GB2297896A

GB2297896A - Tiltable shelf

Info

Publication number: GB2297896A
Application number: GB9502081A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Crown
Original assignee: Artform International Ltd
Current assignee: Artform International Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-02
Filing date: 1995-02-02
Publication date: 1996-08-21
Also published as: GB9502081D0

Abstract

A display system comprising: ```a shelf member 1 having an upper surface for supporting articles to be displayed; ```an elongate shelf support member 21,23 extending longitudinally with respect to the shelf member, and adapted to support the shelf member detachably from a vertical wall; and ```a mounting member or members 4,5 cooperable with the support member, or fixed thereto, whereby the shelf member can be tilted or raked, ```the shelf member being supported in cantilever fashion from the wall by the shelf support member, by the mounting member or members, or by a combination thereof. In Fig 4, not shown, the shelf is supported by pivotted brackets locatable in a number of different inclinations.

Description

DISPLAY SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to display systems, and more particularly to a shop-fitting display system of greatly improved flexibility.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Due to the spread of EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) and bar code systems, many supermarkets are now able to adopt very sophisticated stock control systems and are able to order supplies on a day-to-day basis, thereby greatly reducing inventory and warehouse space requirements. The new electronic systems give improved information on the amount of merchandise sold per linear foot of shelf space and can, for example, enable shelf stock levels to be reduced to allow more information to be displayed at the point of sale, or to display more lines of merchandise.

The improved stock level information flow is, however, of limited benefit to a store operator because traditional shelving display systems are relatively inflexible and wasteful of the available space.

Traditional shelving is hung, in cantilever fashion, from brackets fixed to spur uprights at the rear of the display area. In order to vary the rake or tilt of the shelves, to make the merchandise more available to customers for self selection, a large inventory of shelving and brackets must be carried. In addition, the shelf spacing is limited by the size of the brackets and the modular fixing hole spacings on the uprights. The uprights also constitute inconvenient vertical divisions on a display gondola and limit the width, position and height of product display blocks to the dimensions of individual bays.

More recently, an improved shelf suspension system has been developed, in which ribbed extruded aluminium panels are vertically arranged on the spur uprights, and cantilever brackets for the shelves are suspended from downwardly depending hook-shaped projections which engage with horizontal ribs on the aluminium panels, which ribs are themselves upwardly hook-shaped in cross section.

This provides improved flexibility for hanging shelving from the aluminium panels, since the modular distance apart of the horizontal ribs is only 15mm or 16mm, but it does not overcome the limitations imposed by the need to keep a large inventory of cantilever brackets with different angles of inclination.

In our copending UK patent application no.

9415753.4, there is described and claimed a display system comprising a shelf member having an upper surface for supporting articles to be displayed, the shelf member having continuous mounting means integral therewith and extending along substantially the entire length of a longitudinal edge of the shelf member, or a part thereof, whereby the shelf member can be detachably supported in cantilever fashion from a vertical wall. The shelf member can comprise one or more angle inserts extending longitudinally thereof, in order that the shelf can be provided with the appropriate rake or tilt angle.

Whilst this new display system provides very considerable advantages in improved flexibility, there is still a need to keep an inventory of angle inserts for different shelf inclinations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a display system comprising shelving provided with adjustable cantilever mounting means.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a display system comprising: a shelf member having an upper surface for supporting articles to be displayed; an elongate shelf support member extending longitudinally with respect to the shelf member, and adapted to support the shelf member detachably from a vertical wall; and a mounting member or members co-operable with the support member, or fixed thereto, whereby the shelf member can be tilted or raked.

Preferably the mounting member or members engage with the support member and/or are fixedly mounted thereon.

Preferably the shelf member of the present invention comprises one or more extruded profiled sections which can, for example, be extruded plastics sections, or, preferably, extruded aluminium sections. Preferably the extruded sections have a hollow profile to provide ducting for wiring and cables, for example, for illumination devices. The use of an extruded section for the shelf member enables the shelving to be produced in any desired length.

In another embodiment, the shelf member may be of solid construction, and may comprise, for example, an elongate sheet of wood, plastics, or metal.

Preferably the elongate shelf support member extends for substantially the full length of the shelf and is provided on its rear face, that is, on its face adjacent to the wall, with longitudinally extending ribs which are shaped to cooperate with ribs on a vertical wall panel in order to support the shelf member in cantilever fashion from the wall. The ribs on the shelf support member can, for example, be hook-shaped in cross section and downwardly depending in order to hook over upwardly directed ribs on a vertical extruded aluminium wall panel. In such an arrangement, the shelf support member can be separated from the ribbed wall panel by simply lifting its hook-shaped ribs over and away from the ribs on the wall panel.

The adjustable mounting member or members can be fixed to the support member, either by means of bolts, screws or similar fixings, or may be detachably connected to and supported by the support member in an interlocking configuration.

In a first preferred embodiment, the shelf support member and the mounting member comprises arcuate toothed section members which cooperate to provide a cantilever support for the shelf, but which can be readily engaged and disengaged by relative sliding movement in order to support the shelf at different rake or tilt angles.

In a second preferred embodiment, the shelf support member can have cantilever brackets fastened thereto, for example by bolts or screws, the cantilever brackets being provided with angle adjustment means. The angle adjustment means may comprise two parts pivotally connected together, and peg and hole fixing means to fix the two parts in a desired angular configuration.

Where the adjustable mounting member comprises an arcuate toothed section member, this is preferably mounted on the shelf member. In such an arrangement, the shelf support member preferably comprises at least one slidable member having an arcuate toothed section which can be moved longitudinally relative to the rear edge of the shelf member, for example, against the action of a return spring. In such an arrangement, the adjustable mounting members can be positioned at longitudinally opposed ends of the shelf member, and detached from the shelf support member independently. This greatly simplifies adjustment of the shelf angle, particularly where very long shelf members are involved.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a display system according to the invention; Figure 2 shows an end elevation, from the rear, of the display system of Figure 1, illustrating the sliding positions of a profiled section of a support member; Figure 3 shows various sectional end elevations of the display system of Figure 1, illustrating various rake angles of the shelf member; Figure 4 shows an exploded view from one side of a second embodiment of a display system according to the invention; Figure 5 shows a detail of the angle adjustment mechanism of the embodiment of Figure 4 in sectional side elevation; and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an alternative shelf member for the display system of Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 1, the display system, illustrated generally at 1, comprises a shelf member 2, a shelf support member illustrated generally at 3 and shelf mounting members 4 and 5. The shelf member 2 is made from a profiled aluminium extrusion, and has longitudinally extending undercut grooves 6 in its upper surface 7 for the receipt of the feet of product organising and discipline devices (not shown).

At the rear edge 8 of the shelf member 2 the profile is formed into grooves 9, 10, for the receipt of projections 11, 12 on mounting members 4 and 5. The mounting members 4 and 5 are slidable along the rear edge 8 of the shelf member 2, for assembly, and are maintained at the appropriate distance apart by a spacer member 13 which is similarly provided with projections to fit into the grooves 9 and 10.

The mounting members 4, 5 are provided with convex arcuate profiled sections 15, 16, with toothed surfaces 17, 18.

The shelf support member 3 comprises a longitudinally extending rod 19, which extends for substantially the full length of the shelf member 2, and is provided with a centrally disposed return spring 20.

The return spring 20 is situated between a pair of profiled members 21, 22 which are mounted on the rod 19 and are urged by the spring 20 towards the ends thereof.

Each of the profiled members 21, 22 is provided with longitudinally extending, downwardly depending hookshaped ribs 23, 24 which engage with horizontal ribs on a ribbed extruded aluminium wall panel (not shown). The hook-shaped ribs 23, 24 are so shaped that each of the profiled members 21 and 22 can slide independently along the horizontal ribs of the wall panel. The front faces 25, 26 of the profiled members 21, 22 are of concave arcuate section and have toothed surfaces 27, 28, which cooperate with the toothed surfaces 17, 18 on the mounting members 4 and 5.

The shelf assembly is completed by trim members 29, 30, and 31 which are fixed by screws or are a press fit onto the assembly.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 it can be seen that the shelf assembly is stable in a variety of configurations. The interlocking toothed surfaces 17, 27 and 18, 28 provide a cantilever support for the shelf member 2 and hold the shelf member at any desired angle.

The interengagement of the toothed surfaces prevents the shelf member 2 from being disengaged from the support member 3, whether by upward or downward pressure on the shelf member. Because the load is distributed over a wide area, the interengaging toothed surfaces provide a very firm support.

The procedure for varying the angle of the shelf member is illustrated in Figure 2. The upper drawing (a) shows the support member 3 with its profiled members 21, 22 in their rest positions at the ends of the rod 19. To remove the shelf member from the support member requires relative sliding movement of the toothed surfaces 17, 27 and 18, 28. An advantage of the above described embodiment is that the profiled members 21, 22 can be independently detached from the mounting members 4, 5 by a longitudinal sliding movement as illustrated in the case of profiled member 21 in the lower drawing (b) of Figure 2. The profiled member 21 is moved longitudinally along the rod 19, against the resistance of the return spring 20 until the surfaces 17 and 27 become disengaged.

At this point the mounting member 4 becomes free of the support member 3 and can be moved forward slightly to allow the profiled member 21 to return to its rest position at the end of the rod 19. The procedure is repeated with the profiled member 22, and the shelf member 2 carrying mounting members 4 and 5 can thereby be released from the support member 3.

The shelf member 2 can be reconnected to the support member 3 by reversing the procedure described above. It can be seen from Figure 3 that the shelf member can be retained by the support member 3 at whatever angle it is offered up thereto.

Whilst in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 the shelf member 2 is an aluminium extrusion, it will be apparent that this can be replaced by a wooden or plastics shelf member as desired. Where a wooden shelf member is used, longitudinal grooves 9 and 10 (see Figure 1) can be machined therein for receipt of the projections 11, 12 on mounting members 4 and 5. It will also be appreciated that the mounting members can be integral with the shelf member in certain embodiments.

Referring now to Figures 4, 5 and 6, there is shown a second preferred embodiment of a display system according to the invention in which the shelf assembly comprises cantilever brackets provided with angle adjustment means.

The shelf assembly, illustrated generally at 40 comprises a shelf member 41, which may be made from wood, or a wood composite such as for example chipboard, blockboard, or other suitable material, a shelf support member 42 and cantilever brackets 43 and 44. The shelf support member is provided with longitudinally extending, downwardly depending ribs 45 which cooperate with horizontal upwardly depending ribs on a vertical extruded aluminium wall section (not shown). The shelf support member 42 has a chamfered edge 46 which supports a chamfered rear edge 47 of the shelf member 41. Each of the cantilever brackets 43 and 44 is pivotally mounted on a bracket plate 48, 49 by means of a pin 50, 51 passing through a hole in the bracket plate and the cantilever bracket. The bracket plates 48, 49 are screwed to opposed ends of the shelf support member 42 by means of fixing screws 52.

Each of the bracket plates 48 and 49 is provided with a series of 4 spaced apart holes 53 along its edge facing the cantilever bracket 43, 44. A pin member 54, integrally attached to a plunger 55 can be inserted into each of the holes 53. The plunger member 55 is slidable in a barrel 56 and is acted upon by a compression spring 57 which urges the plunger and spring towards the bracket plate. The barrel 56 is mounted on the respective cantilever bracket 43,44 and the pin member 54 protrudes through a hole 61 in the cantilever bracket 43,44.

Extending from the plunger 55, on the opposite side to the pin 54, is a rod 58 which carries the spring 57, and is surmounted by a knurled nut 59 fixed thereto.

Pulling the nut 59 by hand pulls the plunger 55 into the barrel 56, against the action of the spring 57, and releases the pin 54 from the holes 53.

In operation, the nut 59 is pulled manually back and away from its respective cantilever bracket until the pin 54 is released from its respective hole 53 in the bracket plate 48, and the cantilever bracket can then be pivoted into the desired angular position. The nut 59 is then released until the pin 54 enters the appropriate hole 53 of the bracket plate 48, thereby fixing the cantilever bracket 43, 44 in the desired angular position. The shelf 41 can then be attached to the bracket by means of screws 60.

Figure 6 depicts an alternative shelf member 70 which is formed from extruded aluminium sections 71, 72, 73. The sections have profiled interlocking edges 74, 75, 76, 77, and can be screwed to cantilever brackets 78 by fixing screws 79. The cantilever bracket 78 has a hole 80 for mounting on a bracket plate (not shown) and a second hole for a spring or plunger mechanism as shown in Figure 5.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps or any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a shelf member having an upper surface for supporting articles to be displayed; an elongate shelf support member extending longitudinally with respect to the shelf member, and adapted to support the shelf member detachably in from a vertical wall; and a mounting member or members cooperable with the support member, or fixed thereto, whereby the shelf member can be tilted or raked, the shelf member being supported in cantilever fashion from the wall by the shelf support member, by the mounting member or members, or by a combination thereof.

2. A display system according to Claim 1, in which the mounting member or members engage with the support member and/or are fixedly mounted thereon.

3. A display system according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the shelf member comprises one or more extruded hollow profiled sections.

4. A display system according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the shelf member comprises an elongate sheet of wood, wood composite material, plastics, or metal.

5. A display system according to any of the preceding claims, in which the elongate shelf support member extends for substantially the full length of the shelf member.

6. A display system according to Claim 5, in which the elongate shelf support member is provided on its rear face with longitudinally extending ribs which are shaped to cooperate with ribs on a vertical wall panel in order to support the shelf member from the wall.

7. A display system according to Claim 5 or 6, in which the ribs on the shelf support member are hook shaped in cross section and downwardly depending, in use.

8. A display system according to any of the preceding claims, in which the shelf support member and the mounting member are each provided with arcuate toothed section members which cooperate to provide a cantilever support for the shelf member.

9. A display system according to Claim 8, in which the arcuate toothed section members can be engaged and disengaged by relative sliding movement.

10. A display system according to Claim 8 or 9, in which the adjustable mounting member is mounted on the shelf member.

11. A display system according to any of Claims 8 to 10, in which the shelf support member comprises at least one slidable member having an arcuate toothed section which can be moved longitudinally relative to the rear edge of the shelf member.

12. A display system according to any of Claims 8 to 11, in which adjustable mounting members are positioned at longitudinally opposed ends of the shelf member and can be detached from the shelf member independently.

13. A display system according to any of Claims 1 to 7, in which the shelf support member is provided with cantilever brackets fastened thereto, the cantilever brackets being provided with angle adjustment means.

14. A display system according to Claim 13, in which the angle adjustment means comprises two parts pivotally connected together, and fixing means to fix the two parts in a desired angular configuration.

15. A display system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A display system substantially as hereinbefore described.

17. A shelf assembly comprising shelving provided with adjustable cantilever mounting means.

18. A shelf support system comprising: an elongate shelf support member adapted to be detachably mounted on a vertical wall in a horizontal configuration, and a mounting member or members cooperable with the support member, or fixed thereto, whereby a shelf member supported by the shelf support member and the mounting member or members can be tilted or raked, the shelf member being supported, in use, in cantilever fashion from the wall by the shelf support member, by the mounting member or members, or by a combination thereof.