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Pusher and merchandise display system

Pusher and merchandise display system description/claims

The present invention relates generally to merchandise display devices and systems and, more particularly, to a pusher for a merchandise display and an associated merchandise display system.

Packaged merchandise such as computer software, DVD's, CD's, playing cards, cigarettes and other goods are often dispensed in a retail store from a shelving unit or display that holds a large number of the articles. The shelving unit or display may be divided into separate compartments or cells with each compartment or cell holding a row of the articles. With such an arrangement, the front-most article is visible and may be removed from the display. As each article is withdrawn from the display, however, the remaining articles appear further back in the display cell lessening the effectiveness of the display and making it more difficult for the customer to view, select and retrieve the desired article.

To remedy this situation, merchandise pusher devices have been devised in the prior art to automatically push the row of articles forward so that when the front-most article is removed, the next article in line is pushed forward to occupy the front-most position of the display cell. Such pusher devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,093 to Field and U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,552 to Thalenfeld et al. Both of these devices, and various other devices in the prior art featuring similar constructions, employ spring mechanisms to urge the row of articles towards the front of the display. The use of such spring mechanisms, however, increases the production costs of such pusher devices due to the associated higher component and material costs and complexity of assembly. A need exits for a pusher device that is economical and simple to manufacture, easy to use (for both consumers and retailers) and reliable. A need also exists for a merchandise display system incorporating such a pusher.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the pusher of the present invention in an extended configuration and a front portion of a display cell;

FIG. 2 is top plan view of a sheet of corrugated fiberboard as cut to form the first and second members of the pusher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the first member of FIGS. 1 and 2 folded for assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the second member of FIGS. 1 and 2 folded for assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an elastic loop of the pusher of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are bottom plan and end elevation views, respectively, of the connector of the elastic loop of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the pusher of FIG. 1 in the extended configuration and a cross sectional view of the display cell of FIG. 1 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1 with the pusher positioned inside;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pusher and display cell of FIGS. 1 and 7 with merchandise articles positioned in the display cell and the pusher in a retracted configuration;

FIG. 9 is perspective view of a second embodiment of the pusher of the present invention in an extended configuration.

A first embodiment of the pusher of the present invention is indicated in general at 10 in FIG. 1. The pusher is constructed from three main components: a first member, indicated in general at 12, a second member, indicated in general at 14, and elastic loops 16a and 16b, which, as explained below, serve as tensioning elements.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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