row partially overlap in the vertical direction the slots of an adjacent row. As explained more fully hereinafter, this spacing of the 810t9 enables the shelves to be more closely spaced than would be the case if the slots did not vertically overlap the slots of an adjacent row.
The slots 91 are adapted to receive ears or ~-- tabs 92 of a spring-up shelf supporting bracket assembly 94. Extending forwardly from each of these shelf supporting bracket assemblies 94 is a spring-up shelf l9. Springs 95 of the bracket assemblies 94 bias these shelves upwardly, as indicated by the arrows 96 of Figure l, to a position in which the ~ .; . . .
~ shelves are disengaged from products or cans mounted ~
: . ..
- :. :
-20- 13286~
beneath the shelf such that the exposed products are accessible for removal of the cans or products. The ;
..... ~ . .
position of the shelves 19 when product has been removed therefrom is best illustrated in Figure 1 wherein there are two shelves 19a and l9b which have been moved upwardly to their uppermost position in which the products supported on the next adjacent lower shelf is exposed and accessible.
The purpose of spring-up shelves is to enable products to be stacked in columns supported upon the spring-up shelves and, when the ~product is - ~ -removed from the topmost shelf, to have the front end :: :
of that shelf spring up about a~rearward pivot so that the shelf no longer interfere~s with the removal of product on the next lower shelf. The shelves 19 function in this way to enable product to be stacked upon a plurality of shelves without any spacing between the top of the row of products Sa and the bottom of the shel~es 19 above the row. Because the : . :. .
shelves do not carry or support the weight of the product~ they may be made relatively light and may be~ ;
cantilevered from the back panel~18 of the display.
As is best illustrated Ln Figure 1, the -~
lowermost rows of product supported in the~section 85 ~;
of the gondoIa rack 10 are supported upon the top surface 33 of the base. This section is divided into columns by dividers 22 identical to the dividers ~: ~. ~. .. .
21 1328~41 which divide the space on the shelves 17 into columns. Slip surface elements (not shown) similar to the slip surface elements 24 on the shelves 17 are located between the dividers 22 on the top surface 33 of the base. These slip surface elements facilitate sliding of product stored on the base to the forward edge of the base upon removal of the orwardmost product in a column. The spacing between the dividers 22 on the base 11 is the same as the width of the spring-up shelves 19 located above the column formed by the dividers 22. ~
There are advantages to the use of spring-up shelves, such as are employed in the section 85 of the gondola display rack 10, over the fixed shelf supporting frame 40, and there are advantages to the fixed shelf supporting frame section of the display rack over the spring-up chelves. Specifically, the fixed shelf supporting frame 40 has the advantage that differing products : . .
may be stacked one atop the other within the shelf supporting frame section of the rack, and still, each different product will be accessible éven though there are differing products mounted atop it. The fixed shelf supporting frame section of the rack, though, has the disadvantage that it requires an inch or so of vertical clearance or spacing between adja-cent rows of product in order to enable the products : .:
. ', ' , .
":" .
1328`6 ~
-22~ ~ -: ~. . . :
to be removed. It i5 also more difficult to load than the spring-up shelf section. The spring-up section, though, is capable of greater density or pack-out than the fixed shelf supporting iframe 40, but it requires that all product in a vertical column of product be the same because the lowermost product is not accessible until the product above it has been removed.
With reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that each spring-up shelf 19 comprises a shelf pan lO0 substantially identical to the shelf ~ pan 74 described hereinabove. The spring-up shelf 19 - differs from the sliding shelf 70 described hereinabove only in that the two centermost longitudinal rods 79b, 79c extend rearwardly beyond .
the rearwardmost transverse rod 80a, and there are two short longitudinal rods 97, 97a added to the rear of the shelf and aIso extending beyond the rearwardmost transverse rod 80a. The reàrward ends ~-. .
20 ~ of the rods 97, 97a and rods 79b, 79c are welded to a ~ -pivot shaft 113. ~ ~ ;
As in the case of the shelf 70, there is a ~ -plastic slip surface element 81 snap-fit over the top -~
- surface of the-}ongitudinaI rods 79a, 79b, 79c and 25~ 79d. These slip surface elements facilitate sliding :;`
of product over the top surface of the shelf 19.
:.. :
:
: ~ ~ ., .
.
, :, -23- 132864~ -:
The spring-up shelves are supported from the shelf supporting bracket assembly 94 by the shafts 113 to which the rear of the shelves are fixedly secured by having the rear of the longitudinally extending rods 79b, 79c, 97 and 97a of the shelves welded thereto. This connection of the shelve.s to the pivot shaft 113 enables the shelf to be movable between its downwardly and forwardly sloping loaded position, and its upwardly and forwardly sloping unloaded position. The shaft 113 supports the torsion springs 95 which bias the shelf to its upwardly sloping position. The shelves l9a and l9b are illustrated in Figure 1 in the upwardly and forwardly sloping position, while the other shelvec 19 are illustrated in this Figure in their downwardly and forwardly sloping loaded position wherein the shelves extend parallel to the downwardly sloping top surface 33 of the base 11.
The shaft 113 is supported from a pair of vertically movable spring clips 114, which clips are each mounted within a vertical channel 117 of a slideway bracket 116. The s~lideway bracket 116 has a - pair of channel deflning flanges 117a, 117b punched from each side edge of the bracket. These flanges lI7a, 117b extend forwardly from the~forward side of the bracket to define the channels within which the spring clips 114 are slidable.
' ~' '.;
, ' . , -24- 1328641 ~ ~
As may best be seen in Figures 7 and 8, the spring clips 114 are each generally U-shaped when viewed in top plan. When the outer free ends 114a of the clip are squeezed together, the clip may be inserted into the channels 117 of the bracket 116.
When the free ends 114a of the clips are released, the clips bind against the outer, inwardly turned ends 117c of the flanges 117a, 117b to frictionally secure the spring clips within the channels 117.
The spring clips 114 also serve as anchors for one end 95a of the torsion springs 95. This one end extends through holes 114b~formed in the spring clips. The opposite ends 95b of the torsion springs 95 extend beneath the longitudinal rods 97, 97a of the shelf 19 so as to bias the shelf upwardly.
:.: , On its rear side, the bracket 116 has a horizontal extending slideway 119 defined by top and bottom flanges 118. This horizontal slideway 119 rides within a pair of channels 120a, 120b of a mounting plate 120 from which the ears 92 extend rearwardly. There are two such ears 92 spaced apart a multiple of the distance between adjacent slots 91 in the rows of siots formed in the back panel 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the ears 92 are spaced apart four times~the distance between adjacent slots in a horizontal row of slots in the back panel.
,:.', '. -: .:
.' ' ' ~--25- . :
The ears or tabs 92 are generally hook .
shaped and extend rearwardly at 90 to the vertical : -~
plane of the mounting plate 120. These hook-shaped :-ears 92 provide a slot 121 in the ear such that the ^
5 ears may be inserted into a slot 91 of the back panel :
18 and then moved vertically downwardly so as to lock .;
the mounting plate to the back panel 18. `.. : ::
As should now be appreciated, the spring-up ;
shelves 19 are adjustable both horizontally and vertically on the back panel 18. Vertical adjustment results from movement ~f the pivot shaft supporting clips 114 within the vertical channels 117, and ~ :
horizontal adjus~tment results from horlzontal ;:
movement of the bracket 116 within the channels 120a, . :
: 15 120b of the mounting plate 120. .-.
To frictionally secure the bracket 116 ;.::~
against lateral movement within the channels of the mounting plate 120, there is a sheet metal leaf spring 130~ sandwiched therebetween. This leaf spring - -::20 130 has its lower end located between the mounting . ~
plate 120 and the sliding bracket 116. Intermediate -.. .
its ends, the leaf spring extends through a slot 131 in the mounting plate 120. The upper end of the leaf . f spring passes between the rear surface of the . .
25 mounting plate 120 and the front surface of the back .. ;
-panel 18 of the gondola. The upper end of the leaf spring has a rearwardly extending tab 132 punched ;~
:~ ~ ' ,,.';.''' ~
'" '"' . :.;
: .:
1328641 ::
therefrom and receivable in one of the slots 91 of the back panel to lock the shelf supporting bracket assembly against inadvertent disengagement of the tabs 92 from the back panel 18.
In order to mount the spring-up shelves on the back panel 18, a column of product is first loaded onto the top surface of the wedge-shaped base 11. With that column in place, a first spring-up shelf l9c is placed atop that product column and the shelf supporting bracket assembly of that shelf attached to the back panel 18. This i6~accomplished by centering the mounting plate 120 relative~to the horizontal slideway 119 in the slideway bracket 116 and centering the spring clips 114 in the vertical channels 117 on the front side of this same slideway bracket. The tabs~ 92 of the mounting plate 120 are then positioned in the closest pair of mounting s}ots 91 of the back panel 18, and the tab 132 of the leaf spring into another of slots 91. The rear of the~
spring-u,p shelf 19 is then pushed downwardly against the top surface of the row of products supported upon the top surface 33 of the base. While the rear of the shelf is held against the top surface of the , base, the shelf is moved laterally to the particular 25~ desired position in which the side walls 102, 103 of the shelf align with the dividers 22 of a channel on the top surface 33 of the base 11. When the shelf :,' ' :':
1 3 2 8 6 ~
-27- :.:
has thus been horizontally and vertically positioned, : :
: . .
the shelf support bracket assembly 94 is frictionally locked in the newly adjusted position by the leaf spring 130 which secures the assembly against 5 horizontal movement and by the spring clips 114 ~:
frictionally locking in the vertical channels 117.
After one spring-up shelf l9c has been .
mounted upon the back panel 18, then that shelf is :
loaded with product 5a, and the next spring-up shelf .
10 l9d is positioned atop that row of product. That ; :.-next shelf l9d is the~ mounted in the same manner :- .
that the shelf l9c was unted and adjustably :
positioned on the back panel 18. This process is repeated until all of the spring-up shelves are .
.
15 properly positioned and fixedly secured to the back i :~.
panel with product contained on each shelf. -In use, product is removed from the topmost : f one of the product supporting shelves 19 until all of . .
:the product is removed therefrom. After each item of 20 product is removed from the front of the shelf, all ... :
of the products then remaining on the shelf slide forwardly until the then forwardmost item of product ~ :on the shelf engages the front wall 105 of the shelf.
;:~ When all of the product has been removed from a -25 particular shelf, the front of the shelf springs :.
.: : .
~:-upwardly as the shelf pivots about the axis of pivot : :
~;shaft 113 so as to expose products stored on the next ~
,~ ' ;' '';, ' ":
'''' '~ ~
lowermost shelf. This process is repeated until all of the shelves have sprung out of the way and the products supported upon the top surface 33 of the wedge-shaped base are exposed for removal.
With reference to Figure 9, it will be seen that the shelf supporting bracket assembly of this invention facilitates location of the mounting plate 120 in a position to span two different gondolas so as not to leave any gap in product stored and displayed on both gondola displays. To that end, the first vertical row of slots on each edge of the gondola is spaced from the vertical ;edge of the gondola twice the distance of the spacing between adjacent vertical rows of slots 91. When this condition obtains, and when the tabs 92 or a mounting plate 120 are spaced apart the same width as the . .
horizontal spacing between four vertical rows of -slots 91, the mounting plate 120 may be~mounted on two gondolas so as to span the vertical edge between the two. Because of the adjustability of the shelf supporting bracket assembly mounted from the mounting `- -plate 120, there need be no gap between product supported on the two gondolas. - ~
While I have described only one embodiment - -of my invention, persons skiIled in this art will appreciate changes and modifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of my : . , ' :' ' ' ... . ..
1328641 `--29- , :
invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following claims. . `
I cl~im~
~' ' '.' ,' '.'. ~ '.
:
~ .. ','":: ;:''`, :,. : . .:
'",''..:' :, : ., .: . .
: `',-" `:
,: , ~ ~.
-: :: ~ - .
Claims
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A gondola display rack for merchandising products supported upon said rack, said rack comprising:
a fixed base;
at least one upright extending vertically from the rear of said fixed base, said upright having at least two parallel columns of vertically spaced slots therein;
at least one shelf;
shelf supporting bracket means engageable with said slots of said upright to support said shelf from said upright in a position cantilevered over said fixed base;
both said fixed base and said shelf having a product supporting top surface;
stop means at the front edge of said top surface of said base and said shelf;
both said shelf and said base having a top surface angled downwardly and forwardly at a sufficient slope so as to enable products supported upon said top surface to slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly and downwardly over said top surface into engagement with said stop means on the front edges of said base and shelf;
a frame mounted upon said fixed base; and a plurality of additional shelves mounted upon said frame, said additional shelves being arranged in side-by-side rows and in spaced vertical columns, each of said additional shelves having stop means on the forward edge thereof, and each of said additional shelves sloping downwardly and forwardly parallel to said downwardly and forwardly sloping top surface of said fixed base.
2. The gondola display rack of claim 1 wherein each of said additional shelves is movably mounted upon said frame such that said additional shelves may be individually pulled forwardly on said frame for loading of product onto said shelves.
3. The gondola display rack of claim 1 wherein each of said additional shelves is movably mounted upon said frame such that said additional shelves may be individually pulled forwardly on said frame until only the rear end of said forwardly pulled shelf is supported by said frame for loading of product onto said forwardly pulled shelf.
4. The gondola display rack of claim 1 wherein each of said additional shelves has slip surface means on the top surface thereof, said slip surface means on said additional shelves being of sufficiently low coefficient of friction that products supported upon said slip surface means slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly and downwardly toward said stop means at the front of said additional shelves.
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A gondola display rack for merchandising products supported upon said rack, said rack comprising:
a fixed base;
at least one upright extending vertically from the rear of said fixed base, said upright having at least two parallel columns of vertically spaced slots therein;
at least one shelf;
shelf supporting bracket means engageable with said slots of said upright to support said shelf from said upright in a position cantilevered over said fixed base;
both said fixed base and said shelf having a product supporting top surface;
stop means at the front edge of said top surface of said base and said shelf;
both said shelf and said base having a top surface angled downwardly and forwardly at a sufficient slope so as to enable products supported upon said top surface to slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly and downwardly over said top surface into engagement with said stop means on the front edges of said base and shelf;
a frame mounted upon said fixed base; and a plurality of additional shelves mounted upon said frame, said additional shelves being arranged in side-by-side rows and in spaced vertical columns, each of said additional shelves having stop means on the forward edge thereof, and each of said additional shelves sloping downwardly and forwardly parallel to said downwardly and forwardly sloping top surface of said fixed base.
2. The gondola display rack of claim 1 wherein each of said additional shelves is movably mounted upon said frame such that said additional shelves may be individually pulled forwardly on said frame for loading of product onto said shelves.
3. The gondola display rack of claim 1 wherein each of said additional shelves is movably mounted upon said frame such that said additional shelves may be individually pulled forwardly on said frame until only the rear end of said forwardly pulled shelf is supported by said frame for loading of product onto said forwardly pulled shelf.
4. The gondola display rack of claim 1 wherein each of said additional shelves has slip surface means on the top surface thereof, said slip surface means on said additional shelves being of sufficiently low coefficient of friction that products supported upon said slip surface means slide by gravity of their own weight forwardly and downwardly toward said stop means at the front of said additional shelves.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000616516A CA1328641C (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1992-11-10 | Display rack |
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US07/066,986 US4809855A (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1987-06-24 | Display rack |
| US066,986 | 1987-06-24 | ||
| US07/153,142 US5197610A (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1988-02-08 | Display rack |
| US153,142 | 1988-02-08 | ||
| CA000568874A CA1321170C (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1988-06-07 | Display rack |
| CA000616516A CA1328641C (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1992-11-10 | Display rack |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000568874A Division CA1321170C (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1988-06-07 | Display rack |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1328641C true CA1328641C (en) | 1994-04-19 |
Family
ID=27167962
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000616516A Expired - Fee Related CA1328641C (en) | 1987-06-24 | 1992-11-10 | Display rack |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1328641C (en) |
-
1992
- 1992-11-10 CA CA000616516A patent/CA1328641C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |