AUTOMATIC PROMOTION DEVICE FOR LINEAR SHELVES

Abstract

An automatic display device for storing and presenting products so that they occupy the front positions as customers remove units during the purchase process, comprising a support (1) on which the products are placed; a pusher (2) configured to push the products towards the front end (1') and comprising in turn an elastic means (3) which provides said push; a stop (4) located at the front end of the support (1) which retains the product pushed forward by the pusher (2); at least one side divider (5), and a rigid base (7) comprising at least one fastening element (7') capable of coupling to a force bar which is capable of being removed quickly and easily by means of removable connecting means (8).

Description

Title of the invention: AUTOMATIC PROMOTION DEVICE FOR LINEARS Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates, as its name indicates, to the field of managing the storage and display of articles in a supermarket or sales area and, specifically, to systems or devices intended to present the products on furniture or displays, also commonly called "linear" so that they are presented adequately to customers.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to an automatic highlighting device or display device responsible for storing and presenting a set of products to customers so that they occupy the front positions of said display as customers remove units during the purchasing process. Technical background

[0003] Originally, the placement of products on supermarket shelves was done entirely manually, without the aid of any element to structure and place the items. This approach, although traditional, was inefficient in terms of time and resources and involved significant drawbacks and, with the growth of the retail sector and the increase in competition, it became necessary to replace it and find more efficient methods for the presentation and arrangement of products, and also to find displays that meet these conditions.

[0004] More concretely, we could talk about several challenges facing the retail sector and, in particular, hypermarket or supermarket type sales spaces. • Space Optimization: Today, the cost of retail space is considerable, adding pressure to use every inch efficiently. An effective sales display system can allow for denser product placement without sacrificing aesthetics or accessibility. • Correct product placement: Product placement must meet several criteria, including visibility, accessibility and stock rotation. A good display system allows for better management of these factors. • Speed ​​and ease of item renewal: product placement or display systems must allow for renewal rapid response of these to minimize interruptions in availability, particularly during peak demand. • Inventory control: Efficient inventory management is crucial to business profitability. Inventory control can be done manually, but there is also an emerging trend toward integrating sensors and tracking technology to automate this process.

[0005] To effectively cover these needs, automatic fronting devices, also commonly referred to as "automated fronting", have appeared, which offer various advantages over manual product placement. Not only do these devices optimize the use of space and present products in a more attractive manner, but they also facilitate the placement of objects of a very diverse nature while allowing the integration of product identification labels and stock control systems or sensors.

[0006] Thus, automatic highlighting devices are designed to optimize the presentation, storage and renewal of products in furniture or display units or store shelves. These devices generally comprise a support on which the products are placed, a pushing system, such as a spring or a metal strip, and lateral barriers or separators which keep the products aligned. The pushing mechanism is located at the rear of the support and pushes the products forward as the items are removed, ensuring that the products are always within reach of the customer and facilitating their visibility.

[0007] Today's automatic display devices allow for the arrangement and display of a wide variety of products. This ranges from canned and packaged foods to more fragile or irregularly shaped items. The versatility of these systems allows for the adaptation of shelves to meet a wider range of product presentation needs.

[0008] Furthermore, for products that present specific challenges in terms of their size, weight, fragility or morphology, ad hoc automatic showcasing devices can be designed. These customized devices allow for the careful handling of items that would otherwise be difficult to display to the customer or "showcase" using conventional systems. This is particularly useful in cases such as fragile products, heavy and / or bulky items that require additional supports or irregularly shaped items that do not fit well into standard storage systems.

[0009] On the other hand, apart from this versatility as to the type of product to be accommodated and displayed, these automatic highlighting devices are mainly of two types depending on the support surface on which they are installed: on the one hand, those which are simply placed on a shelf and which fit into a stop or rail, usually magnetic, which prevents their movement on the shelf and, on the other hand, those which are attached to a force bar.

[0010] Force bars are structural components generally located at the back of furniture or displays in stores and supermarkets, not only in so-called "dry goods furniture", but also in refrigerated or freezer furniture or displays. These bars serve as a support and anchor point for various devices and accessories, such as these automatic highlighting systems or pushers. Often made from solid materials such as metal, force bars are designed to support heavy loads and provide equal weight distribution. Their presence helps to optimize vertical and horizontal storage space, thus facilitating a more efficient and attractive arrangement of products.Additionally, due to their modular nature, force bars allow for great versatility in adapting and customizing product layout, making them particularly useful in retail environments where flexibility and space optimization are crucial.

[0011] However, since sales areas are generally equipped with furniture or shelves of both types, this leads to a series of disadvantages that reduce productivity, such as those listed below. • Need for two types of devices: Supermarkets are forced to invest in two types of automatic highlighting systems, one for shelves and another for force bars. • Greater storage and management complexity: Maintaining two types of devices involves more complex and costly inventory management and makes it difficult to modify the planogram, promote or reform the sales area. • Increased installation and maintenance costs: Requires time and effort to install and maintain two types of systems, which increases operating costs. • Less durability: in some cases it is not possible to reuse the existing system and this implies a new purchase and installation of furniture or displays.

[0012] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an automatic highlighting device which solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. Abstract

[0013] The present invention addresses and solves the aforementioned problems inherent in automatic highlighting devices known in the prior art.

[0014] Concretely, the device of the invention is distinguished by its versatility and its ability to adapt to multiple scenarios. It can not only be configured for different linear formats, with or without a force bar, but also effectively adapt to a wide variety of products. This flexibility increases its applicability and thus its value on the market.

[0015] On the other hand, it has the advantage of being able to be assembled and disassembled or, in other words, to be configured and reconfigured, on site, easily and quickly, without the need for specialized personnel and according to the needs of the moment, namely, to adapt to linear configured or installed with shelves or force bars.

[0016] Even more concretely, the automatic double highlighting device for linear displays of the invention comprises: • a support capable of being located on a shelf and on which the products are placed, of rectangular or elongated configuration with a front end and a rear end, where the front end is the one intended to be located in correspondence with the outer part of the shelf and the rear end is the one intended to be located in correspondence with the inner part of the shelf, • a pusher configured to push towards the front end the products placed therein and which in turn comprises an elastic means which provides said thrust, • a stop located at the front end of the support which holds the product pushed forward by the pusher, • at least one side divider that helps keep the product upright, and • a rigid base which includes at least one fixing element capable of coupling to a force bar and which fulfills the function of support structure for the assembly, both empty and loaded with articles.

[0017] Furthermore, as an essential part of the invention, the device of the invention comprises removable connecting means between the support and the rigid base so that the latter can be coupled and / or uncoupled easily and quickly depending on whether the device is to be placed on a shelf which includes shelves or force bars.

[0018] Thus, in the case where the linear is of the type which comprises or is formed of force bars, to correctly couple the device of the invention to said bars, it would be sufficient to couple the support to the rigid base using removable connecting means and, once the two are coupled, to hang the assembly on the bars using the fixing element or elements which the rigid base comprises.

[0019] On the contrary, when a linear formed of shelves and without force bars is available, to correctly couple the device of the invention to them, it must be positioned on said shelves. Thus, in the case where it incorporates the rigid base, for example, after having been used on a bar-type element, it would be sufficient to uncouple the support from the rigid base using the removable connecting means and, once said rigid base has been removed, to remove the device by placing the support on the shelf, the latter being fixed by means of a magnetic rail fixed thereto.

[0020] This simple way of operating combined with the simplicity and ease of handling of the elements which make up the device of the invention make it a simple, versatile and economical solution which results in significant advantages for the manager or operator of the commercial surface. Brief description of the figures

[0021] To complete the description given and in order to allow a better understanding of the characteristics of the device according to the present invention, the present descriptive memorandum is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings, in which, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following is shown:

[0022] [Fig.l] shows an exploded perspective view of the device of the invention in its configuration for use on a shelf.

[0023] [Fig.2] shows a perspective view of the assembled assembly of [Fig.l].

[0024] [Fig.3] shows a perspective view of the device of [Fig.2] and an exploded view of the elements that intervene in its transformation into the configuration that allows it to be installed on a force bar.

[0025] Figures 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 [Fig.4] show several stages of the process of mounting, on the support of the device of the invention, the rigid base which allows it to be placed on a force bar.

[0026] [Fig.5] shows a perspective view of the device of the invention in its configuration for use on a force bar and in operational position on said force bar.

[0027] [Fig.6] shows a detailed view of the part of the rigid base (7) which includes the fixing element (7'), and where both the relative position of the latter with respect to said rigid base (7) and to the support (1) is indicated as well as the slight inclination that said fixing element presents with respect to the assembly formed by the rigid base (7) and the support (1). Detailed description

[0028] As can be seen in Figures 1 to 5, which show a possible practical embodiment of the invention, the automatic double highlighting device for linear shelves comprises: • A support (1) for the products (not shown) capable of being located on a shelf and of rectangular or elongated configuration with a front end (I1) and a rear end (1"), where the front end (I1) is the one intended to be located in correspondence with the outer part of the shelf and the rear end (1") is the one intended to be located in correspondence with the inner part of the shelf.

[0029] As can also be seen in the figures, a possible embodiment of the invention is that in which said support (1) is formed by a grid or a set of cylindrical rods of small diameter which facilitate the sliding of the products on them thanks to the low friction they involve during said sliding. However, although not shown, supports (1) consisting of a grid with rods of another section are also possible, for example, square, hexagonal, etc., or even consisting not of rods but of a continuous plane formed by a smooth surface. • A pusher (2) capable of moving through the support (1) and configured to push towards the front end (T) of said support (1) the products placed thereon and which in turn comprises an elastic means (3) which provides said thrust.

[0030] Concretely, in the example shown in the figures, the elastic means (3) is formed by a metal strip, although there may be two or more, which in its rest position is wound and which is associated at one of its ends to the front end (T) of the support (1) and at the other end to the pusher (2), so that when the pusher (2) is brought towards the rear end (1") of the support (1) said strip unwinds, against which it exerts a resistance which means that in operation it tends to move towards the front end (T) to return to its wound position and thus drives the pusher (2) which in turn also pushes the products towards this front position. • A stop (4) located at the front end (T) of the support (1) which retains the product pushed forward by the pusher (2) under the effect of the elastic means (3) and which, in the example shown in the figures, is made of a transparent material and has a height substantially smaller than that of the pusher (2), but which, depending on the type of articles to be highlighted or displayed, may be made of any material, have any height or morphology, the latter even arbitrary simulating the name of the products or in any form alluding to it, the name of the sales area, the advertising display, etc. • At least one lateral separator (5) which allows the products to be kept well positioned and in a vertical position and which in the example shown on the figures is composed of a rod of small cylindrical section, similar to that of the support, but which could also be made up of a smooth wall of more or less great height and of different morphologies, empty, etc. • On the other hand, at the front (1') and rear (1") ends of the support (1) are located two end parts (6), which in the case of the one located at the front end has been called (6') and in the case of the one located at the rear end has been called (6"), each formed by an upper part and a lower part intended to connect and trap between them the rods of the support (1) and the separator or lateral separators (5), ensuring the cohesion of the whole. Likewise, the end part (6) located at the front (1') end of the support (1) has different housings (6'") which allow the fixing thereon of one end of the strip (3) and the stop (4), as well as other elements, not shown, such as price holders, displays, alarm means or sensors, etc. • A rigid base (7) having a configuration that coincides with that of the support (1), that is, for the example shown also rectangular or elongated, which comprises at least one fixing element (7') capable of coupling to a force bar and which fulfills the function of support structure for the assembly, both empty and loaded with articles. In the example shown in the figures, said fixing element (7') consists of two legs that extend downwards from the rigid base (7), these each having U-shaped notches or cutouts capable of coupling to the force bar.

[0031] Furthermore, as can be seen in [Fig.6], which shows a detailed view of the part of the rigid base (7) which comprises the fixing element (7'), according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the U which forms said fixing element (7') has an inclination relative to the assembly formed by the rigid base (7) and the support (1).

[0032] In other words, and as can be seen in the figure, the lateral branches of the U and, consequently, the imaginary axis which passes through the middle of the lower branch of said U, are not perpendicular to the plane of connection of the support (1) with the rigid base (7) but are inclined at an angle relative to said plane.

[0033] Said inclination is such that it allows, once the device is placed on the force bar, that it undergoes an upward inclination, above the horizontal, even in loaded conditions, that is to say when the automatic advancement device of the invention is completely filled with articles.

[0034] In this way, the correct display of the articles is favored and, in some cases where they are very large, they can tilt forward and fall to the ground. • Removable connecting means (8) between the support (1) and the rigid base (7) so that they can be coupled and / or uncoupled easily and quickly depending on whether the device of the invention is to be placed in a linear arrangement which includes shelves or force bars. • Figures, in particular 3 and 4.1 to 4.3, show a possible practical embodiment in which said removable connecting means (8) are composed of “quarter turn” type screws, which allow their coupling-uncoupling in just one 90° turn, which makes them particularly easy to place or remove, thus minimizing the time spent on this task.

[0035] On the other hand, in said example, it can be seen that the rigid base (7) comprises 4 through holes (9), while in another embodiment their number may be less, for example two or three, or also more than 4, through which pass as many screws (8), the corresponding quarter-turn female holes being located in the lower part of the terminal parts (6), specifically in the lower pieces that make up said terminal parts (6) and in correspondence with the through holes (9) of the rigid base (7) when the support (1) is located on said rigid base (7).

[0036] Figures 4.1 to 4.3 show a sequence for the case in which the device of the invention is prepared for use in a linear with shelves and it is desired to transform it so that it couples to force bars, in which case it would be sufficient to couple the support (1) to the rigid base (7) using the removable connecting means, in this case quarter-turn screws (8) and, once the two are coupled, to hook the assembly to the bars using the fixing elements (7') that the rigid base (7) comprises. For the opposite, not shown, it would be sufficient to reverse the process.

[0037] Notwithstanding the foregoing, the removable connecting means (8) may be constituted by any other means which meets the preceding principles of ease of coupling or uncoupling, such as, for example, a threaded connection or a clipped or groove and tongue joint, and which guarantee a correct connection of the parts.

[0038] Furthermore, according to another possible preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the device of the invention maximizes the space intended to accommodate the products to be displayed thanks to two characteristics.

[0039] On the one hand, this is achieved by virtue of the support (1) having a length such that it coincides with that of the rigid base (7) and, consequently, the entire length of the structural support it provides is occupied by articles. Thus, in these figures, it can be seen how when the support (1) and the rigid base (7) are coupled and in the operational position, the end portions (6) are located flush with the ends of said rigid base (7) and, consequently, practically also the front (I1) and rear (1") ends of the support (1).

[0040] On the other hand, given that the force bars also mark the rear limit up to which the automatic advancement devices can be introduced into the shelves, the fixing element (7') to the bar is also located in correspondence with the extreme rear position of the rigid base (7) and in such a way that once the device is placed on said bar, just as shown in [Fig. 5], the space on the support (1) (which, as previously said, extends along the entire length of the rigid base (7)) which is located above the vertical of said bar or, in other words, the one located above the vertical of the fixing element (7') or of the short branch of the U, can also be occupied by the articles, taking advantage of the entire available length of the shelf and thus gaining storage and / or display space that allows a lower number of renewals and optimization of stock management.

[0041] This represents a clear advantage over prior art automatic advancement devices where the relative position between the support and the fixing elements is such that the external face of the force bar constitutes the limit up to which it is possible to place articles, thus losing storage capacity in the device equivalent, at least, to the size of the force bar.

Claims

Claims

1. - Double automatic forwarding device for linear shelves of the invention which comprises: • a support (1) on which the products are placed and which has a front end (1') intended to be located in correspondence with the outer part of the linear shelf and a rear end (1") intended to be located in correspondence with the inner part of the linear shelf, • a pusher (2) configured to push the products towards the front end (T) and which in turn comprises an elastic means (3) which provides said thrust, • a stop (4) located at the front end of the support (1) which retains the product pushed forward by the pusher (2), and • a rigid base (7) which comprises at least one fixing element (7') capable of coupling to a force bar;characterized in that it further comprises removable connecting means (8) between the support (1) and the rigid base (7) so that the latter can be coupled and / or uncoupled depending on whether the device is to be placed on a shelf which is provided with shelves or force bars.;

2. - Automatic highlighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one lateral separator (5) which helps to keep the displayed products in a vertical position.

3. - Automatic advancement device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that on the two front (1') and rear (1") ends of the support (1) there are two end parts which hold and connect together the support (1) and the side separator or separators (5).

4. - Automatic forwarding device according to claim 3, characterized in that the terminal part (6') located at the front end (1') of the support (1) comprises different housings (6'") which allow the fixing thereon of one end of the elastic means (3) and of the stop (4).

5. - Automatic advancement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element of fixing (7') comprises two U-shaped notches or cutouts capable of coupling to a force bar.

6. - Automatic forwarding device according to claim 5, characterized in that the notches which form the fixing element (7') have an inclination relative to the assembly formed by the rigid base (7) and the support (1), such that the lateral branches of the U are not perpendicular to the plane of connection of the support (1) with the rigid base (7).

7. - Automatic advancement device according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the U-shaped notches or cutouts are located on two legs which extend downwards from the rigid base (7).

8. - Automatic advancement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (1) has a length such that when it is coupled to that of the rigid base (7) the end parts (6) are located flush with the ends of said rigid base (7).

9. - Automatic advancement device according to claim 8, characterized in that the fixing element (7') is located in correspondence with the extreme rear position of the rigid base (7) and in such a way that, once the device is placed on said bar, the space on the support (1) which is located above the vertical of the fixing element (7') can also be occupied by the articles.

10. - Automatic advancement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the removable connecting means (8) comprise: • a plurality of “quarter turn” type screws; • a plurality of through holes (9) located on the rigid base (7); and • a plurality of female holes in the lower part of the end parts (6), where the female holes are located in correspondence with the through holes (9) of the rigid base (7) when the support (1) is located on said rigid base (7).

11. - Automatic advancement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic means (3) is formed by at least one metal strip which, in its position rest, is wound and is associated at one of its ends with the front end (1') of the support (1) and at the other end with the pusher (2).

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