AU2012203585B2

AU2012203585B2 - Gravity feed shelf

Info

Publication number: AU2012203585B2
Application number: AU2012203585A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gerard Suttie
Original assignee: PMG Engineering Services Pty Ltd
Current assignee: PMG Engineering Services Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-07-07
Filing date: 2012-06-20
Publication date: 2016-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-20
Also published as: AU2012203585A1

Abstract

-15 A gravity-feed, plastic mat or shelf has a gridwork made up of a number of load-bearing glides arranged lengthwise in parallel across the shelf and connected by cross members; a series of short, cylindrical shafts extend laterally between the glides and receive rollers formed by two identical, interlockable, mating split-segments, which can be snap-fitted together onto a respective shaft between glides, each roller segment has a flat front face with a slot which extends axially entirely through each roller segment and extends radially inwardly from the perimeter through the centre to terminate in a concave surface portion or base to form part of a cylindrical rotational bearing surface when placed against a cylindrical stub axle between glides and in association with an opposed concave rotational bearing surface of the other mating roller segment and wherein there extends rearwardly behind the slot of each segment an axial projection which is a concave extension of the base of the slot so that when separate segments are rotated through 180 degrees and inner faces opposed and brought together, a projection of one half segment is able to be slid through a correspondingly shaped slot of an associated, identical and interlockable split segment to form a load-bearing roller, snap-on divider plates are used as outer walls or between glides to increase the number of rows of product carried by the mat or shelf. [ 1 5a 13 11 14 16 15 FIG1 11a 11 b 14

Description

This invention relates in general to gravity feed systems for supporting rows of items loaded onto an inclined mat or shelf enabling the items to slide from back to front for dispensing and for replacing items taken from the front row. The invention relates in particular to a plastic grid-like gravity-feed shelf having multiple parallel and longitudinal-low-friction, load-bearing glide members supported on cross members , special segmented plastic rollers are designed to be snap-fitted onto axles between the load bearing glides

According to the invention, there is provided a gravity-feed mat or shelf for dispensing merchandise and which comprises a laterally discontinuous, load- supporting surface formed into a gridwork by a plurality of parallel, longitudinal, load-bearing surface members or glides joined by cross members extending therebetween, the gridwork being formed with gaps therein and having a plurality of laterally disposed and longitudinally-spaced axles rotatably supported by or formed within the gaps thereof, a plurality of rollers of identical, interlockable segments with mutually cooperating surfaces being snap-fitted together onto a respective axle common to the segments, each roller segment having undercut portions for snapfitting segments together about an axle disposed in the gap of the shelf gridwork and being formed with inner concave surface portions forming with an associated segment, a cylindrical rotational bearing surface when the roller segments are snapped together around an axle, the glides having top and bottom edges. .

In a preferred form of the invention, the glides of the gravity-feed . mat or shelf of the invention are formed of synthetic polymeric material and have a longitudinally-undulating top edge with crests and troughs, the crests forming friction-reducing, merchandise item-contacting surfaces and more preferably, the crests and troughs forming the top edge of the glides are horizontally offset with respect to the crests and troughs of an adjacent glide

Also in a preferred form of the invention, each roller segment is is generally cylindrical in form with a flat front face having a slot extending radially partly therethrough and axially-completely therethrough and terminates at its radially-inward extent in a concave surface to form part of a rotational bearing surface for placement about a common axle in association with an opposed rotational bearing surface provided by another identical mating roller segment; the face opposite the flat front face of each roller has cutaway portions and a common axial projection which in association with circumferentially undercut curved surfaces of each segment enables the roller segments to be snap-fitted together around the common axle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gravity feed mat or shelf includes one or more plate-like dividers attached to or adapted to be attached to or adjacent the upper surface of the gravity feed mat or shelf to project vertically upwards from the mat or shelf at horizontally=spaced intervals to subdivide the mat or shelf into rows, the dividers having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge of each divider is formed with a plurality of members projecting downwardly therefrom for snap-fitting each divider around cross members and hence onto the mat or shelf and wherein the downwardly-projecting members are flat, L- shaped, hook-like projections, each being formed with a lateral, open-ended slot, the slot of all projections faces in one direction to enable snap-fitting of the divider into a gap or slot in the mat or shelf between the glides thereof and around cross members between the glides.

More particularly and preferably, the bottom edge of each divider is provided with a plurality of hook-like members each of which has formed therein a lateral slot, all slots being orientated in the same lateral direction.

Other preferred features of the invention is that, when installed on the mat or shelf, all the rollers project above the convex crests of the upper edge of the glides and when viewed in section, the glides have sides tapering downwardly from the convex top edge to the bottom edge.

In a preferred construction ,the gravity-fed mat or shelf according to the invention has a gridwork made up of a plurality of load-bearing glides arranged longitudinally in parallel across the shelf and a series of lateral stub shafts extending between the glides, a number of split-segment, interlockable rollers adapted to be snap-fitted together onto respective shafts between the glides, each roller segment having a flat front face with a slot which extends entirely through each roller segment and radially from the perimeter thereof through the centre and terminates in a concave surface portion or base to form part of cylindrical rotational bearing surface when placed upon a a stub axle in association with an opposed concave rotational bearing surface of the other mating roller segment and wherein there extends rearwardly behind the slot of each roller segment an axial projection which is an extension of the base segment of each roller so that when segments are mutually rotated through 180 degrees and inner faces opposed and brought . together, each projection of one half-segment is able to be slid through . ... . a correspondingly-shaped slot of the split segment of an associated, ’’’’’’’’’’identical, interlockable split-segment of a roller to form an assembled roller. ....... Each roller split segment terminates in a face orientated in a plane ........parallel to the rotational axis of the roller and which extends radially outward to the cylindrical outer surface of the segment. A still further feature of the invention is that, when viewed in section, the glides have sides which taper downwardly from the convex top edge to a straight bottom edge the tapered sides assisting with rotation of rollers placed between the glides ..

Some non-limiting examples and practical arrangements of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a gravity-feed mat or shelf constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the mat or shelf of Figure 1 showing a roller fitted between longitudinal load bearers or glides.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a section of the mat or shelf with the roller fitted between glides of Figures 1 and 2 and also fitted with one embodiment of a clip-on vertical divider and/or one of a pair of outer retaining walls..

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation of another embodiment of a divider (or outer retaining wall) for the mat or shelf and roller also fitted between glides of Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 5 to 7 are views of a typical dual-segment, snap-fit roller for the mat or shelf of Figures 1, 2 and 7.

Figure 5 is a perspective, front-face view of one of two identical roller segments for snap-fitting upon shafts or axles between parallel load bearing members or glides of Figures 1 to 3 and 7.

Figure 6 is a perspective , rear face view of another roller segment identical to that of Figure 5 for assembly therewith and for subsequent fitment to the mat or shelf of Figures 1 to 3 and 7.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show in elevation the method of assembly of the roller segments of Figures 5 and 6 fitted to stub axles between glides of the gravity-feed mat or shelf of Figures 1 to 4 and 7.

Referring to the drawings and first of all to Figure 1 there is shown a gravity-feed (when inclined) mat or shelf 10 designed to dispense merchandise such as bottles or cans from the rear to the front by constraining a row or rows of merchandise to move from the rear of the mat or shelf 10 to the front thereof under the force of gravity and with the assistance of profiles and rollers as described further on the description.

The mat or shelf 10 is moulded from any suitable material such as a synthetic polymeric material, for example, polyurethane and preferably high density polyethylene to which may have been added a silicone compound and in this example the gravity-feed mat or shelf is in the form of an open gridwork comprising a plurality of parallel, longitudinal elongate structural members in the form of product load-contacting and load- bearing glides 11,12 connected by cross members 13, 14 and 15 and at the lower or front and discharge end of the mat, there is transversely mounted one or more vertical plate-like plastic members (not shown), to prevent merchandise from falling out of the lower end or front of the inclined mat or shelf. There is adapted to be snap-fitted on respective stub axles mounted or formed between glides a plurality of small plastic dual-segmented rollers such as the one labelled 16 or 17 respectively in Figures 1 to 3 and 7 (the axle of which is concealed) but is typified by an adjacent axle shown in broken outline and labelled 17 on Figure 7. The top edge of each of the glides is undulating being formed with a plurality of alternating shallow troughs and crests such as those labelled 11a and 12a in Figure 2. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate on a larger scale two identical, interlockable, plastic roller split segments 16A and 16B of the assembled roller 16 of Figures 1, 2 and 7 formed with a combination of both planar and non-planar faces, grooves or slots and comprising a cylindrical outer surface 18 (of the first segment 16A shown in Figure 5 - or 18a of the second segment 16B shown in Figure 6. A flat outer or “front” face 19 on the first segment corresponds to face 19a on the second segment the outer face is mainly circular the perimeter or edge of outer or “front” face 19 on the first segment corresponds to a face which is interrupted by an axially-extending, outwardly-tapered, radial slot 20 or 20a respectively which extends radially inwards past centre point and terminates in a concave base 21 or 21a which is designed to house part of a cylindrical common stub shaft or axle 17 (shown in Figure 7). The concave base 21 of the slot 20 extends axially completely through each roller segment forms a concave inner surface on a rearward projection 22 or 22a which terminates in a flat rear face 23 or 23a which is in a plane parallel to that of the front face. All of the concave, inner (inwardly facing) faces of both roller segments which extend axially through the segment have an internal diameter which, when the segments are snap-fitted together, are radially inwardly opposed so as to form split bearing surfaces enabling them when mated to be rotatably housed upon the shaft or axle 17 (Figure 7). Prior to assembly by clicking them together, the roller segments are mutually rotated 180 degrees with the flat circular outer face of each facing axially outwards and with slots facing in opposite radial directions are together moved mutually radially inwards towards each other then snap- fitted and locked together around a stub shaft (shown in broken outline) and as shown in Figure 7.

The anterior of the roller segment behind the single flat front face is formed with a pair of flat, rearwardly-facing faces 24 and 25 respectively located on either side of the slot and in both in the same plane which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation and between front and rear faces. 24 and 25 extend radially inward to abut against side walls of the axial rear projection 23a. Spaced above faces 24 and 25 and on either side of the slot 20, 20a are two overhanging undercut portions one of these being the undercut member 26 ( the right-hand face in segment 16A) which has a forwardly inclined upwardly tapered and ramped face of overhang 27. Radially opposite to this overhang 27 on the other side of the slot is a second undercut overhung portion 28 also with a forwardly-inclined and upwardly tapered face 29 (in both instances the inclination is with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the roller). Underneath the second undercut portion. In Figure 6, the split segment 16B of the roller shows an undercut face 30 which is orientated in a plane parallel to the rotational axis of the roller and which extends radially outward to the cylindrical outer surface of the roller when snap-fitted together. The circumferential undercuts in each segment enables the roller segments to be snap-fitted together after placement in abutment with a stub shaft. The mat or shelf 10 may be optionally be provided with one or more snap-on dividers (or outer walls) such as those two 120 or 220 shown respectively in Figures 3 and 4 to increase the number of rows of merchandise items able to be carried by the shelf (or to prevent merchandise falling out sideways). Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a divider 120 which has formed on its lower edge, a series of hook-like projections such as those labelled 121, 122 which are each formed with a parallel- walled, horizontal open slot for clipping the divider 120 onto a cross-member 14 of a mat or shelf. Referring to the second embodiment of a divider 220 shown in Figure 4, the projections 221 and 222 are also formed with a parallel-walled lateral slot designed to be in parallel alignment with the bottom edge of the divider 220. The divider of each embodiment can be mounted longitudinally between glides with its hook-like projections 121, 122; 221,222 slid along cross members of the mat or shelf and the divider mounted in the gap between the glides 11,12.

Suitable materials of construction for the micro-roller segments are synthetic polymeric resins such as acetal resin and both roller segments are provided with mating correspondingly undercut radial mating surfaces to enable snap fitting together in opposed radially inward directions as shown by the directional arrows in Figure 7.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1 A gravity-feed mat or shelf which comprises a laterally- discontinuous, load- supporting surface formed into a gridwork by a plurality of parallel, longitudinal members or glides joined by cross members, the mat or shelf also having plurality of laterally disposed and longitudinally-spaced stub axles extending between pairs of glides, a roller comprised of identical, interlockable segments with mutually co-operating surfaces being adapted to be snap-fitted together onto a respective stub axle common to the segments, each roller segment having undercut portions for snap-fitting segments together about an axle disposed in a gap of the shelf and being formed with inner concave surface portions forming with an associated segment, a cylindrical rotational bearing surface when the roller segments are snap-fitted together around an axle, the glides having top and bottom edges. .
2. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to claim 1 wherein the .........glides are formed of synthetic polymeric material and have a longitudinally- .........undulating top edge with crests and troughs, the crests forming friction- .........reducing, merchandise item-contacting surfaces.
3.. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to claim 1 or 2 wherein pairs of glides are formed on the mat or shelf in parallel but wherein the crests and troughs forming the top edge of one glide are horizontally offset with respect to the crests and troughs of an adjacent glide.
4. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein when installed on the shelf, the rollers project above the crests of the upper edge of the glides.
5. The gravity feed mat or shelf according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each roller segment is generally cylindrical in form with a flat front face having a slot extending radially partly therethrough and axially-completely there-through and terminating at its inward extent in a concave surface to form part of a rotational bearing surface for placement about a common axle in association with an opposed rotational bearing surface provided by another identical mating roller segment; the face opposite the flat front face of each roller has cutaway portions and a common axial projection which in association with circumferentially undercut curved surfaces of each segment enables the roller segments to be snap-fitted together around the common axle..
6. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to any one of claims 1 to 5 which includes one or more plate-like dividers attached to or adapted to be attached to the upper surface of the gravity feed mat or shelf to extend vertically upwards from the mat or shelf at horizontally-spaced intervals to subdivide the mat or shelf into rows, the dividers having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge being formed with a plurality of members projecting downwardly therefrom for snap-fitting each divider around cross members of the mat or shelf.
7.. The gravity feed mat or shelf according to claim 6 wherein the downwardly-projecting members of each divider are flat, L-shaped, hook-like projections each formed with a lateral open-ended slot, the slot of all projections facing in one direction to enable snap-fitting of the divider into a gap or slot in the shelf between the glides of the shelf and around cross members between the glides.
8. The gravity feed mat or shelf according to claim 6 or 7 wherein a pair of dividers is adapted to be placed along the outer edge of the mat or shelf to form walls which prevent merchandise from falling sideways off the mat or shelf-
9. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to any one of claims 1, 6 and 7 wherein when viewed in section, the glides have sides tapering downwardly from the top edge to the bottom edge.
10. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to any one of claims 1, 4 and 5 wherein each roller segment has a flat front face with a slot which extends axially entirely through each roller segment and radially from the perimeter thereof and inwards past the centre to form part of a cylindrical rotational bearing surface when placed upon a stub in association with an opposed concave rotational bearing surface of the other mating roller segment and wherein there extends rearwardly behind the slot of each roller segment an axial projection which is an extension of the base segment of each roller so that when segments are mutually rotated through 180 degrees, an inner projection of one segment is able to be slid through a correspondingly-shaped slot of an associated, identical, interlockable split-segment of a roller to form an assembled roller.
11. A gravity-feed, plastic mat or shelf with a gridwork comprising a plurality of load-bearing glides disposed longitudinally in parallel across the shelf and which are connected by cross members; a series of short, cylindrical shafts extending laterally between the glides and adapted to receive rollers formed by two identical, interlockable, mating split-segments, which can be snap-fitted together onto a respective shaft between glides, each roller segment has a flat front face with a slot which extends axially entirely through each roller segment and extends radially inwardly from the perimeter through the centre to terminate in a concave surface portion or base to form part of a cylindrical rotational bearing surface when placed against a cylindrical stub axle between glides and in association with an opposed concave rotational bearing surface of the other mating roller segment and wherein there extends rearwardly behind the slot of each segment an axial projection which is a concave extension of the base of the slot so that when separate segments are rotated through 180 degrees and inner faces opposed and brought together, a projection of one half segment is able to be slid through a correspondingly-shaped slot of an associated, identical and interlockable split segment to form a load-bearing roller, snap-on divider plates being used as outer walls or between glides to increase the number of rows of product carried by the mat or shelf.
12. The gravity-feed mat or shelf according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the rollers are split-segment micro-rollers.