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 ...

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