EP0120099B1 - Display tray for merchandise - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A shelf divider system for receiving products to be displayed, comprising at least one shelf surface (16) with divider elements (18) being arranged on said shelf surface and defining individual sheft units, said shelf surface being provided along its front edge (14) with a means for receiving information elements which is designed as a supporting profile (12, 78, 111) additionally comprising along its lengthwise extension a catching device (38 ; 112) for providing a locking connection with a divider element (18) and/or an information element (50, 103), characterized in that said supporting profile (12, 78, 111) has a section of U-shaped cross-section with the base (40) thereof lying on said shelf surface (16) and with the longitudinal walls (32, 34 ; 82, 84) thereof having inwardly directed longitudinal edges (28, 30 ; 90, 92) with a slot (256, 112) for insertion defined therebetween, and that said divider member or said divider elements (18), respectively, and/or said information elements (50, 103) have a locking projection (26, 56, 86, 104) with a broadened portion (36) which when being inserted into the chamber formed by said U-shaped cross-section comes into interlocking engagement with the inwardly directed longitudinal edges (28, 30 ; 90, 92) of said longitudinal walls (32, 34 ; 82, 84).

Description

The invention relates to a specialist construction for receiving goods to be exhibited or offered, with at least one shelf on which dividing elements delimiting individual compartments are arranged and which has on its front edge a device for receiving information elements running over its length, which is designed as a supporting profile, which additionally has a latching device over its length for latching connection to a dividing element and / or an information element. A specialist construction of this type is known from US-A-3 830 169.

One of the main problems in sales is to present goods in compartments or shelves in an attractive and careful manner. Most of the compartments are arranged in a shelf system, within which they are often lower than in the upper areas. Due to the ongoing sales of goods in the sales outlets, the appearance of the shelves deteriorates due to wear. Furthermore, they usually have the same color, which occasionally does not match the color of the goods packaging on display.

Another problem is that when goods are sold and the shelves are refilled, the goods of a certain type are often unintentionally assigned to a larger space due to particularly high demand, so that a smaller space is then available for other goods. This changes the room layout or room allocation to certain products originally desired by the management, which should bring the inventory of goods as completely as possible into the sales rooms. Such a change in the original planning is also not difficult, since the specialist subdivisions are usually pieces of cardboard cut from shipping boxes. Furthermore, an unattractive appearance of goods can also create an aesthetically disadvantageous sales atmosphere.

At the front edges of the shelves there is usually a profile for receiving labels which identify the product in the room above for the buyer. Such labels indicate the price or the base price of a single quantity and can also contain other information that is prescribed by law or automatic sales systems. If the goods are no longer spatially assigned to the specified subjects, sellers and buyers can be confused and irritated due to a lack of connection with the information on the labels.

Although the known specialist construction mentioned at the outset has structural elements which can each solve the individual problems outlined above, it is not constructed in such a way that it can be used to put together a modular system and at the same time a uniform labeling of goods is possible.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a specialist design that allows a wide variety within a uniform subject system in a simple and cost-saving, but mechanically safe manner.

This object is achieved for a specialist construction of the type mentioned by the features of claim 1 or claim 2.

Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

A specialist construction of this type comprises a multiplicity of division units which enable adaptation to a wide variety of specialist designs. Arrangements for visible product information for the buyer can be provided as an integral part of the construction, which allow easy reading without the buyer having to turn directly to the goods as he walks past. The invention can also be implemented in such a way that the sales personnel are visually and subliminally forced to accommodate certain goods in the specialist space provided for them and to prevent these goods from entering the space that is used for the products of other manufacturers or for other products from the same manufacturer.

To identify the goods, labels can also be used with this construction, which can be easily removed from the profile provided for them, which is firmly connected to the construction.

An overall system constructed with the specialist construction also permits such a surface treatment of the exposed specialist parts that the buyer always has an aesthetically pleasing and clean appearance.

Finally, the construction can easily be set up in a sales outlet and is easily adjustable after assembly, so that it can be adapted to a wide variety of goods and changing stocks or sales programs.

A construction according to the invention comprises a U-shaped support profile which is either permanently or temporarily attached to the upper front edge of a compartment. The support profile has opposing longitudinal edges that form a slot between its two webs. The profile webs are flexible so that the slot can be widened by applying force. It is used to hold a variety of different dividing or organizing elements. These elements can be higher or lower in order to separate different products from one another or to enable the stacking of similar products or to different classes or individual rows to separate similar products. Other dividing elements can also be provided, as will be described.

These dividing or organization elements have a vertical locking projection with a widening that pushes the slot apart when inserted into the support profile. When the widening has moved past the longitudinal edges, these snap together again and hold the dividing element in the position it has assumed. It is thus held on the support profile and can only be removed from the support profile again by considerable force, for example to fix it again at another point.

Such a locking projection can also be provided in connection with information elements standing forward, which are either arranged parallel to the front edge of the shelf or can protrude outward at right angles to the shelf edge, so that they draw the attention of the buyer to himself when he or she contacts the shelf arrangement moved past. The information elements can of course be arranged as desired along the support profile and can also be rearranged by being released and reinserted in the manner described by force.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Fachkonstruktion mit unterschiedlichen Arten größerer und kleinerer Teilungselemente sowie verschiedenen Tragprofilen,
• Fig. 2 eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispiels mit einer rückseitigen Warenanlage und einem Informationselement,
• Fig. 3 den Schnitt 3-3 nach Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4 eine schematische Darstellung des Sitzes eines Rastelements in einem Tragprofil,
• Fig. 5 eine Seitenansicht des Informationselements nach Fig. 2 in eingerasteter Stellung am Tragprofil,
• Fig. 6 einen Teilschnitt eines hohen Teilungselements als Abschlußelement,
• Fig. 7 eine perspektivische Rückansicht eines weiteren Informationselements in Zuordnung zu einem Tragprofil,
• Fig. 8 eine perspektivische Vorderansicht eines Tragprofils mit einem die Vorderkante eines Fachbodens überdeckenden Abschnitt zum Ersatz eines vorhandenen Profils und zur Bereitstellung zusätzlicher Informationsfläche,
• Fig. 9 eine Seitenansicht der Anordnung nach Fig. 8 mit zugeordnetem Rastvorsprung eines Teilungselements vor dem Einsetzen,
• Fig. 10 die Seitenansicht eines Informationselements, das in das Tragprofil der Anordnung nach Fig. 8 einzusetzen ist,
• Fig. 11 den Querschnitt einer weiteren Ausführungsmöglichkeit eines Tragprofils an einem Fachboden und
• Fig. 12 den Querschnitt einer weiteren Ausführungsform eines Tragprofils an einem Fachboden mit einem Aufsteckelement für ein Teilungselement.

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. Show it:

• 1 is a perspective view of a specialist construction with different types of larger and smaller dividing elements and different support profiles,
• 2 is an exploded perspective view of a further embodiment with a goods system on the back and an information element,
• 3 shows the section 3-3 of FIG. 1,
• 4 is a schematic representation of the seat of a locking element in a support profile,
• 5 is a side view of the information element of FIG. 2 in the locked position on the support profile,
• 6 shows a partial section of a high dividing element as a closing element,
• 7 is a perspective rear view of a further information element in association with a support profile,
• 8 is a perspective front view of a support profile with a section covering the front edge of a shelf for replacing an existing profile and for providing additional information surface,
• 9 is a side view of the arrangement of FIG. 8 with an associated locking projection of a dividing element before insertion,
• 10 is a side view of an information element to be inserted into the support profile of the arrangement according to FIG. 8,
• Fig. 11 shows the cross section of a further embodiment of a support profile on a shelf and
• Fig. 12 shows the cross section of a further embodiment of a support profile on a shelf with a plug-on element for a dividing element.

In Fig. 1, a compartment structure 10 is shown, which has a support profile 12 on the front edge 14 of a shelf 16. At the rear of the support profile 12 there are 16 dividing elements 18 on the shelf. Such a dividing element 18 can have a wide variety of shapes. Low dividing elements such as element 18a are used to divide rows of different classes of the same product, while high dividing elements 18b can be used to separate types of goods from one another. As shown in FIG. 1, the compartment construction 10 can be provided for compartments of different depths, since the dividing elements 18 are provided with a plurality of vertically running weak points 20, which allow the length of a dividing element to be adapted to the compartment depth. In addition, high dividing elements 18b can be provided with horizontally running weak points, so that their height can then be adjusted to different compartment spacings. Each dividing element 18 can be inserted into the support profile 12 and moved in the longitudinal direction thereof, so that the space enclosed between the dividing elements 18 can be adapted to the size and shape of a product which is to be stored and presented in this space. The support profile 12 itself can have any length and can easily be cut to size to achieve predetermined compartment lengths.

The support profile 12 can also have different configurations. As shown in Fig. 1, a support profile section 12a is provided, which can be used together with a standard mounting profile, not shown, for information elements. The support profile section 12b has an information surface 22 which is inclined obliquely downwards, on which information labels can be provided either together with or instead of the information carriers inserted into an information profile. The support profile section 12c has a vertical surface 24 above an information carrier profile and is also suitable for attaching information. By means of an oblique information carrier surface, as shown at 12b, the information can be better recognized in lower compartments, since it is then inclined in such a way that it is more obvious to the buyer. Further support profiles are explained below.

3 and 4 show a downwardly projecting flange 26 which has a certain length (FIGS. 7, 8) in the direction of the support profile 12, is arranged at the end of a dividing element 18 and is inserted into a slot 25 on the upper side of the support profile 12, which is provided with inwardly directed longitudinal edges or projections 28 and 30. These longitudinal edges 28 and 30 are provided on the front wall 32 and the rear wall 34 of the support profile 12. As already stated, the front wall 32 can have a vertically standing section 24 (FIG. 3) or carry other additional elements. In each embodiment, however, the inward longitudinal edges form a slot over the entire length of the support profile 12.

The flange 26 has a horizontally directed locking projection or widening 36. This is provided on the flange 26 so that it is held in the chamber 38 of the support profile 12a, which through the bottom 40, the front and rear walls 32 and 34 and the inward longitudinal edges 28 and 30 is formed.

The widening 36 fastens the dividing element 18 to the supporting profile 12 and at the same time enables the dividing element 18 to be moved along the supporting profile 12 in order to adjust it. The support profile 12 is made of a suitable elastic material such as plastic and thus enables the insertion of the locking element or the widening 34 on the flange 26 into the chamber 38 through the slot 25 by pressing the walls 32 and 34 apart. The widening 36 is then held in the chamber 38. As shown in FIG. 4, the flange 26 is held in place by the force that the longitudinal edges 28 and 30 exert on the section 42 of the flange 26 after insertion into the support profile 12. This section 42 lies between the widening 36 and the flat section 44 of the dividing element 18. In another embodiment, the flange 26 can be made so long that it sits on the inner surface of the bottom 40 of the support profile 12. In this case, the load of the dividing element 18 is transmitted to the floor 40 via the flange 26. In both cases, the support profile 12 is fastened to the shelf in a suitable manner, for example glued, but it can also be fastened interchangeably. A suitable adhesive can be arranged on a foam strip provided on the bottom of the support profile 12, which is provided with a non-adhesive protective surface prior to attachment.

2 shows a dividing element 46 which, in addition to a department, also serves to hold further dividing pieces. The dividing element 46 is provided with a plurality of channels 47, into which a contact element 48 can be inserted. Such an arrangement can advantageously e.g. serve to display sheet paper packs, since these can rest against the contact element 48, so that they stand at an angle on their edges and are not stacked one on top of the other.

The dividing elements 18 and also information elements are connected to the support profile 12 by means of locking elements. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, an information element 50 can be provided which protrudes forwardly at right angles to the front edge 14 of the shelf 16. The information element 50 has a viewing surface 52 on which visible information is to be arranged in order to draw the customer's attention to the range of goods in the information element. A horizontal transition piece 54 connects the visible surface 52 to a flange 56 which is to be inserted into the support profile 12c. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the upper edge 58 of the vertical web of the support profile 12c offers an additional support for the information element 50 or the underside of the transition piece 54. Like the dividing elements 18, the information element 50 can be moved along the support profile 12.

7 shows an information element 60 in a further embodiment. This can advantageously be used in conjunction with the support profile section 12b according to FIG. 1. A visible surface 62 lies obliquely to the front edge of the shelf and is partially held by an oblique web 22 of the support profile 12b. A special holder 64 carries a flange 66 which is to be inserted into the support profile 12b.

1, a closure element 68 can also be provided. This does not have to be displaceable on the support profile 12, so that the arrangement according to FIG. 6 can serve for its fastening. The closing element 68 then has a fastening element 70, which can be U-shaped and is inserted into the chamber 38 of the support profile 12.

At a distance from the U-shaped fastening element 70, a further stabilization projection 72 is provided on the closure element 68, which, in connection with a part of the U-shaped fastening element 70, bears against the rear wall 34 of the support profile 12 and further stabilizes the seat of the closure element 68. The closing element 68 can also be provided with a support element 76 on its lower edge, which gives it additional stability. An adhesive layer can be provided on the underside of the support element 76, with which the closure element 68 is glued to the shelf. The support element 76 and the adhesive layer can be particularly advantageous if the closure element 68 also serves as a device for carrying further information elements.

8 to 12 show further possibilities for connecting the support profile 12 to the various dividing and information elements.

For example, it can be seen that the support profile 78 is provided with a widened support 80, which offers a larger fastening surface for connection to the shelf 16. The front and rear walls 82 and 84 are slightly obliquely forward and form an angle of approximately 120 ° with the support 80. The flange 86 on the dividing element 88 is not vertical, but forms an angle with the dividing element 88 so that it into the slot and the chamber between the front and rear walls 82 and 84 and the inside directed longitudinal edges 90 and 92 can be used. The dividing element 88 is also provided with a recess edge 94 which forms a free space for the support 80 of the support profile 78.

Starting from the upper edge of the front wall 82, a web 96 extends obliquely downward over the length of the support profile 78, the front edge of which comes to lie below the front edge 14 of the shelf 16. The web 96 is provided with a visible surface 98 extending over the length of the support profile 78. This can comprise a flat vertical section 100, which is delimited at the top and bottom by longitudinal edges 102 and 104. These enable the use of information carrier elements and help the customer to identify the goods in the compartment.

An information element 103 is provided with an obliquely projecting flange 105 which can be inserted into the slot of the chamber of the support profile 78. A transition piece 106 connects the visible surface 108 to the flange 105 and, after being inserted into the support profile 78, rests on its web 96. Here, too, the dividing elements 88 and the information elements 103 can be moved on the support profile 78.

FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment of a support profile 111, in the chamber 112 formed by the U-shaped cross section, a flange of a dividing element can be inserted in the manner described. On the front of the support profile 111, a holding rail is formed by two rectangular longitudinal edges 113 and 114, in which the T-foot 115 of an information element 116 can be inserted. This information element has a movable upper part 117, which is articulated at 118 on the foot 115, and a possibly also movable lower part 119. This construction offers the advantage that the upper part 117 can serve as a visible surface for the customer when it is on the lower part 119 rests. The upper part 117 can then be folded up in the direction of the arrow 120 and then releases the lower part 119, which can carry information that e.g. are intended only for the sales staff and may consist of coded information about the goods that can be used in the course of reordering goods.

The support profile 111 can be glued to the shelf 116 at 121 or attached in some other way. The shelf 116 itself has an oblique front edge 122 to which a support element 123 is fastened, on which the lower part 119 of the information element 116 can rest.

Another possible embodiment of the support profile is shown in FIG. 12. Here, a dividing element 18c of the type already described in connection with FIG. 1 is arranged on the shelf 16 and is provided at its lower left corner with a downwardly opening U-receiving element which can be plugged onto a longitudinal flange 151 of the support profile 150. The longitudinal flange 151 is a web-like longitudinal element of the support profile 150, which is provided on its upper longitudinal edge with a thickening 152 which latches with the U-shaped receiving element 153 of the dividing element 18c when it is placed on the shelf 16 in such a way that the receiving element 153 is located above flange 151.

The front part of the support profile 150 consists of two sections which form an information element. The upper section 154 serves as an obliquely upward-facing viewing surface, while the lower section 155 is designed such that it can serve as a viewing surface or also for inserting information labels. This configuration corresponds approximately to the information element 78 according to FIGS. 8 to 10.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 12, the support profile 150 is attached to the top of the shelf 16, for example by gluing. In addition, it can be seen that the dividing element 18c has a zigzag-shaped lower edge with which it sits on the shelf 16. This design avoids larger accumulations of dirt that could form if a pronounced corner were formed between the dividing element 18c and the shelf 16.

In all the exemplary embodiments described above, the support profiles can be produced using the extrusion process.

A construction according to the invention makes it possible, for example, in supermarkets to subdivide regatta compartments into individual areas of a predetermined size for storing and offering goods. By means of a latching device in the form of a combination of the receiving chamber and the flange element to be used, dividing elements and information elements can be attached and adjusted at any point on the support profiles. A wide variety of division elements and information elements can be used, which results in great flexibility and adaptability to a wide variety of needs. Color sections can be used to assign different sections of the support profiles to the dividing elements in order to adapt e.g. to enable goods packaging. This also leads to an aesthetically pleasing appearance of a product display.

Claims (19)

1). A shelf divider system for receiving products to be displayed, comprising at least one shelf surface (16) with divider elements (18) being arranged on said shelf surface and defining individual shelf units, said shelf surface being provided along its front edge (14) with a means for receiving information elements which is designed as a supporting profile (12, 78, 111) additionally comprising along its lengthwise extension a catching device (38; 112) for providing a locking connection with a divider element (18) and/or an information element (50, 103), characterized in that said supporting profile (12, 78, 111) has a section of U-shaped cross-section with the base (40) thereof lying on said shelf surface (16) and with the longitudinal walls (32, 34; 82, 84) thereof having inwardly directed longitudinal edges (28, 30; 90,92) with a slot (25, 112) for insertion defined therebetween, and that said divider member or said divider elements (18), respectively, and/or said information elements (50,103) have a locking projection (26, 56, 86 104) with a broadened portion (36) which when being inserted into the chamber formed by said U-shaped cross-section comes into interlocking engagement with the inwardly directed longitudinal edges (28, 30; 90, 92) of said longitudinal walls (32, 34; 82, 84).

2. A shelf divider for receiving products to be displayed, comprising at least one shelf surface (16) with divider elements (18) being arranged on said shelf surface and defining individual shelf units, said shelf surface being provided along its front edge (14) with a means for receiving information elements which is designed as a supporting profile (150) additionally comprising along its lengthwise extension a catching device (151) for providing a locking connection with a divider element (18c) and/or an information element, characterized in that said supporting profile (150) includes in a section thereof lying on said shelf surface (16) an upwardly directed longitudinal flange (151) with the upper longitudinal edge thereof having a thickened portion (152) which is interlockable with a U-shaped receiving element provided on the lower edge of a divider element (18c) and/or an information element.

3. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said supporting profile is provided on its front longitudinal wall (32) with an outer surface (24) for receiving information elements.

4. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said supporting profile (78; 150) is provided on its front longitudinal wall (82; 151) with a longitudinal flange (96; 154, 155) projecting into the area of the front edge of said shelf surface (16) and having information carrier surfaces.

5. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that said longitudinal flange (96; 154, 155) consists of an uppper section (96; 154) being inclined towards said shelf surface (16) and of a lower section (100; 155) extending approximately parallel with respect to the front edge (14) of said shelf surface (16).

6. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that said lower section (100; 155) has an upper and a lower longitudinal edge (102, 104) which are designed as holding elements for information carrier elements to be inserted.

7. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the two longitudinal walls (82, 84) of said supporting profile (78) are inclined towards the front edge (14) of said shelf surface (16) and define with the top surface of said shelf surface (16) an angle of approximately 120°.

8. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said supporting profile (78) includes a supporting base section (80) projecting into the respective shelf unit and lying on the shelf surface (16).

9. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said supporting profile (12, 78, 111, 150) is bonded to the top surface of said shelf surface (16).

10. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said front longitudinal wall of said supporting profile (12b) includes at its upper longitudinal edge a downwardly inclined longitudinal flange (22) serving as a supporting base for an information carrier element (60) being insertable with a stop means (66) into the chamber (38) of said supporting profile (12b).

11. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said supporting profile (12, 78) includes a front longitudinal wall (32) greater in height than said slot (25) and forming with its upper longitudinal edge (58) a support surface for an information carrier element (50) insertable with a stop means (56) into said slot (25).

12. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said supporting profile (111) includes at the outer side of its front longitudinal wall two longitudinal edges (113, 114) forming a guiding and receiving slot for the foot (115) of an information carrier element (116).

13. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that an upper and a lower information carrier surface (117, 119) are mounted to the foot (115) of said information carrier element (116).

14. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 13, characterized in that at least said upper information carrier surface (117) is hinged to said foot (115).

15. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that said foot (115) includes a T-shaped profile with its transverse portion being disposed in said guiding and receiving slot.

16. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that said information carrier surfaces (117, 119) are mounted to an axis (118) extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of said supporting profile (111 ).

17. A shelf divider system as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that said information carrier element (60) is formed as a planar plate which lies, corresponding to the inclined position of said longitudinal flange (22), in a plane parallel to the front edge of said shelf surface (16) and inclined to the plane thereof.

18. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said information carrier elements (50, 103) include a locking element (56, 104) with a lengthwise extension in the direction of said slot (25) and an information carrier surface (52, 108) extending transversely thereto.

19. A shelf divider system as set forth in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said locking elements (25, 56, 86, 104) of said divider elements (18) and/or of said information carrier elements (50, 103) have a lengthwise extension in the direction of said slot (25) and are designed in the manner of a flange having a thickened portion (36) extending parallel to said lengthwise extension.

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