GB2036706A

GB2036706A - Article dispensing

Info

Publication number: GB2036706A
Application number: GB7940727A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Carnation Co
Current assignee: Carnation Co
Priority date: 1978-11-27
Filing date: 1979-11-26
Publication date: 1980-07-02
Also published as: GB2036706B

Abstract

A merchandising system comprises a rectangular cassette 1 which is inverted on an inclined display shelf so that cylindrical containers 2 roll out of the cassette 1 through an opening produced by tearing-off part of the cassette, roll down the shelf, fall through an opening at the back of the shelf on to a lower shelf which slopes from back to front so that the containers roll forward on the shelf to the front. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to merchandising systems This invention relates to rack merchandising systems. The present invention is particularly useful for merchandising pet accessory products but may be used for many other purposes. The new system is based upon the use of existing store shelves and upon the introduction of special packaging for the product concerned.

So far as the packaging is concerned we propose to pack the products in cylindrical containers which are then assembled into cassettes made for example of cardboard. The cassettes are preferably rectangular in shape and are provided with a tear-off portion at the upper front part of the cassette so that an opening is provided when the tear-off portion is removed, the opening being sufficiently large to permit a pack to pass through. A plurality e.g. a pair of key hole or like openings may be provided in the back panel of the cassette.

In operation of the system in connection with existing store shelves a hardboard or like sheet is placed on an existing shelf and is maintained at a slight angle to the horizontal sloping gently e.g. at angle of about 3 - 5 towards the front of the shelf.

This sloping sheet may extend for substantially the whole length of the shelf space to be utilized. A number of dividers may be provided to divide the sheet into separate sections along the length of the shelf each divider preferably extending from the back to the front of the shelf and each section being approximately equal to the width of a cassette so that one cassette can be received within each section. A tray, preferably supported by adjustable legs which rest on the sloping sheet, is preferably positioned a short distance e.g. 60-100 mm above the sheet and is disposed so that its back edge is spaced from the back of the shelf by an amount to permit a cylindrical container to pass between the back of the tray and the back of the shelf. This space may in practice be about 60-100 mm.

In operation the legs may be adjusted so that the tray is inclined at a desired angle e.g. 3 - 5 towards the back of the shelf. A cassette of cylindrical packages with the tear-off strip removed is then placed top side downwards on the metal tray so that the cylinders are fed by gravity down the sloping metal tray, through the space on to the sheet at the back of the shelf and then rolls forwards to the front of the shelf.

We have therefore provided an improved form of packing for products consisting of an inner cylindrical container and an outer rectangular cassette with a tear off part at the top front. We have also provided an improved method of displaying products in which the cassettes are placed upside down on a sloping tray spaced from the back of a shelf so that the cylinders roll down to the back of the shelf, pass through the space on to a sloping sheet and so to the front of the shelf.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is now directed to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cassette, Figure 2 shows the cassette with the tear-off portion removed, Figure 3 shows the back of a cassette, Figure 4 shows a shelf with a sheet and dividers in position, Figure is a view showing a tray in position, Figure 6 is a detail view showing the operation of the system.

Referring to the drawings a cassette 1 has a tear-off portion 2 at the front top separated by a weakened line 3 from the rest of the cassette 1. In Figure 2 the tear-off portion 2 has been removed to leave a space 4through which cylinders 5 can be seen. Figure 3 shows the back of a cassette 1 with a pair of key-hole openings 6 which may be used for attachment to a free-standing rack similar to a peg-board but with projections if required.

Figure 4 shows a shelf 7 fixed to a wall 8 with a sloping sheet 9 on the shelf and with dividers 10 in position to divide the sheet 9 into sections. A ledge 11 is provided at the front of the shelf to prevent the cylinders from rolling off the sheet. Figure 5 shows a tray 12 in position above the sheet 9 and supported by legs 13 leaving a space 14 between the tray 12 and the wall 8.

The operation of the systems is illustrated in Figure 6 in which a cassette 1 is shown in inverted position on the tray 12 so that cylinders 3 within the cassette roll down the tray 12 pass through the opening or space 14 onto the sheet 9 and then roll forwards towards the ledge 11. In packing an empty shelf the sections of the sheet may first be filled with cylinders and then cassettes may be placed into position on the tray. Customers requiring a cassette will pick up the front one and then all the cylinders on the sheet in that section will roll towards the front. When the tray feeding that section is empty andlorwhen the cassette is empty a new cassette will be placed in position.

Naturally, if desired, the tear-off portion 2 can be at the bottom of each cassette in which case there is no need to invert the cassettes in operation.

We have therefore an improved system of displaying goods, an improved method of packing goods and improved apparatus for packing and displaying goods.

In a modification the trays 12 instead of having legs may rest upon the dividers which will be properly shaped to support the trays. In a further modification the sheet, tray and dividers may be made up as a complete unit in which the sheet and tray may be held together by two side panels and in which the dividers may be inserted into special cut out slits or channels on the bottom of the tray and the top of the sheet.

1. A merchandising system comprising packaging products in cylindrical containers, assembling the containers into cassettes provided with a tear off portion so that when the tear off portion is removed an opening is provided through which a container

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to merchandising systems This invention relates to rack merchandising systems. The present invention is particularly useful for merchandising pet accessory products but may be used for many other purposes. The new system is based upon the use of existing store shelves and upon the introduction of special packaging for the product concerned. So far as the packaging is concerned we propose to pack the products in cylindrical containers which are then assembled into cassettes made for example of cardboard. The cassettes are preferably rectangular in shape and are provided with a tear-off portion at the upper front part of the cassette so that an opening is provided when the tear-off portion is removed, the opening being sufficiently large to permit a pack to pass through. A plurality e.g. a pair of key hole or like openings may be provided in the back panel of the cassette. In operation of the system in connection with existing store shelves a hardboard or like sheet is placed on an existing shelf and is maintained at a slight angle to the horizontal sloping gently e.g. at angle of about 3 - 5 towards the front of the shelf. This sloping sheet may extend for substantially the whole length of the shelf space to be utilized. A number of dividers may be provided to divide the sheet into separate sections along the length of the shelf each divider preferably extending from the back to the front of the shelf and each section being approximately equal to the width of a cassette so that one cassette can be received within each section. A tray, preferably supported by adjustable legs which rest on the sloping sheet, is preferably positioned a short distance e.g. 60-100 mm above the sheet and is disposed so that its back edge is spaced from the back of the shelf by an amount to permit a cylindrical container to pass between the back of the tray and the back of the shelf. This space may in practice be about 60-100 mm. In operation the legs may be adjusted so that the tray is inclined at a desired angle e.g. 3 - 5 towards the back of the shelf. A cassette of cylindrical packages with the tear-off strip removed is then placed top side downwards on the metal tray so that the cylinders are fed by gravity down the sloping metal tray, through the space on to the sheet at the back of the shelf and then rolls forwards to the front of the shelf. We have therefore provided an improved form of packing for products consisting of an inner cylindrical container and an outer rectangular cassette with a tear off part at the top front. We have also provided an improved method of displaying products in which the cassettes are placed upside down on a sloping tray spaced from the back of a shelf so that the cylinders roll down to the back of the shelf, pass through the space on to a sloping sheet and so to the front of the shelf. In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is now directed to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cassette, Figure 2 shows the cassette with the tear-off portion removed, Figure 3 shows the back of a cassette, Figure 4 shows a shelf with a sheet and dividers in position, Figure is a view showing a tray in position, Figure 6 is a detail view showing the operation of the system. Referring to the drawings a cassette 1 has a tear-off portion 2 at the front top separated by a weakened line 3 from the rest of the cassette 1. In Figure 2 the tear-off portion 2 has been removed to leave a space 4through which cylinders 5 can be seen. Figure 3 shows the back of a cassette 1 with a pair of key-hole openings 6 which may be used for attachment to a free-standing rack similar to a peg-board but with projections if required. Figure 4 shows a shelf 7 fixed to a wall 8 with a sloping sheet 9 on the shelf and with dividers 10 in position to divide the sheet 9 into sections. A ledge 11 is provided at the front of the shelf to prevent the cylinders from rolling off the sheet. Figure 5 shows a tray 12 in position above the sheet 9 and supported by legs 13 leaving a space 14 between the tray 12 and the wall 8. The operation of the systems is illustrated in Figure 6 in which a cassette 1 is shown in inverted position on the tray 12 so that cylinders 3 within the cassette roll down the tray 12 pass through the opening or space 14 onto the sheet 9 and then roll forwards towards the ledge 11. In packing an empty shelf the sections of the sheet may first be filled with cylinders and then cassettes may be placed into position on the tray. Customers requiring a cassette will pick up the front one and then all the cylinders on the sheet in that section will roll towards the front. When the tray feeding that section is empty andlorwhen the cassette is empty a new cassette will be placed in position. Naturally, if desired, the tear-off portion 2 can be at the bottom of each cassette in which case there is no need to invert the cassettes in operation. We have therefore an improved system of displaying goods, an improved method of packing goods and improved apparatus for packing and displaying goods. In a modification the trays 12 instead of having legs may rest upon the dividers which will be properly shaped to support the trays. In a further modification the sheet, tray and dividers may be made up as a complete unit in which the sheet and tray may be held together by two side panels and in which the dividers may be inserted into special cut out slits or channels on the bottom of the tray and the top of the sheet. CLAIMS

1. A merchandising system comprising packaging products in cylindrical containers, assembling the containers into cassettes provided with a tear off portion so that when the tear off portion is removed an opening is provided through which a container can pass, providing a display shelf which slopes gently from back to front so that containers can roll towards the front, providing a guard at the front to prevent containers from falling off the shelf and providing a raised tray for disposal on the shelf so as to slope from frontto back with an opening at the back through which containers can pass from the tray to the shelf.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the cassettes are of rectangular shape with the tear-off portion at the upperfront part.

3. A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the display shelf is provided by placing a sloping sheet of material on a normal substantially horizontal shelf.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein the sheet of material extends for substantially the whole length of the normal shelf, a number of dividers being provided to divide the sheet into separate sections along the length shelf.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein the display shelf is supported by adjustable legs which rest upon the sheet forming the display shelf.

6. An improved form of packing for products for use in the system claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 comprising an inner cylindrical container and an outer rectangular container with a tear-off part at the top front.

7. A system according to claim 4 wherein the trays rest upon the dividers which are properly shaped to support the trays.

8. A system according to claim 4 wherein the sheet, the tray and the dividers are made up as a complete unit in which the sheet and tray are held together by side panels and the dividers are inserted into cut out slits or channels on the bottom of the tray and the top of the sheet.

9. Apparatus for the display of merchandise comprising a number of cylindrical containers, a number of rectangular cassettes each with a tear-off portion, a display shelf adapted in operation to slope from back to front with means to prevent containers rolling off the shelf and a raised tray sloping from front to back adapted to support an upper row of containers above a lower row of containers.

10. A merchandising system according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.