Method And Apparatus For Displaying Articles For Sale Within A Shelf Structure

Abstract

A shelf structure is disclosed including multiple module units that are vertically arranged, where a module unit is adapted to receive articles at each article's location of manufacture to be displayed for purchase in a retail store from the module unit. The module unit includes a main body with at least one hollow section defining an article storage location, where the hollow section is enclosed within a number of panels. A top panel vertically engages and supports an adjacent base panel of another module unit. The shelf structure includes transfer means to engage a material handling device to move the module unit. When multiple module units are stacked in a vertical arrangement, articles displayed within each module unit are freely accessible by a member of the purchasing public in the retail store, when at least one of the panels of the module unit has been removed.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD[0001]This invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing the display of articles for sale in a supermarket or the like with the aid of a modular shelving arrangement.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Presently there are a great many steps and large quantities of packaging material required in order to make available to the purchasing public articles for consumption or alternative uses.[0003]Take for example the current management of having a packet of biscuits made available for sale on a supermarket shelf or the like from its point of manufacture within a factory or the like.[0004]Generally such a management system requires that once the individual biscuits are wrapped into a sealed package, each of these packs are then re-handled to be stored in most commonly a cardboard container or box.[0005]Therefore at least the first step in handling the processed article, in this example, of a packet of biscuits, will involve the packing of a series of these biscuits packets ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]An advantage of such an arrangement is that the individual module units by becoming available at the location of manufacture of an article, that will ultimately be displayed for purchase in a supermarket or the like, means that intermediate packaging and material handling arrangements can be avoided to more conveniently and cost effectively make products available within a supermarket or the like.

[0021]The stack of vertically aligned module units are therefore easily transportable directly to the supermarket or alternatively for temporary storage in the supermarket's warehouse or the like. Once the item for sale needs to be displayed for sale in the supermarket, the module units can then be simply brought directly out into the aisle of the supermarket so as to form part of the overall shelving arrangement in the aisle.

[0027]An advantage of this further form of the invention is that the external casing or skeleton arrangement of the framework for the shelf allows for the slidable withdrawal of one module unit with respect to an adjacent or another module unit for the reshuffling of modules units within the column.

[0030]Preferably in one further embodiment of the invention the individual module units are characterized by a series of grooves and ridges which correspond with similar defining grooves and ridges in an adjacent module unit so that when such module units are vertically arranged the mating relationship between the grooves and ridges of said module units assists in stabilizing the unit from lateral or horizontal movement.

[0033]An advantage of such an arrangement of including corresponding ridges and grooves throughout various parts of the module unit is that such features provide an inherent adaptability for the module units to be placed in close proximity and remain fixed in place from both vertical and lateral perspective.

[0036]The characterization of this particular feature of the invention is the fact that there is some type of interaction between the various panels of the module unit so as to provide a nesting or the like stacking arrangement with one module unit with respect to the other to provide for greater stability.

Problems solved by technology

Problems with such an arrangement are numerous.

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