Shed structure

Abstract

To provide a shelf structure that can easily and quickly take out an item while preventing items placed on a shelf body from falling.SOLUTION: A shelf structure 16 comprises a shelf body 18 including an upper surface used as an item placement surface 17, and a fall prevention tool 19 provided at a front end of the shelf body 18 for preventing a fall of the item placed on the item placement surface 17. The fall prevention tool 19 includes a prevention tool body 20 configured to be displaceable between a protruding attitude located above the item placement surface 17 and a retracted attitude located below the item placement surface 17 and serving to prevent the item from falling in the protruding attitude, a hinge body 22 for rotationally supporting the prevention tool body 20 relative to the shelf body 18, and an energizing body 23 for energizing the prevention tool body 20 from the retracted attitude side to the protruding attitude side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a shelf structure provided with a fall-preventing device at the front end of a shelf body to prevent articles placed on the shelf body from falling forward. The shelf structure of the present invention is applicable to display shelves such as refrigerated showcases and gondolas (registered trademark).

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional example of this type of shelf structure, for example, Patent Document 1 (Title of Invention: Fall-preventing Device) can be cited. The fall-preventing device described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a flat-shaped anti-slip member and a flat hinge-type hinge that supports the member. The hinge includes two blades and an angle variable axis, which is a horizontal axis that rotatably connects the two blades. One blade of the hinge is fixed to the front end surface of the shelf board (shelf body), and the other blade is fixed to the vertical center portion of the anti-slip member. The angle variable axis is located near the front upper corner portion of the shelf board. The anti-slip member in the normal state is configured to be in a vertical standing posture by its own weight. In this standing posture, the upper half of the anti-slip member protrudes above the placement surface (the upper surface of the shelf board). Also, in this standing posture, the two blades constituting the hinge are in a substantially parallel posture with the free end sides of both blades pointing downward.

[0003] When an article placed on the shelf board moves forward and contacts the anti-slip member in the standing posture, although the upper end of the member slightly rotates forward (in a direction away from the shelf board) around the angle variable axis, the rotation is restricted due to interference between the blades, and the member is held in a slightly forward-tilted posture. Also, the anti-slip member in the forward-tilted posture still has its upper half protruding above the placement surface, thereby preventing the article placed on the shelf board from moving forward. The article is also prevented from falling off the shelf board. Conversely, by rotating the upper end of the anti-slip member backward (in a direction approaching the shelf board) around the angle variable axis from the state where the anti-slip member is in the standing posture, a horizontal lying posture can be achieved. Although the upper side surface of the anti-slip member in the lying posture is located above the placement surface, it is flush with the placement surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-11178 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In the shelf structure of Patent Document 1, when placing items such as packaging boxes on the shelf, the worker places the rear end of the item on the upright anti-slip member from above. This causes the member to rotate around the angle-adjustable axis due to the weight of the packaging box, allowing it to be placed in a horizontal position. Since the upper surface of the horizontally positioned anti-slip member and the placement surface are substantially flush, the worker can place the item on the shelf by pushing it in so that it slides backward. Once the item has passed the top surface of the anti-slip member, the anti-slip member automatically returns from the horizontal position to the upright position due to its own weight.

[0006] Conversely, when removing an item from a shelf, the worker first sets the anti-slip member to a horizontal position to release the fall prevention function of the anti-slip member. Next, the worker pulls the item forward until it is positioned above the anti-slip member in the horizontal position, allowing the weight of the item to hold the member in the horizontal position. From this position, the worker slides the item forward, thereby removing it from the shelf. In this way, the shelf structure of Patent Document 1 allows for the work of placing an item on the shelf and removing an item from the shelf to be carried out by sliding the item on the shelf without lifting it more than necessary. However, in the shelf structure of Patent Document 1, when removing an item from the shelf, the worker needs to perform different operations with each hand, such as manually shifting the anti-slip member from an upright position to a horizontal position with their left hand, and then sliding the item forward with their right hand. This has the disadvantage of not allowing for simple and quick item removal.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a shelf structure that prevents items placed on the shelf from falling, while allowing for easier and quicker retrieval of items. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The shelf structure according to the present invention comprises a shelf body 18 whose upper surface is a surface 17 for placing articles, and a fall prevention device 19 provided at the front end of the shelf body 18 for the purpose of preventing articles placed on the surface 17 from falling. The fall prevention device 19 is configured to be displaceable between a protruding position located above the surface 17 and a retracted position located below the surface 17, and comprises a prevention device body 20 responsible for preventing articles from falling in the protruding position, a hinge body 22 that rotatably supports the prevention device body 20 with respect to the shelf body 18, and a biasing body 23 that biases the prevention device body 20 from the retracted position side toward the protruding position side. The prevention device body 20 is configured to be displaceable from the protruding position to the retracted position by the upper end of the protruding position rotating forward.

[0009] The hinge body 22 comprises a first hinge member 42 fixed to the shelf body 18, a second hinge member 43 fixed to the prevention device body 20, and a hinge shaft 44, which is a horizontal axis connecting the two hinge members 42 and 43 so that they can rotate relative to each other. The biasing body 23 is incorporated into the hinge body 22 and consists of a spring 45 that biases the first hinge member 42 and the second hinge member 43 to rotate relative to each other around the hinge shaft 44.

[0010] The fall prevention device 19 includes a mounting body 21 that detachably holds the prevention device body 20, and a second hinge member 43 is fixed to this mounting body 21.

[0011] The shelf body 18 comprises a top wall 24 whose upper surface is a mounting surface 17, a vertical wall 26 extending downward from the front edge of the top wall 24, and a bottom wall 27 extending backward from the lower end of the vertical wall 26. The mounting body 21 comprises an upper piece 51 and a lower piece 52, and a front piece 53 that connects the front ends of the upper and lower pieces 51 and 52. When the prevention device body 20 is in a protruding position, the lower piece 52 is positioned in front of the bottom wall 27 of the shelf body 18. A first hinge member 42 is fixed to the bottom wall 27, and a second hinge member 43 is fixed to the lower piece 52. The hinge shaft 44 is positioned below the bottom wall 27 and the lower piece 52.

[0012] The mounting body 21 is provided with a contact piece 54 that contacts the shelf body 18 and defines the protruding position of the fall prevention device 19. The shelf body 18 and the contact piece 54 are configured to make surface contact.

[0013] The fall prevention device 19 includes a holding mechanism 62 that holds the prevention device body 20 in a retracted position.

[0014] The holding mechanism 62 is incorporated into the hinge body 22 and consists of a stopper 63 that maintains the relative position of the first hinge member 42 and the second hinge member 43 against the biasing force of the biasing body 23. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] As in the shelf structure of the present invention, the fall prevention device 19 provided at the front end of the shelf body 18 is configured to be displaceable between a protruding position located above the mounting surface 17 and a retracted position located below the mounting surface 17, and comprises a prevention device body 20 responsible for preventing items from falling in the protruding position, a hinge body 22 that rotatably supports the prevention device body 20 with respect to the shelf body 18, and a biasing body 23 that biases the prevention device body 20 from the retracted position side toward the protruding position side. In normal conditions, the prevention device body 20 can be held in the protruding position by the biasing force from the biasing body 23. In other words, the prevention device body 20 can be maintained in the protruding position until the rotational torque acting on the prevention device body 20 in the direction of rotation toward the retracted position exceeds the biasing force of the biasing body 23. Therefore, according to the shelf structure of the present invention, even when an article placed on the shelf body 18 moves forward and comes into contact with the retaining device body 20, the retaining device body 20 is maintained in a protruding position until a rotational torque exceeding the biasing force of the biasing member 23 acts on the retaining device body 20, thereby preventing the article from inadvertently falling from the front end of the shelf body 18.

[0016] In the shelf structure of the present invention, when placing an item on the shelf body 18, the worker first lifts the item and places it on the front end of the shelf body 18. That is, the worker places the item on the fall prevention device 19 provided at the front end of the shelf body 18. This causes the weight of the item (pushed by the underside of the item) to displace the fall prevention device body 20, which constitutes the fall prevention device 19, from a protruding position to a retracted position. After displacing the fall prevention device body 20 to the retracted position in this way, the worker slides and pushes the item backward on the shelf body 18. This allows the entire item to be placed on the placement surface 17 of the shelf body 18. When the contact between the fall prevention device body 20 and the underside of the item is released, the fall prevention device body 20 automatically returns to the protruding position due to the biasing force of the biasing body 23, and the fall prevention device 19 performs its fall prevention function.

[0017] When removing an item from the shelf body 18, the worker slides the item forward with one or both hands to pull it out. When the item comes into contact with the anti-slip device body 20, which is in a protruding position, and a rotational torque exceeding the biasing force of the biasing body 23 acts on the anti-slip device body 20, the upper end of the anti-slip device body 20 rotates forward, automatically displacing its position from the protruding position to the retracted position, and the fall prevention function of the fall prevention device 19 is released. Thus, in the shelf structure of the present invention, the worker can remove the item from the shelf body 18 simply by pulling the item forward with one or both hands, without having to operate the fall prevention device 19, as the fall prevention function of the fall prevention device 19 is automatically released. In other words, unlike the shelf structure described in Patent Document 1, there is no need to perform different operations with the left and right hands, such as manually displacing the anti-slip member from an upright position to a horizontal position with the left hand and then sliding the item forward with the right hand, allowing for more efficient item removal. As described above, the shelf structure of the present invention allows for easier and quicker retrieval of items while preventing them from falling from the shelf body 18.

[0018] If the hinge body 22 comprises a first hinge member 42 fixed to the shelf body 18, a second hinge member 43 fixed to the prevention device body 20, and a hinge shaft 44 which is a horizontal axis connecting both hinge members 42 and 43 so that they can rotate relative to each other, and the biasing body 23 is incorporated into the hinge body 22 and consists of a spring 45 that biases the first hinge member 42 and the second hinge member 43 to rotate relative to each other around the hinge shaft 44, then it is not necessary to individually attach the hinge body 22 and the biasing body 23 between the shelf body 18 and the prevention device body 20, thereby shortening the work process required to assemble the shelf structure 16. It is also possible to prevent the structure from becoming complicated. Furthermore, this type of hinge body 22 is commercially available as a spring hinge, with various sizes and spring constants available. By using these commercially available products, it is possible to appropriately select and install a hinge body 22 suitable for the intended use of the shelf structure 16, thus offering the advantage of easily providing a variety of shelf structures 16.

[0019] The fall prevention device 19 includes a mounting body 21 that detachably holds the prevention device body 20, and if the second hinge member 43 is fixed to this mounting body 21, the display mode and display function of the shelf structure 16 can be easily changed simply by changing the form of the prevention device body 20, for example, by making the prevention device body 20 a card rail equipped with a price card holding structure, or a card rail composed of a frame that can hold an electronic price display device.

[0020] If the hinge shaft 44 is positioned below the bottom wall 27 of the shelf body 18 and the lower piece 52 of the mounting body 21, it is not necessary to provide an area for the hinge body 22 between the vertical wall 26 of the shelf body 18 and the mounting body 21, thus increasing the front-to-back dimensions of the shelf body 18. Therefore, the space on the display surface 17 for displaying items can be increased.

[0021] The mounting body 21 is provided with a contact piece 54 that contacts the shelf body 18 to define the protruding position of the fall prevention device 19, and the shelf body 18 and the contact piece 54 are configured to make surface contact. This allows the impact of the mounting body 21 on the shelf body 18 when it returns to the protruding position due to the biasing force of the biasing body 23 to be dispersed by the contact piece 54 and absorbed by the shelf body 18. This prevents damage to the shelf body 18 or the fall prevention device 19 due to the impact.

[0022] If the fall prevention device 19 is equipped with a holding mechanism 62 that holds the prevention device body 20 in a retracted position, the fall prevention function of the fall prevention device 19 can be intentionally released by rotating the prevention device body 20 to the retracted position against the biasing force of the biasing body 23 and holding it with the holding mechanism 62. Therefore, after the prevention device body 20 is held by the holding mechanism 62, there is no need to press the item against it to displace the position of the prevention device body 20 to the retracted position, and the item can be removed more easily and quickly.

[0023] If the holding mechanism 62 is composed of a stopper 63 incorporated in the hinge body 22 to hold the relative positions of the first hinge member 42 and the second hinge member 43 against the biasing force of the biasing body 23, there is no need to separately attach the hinge body 22 and the holding mechanism 62 between the shelf main body 18 and the protector main body 20, so the number of work steps required for assembling the shelf structure 16 can be reduced. It is also possible to prevent the structure from becoming complicated. In addition, this type of hinge body with a stopper is commercially available under the name of a click hinge, and various sizes and those with different relative positions of both hinge members 42 and 43 when held are in circulation. By using these commercially available products, it is possible to appropriately select and attach a hinge body with a stopper suitable for the use purpose of the shelf structure 16, so there is also an advantage that various variations of the shelf structure 16 can be easily provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a longitudinal side view showing a main part of the shelf structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the state where the fall prevention device is in the protruding posture. [Figure 2] It is a longitudinal side view of a refrigerated showcase to which the same shelf structure is applied. [Figure 3] It is a bottom view showing the connecting part between the shelf board and the fall prevention device. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing the state where the fall prevention device is rotated to the retracted posture. [Figure 5] It is a longitudinal side view showing a main part of the shelf structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the state where the fall prevention device is in the protruding posture. [Figure 6] It is a bottom view showing the connecting part between the shelf board and the fall prevention device. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the holding mechanism. [Figure 8] It is a side view showing the state where the fall prevention device is rotated to the retracted posture.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] (First Embodiment) Figures 1 to 4 show a first embodiment in which the shelf structure according to the present invention is applied to an open-type refrigerated display case. Products are placed on the shelf structure along with the cardboard packaging boxes B in which they are contained during transport. In this embodiment, front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to the intersecting arrows shown in Figure 1 and other figures, and the front, back, left, right, and up and down indications written near each arrow. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the refrigerated display case comprises a main case 1 consisting of an insulated box with a front opening. The interior 2 enclosed by the main case 1 is divided by an inner case 3 into a display chamber 4 for refrigerated display of goods and a ventilation duct 5. The ventilation duct 5 is equipped with an evaporator 6 that constitutes the refrigeration cycle and a circulation fan 7 that forms the airflow circulating in the interior 2. When the circulation fan 7 is driven, circulating air is blown out from an outlet 8 located at the upper front end of the display chamber 4 towards an intake 9 located at the lower front end, forming an air curtain at the front opening. The circulation fan 7 is driven continuously while the refrigerated display case is in operation, and the resulting air curtain suppresses the intrusion of outside air into the display chamber 4. The interior 2 is cooled by the circulating air that has undergone heat exchange in the evaporator 6. The machine room 10, located on the lower side of the main case 1, houses a compressor 11 and a condenser 12 that, together with the evaporator 6 located in the ventilation duct 5, constitute the refrigeration cycle, as well as cooling fans 13 for cooling both 11 and 12.

[0027] In the display room 4, a multi-tiered shelf structure 16 is installed vertically for placing goods (items) such as food and beverages. The shelf structure 16 consists of a shelf body 18 whose upper surface is a placement surface 17, and a fall prevention device 19 provided at the front end of the shelf body 18. The fall prevention device 19 comprises a prevention device body 20 that performs the fall prevention function, a mounting body 21 that detachably holds the prevention device body 20, a hinge body 22 that rotatably supports the prevention device body 20 and the mounting body 21 with respect to the shelf body 18, and a biasing body 23 that biases the prevention device body 20 upward. The fall prevention device body 20 is designed to be displaceable between a protruding position in which it protrudes above the mounting surface 17 and a retracted position in which the upper end of the protruding position rotates away from the shelf body 18 (counterclockwise in Figure 2), causing the entire fall prevention device 19 to retract below the mounting surface 17. The biasing body 23 biases it from the retracted position to the protruding position. The rotation towards the protruding position by the biasing body 23 is received by the shelf body 18, so the fall prevention device body 20 is normally held in the protruding position.

[0028] The shelf body 18 is formed in the shape of a rectangular box with a top wall 24 that is long from left to right and a perimeter frame 25 that is integrally formed on the lower side of the four edges of the top wall 24, with the bottom surface being flattened vertically and long from left to right and open. As shown in Figure 1, each side of the perimeter frame 25 is formed in an L-shape in cross-section by a vertical wall 26 that extends downward from the edge of the top wall 24 and a bottom wall 27 that extends inward from the lower end of the vertical wall 26. In Figure 1, reference numeral 28 denotes a reinforcing frame for reinforcing the top wall 24, and the reinforcing frame 28 is provided across the left and right ends of the shelf body 18.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the shelf body 18 is supported by a pair of left and right brackets 29 on the main case 1. Each bracket 29 is connected to the rear side of the left and right edges of the peripheral frame 25 and is attached to bracket mounting holes (not shown) provided on shelf posts 30 erected on the left and right sides at the back of the display room 4. Multiple bracket mounting holes are provided on the shelf posts 30 in the vertical direction, and the shelf body 18 can be installed in the display room 4 using any of the bracket mounting holes.

[0030] The protective device body 20 comprises a holding rail portion 35 for holding price cards and the like, and a mounting rail portion 36 for attaching to the mounting body 21. In other words, the protective device body 20 of this embodiment also functions as a card rail. The holding rail portion 35 is formed in a U-shape with a straight section that is in close contact, and the price card is inserted between the opposing walls and held in place. The mounting rail portion 36 is formed of a support wall 37 consisting of a vertical wall that supports the holding rail portion 35, a clamping wall 38 with an inverted L-shape in cross-section integrally formed on the rear surface of the support wall 37, and a retaining wall 39 extending backward from the lower end of the support wall 37. The protective device body 20 is made of an extruded product of an elastically deformable transparent resin material.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the hinge body 22 comprises a first hinge wing (first hinge member) 42 fixed to the shelf body 18, a second hinge wing (second hinge member) 43 fixed to the mounting body 21, and a hinge shaft 44 that connects both hinge wings 42 and 43 so that they can rotate relative to each other. The hinge body 22 of this embodiment consists of a commercially available flat hinge called a spring hinge, into which a torsion coil type spring 45 is incorporated to bias the first hinge wing 42 and the second hinge wing 43 to rotate relative to each other around the hinge shaft 44. The spring 45 is fitted onto the central part of the hinge shaft 44, and one of a pair of operating arms 46 provided at each end of the torsion coil is in contact with the first hinge wing 42, and the other is in contact with the second hinge wing 43. Multiple hinge bodies 22 are provided between the shelf body 18 and the fall prevention device 19 at equal intervals in the left-right direction.

[0032] The mounting body 21 comprises a base frame 49 and a front frame 50 that are fixed together. The base frame 49 is formed in a roughly C-shape in cross-section by an upper piece 51 and a lower piece 52, a front piece 53 that connects the front ends of the upper and lower pieces 51 and 52, and a contact piece 54 that extends downward from the rear end of the upper piece 51. The front frame 50 comprises a horizontal piece 55, a vertical piece 56 that extends upward from the tip of the horizontal piece 55, and side pieces 57 and 57 that extend backward from the left and right ends of the vertical piece 56, respectively. The left-right length of the mounting body 21 is formed to be slightly shorter than the left-right length of the shelf body 18.

[0033] The base frame 49 and the front frame 50 are connected and integrated in such a way that the lower piece 52 and the horizontal piece 55 overlap vertically. When these two frames 49 and 50 are integrated, a gap is provided between the front piece 53 and the vertical piece 56, and this gap forms horizontally elongated mounting grooves 58 for attaching the protective device body 20. The mounting grooves 58 open upwards, and the left and right ends of the grooves are closed by side pieces 57.

[0034] To attach the protective device body 20 to the mounting body 21, the gap between the support wall 37 and the clamping wall 38 is widened, and the protective device body 20 is inserted from above so that the vertical piece 56 fits between these two walls 37 and 38. At this time, the clamping wall 38 is inserted into the mounting groove 58, and when the retaining wall 39 goes over the lower end of the vertical piece 56, the support wall 37 returns to its original position due to the elastic force of the protective device body 20 itself, so that the retaining wall 39 covers the horizontal piece 55. In this way, the vertical piece 56 is clamped front to back by the support wall 37 and the clamping wall 38, and the retaining wall 39 further catches on the horizontal piece 55 to prevent it from coming off upward, and the protective device body 20 is attached to the mounting body 21. The protective device body 20 attached to the mounting body 21 can be separated upward by elastically deforming the support wall 37 and releasing the catch of the retaining wall 39 on the horizontal piece 55.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the hinge body 22 is configured such that the hinge shaft 44 is positioned below the bottom wall 27 and the lower piece 52. The first hinge wing 42 is fastened and fixed with screws 59 to the underside of the bottom wall 27 of the front frame portion of the peripheral frame 25, and the second hinge wing 43 is fastened and fixed with screws 59 to the underside of the overlapping portion between the lower piece 52 and the lateral piece 55 of the mounting body 21. The position of the axis of the hinge shaft 44 in the front-rear direction is positioned slightly behind the front end position of the shelf body 18, in other words, slightly behind the front position of the vertical wall 26 of the front edge portion of the peripheral frame 25. In this embodiment, the spring 45 of the hinge body 22 constitutes a biasing body 23 that biases the fall prevention device 19 toward a protruding position. In Figure 1, the spring 45 of the hinge body 22 exerts a biasing force in the clockwise direction, and this biasing force causes the prevention device body 20 to rotate clockwise around the hinge shaft 44 as the pivot point.

[0036] The protective device body 20, biased by the spring 45, is restricted from rotating when the contact piece 54 of the base frame 49 contacts the vertical wall 26 of the front frame portion of the peripheral frame 25. In this way, the protective device body 20 is positioned in a protruding position as the mounting body 21 is received by the shelf body 18. With rotation restricted, the upper halves of both rail portions 35 and 36 of the protective device body 20 protrude above the mounting surface 17, and this state is the protruding position. In the protruding position, with the mounting body 21 received by the shelf body 18, the contact piece 54 is in surface contact with the vertical wall 26, and the biasing force from the spring 45 acts on the vertical wall 26 (shelf body 18) in a distributed state. A cushioning material can be provided on at least one of the contact surfaces between the contact piece 54 and the vertical wall 26, thereby mitigating the impact between the two (contact piece 54 and vertical wall 26).

[0037] In Figure 1, when the upper end of the protective device body 20, which is in a protruding position, is rotated counterclockwise around the hinge axis 44, against the biasing force of the spring 45 (biasing body 23), away from the shelf body 18, the protective device body 20 will be in a retracted position where its entirety is below the mounting surface 17. In this embodiment, the protective device body 20, supported by the hinge body 22, can rotate until the second hinge wing 43 contacts the first hinge wing 42. Therefore, the retracted position of the protective device body 20 extends from the position where the protective device body 20 is retracted below the mounting surface 17 to the rotation limit position where the second hinge wing 43 contacts the first hinge wing 42. In Figure 1, the dashed line indicates the state where the protective device body 20 has been rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise.

[0038] When the protective device body 20 is in the retracted position, releasing the operating force that rotates the protective device body 20 against the biasing force of the spring 45 causes the protective device body 20 to rotate clockwise around the hinge shaft 44 as the pivot point due to the biasing force of the spring 45. The rotation is restricted when the contact piece 54 contacts the peripheral frame 25, and the protective device body 20 returns to the protruding position. When the protective device body 20 returns to the protruding position, the impact that the mounting body 21 receives on the shelf body 18 is dispersed by the contact between the vertical wall 26 and the contact piece 54, which are in surface contact.

[0039] When the protective device body 20 rotates, the rotational trajectory of the mounting body 21 is configured to be positioned below the height of the mounting surface 17. Specifically, when the protective device body 20 is in a protruding position, the upper piece 51 of the base frame 49 is positioned horizontally and below the mounting surface 17, and the hinge body 22, whose axis of the hinge shaft 44 is positioned slightly behind the front end position of the shelf body 18, is rotatably supported. Therefore, when the mounting body 21 rotates, the upper piece 51 does not move upward from its protruding position. Consequently, the mounting body 21 does not protrude above the mounting surface 17.

[0040] Here, the method for placing the packaging box B containing the goods on the shelf body 18 and the method for removing it (how to lower the packaging box B from the shelf body 18) will be explained. When placing the box, the worker places the rear end of the packaging box B against the upper end of the fall prevention device body 20 of the fall prevention device 19, which is in a protruding position, and lowers the packaging box B in this state. As a result, the fall prevention device body 20 rotates counterclockwise due to the weight of the packaging box B and the goods, and its position is automatically displaced to the retracted position. As shown in Figure 4, when the packaging box B comes into contact with the placement surface 17, the packaging box B is supported by the shelf body 18. At this time, the connecting parts of both rail sections 35 and 36 of the fall prevention device body 20 are pressed against the bottom surface of the packaging box B, and it is displaced from the protruding position to the retracted position. Next, the worker pushes the packaging box B in a way that slides it to the rear, so that the entire packaging box B can be placed on the shelf body 18. When the contact between the protective device body 20 and the bottom surface of the packaging box B is released, the protective device body 20 automatically returns to the protruding position due to the biasing force of the spring 45. The protective device body 20 in the protruding position is maintained until a counterclockwise rotational torque exceeding the biasing force of the spring 45 (biasing body 23) acts on the protective device body 20. Therefore, the protective device body 20 is not unintentionally rotated to the retracted position (counterclockwise), and the packaging box B is caught by the fall prevention device 19, preventing it from falling.

[0041] When removing the packaging box B from the shelf body 18, the worker slides the packaging box B towards them with one or both hands, bringing it into contact with the fall prevention device body 20, and then pulls the packaging box B further towards them. At this time, if a counterclockwise rotational torque exceeding the biasing force of the spring 45 acts on the fall prevention device 19, the fall prevention device body 20 rotates counterclockwise (towards the retracted position) against the biasing force of the spring 45, and when the front of the bottom surface of the packaging box B passes over the fall prevention device body 20, the fall prevention device 19 is automatically displaced to the retracted position. After the fall prevention device body 20 has been displaced to the retracted position, the packaging box B can be removed from the shelf body 18 (packing box B is lowered from the shelf body 18) by pulling the packaging box B further towards them. Once the packaging box B is removed from the shelf body 18, the fall prevention device body 20 automatically returns to the protruding position due to the biasing force of the spring 45.

[0042] As described above, according to the shelf structure 16 of this embodiment, even when the packaging box B placed on the shelf body 18 moves forward and comes into contact with the protective device body 20, the protective device body 20 is maintained in a protruding position until a rotational torque exceeding the biasing force of the biasing member 23 acts on the protective device body 20, thereby preventing the packaging box B from inadvertently falling from the front end of the shelf body 18.

[0043] Furthermore, when placing the packaging box B on the shelf body 18, the worker can place the packaging box B on the front end of the shelf body 18, displacing the protective device body 20 into a retracted position. Then, the worker can slide and push the packaging box B backward on the shelf body 18, thereby placing the entire packaging box B on the placement surface 17 of the shelf body 18. When the contact between the protective device body 20 and the bottom surface of the packaging box B is released, the protective device body 20 automatically returns to its protruding position due to the biasing force of the biasing body 23, thereby performing the fall prevention function. When removing the packaging box B from the shelf body 18, the worker can slide the packaging box B forward with one or both hands and pull it out, which automatically displacing the protective device body 20 into a retracted position and releasing the fall prevention function. By pulling the packaging box B further forward, the packaging box B can be removed from the shelf body 18 (the packaging box B can be lowered). As described above, with the shelf structure 16 of this embodiment, unlike the shelf structure described in Patent Document 1, it is not necessary to perform different operations with the left and right hands, such as manually changing the position of the anti-slip member from an upright position to a horizontal position with the left hand and then sliding the item forward with the right hand, allowing for more efficient retrieval of the item (packaging box B). Therefore, it is possible to retrieve the packaging box B more easily and quickly while reliably preventing the packaging box B installed on the shelf body 18 from falling.

[0044] The hinge body 22 comprises a first hinge wing 42 fixed to the shelf body 18, a second hinge wing 43 fixed to the mounting body 21, and a hinge shaft 44, which is a horizontal axis connecting both hinge wing 42 and 43 so that they can rotate relative to each other. The biasing body 23 is incorporated into the hinge body 22 and consists of a spring 45 that biases the first hinge wing 42 and the second hinge wing 43 to rotate relative to each other around the hinge shaft 44. As a result, there is no need to individually attach the hinge body 22 and the biasing body 23 between the shelf body 18 and the mounting body 21, thus shortening the work process required to assemble the shelf structure 16. It also prevents the structure from becoming complicated. Furthermore, this type of hinge body 22 is commercially available as a spring hinge, with various sizes and spring constants. By using these commercially available products, it is possible to appropriately select and install a hinge body 22 suitable for the intended use of the shelf structure 16, thus easily providing a variety of shelf structures 16.

[0045] The fall prevention device 19 includes a mounting body 21 that detachably holds the prevention device body 20, and a second hinge wing 43 is fixed to this mounting body 21. Therefore, the display mode and display function of the shelf structure 16 can be easily changed simply by changing the form of the prevention device body 20 held by the mounting body 21, for example, by making the prevention device body 20 a card rail equipped with a price card holding structure, or a card rail composed of a frame that can hold an electronic price display device.

[0046] Since the hinge shaft 44 is positioned below the bottom wall 27 of the shelf body 18 and the lower piece 52 of the mounting body 21, there is no need to provide an area for the hinge body 22 between the vertical wall 26 of the shelf body 18 and the mounting body 21, thus the front-to-back dimensions of the shelf body 18 can be increased. Consequently, the space on the display surface 17 for displaying items can be increased.

[0047] The mounting body 21 is provided with a contact piece 54 that contacts the shelf body 18 to define the protruding position of the fall prevention device 19, and the shelf body 18 and the contact piece 54 are configured to make surface contact. As a result, the impact of the mounting body 21 on the shelf body 18 when it returns to the protruding position due to the biasing force of the biasing body 23 is dispersed by the contact piece 54 and absorbed by the shelf body 18. This prevents damage to the shelf body 18 or the fall prevention device 19 due to the impact.

[0048] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the shelf structure according to the present invention is shown in Figures 5 to 8. The shelf structure 16 of this embodiment differs from the shelf structure of the first embodiment in that it is equipped with a holding mechanism 62 that holds the prevention device body 20 in a retracted position against the rotational biasing by the biasing body 23. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the hinge body 22 comprises a first hinge wing (first hinge member) 42 fixed to the shelf body 18, a second hinge wing (second hinge member) 43 fixed to the mounting body 21, and a hinge shaft 44 that connects both hinge wing 42 and 43 so as to be able to rotate relative to each other. The first hinge wing 42 and the second hinge wing 43 of the hinge body 22 are relatively rotationally biased by a torsion coil type spring 45 attached to the hinge shaft 44. Furthermore, the relative positions of the first hinge wing 42 and the second hinge wing 43 are maintained by a stopper 63 incorporated into the hinge body 22. The hinge body 22 in this embodiment is a commercially available flat hinge known as a spring hinge with a stopper or a click hinge.

[0049] The spring 45 is built into the first hinge blade 42 in a state where it is fitted onto the hinge shaft 44, with one of a pair of working arms 46 provided at each end of the torsion coil in contact with the first hinge blade 42 and the other in contact with the second hinge blade 43. Multiple hinge bodies 22 are provided between the shelf body 18 and the fall prevention device 19 at equal intervals in the left-right direction. In this embodiment as well, the spring 45 provided in the hinge body 22 constitutes a biasing body 23 that biases the prevention device body 20 toward a protruding position.

[0050] A stopper 63 incorporated into the hinge body 22 constitutes the holding mechanism 62, and the stopper 63 is provided between the two hinge blades 42 and 43. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the stopper 63 is provided between the sliding surface 64 of the first hinge blade 42 and the sliding surface 65 of the second hinge blade 43. The stopper 63 consists of a mortar-shaped recess 66 formed in the sliding surface 64 of the first hinge blade 42, a ball 68 inserted into a ball hole 67 formed in the sliding surface 65 of the second hinge blade 43, and an extrusion spring 69 that pushes the ball 68 out of the ball hole 67 and biases it.

[0051] When the ball 68 is housed in the ball hole 67 and in contact with the sliding surface 64 of the first hinge vane 42, the ball 68 can roll or slide, allowing the two hinge vanes 42 and 43 to rotate relative to each other. Also, when the recess 66 and the ball hole 67 are facing each other, and the ball 68 pushed out of the ball hole 67 falls into the recess 66, the ball 68 gets caught in the recess 66, restricting the relative rotation of the two hinge vanes 42 and 43. The recess 64 is provided in two locations around the hinge shaft 44 so that the stopper 63 functions at positions where the fall prevention device 19 is rotated 120 degrees counterclockwise from its protruding position and at positions where it is rotated 170 degrees counterclockwise (see the dashed line in Figure 5). The rest is the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used for the same components and their descriptions are omitted.

[0052] In this embodiment as well, the placement and removal of the packaging box B from the shelf body 18 can be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a holding mechanism 62 (stopper 63) is provided, so that the protective device body 20 can be held in a retracted position. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the protective device body 20 can be set to a retracted position in advance, and the placement and removal of the packaging box B can be carried out in this state.

[0053] Since the retaining mechanism 62 is incorporated into the hinge body 22 and consists of a stopper 63 that maintains the relative position of the first hinge blade 42 and the second hinge blade 43 against the biasing force of the biasing body 23 (spring 45), it is not necessary to individually attach the hinge body 22 and the retaining mechanism 62 between the shelf body 18 and the prevention device body 20, thus shortening the assembly process required for the shelf structure 16. It also prevents the structure from becoming complicated. Furthermore, this type of hinge body 22 is commercially available as a spring hinge with a stopper or a click hinge, and is available in various sizes and with different relative positions of the two hinge blades 42 and 43 when held. By using these commercially available products, the hinge body 22 can be appropriately selected and attached according to the intended use of the shelf structure 16, making it easy to provide a variety of shelf structures 16.

[0054] In each of the embodiments described above, the spring 45 incorporated into the hinge body 22 is a torsion coil type, but the spring 45 can also be made of a leaf spring. The biasing body 23 is made of a torsion coil type spring 45 incorporated into the hinge body 22, but the biasing body 23 can be made of a spring body such as a leaf spring or a rotary damper provided separately from the hinge body 22. The holding mechanism 62 of the second embodiment may also be a holding structure provided separately from the hinge body 22, for example, a magnetic attraction structure. The anti-roll device body 20 can also be made of a roll-stop frame formed from a round bar into a square frame shape, or a roll-stop plate made of long plates on the left and right sides, in addition to a guard rail. In this case, if the diameter of the round bar or the thickness dimension of the plate is matched to the front-to-back dimension of the mounting groove 58, the roll-stop frame or roll-stop plate can be attached to the mounting body 21 simply by inserting it into the mounting groove 58. In the above embodiment, it was described that a packaging box B containing goods is placed on the shelf structure 16, but goods removed from the packaging box can also be placed (displayed) on the shelf structure 16. The shelf structure 16 of the present invention can be applied not only to refrigerated (frozen) or heated showcases, but also to display shelves called gondolas for displaying goods that do not have refrigeration or heating functions. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 17 Mounting surface 18 Shelf Unit 19. Fall prevention device 20 Protective device body 21 Mounting body 22 Hinge Body 23. Biased body 24 Ceiling Wall 26 Vertical walls 27 Bottom wall 42. First hinge member (first hinge wing) 43. Second hinge component (second hinge wing) 44 Hinge shaft 45 springs 51 Top piece 52 Lower piece 53 Front piece 54 Contact piece 62 Retention mechanism 63 Stopper

Claims

1. A shelf body (18) whose top surface is designated as a surface for placing items (17), To prevent items placed on the mounting surface (17) from falling, a fall prevention device (19) is provided at the front end of the shelf body (18), Equipped with, The fall prevention device (19) is configured to be able to change its posture between a protruding position located above the mounting surface (17) and a retracted position located below the mounting surface (17), and comprises a prevention device body (20) responsible for preventing items from falling in the protruding position, a hinge body (22) that rotatably supports the prevention device body (20) with respect to the shelf body (18), and a biasing body (23) that biases the prevention device body (20) from the retracted position side toward the protruding position side. The protective device body (20) is configured such that its upper end rotates forward in the protruding position, thereby displacing it from the protruding position to the retracted position. The hinge body (22) comprises a first hinge member (42) fixed to the shelf body (18), a second hinge member (43) fixed to the protective device body (20), and a hinge shaft (44), which is a horizontal shaft that connects both hinge members (42 and 43) so that they can rotate relative to each other. The biasing body (23) is incorporated into the hinge body (22) and consists of a spring (45) that biases the first hinge member (42) and the second hinge member (43) to rotate relative to each other around the hinge axis (44). The fall prevention device (19) includes a mounting body (21) that detachably holds the prevention device body (20), and a second hinge member (43) is fixed to this mounting body (21). The shelf body (18) comprises a top wall (24) whose upper surface is a mounting surface (17), a vertical wall (26) extending downward from the front edge of the top wall (24), and a bottom wall (27) extending backward from the lower end of the vertical wall (26). The mounting body (21) comprises an upper piece (51) and a lower piece (52), and a front piece (53) that connects the front ends of the upper and lower pieces (51 and 52). When the protective device body (20) is in a protruding position, the lower piece (52) is positioned in front of the bottom wall (27) of the shelf body (18). A first hinge member (42) is fixed to the bottom wall (27), and a second hinge member (43) is fixed to the lower piece (52). A shelf structure characterized in that the hinge shaft (44) is positioned below the bottom wall (27) and the lower piece (52).

2. The mounting body (21) is provided with a contact piece (54) that contacts the shelf body (18) and defines the protruding position of the fall prevention device (19), The shelf structure according to claim 1, wherein the shelf body (18) and the contact piece (54) are configured to be in surface contact.

3. The shelf structure according to claim 1, wherein the fall prevention device (19) is equipped with a holding mechanism (62) that holds the prevention device body (20) in a retracted position.

4. The shelf structure according to claim 3, wherein the holding mechanism (62) is incorporated into the hinge body (22) and consists of a stopper (63) that maintains the relative position of the first hinge member (42) and the second hinge member (43) against the biasing force of the biasing body (23).

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