Merchandise advancing device

Abstract

Provided is a merchandise advancing device that maintains the function of advancing merchandise while avoiding a decrease in ease of work when replenishing merchandise. The merchandise advancing device comprises: a fixed part; a moving plate that has a front end part and a rear end part, that is provided directly below the fixed part, and that is capable of moving between a first position at which the rear end part overlaps the fixed part and a second position at which the front end part overlaps the fixed part; a rail member that is provided on the moving plate and that has merchandise placed thereon; an advancement member that is capable of moving in the front-rear direction on the rail member, that is provided so as to stand upright from the rail member, and that is capable of advancing merchandise by abutting on the merchandise from the rear; a hook member that is positioned in front of the advancement member and below the merchandise, that is capable of moving in the front-rear direction on the rail member, and that is capable of engaging with the fixed part such that the hook member is restricted from moving further rearward than the fixed part, and capable of being separated from the fixed part; and a biasing member that biases the advancement member and the hook member in a direction toward each other.

Description

Product front-dispense device

[0001] The present invention relates to a product advancement device that advances products.

[0002] For example, an automatic product forward-feeding shelf device is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This device includes a product forward-feeding body having a product pressure plate and a spiral-spring-like steel strip for advancing the product forward-feeding body. In this device, the steel strip constantly applies tension to the product forward-feeding body, allowing products to be advanced forward.

[0003] International Publication No. WO2006 / 027871

[0004] On the other hand, when a store manager restocks products, they need to restock new products from the back of the shelf to prevent products from being discarded due to expiration dates. However, if tension is applied to the product advancement body as in the above-mentioned conventional technology, when the store manager restocks products at the back of the shelf, he or she needs to hold down the product advancement body with one hand and restock the products at the back of the shelf with the other. This significantly reduces workability.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a product advance device that maintains the function of advancing products while not impairing workability when replenishing products.

[0006] The above-mentioned problems are solved by the present invention as follows. That is, a product advancement device of the present invention (1) comprises: a movable plate having a fixed portion, a front end portion, and a rear end portion, and disposed directly below the fixed portion, the movable plate being movable between a first position where the rear end portion overlaps with the fixed portion and a second position where the front end portion overlaps with the fixed portion; a rail member disposed on the movable plate and on which a product is placed; a forward-advancing member that is movable in the front-rear direction on the rail member, is disposed so as to stand up from the rail member, and is capable of advancing the product by abutting against the product from the rear side; a hook member that is movable in the front-rear direction on the rail member at a position below the product, and that engages with the fixed portion to restrict movement of the hook member behind the fixed portion and is capable of being separated from the fixed portion; and a biasing member that biases the forward-advancing member and the hook member in a direction toward each other.

[0007] Furthermore, the product advancement device of present invention (2) is a product advancement device as described in (1), wherein the fixed portion has a first surface having a plurality of grooves extending in the front-to-rear direction and a second surface opposite the first surface, and extends in a band shape in the width direction, and the rail member has: a slot capable of accommodating the fixed portion; an engaging portion provided on the front side of the slot, protruding into the slot, and capable of engaging with one of the plurality of grooves when the movable plate is in the second position; and an expanded portion provided on the rear side of the slot, capable of accommodating the fixed portion with a gap between it and the fixed portion when the movable plate is in the first position.

[0008] The product advance device of the present invention (3) is the product advance device described in (2), wherein the rail member has an anchor portion provided on the front side of the slot and engaging with the second surface of the fixing portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the product advance device of the present invention (4) is a product advance device as described in (1), wherein the rail member has an insertion piece that can be inserted into a groove provided at the front end of the moving plate and can be separated from the groove.

[0010] The product advancement device of the present invention (5) is the product advancement device according to (1), wherein the biasing member is a spring.

[0011] The above problems are solved by the present invention as follows. That is, the product advancement device of present invention (6) comprises: a movable plate having a fixed portion, a front end portion, and a rear end portion, the movable plate being provided directly below the fixed portion and movable between a first position where the rear end portion overlaps with the fixed portion and a second position where the front end portion overlaps with the fixed portion, a rail member provided on the movable plate and on which a product is placed, a forward-advancement member that is movable in the front-rear direction on the rail member, is provided so as to stand up from the rail member, and is able to advance the product by abutting against the product from the rear side, a hook member that is provided at a position below the forward-advancement member so as to be retractable from the forward-advancement member, and is able to engage with the fixed portion to restrict movement behind the fixed portion and to be separated from the fixed portion, and a biasing member that biases the forward-advancement member and the hook member in a direction in which they approach each other.

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a product advance-advancement device that maintains the function of advancing products while not impairing workability when replenishing products.

[0013] 1 is a perspective view showing a shelf of a first embodiment. Note that this drawing shows a state in which one rail member is being picked up, and schematically shows that the rail member is detachable from the movable plate. It is a perspective view showing the fixed portion of the shelf shown in FIG. 1. It is a perspective view showing a part of the fixed portion of the shelf shown in FIG. 1, the rail member, the forward-extending member, and the hook member, etc. It is a perspective view showing the rail member, the forward-extending member, and the hook member, etc. shown in FIG. 3. It is an exploded perspective view showing the rail member, the forward-extending member, and the hook member, etc. shown in FIG. 4. It is a cross-sectional view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 1 cut vertically at a position passing through the forward-extending member. It is a perspective view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 1 with the movable plate set to the first position on the front side. It is a cross-sectional view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 7 cut vertically. It is a perspective view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 7 with the rail member movable in the width direction relative to the fixed portion. It is a cross-sectional view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 7 with the rail member movable in the width direction relative to the fixed portion. It is a perspective view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 7 with the movable plate completed moving from the first position to the second position. It is a cross-sectional view showing the shelf shown in FIG. 11 cut vertically. 11 , a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the rail member cannot move in the width direction relative to the fixed portion in the shelf shown in FIG. 11 ; a perspective view showing the rail member and its surroundings in a shelf according to a modification of the first embodiment; an exploded perspective view showing the front-extending member disassembled in the shelf shown in FIG. 14 ; a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the movable plate is set to a first position on the front side in the shelf according to a modification of the first embodiment; a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the movable plate has been moved from the first position to the second position in the shelf shown in FIG. 16 ; a perspective view showing a shelf according to a second embodiment; a perspective view showing only the display box and its surroundings in the shelf shown in FIG. 18 ; a state in which one rail member is being picked up, schematically showing that the rail member is detachable from the movable plate; a perspective view showing a state in which the movable plate is set to a first position on the front side in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 19 ; a perspective view showing a state in which the movable plate has been moved from the first position to the second position in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 20 ; a perspective view showing a state in which the movable plate has been moved from the first position to the second position in the display box of the shelf according to a first modification of the second embodiment;In addition, this figure shows a state in which one rail member is picked up, and schematically shows that the rail member is detachable from the moving plate. It is a perspective view showing a state in which the moving plate is in the first position on the front side in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 22. It is a perspective view showing a state in which the movement of the moving plate from the first position to the second position is completed in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 23. It shows a second modification of the shelf of the second embodiment, and is a perspective view showing only around the display box in that modification. In addition, this figure shows a state in which one rail member is picked up, and schematically shows that the rail member is detachable from the individual box (moving plate). It is an exploded perspective view showing the box body, the individual box, and the fixing part disassembled in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 25. It is a perspective view showing a state in which the individual box is in the first position on the front side in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 25. It is a perspective view showing a state in which the movement of the individual box from the first position to the second position is completed in the display box of the shelf shown in FIG. 27.

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the shelf of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The shelf of the present invention can automatically present goods forward by pulling out the moving plate forward and pushing it backward. Hereinafter, the front direction of the shelf will be denoted as F, the rear direction as R, and the width direction as W for the description. [First Embodiment]

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 13, the shelf 10 of the first embodiment will be described. The shelf 10 is an example of a goods forward presenter according to the present invention.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the shelf 10 comprises a base 11, a pair of frames 12 standing up from the rear end and both end portions of the base 11, a back panel 13 spanning between the pair of frames 12, a fixed portion 14 fixed to the pair of frames 12, a pair of brackets 15 fixed to each of the pair of frames 12, a pair of shelf rails 16 provided on the pair of brackets 15, a movable plate 17 (movable shelf) that can be pulled out in a forward direction F or pushed in in a rearward direction R via the pair of shelf rails 16, a rail member 18 provided on the movable plate 17, a forward-extension member 21 that can move in the front-to-rear direction on the rail member 18, a hook member 22 that can move in the front-to-rear direction on the rail member 18, a biasing member 23 that biases the forward-extension member 21 and the hook member 22 in a direction that brings them closer to each other, and a partition plate 24 that divides the movable plate 17 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0017] Each of the pair of frames 12 has a plurality of through holes 25 arranged vertically for fixing the brackets 15. The plurality of through holes 25 may form two or more rows.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fixed portion 14 includes a pair of metal support brackets 26 detachably attached to the frame 12, a metal cross plate 27 extending between the pair of support brackets 26, and a resin flat plate 28 attached to the upper surface of the cross plate 27. The cross plate 27 and the flat plate 28 of the fixed portion 14 are provided across substantially the entire width of the movable plate 17 in the width direction W and are formed in a strip shape extending elongatedly in the width direction W. The flat plate 28 is detachably fixed to the cross plate 27 by engaging a claw or the like. As shown in FIG. 3 , the flat plate 28 includes a first surface 28A and a second surface 28B opposite the first surface 28A. The second surface 28B of the flat plate 28 abuts against the cross plate 27. The first surface 28A of the flat plate 28 includes a plurality of grooves 31 extending in the front-rear direction FR. As shown in Figure 6, the flat plate 28 further has a recess 34 at the front end of the second surface 28B for hooking onto an anchor portion 32 of the rail member 18 (described later) and a hook portion 33 of the hook member 22 (described later).

[0019] As shown in Fig. 7, a pair of shelf rails 16 are provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of brackets 15, respectively. Each of the pair of shelf rails 16 is extendable and retractable in the front-to-rear direction FR and can support the movable plate 17 so that it can slide in the front-to-rear direction FR. Therefore, the movable plate 17 is movable between a first position P1, as shown in Fig. 7, where the rear end 17B overlaps with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28), and a second position P2, as shown in Fig. 1, where the front end 17A overlaps with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28).

[0020] The movable plate 17 is formed into a flat plate shape from a metal plate. The movable plate 17 is located directly below the fixed portion 14. As shown in FIG. 8 , the movable plate 17 has a front end 17A and a rear end 17B opposite the front end 17A. The movable plate 17 has a finger hook 17AA bent downward at the front end 17A. A store manager can pull the movable plate 17 from the second position P2 to the first position P1 by hooking a finger on the finger hook 17AA and pulling it toward themselves while unlocking a locking mechanism (not shown). The movable plate 17 has a U-shaped cross-section-shaped upright piece 35 at the front end 17A, which can be inserted into the insertion piece 42 of the rail member 18 or the insertion piece 42 of the partition plate 24. The upright piece 35 extends along the width direction W. The upright piece 35 is inserted and fixed into a horizontal groove 36 provided at the front end 17A. The standing piece 35 is a groove provided in the front end portion 17A of the moving plate 17 according to the present invention, and is an example of a groove into which the insertion piece 42 of the rail member 18 can be inserted.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 1 , the rail member 18 is placed on the movable plate 17 when in use. As shown in Fig. 11 , a product 46 is placed on the rail member 18. As shown in Fig. 4 , the rail member 18 is formed in an elongated rectangular shape and is placed on the movable plate 17 with its long side aligned in the front-to-rear direction FR. As shown in Fig. 4 , the rail member 18 has a slide groove 41 provided on its top surface and extending in the front-to-rear direction FR, an insertion piece 42 provided at its front end, a slot 43 provided on its side surface and capable of accommodating the fixing portion 14 (the cross plate 27 and the flat plate 28), engagement portions 44 provided at an intermediate portion and a front side of the slot 43 in the front-to-rear direction FR, an anchor portion 32 provided at the frontmost side of the slot 43, and an expanded diameter portion 45 provided at the rear side of the slot 43.

[0022] The slide groove 41 is formed as a single groove on the top surface of the rail member 18, and the forward-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 are fitted inside the slide groove 41 so as to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction FR. The configuration of the rail member 18 in this embodiment is one example, and it is of course possible to adopt other configurations, such as having a rail as a single protruding strip like a monorail, and configuring the forward-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 to straddle this rail.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4 , the insertion piece 42 is formed in the shape of a claw that protrudes downward. The upper part of the insertion piece 42 acts as a stopper to prevent the product 46 from falling off the movable plate 17 and from tipping over. The upper part of the insertion piece 42 also has an insertion portion 42A into which a pop-up label bearing the product price and other information can be inserted. The insertion piece 42 can be inserted into or detached from the upright piece 35 (groove) of the movable plate 17. Therefore, the rail member 18 is configured to be detachable from the movable plate 17, as shown in FIG. 1 . Furthermore, the rail member 18 can be positioned at any position on the movable plate 17 in the width direction W.

[0024] The slot 43 is formed on the side surface of the rail member 18 in an elongated manner in the front-to-rear direction FR. This allows the fixed portion 14 (the cross plate 27 and the flat plate 28) to move relatively within this slot 43. In reality, as the movable plate 17 moves in the front-to-rear direction FR, the rail member 18 moves together with it, but the position of the fixed portion 14 does not change. Therefore, as the movable plate 17 moves, the rail member 18 moves smoothly together with it.

[0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 13, the engaging portion 44 is provided in the slot 43 so as to protrude in a plate-like shape toward the fixed portion 14. The engaging portion 44 is formed to be elongated along the front-rear direction FR. As shown in Figures 3 and 13, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2 where it is stored on the rear side, the engaging portion 44 engages with one of the multiple grooves 31 of the fixed portion 14. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, when the movable plate 17 is in the first position P1 where it is pulled out to the front side, the engaging portion 44 is in a position separated from the multiple grooves 31 of the fixed portion 14 and cannot engage with the multiple grooves 31.

[0026] 3 and 4 , the anchor portion 32 is formed in a claw shape that protrudes toward the rear direction R, and can tightly engage with the second surface 28B (recess 34) of the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28). In this state, the rail member 18 is fixed to the fixed portion 14, and the rail member 18 cannot be removed from the fixed portion 14 and the movable plate 17.

[0027] 4 and 9 , the enlarged diameter portion 45 is formed so that the height of the gap is larger than the location of the engaging portion 44 in the slot 43. The height of the gap that defines the enlarged diameter portion 45 is also larger than the height (thickness) of the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28). Therefore, when the moving plate 17 is in the first position P1, the enlarged diameter portion 45 can accommodate the fixed portion 14 with a gap between them.

[0028] 4 and 5, the forward-extending member 21 is provided to stand upright from the rail member 18. The forward-extending member 21 can advance the product 46 by abutting against the product 46 from the rear side.

[0029] The front-extension member 21 is fitted into a slide groove 41 on the top surface of the rail member 18 and is configured to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction FR. The front-extension member 21 is attached to the rail member 18 via a bearing ball 47. The rail member 18 has a recessed portion 48 around the slide groove 41, along which the bearing ball 47 travels in the front-to-rear direction FR. The front-extension member 21 has a base 51 that is directly attached to the rail member 18, and a swivel portion 52 that is swivelably attached to the base 51. The base 51 has a bearing portion 51B that rotatably supports the reel of the biasing member 23.

[0030] The oscillating portion 52 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 51A mounted on the top of the base 51. The oscillating portion 52 has an upper first piece 52A and a lower second piece 52B. When replenishing products 46, the store manager can use the oscillating portion 52 to lower the forward-extending member 21 backward. That is, when the store manager presses down on the first piece 52A of the oscillating portion 52 with their hand or a product 46, the oscillating portion 52 rotates around the shaft 51A, causing the second piece 52B to rise and push against the nearby product 46. The reaction of the second piece 52B pressing against the product 46 moves the forward-extending member 21 backward. This allows the store manager to easily lower the forward-extending member 21 in the rearward direction R with a single touch.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the hook member 22 is formed in a rectangular block shape. The hook member 22 is provided forward of the front-extending member 21 and below the product 46, and is slidable in the front-rear direction FR. The hook member 22 is fitted into the slide groove 41 on the top surface of the rail member 18 and is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction FR. The hook member 22 has a slit 22A into which the tip 54A of the spiral spring 54 of the biasing member 23 can be inserted and held. The hook member 22 has a hook portion 33 on its underside for hooking onto the second surface 28B (recess 34) of the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28). The hook member 22 can engage with the fixed portion 14 to restrict movement behind the fixed portion 14 as the movable plate 17 moves, or can be separated from the fixed portion 14.

[0032] The hook member 22 is connected to the front-extending member 21 via a biasing member 23. The biasing member 23 has a cylindrical reel 53, a spiral spring 54 wound around the reel 53, and a tip end 54A of the spiral spring. The spiral spring 54 can be pulled out from around the reel 53 but has a restoring force that causes it to return to its original position around the reel 53. Therefore, the biasing member 23 can bias the front-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 so as to bring them closer together.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the partition plate 24 has an insertion piece 42 that can be inserted into the upright piece 35 of the movable plate 17. The structure of the insertion piece 42 is similar to the insertion piece 42 provided on the rail member 18. The partition plate 24 can divide the movable plate 17 in the front-rear direction FR. The partition plate 24 has an insertion piece 55 on its underside that can be inserted into the groove portion 31.

[0034] Next, the operation of the shelf 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 13. When a store manager wishes to replenish products 46, he or she releases the locking mechanism and pulls out the movable plate 17 in the forward direction F. This moves the movable plate 17 from the second position P2 shown in Figure 1 to the first position P1 shown in Figure 7. In this state, the store manager can replenish new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. When in the first position P1, the forward-extending member 21 remains in contact with the hook member 22 due to the action of the biasing member 23.

[0035] Prior to replenishing products 46, the store manager first moves the front-extension member 21 to the rearmost position on the rail member 18, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. At this time, because the hook member 22 is not engaged with the fixing portion 14 (flat plate 28), no biasing force is applied to the front-extension member 21 in the forward direction F. This allows the store manager to easily replenishing products 46 with one hand, without having to hold down the front-extension member 21.

[0036] In this state, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the engaging portion 44 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, and the fixed portion 14 is housed in the expanded diameter portion 45. In this state, the store manager can move the rail member 18 to any position in the width direction W, as shown by the arrows in Figures 9 and 10. Also, in this state, the insertion piece 55 of the partition plate 24 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, so the store manager can also move the partition plate 24 to any position in the width direction W. This allows the store manager to smoothly not only replenish products 46, but also replace products 46.

[0037] As shown in Figure 8, the store manager replenishes new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. After completing the replenishment of products 46, the store manager moves the movable plate 17 from the first position P1 to the second position P2. At this time, as shown in Figures 8 and 12, the hook member 22 engages with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28) as the movable plate 17 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2. As a result, the hook member 22 moves relatively on the movable plate 17 from the rear end 17B toward the front end 17A (in reality, the movable plate 17 moves backward, and the hook member 22 comes to a stop together with the fixed portion 14).

[0038] Meanwhile, the rail member 18 and the forward-extending member 21 move rearward together with the movable plate 17. As a result, the distance between the hook member 22 and the forward-extending member 21 increases, and the biasing member 23 is activated, biasing the forward-extending member 21 toward the hook member 22 and the fixed portion 14. This causes the forward-extending member 21 to abut against the rear side of the product 46, allowing the product 46 to be advanced forward in the forward direction F within the movable plate 17. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 13 , when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the engaging portion 44 is inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting movement of the rail member 18 in the width direction W. Therefore, when the biasing force of the forward-extending member 21 to advance the product 46 is applied, the rail member 18 is prevented from shifting sideways, preventing the product 46 from collapsing and shifting.

[0039] Furthermore, in this state, the anchor portions 32 of the rail members 18 engage with the recesses 34 of the fixed portion 14, preventing the rail members 18 from lifting up from the fixed portion 14. This stabilizes the position of the products 46. Similarly, with regard to the partition plate 24, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the insertion pieces 55 are inserted into the grooves 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting the movement of the partition plate 24 in the width direction W. This completes the replenishment of the products 46 and the forward advancement of the replenished products 46.

[0040] According to this embodiment, the following can be said: The product advance device includes a movable plate 17 having a fixed portion 14, a front end 17A, and a rear end 17B, the movable plate 17 being provided immediately below the fixed portion 14 and movable between a first position P1 where the rear end 17B overlaps with the fixed portion 14 and a second position P2 where the front end 17A overlaps with the fixed portion 14, a rail member 18 provided on the movable plate 17 and on which the product 46 is placed, and a rail member 18 movable in the front-rear direction FR on the rail member 18. The rail member 18 is provided with a forward-extending member 21 that is arranged to stand up from the rail member 18 and can advance the product 46 by abutting against the product 46 from the rear side, a hook member 22 that is movable in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18 at a position below the product 46, and that can engage with the fixed part 14 to restrict the hook member 22 from moving rearward beyond the fixed part 14 or can be separated from the fixed part 14, and a biasing member 23 that biases the forward-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 in a direction that brings them closer together.

[0041] According to this configuration, when the movable plate 17 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the hook member 22 can be engaged with the fixed portion 14 to restrict the hook member 22 from moving rearward beyond the fixed portion 14. This stops the hook member 22 from moving relative to the movable plate 17, rail member 18, and forward-extending member 21. As a result, as the movable plate 17 continues to move from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the distance between the hook member 22 and the forward-extending member 21 increases, which activates the biasing member 23, biasing the forward-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 in a direction that brings them closer together. This causes the forward-extending member 21 to be extended forward relative to the movable plate 17, which generates a forward-extending operating force on the product 46 on the rail member 18, automatically advancing the product 46.

[0042] On the other hand, when the movable plate 17 is in the first position P1, the hook member 22 is separated from the fixed portion 14, allowing the hook member 22 to move freely in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18. The biasing member 23 positions the hook member 22 closest to the forward-extension member 21. Therefore, when the movable plate 17 is in the first position P1, the forward-extension operating force of the forward-extension member 21 is not applied to the products 46. This allows the store manager to move the forward-extension member 21 to a rear position on the movable plate 17 and replenish new products 46 behind the products 46 remaining on the rail member 18. Because replenishment can be performed without the forward-extension operating force of the forward-extension member 21 being applied, there is no need to hold the forward-extension member 21 with one hand while replenishing the products 46 with the other, and the replenishment work of the products 46 can be performed smoothly with just one hand. This allows the replenishment work of the products 46 to be performed efficiently even in a small space where only one hand can fit. Alternatively, an efficient restocking operation can be achieved by restocking products 46 with one hand and holding the basket containing the stock products 46 with the other hand.

[0043] In this case, the fixed portion 14 has a first surface 28A having a plurality of groove portions 31 extending in the fore-and-aft direction FR, and a second surface 28B opposite the first surface 28A, and extends in a band shape in the width direction W, and the rail member 18 has a slot 43 capable of accommodating the fixed portion 14, an engaging portion 44 provided on the front side of the slot 43, protruding into the slot 43, and capable of engaging with one of the plurality of groove portions 31 when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, and an expanded diameter portion 45 provided on the rear side of the slot 43, capable of accommodating the fixed portion 14 with a gap between it and the fixed portion 14 when the movable plate 17 is in the first position P1.

[0044] With this configuration, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the engaging portion 44 is engaged with the groove portion 31, preventing the rail member 18 from moving in the width direction W relative to the movable plate 17. In particular, since the second position P2 is a state in which the products 46 are displayed facing the customer, it is possible to prevent the products 46 from shifting out of position in the width direction W in this state. Furthermore, at the second position P2, the biasing member 23 generates an operating force that pushes the products 46 forward, making it easy for the position of the products 46 to change. However, with the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the rail member 18 from shifting sideways and stabilize the position of the products 46.

[0045] The rail member 18 has an anchor portion 32 that is provided on the front side of the slot 43 and engages with the second surface 28B of the fixing portion 14.

[0046] According to this configuration, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, in addition to the engagement between the groove 31 and the engaging portion 44, the anchor portion 32 is engaged with the second surface 28B of the fixed portion 14, which prevents the rail member 18 from floating up from the fixed portion 14. This makes it possible to stabilize the posture of the product 46 when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2.

[0047] The rail member 18 has an insertion piece 42 that can be inserted into or removed from a groove provided in the front end portion 17A of the movable plate 17. With this configuration, the rail member 18 can be attached to or detached from the movable plate 17 with a single touch.

[0048] The biasing member 23 is a spring. With this configuration, the biasing member 23 can be realized with simple components.

[0049] Next, modified embodiments of the shelf 10 of this embodiment will be described. In the following modified embodiments and embodiments, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of parts common to the first embodiment will be omitted. (Modified Embodiment of the First Embodiment)

[0050] 14 to 17, a shelf 10 according to a first modified example will be described. The shelf 10 is an example of a product advance-advance device as defined in the present invention. In this modified example, the hook member 22 and the surrounding advance-advance member 21 are configured differently from the first embodiment, but the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0051] 14 and 15 , in this modification, the hook member 22 is provided, for example, directly below the forward-extending member 21, but the installation position of the hook member 22 is not limited to this. The installation position of the hook member 22 may be any position below the forward-extending member 21 where it can engage with the fixing portion 14, and may be diagonally below the forward-extending member 21. The hook member 22 can be pulled out from a position below the forward-extending member 21.

[0052] The hook member 22 is formed of a plate material bent into a "J" shape or a "U" shape. The hook member 22 is fixed to the tip of the spiral spring 54. In this modification, the hook member 22 is formed of a bent plate material that is a separate member, but it may be formed by bending the tip of the spiral spring 54 into a "J" shape or a "U" shape.

[0053] The front-extending member 21 is fitted into the slide groove 41 on the top surface of the rail member 18 and is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction FR. The front-extending member 21 has a pair of fitting pieces 56 with an L-shaped cross section that fit into the slide groove 41, and a pair of support pieces 57 that are provided so as to protrude inward from the inner surfaces of the pair of fitting pieces 56. The pair of fitting pieces 56 are formed symmetrically.

[0054] The pair of support pieces 57 protrude inward from the lower ends of the pair of fitting pieces 56. The pair of support pieces 57 can support the hook member 22 at a position directly below the forward-extending member 21. In other words, the pair of fitting pieces 56 can hold the hook member 22 hooked thereto in that position, and the action of the spiral spring 54 can prevent the hook member from being wound around the reel 53. The pair of support pieces 57 can also support the hook member 22 so that it can be pulled out in the forward direction F.

[0055] Next, the operation of the shelf 10 of this modified example will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. When a store manager wishes to replenish products 46, he or she releases the locking mechanism and pulls out the movable plate 17 in the forward direction F. This moves the movable plate 17 from the second position P2 shown in Figure 17 to the first position P1 shown in Figure 16. In this state, the store manager can replenish new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. When in the first position P1, the hook member 21 is located directly below the forward-extending member due to the action of the biasing member 23 and the pair of support pieces.

[0056] Before replenishing products 46, the store manager first moves the front-extension member 21 to the rearmost position on the rail member 18, as shown in Figure 16. At this time, because the hook member 22 is not engaged with the fixing portion 14 (flat plate 28), no biasing force is applied to the front-extension member 21 in the forward direction F. This allows the store manager to easily replenishing products 46 with one hand, without having to hold down the front-extension member 21.

[0057] 16 , the engaging portion 44 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, and the fixed portion 14 is housed in the expanded diameter portion 45. In this state, the store manager can move the rail member 18 to any position in the width direction W. Also, in this state, the insertion piece 55 of the partition plate 24 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, so the store manager can also move the partition plate 24 to any position in the width direction W. This allows the store manager to smoothly not only replenish products 46, but also replace products 46.

[0058] As shown in Figure 16, the store manager replenishes new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. After completing the replenishment of products 46, the store manager moves the movable plate 17 from the first position P1 to the second position P2. At this time, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the hook members 22 engage with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28) as the movable plate 17 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2. As a result, the hook members 22 move relatively on the movable plate 17 from the rear end 17B toward the front end 17A (in reality, the movable plate 17 moves backward, and the hook members 22 come to a stop together with the fixed portion 14).

[0059] Meanwhile, the rail member 18 and the forward-advancing member 21 move rearward together with the movable plate 17. As a result, the distance between the hook member 22 and the forward-advancing member 21 increases, and the biasing member 23 is activated, biasing the forward-advancing member 21 toward the hook member 22 and the fixed portion 14. This causes the forward-advancing member 21 to abut against the rear side of the product 46, allowing the product 46 to be advanced forward in the forward direction F within the movable plate 17. As shown in FIG. 17 , when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the engaging portion 44 is inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting movement of the rail member 18 in the width direction W. Therefore, when the biasing force of the forward-advancing member 21 to advance the product 46 is applied, the rail member 18 is prevented from shifting sideways, and the products 46 do not collapse and shift out of place.

[0060] Furthermore, in this state, the anchor portions 32 of the rail members 18 engage with the recesses 34 of the fixed portion 14, preventing the rail members 18 from lifting up from the fixed portion 14. This stabilizes the position of the products 46. Similarly, with regard to the partition plate 24, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the insertion pieces 55 are inserted into the grooves 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting the movement of the partition plate 24 in the width direction W. This completes the replenishment of the products 46 and the forward advancement of the replenished products 46.

[0061] According to this embodiment, the following can be said: The shelf 10 has a fixed portion 14, a front end 17A, and a rear end 17B, and is equipped with a movable plate 17 provided directly below the fixed portion 14, the movable plate 17 being movable between a first position P1 where the rear end 17B overlaps with the fixed portion 14 and a second position P2 where the front end 17A overlaps with the fixed portion 14, a rail member 18 provided on the movable plate 17 and on which a product 46 is placed, a front-extension member 21 that is movable in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18 and stands up from the rail member 18, and that can advance the product 46 by abutting against the product 46 from the rear side, a hook member 33 that is provided to be retractable from the front-extension member 21, and that can engage with the fixed portion 14 to restrict movement behind the fixed portion 14 or be separated from the fixed portion 14, and a biasing member 23 that biases the front-extension member 21 and the hook member 33 in a direction toward each other.

[0062] With this configuration, the hook member 22 can be stopped relative to the moving plate 17, rail member 18, and forward-extending member 21 as they move from the first position P1 to the second position P2. As a result, the biasing member 23 is activated to bias the forward-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 in a direction that brings them closer together. This causes the forward-extending member 21 to be extended relative to the moving plate 17, which generates a forward-extending operating force on the product 46 on the rail member 18, causing the product 46 to be automatically extended forward.

[0063] On the other hand, when the movable plate 17 is in the first position P1, the hook member 22 is separated from the fixed portion 14, allowing the hook member 22 to move freely in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18. The biasing member 23 causes the hook member 22 to be closest to the forward-extension member 21. Therefore, when the movable plate 17 is in the first position P1, the forward-extension operating force of the forward-extension member 21 is not applied to the products 46. Therefore, the store manager can move the forward-extension member 21 to a rear position on the movable plate 17 and replenish new products 46 behind the products 46 remaining on the rail member 18. Because replenishment can be performed without the forward-extension operating force of the forward-extension member 21 being applied, there is no need to hold the forward-extension member 21 with one hand while replenishing the products 46 with the other, and the replenishment work of the products 46 can be performed smoothly with only one hand. [Second Embodiment]

[0064] A second embodiment of the shelf 10 will be described with reference to Figures 18 to 21. As shown in Figure 18, the shelf 10 includes a base 11, a pair of frames 12 standing upright from both rear and opposite ends of the base 11, a back panel 13 extending between the pair of frames 12, a pair of brackets 15 fixed to each of the pair of frames 12, a shelf board 61 fixedly provided between the pair of brackets 15, and a display box 62 provided on the shelf board 61. In this embodiment, the display box 62 can be attached to and detached from the shelf board 61. The display box 62 is an example of a product advance device as defined in the present invention.

[0065] As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the display box 62 comprises a box body 63, a fixed portion 14 spanning between a pair of side walls 63A of the box body 63, a movable plate 17 provided on the bottom wall 63B of the box body 63 and capable of being pulled out in the forward direction F or pushed in in the rearward direction R, a rail member 18 provided on the movable plate 17, a forward-extension member 21 movable in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18, a hook member 22 movable in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18, a biasing member 23 biasing the forward-extension member 21 and the hook member 22 in a direction that brings them closer together, and a partition plate 24 that divides the movable plate 17 along the front-to-rear direction FR.

[0066] The fixed portion 14 includes a metal cross plate 27 extending between the pair of side walls 63A and a resin flat plate 28 attached to the upper surface of the cross plate 27. The cross plate 27 and the flat plate 28 are provided across substantially the entire width of the movable plate 17 and are formed in a strip shape extending in the width direction W. The flat plate 28 is detachably fixed to the cross plate 27 by engaging a claw or the like. The flat plate 28 has a first surface 28A and a second surface 28B opposite the first surface 28A. The second surface 28B of the flat plate 28 abuts against the cross plate 27. The first surface 28A of the flat plate 28 has a plurality of grooves 31 extending in the front-rear direction FR. The flat plate 28 further has a recess 34 at the front end of the second surface 28B for hooking onto an anchor portion 32 of the rail member 18 (described later) and a hook portion 33 of the hook member 22 (described later).

[0067] The movable plate 17 is provided in a flat plate shape. The movable plate 17 has a standing piece 35 with a U-shaped cross section at its front end 17A, which allows the insertion piece 42 of the rail member 18 or the insertion piece 42 of the partition plate 24 to be inserted. In this embodiment, the standing piece 35 serves as a finger hook for the store manager when pulling the movable plate 17 forward. The store manager can pull the movable plate 17 from the second position P2 to the first position P1 by hooking their finger on the standing piece 35 and pulling it forward.

[0068] The rail member 18, the forward-extending member 21, the hook member 22, the biasing member 23, and the partition plate 24 have the same configurations as those in the first embodiment. The rail member 18 is configured to be detachable from the moving plate 17, as shown in FIG.

[0069] The operation of the shelf 10 and display box 62 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 18 to 21. When a store manager wishes to replenish products 46, he or she pulls out the movable plate 17 toward the front. This moves the movable plate 17 from the second position P2 shown in Figures 18 and 19 to the first position P1 shown in Figure 16. In this state, the store manager can replenish new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. The forward-extending member 21 remains in contact with the hook member 22 due to the action of the biasing member 23.

[0070] Prior to replenishing products 46, the store manager first moves the forward-extending member 21 to the rearmost position on the rail member 18, as shown in FIG. 20 . At this time, because the hook member 22 is not engaged with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28), no biasing force is applied to the forward-extending member 21 in the forward direction F. In this state, the engaging portion 44 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, and the fixed portion 14 is housed within the expanded diameter portion 45. In this state, the store manager can move the rail member 18 to any position in the width direction W. Furthermore, because the insertion piece 55 of the partition plate 24 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, the store manager can also move the partition plate 24 to any position in the width direction W. This allows the store manager to smoothly not only replenishing products 46 but also replacing products 46.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 20 , the store manager replenishes new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. After completing the replenishment of products 46, the store manager moves the movable plate 17 from the first position P1 to the second position P2. At this time, as shown in Fig. 17 , the hook members 22 engage with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28) as the movable plate 17 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2. As a result, the hook members 22 move relatively from the rear end 17B toward the front end 17A on the movable plate 17 (in reality, the movable plate 17 moves backward, and the hook members 22 come to a stop together with the fixed portion 14).

[0072] Meanwhile, the rail member 18 and the forward-advancing member 21 move rearward together with the movable plate 17. As a result, the distance between the hook member 22 and the forward-advancing member 21 increases, and the biasing member 23 is activated, biasing the forward-advancing member 21 in a direction toward the hook member 22 and the fixed portion 14. This causes the forward-advancing member 21 to abut against the rear side of the product 46, allowing the product 46 to be advanced within the movable plate 17. As shown in FIG. 21 , when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the engaging portion 44 is inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting movement of the rail member 18 in the width direction W. Therefore, when a differential force is applied by the forward-advancing member 21 to advance the product 46, lateral displacement of the rail member 18 is prevented, and the product 46 does not collapse and shift out of place. Similarly, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the insertion piece 55 of the partition plate 24 is inserted into the groove portion 31 of the fixed portion 14, thereby restricting the movement of the partition plate 24 in the width direction W.

[0073] Therefore, this embodiment also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment.

[0074] Next, a modification of the second embodiment will be described. In the following embodiment, differences from the second embodiment will be mainly described, and a description of common parts with the second embodiment will be omitted. (First modification of the second embodiment)

[0075] 22 to 24, a shelf 10 and a display box 62 according to a first modified example of the second embodiment will be described. In this modified example, the length of the fixed portion 14 in the front-rear direction FR differs from that of the second embodiment. Also, the shape of a portion of the rail member 18 differs from that of the second embodiment. The display box 62 is an example of a product forward-dispatch device as defined in the present invention.

[0076] The fixed portion 14 has a metal cross plate 27 spanning the pair of side walls 63A and a resin flat plate 28 attached to the upper surface of the cross plate 27. The cross plate 27 and the flat plate 28 are provided across substantially the entire width of the movable plate 17 in the width direction W. Furthermore, the cross plate 27 and the flat plate 28 are also provided across substantially the entire width of the movable plate 17 in the front-to-rear direction FR. Therefore, when the movable plate 17 is in the rear second position P2, the fixed portion 14 can cover substantially the entire upper surface of the movable plate 17.

[0077] The flat plate 28 is detachably fixed to the cross plate 27 by engaging a claw or the like. The flat plate 28 has a first surface 28A and a second surface 28B opposite the first surface 28A. The second surface 28B of the flat plate 28 abuts against the cross plate 27. The first surface 28A of the flat plate 28 has a plurality of grooves 31 extending in the front-rear direction. The flat plate 28 further has recesses 34 at the front end of the second surface 28B for hooking onto anchor portions 32 of the rail member 18 (described later) and hook portions 33 of the hook member 22 (described later).

[0078] The rail member 18 has a slide groove 41, an insertion piece 42, a slot 43, an engagement portion 44, an anchor portion 32, and an expanded diameter portion 45. The configurations of the slide groove 41, the insertion piece 42, the engagement portion 44, and the anchor portion 32 are the same as those in the second embodiment. In this modification, the slot 43 and the expanded diameter portion 45 continue to the rear end of the rail member 18.

[0079] The operation of the shelf 10 and display box 62 of this modified example will be described with reference to Figures 22 to 24. When a store manager wishes to replenish products 46, he or she pulls out the movable plate 17 toward the front. This moves the movable plate 17 from the second position P2 shown in Figure 22 to the first position P1 shown in Figure 23. In this state, the store manager can replenish new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. The forward-extending member 21 remains in contact with the hook member 22 due to the action of the biasing member 23.

[0080] Prior to replenishing products 46, the store manager first moves the forward-extending member 21 to the rearmost position on the rail member 18, as shown in FIG. 23 . At this time, because the hook member 22 is not engaged with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28), no biasing force is applied to the forward-extending member 21 in the forward direction F. In this state, the engaging portion 44 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, and the fixed portion 14 is housed within the expanded diameter portion 45. In this state, the store manager can move the rail member 18 to any position in the width direction W. Furthermore, because the insertion piece 55 of the partition plate 24 is not inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, the store manager can also move the partition plate 24 to any position in the width direction W. This allows the store manager to smoothly not only replenishing products 46 but also replacing products 46.

[0081] As shown in Figure 23, the store manager replenishes new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. After completing the replenishment of products 46, the store manager moves the movable plate 17 from the first position P1 to the second position P2. At this time, as shown in Figure 24, as the movable plate 17 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the hook member 22 engages with the front end (recess 34) of the fixed part 14 (flat plate 28). As a result, the hook member 22 moves relatively on the movable plate 17 from the rear end 17B toward the front end 17A (in reality, the movable plate 17 moves backward, and the hook member 22 comes to a stop together with the fixed part 14).

[0082] Meanwhile, the rail member 18 and the forward-advancing member 21 move rearward together with the movable plate 17. As a result, the distance between the hook member 22 and the forward-advancing member 21 increases, and the biasing member 23 is activated to bias the forward-advancing member 21 toward the hook member 22 and the front end of the fixed portion 14. This causes the forward-advancing member 21 to abut against the rear side of the product 46, allowing the product 46 to be advanced within the movable plate 17. As shown in FIG. 21 , when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the engaging portion 44 is inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting movement of the rail member 18 in the width direction W. Therefore, when a differential force is applied by the forward-advancing member 21 to advance the product 46, lateral displacement of the rail member 18 is prevented, and the product 46 does not collapse and shift out of place. Similarly, when the movable plate 17 is in the second position P2, the insertion piece 55 of the partition plate 24 is inserted into the groove portion 31 of the fixed portion 14, thereby restricting the movement of the partition plate 24 in the width direction W.

[0083] Therefore, this embodiment also provides the same advantageous effects as the above-described embodiment. (Second Modification of the Second Embodiment)

[0084] 25 to 28, a shelf 10 and a display box 62 according to a second modified example of the second embodiment will be described. This modified example differs from the second embodiment in that the display box 62 is partitioned to accommodate individual boxes 71. In this modified example, a fixing portion 14 is provided for each individual box 71. Furthermore, this modified example does not include a partition plate 24. The display box 62 is an example of a product advance device as defined in the present invention.

[0085] The display box 62 comprises a box main body 63, individual boxes 71 that can be pulled out individually in the front-to-rear direction FR relative to the box main body 63, a plurality of fixing portions 14 fixed to the bottom wall 63B of the box main body 63, a rail member 18 provided on the bottom wall 63B of the individual box 71, a forward-extending member 21 that can move in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18, a hook member 22 that can move in the front-to-rear direction FR on the rail member 18, and a biasing member 23 that biases the forward-extending member 21 and the hook member 22 in a direction that brings them closer together.

[0086] The individual box 71 has a bottom wall 63B and a side wall 63A surrounding the bottom wall 63B. The bottom wall 63B has a center portion with a through-hole 72 that is elongated in the front-rear direction. The bottom wall 63B of the individual box 71 is an example of the movable plate referred to in the present invention.

[0087] The fixing portion 14 has a flat plate 28 and legs 73 that protrude downward from the flat plate 28 and are fixed to the box body 63. The flat plate 28 and legs 73 of the fixing portion 14 are integrally molded from a resin material. The fixing portion 14 is formed in the shape of a long, narrow strip extending in the width direction W. The fixing portion 14 is provided so as to span substantially the entire width of the individual box 71 in the width direction W. The legs 73 are passed through through holes 72 and fixed to insertion holes 74 of the box body 63.

[0088] The flat plate 28 has a first surface 28A and a second surface 28B opposite the first surface 28A. Legs 73 protrude from the second surface 28B of the flat plate 28. The flat plate 28 has a plurality of grooves 31 extending in the front-rear direction FR on the first surface 28A. The flat plate 28 further has recesses 34 at the front end of the second surface 28B for receiving anchor portions 32 (described later) of the rail member 18 and hook portions 33 (described later) of the hook member 22.

[0089] The operation of the shelf 10 and display box 62 of this modified example will be described with reference to Figures 25 to 28. When a store manager wishes to replenish products 46, he or she pulls out the individual box 71 toward the front. This moves the individual box 71 (movable plate) from the second position P2 shown in Figure 25 to the first position P1 shown in Figure 27. In this state, the store manager can replenish new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. The forward-extending member 21 remains in contact with the hook member 22 due to the action of the biasing member 23.

[0090] Prior to replenishing products 46, the store manager first moves the front-extending member 21 to the rearmost position on the rail member 18, as shown in Figure 27. At this time, because the hook member 22 is not engaged with the fixed portion 14 (flat plate 28), no biasing force is applied to the front-extending member 21 in the forward direction F. In this state, the engaging portion 44 is not inserted into the groove portion 31 of the fixed portion 14, and the fixed portion 14 is housed within the expanded diameter portion 45. In this state, the store manager can move the rail member 18 to any position in the width direction W within the individual box 71.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 27 , the store manager replenishes new products 46 behind the remaining products 46. After completing the replenishment of the products 46, the store manager moves the individual box 71 (movable plate) from the first position P1 to the second position P2. At this time, as shown in FIG. 28 , as the individual box 71 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the hook member 22 engages with the front end (recess 34) of the fixing part 14 (flat plate 28). This causes the hook member 22 to move relatively above the individual box 71 from the rear end 17B toward the front end 17A (in reality, the individual box 71 moves backward, and the hook member 22 comes to a stop together with the fixing part 14).

[0092] Meanwhile, the rail member 18 and the forward-advancing member 21 move rearward together with the individual box 71 (movable plate). This increases the distance between the hook member 22 and the forward-advancing member 21, activating the biasing member 23 and biasing the forward-advancing member 21 toward the hook member 22 and the front end of the fixed portion 14. This causes the forward-advancing member 21 to abut against the rear of the product 46, allowing the product 46 to be advanced forward within the individual box 71. As shown in FIG. 28 , when the individual box 71 is in the second position P2, the engaging portion 44 is inserted into the groove 31 of the fixed portion 14, restricting the rail member 18 from moving in the width direction W. Therefore, when a differential force is applied by the forward-advancing member 21 to advance the product 46, the rail member 18 is prevented from shifting sideways, preventing the product 46 from collapsing and shifting out of position. In this embodiment, products 46 can be replenished individually for each individual box 71.

[0093] Therefore, this embodiment also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment.

[0094] The above-described embodiment can be implemented with various further substitutions and modifications, and it goes without saying that the above-described different embodiments can be appropriately combined to form a single invention.

[0095] 10 shelf 14 fixed portion 17 moving plate 17A front end portion 17B rear end portion 18 rail member 21 forward-extending member 22 hook member 23 biasing member 28A first surface 28B second surface W width direction F front direction R rear direction 31 groove portion 32 anchor portion P1 first position P2 second position 42 insertion piece 43 slot 44 engagement portion 45 enlarged diameter portion 46 product

Claims

1. A product advance-advance device comprising: a fixed portion, a movable plate having a front end and a rear end and disposed directly below the fixed portion, the movable plate being movable between a first position where the rear end overlaps with the fixed portion and a second position where the front end overlaps with the fixed portion; a rail member disposed on the movable plate and on which a product is placed; a forward-advance member that is movable in the front-to-rear direction on the rail member, is disposed so as to stand up from the rail member, and is able to advance the product by abutting against the product from the rear; a hook member that is movable in the front-to-rear direction on the rail member at a position below the product, the hook member being able to engage with the fixed portion to restrict movement behind the fixed portion or to be separated from the fixed portion; and a biasing member that biases the forward-advance member and the hook member in the direction in which they approach each other.

2. A product advance device as described in claim 1, wherein the fixed portion has a first surface having a plurality of grooves extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a second surface opposite the first surface, and extends in a band-like shape in the width direction, and the rail member has: a slot capable of accommodating the fixed portion; an engaging portion provided on the front side of the slot, protruding into the slot, and capable of engaging with one of the plurality of grooves when the movable plate is in the second position; and an enlarged portion provided on the rear side of the slot, capable of accommodating the fixed portion with a gap between it and the fixed portion when the movable plate is in the first position.

3. A product advance device according to claim 2, wherein the rail member has an anchor portion provided on the front side of the slot and engaging with the second surface of the fixing portion.

4. A product forward-dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the rail member has an insertion piece that can be inserted into or removed from a groove provided at the front end of the moving plate.

5. The product advance device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

6. A product advance-advance device comprising: a fixed portion, a movable plate having a front end and a rear end and disposed directly below the fixed portion, the movable plate being movable between a first position where the rear end overlaps with the fixed portion and a second position where the front end overlaps with the fixed portion; a rail member disposed on the movable plate and on which a product is placed; a forward-advance member that is movable in the front-rear direction on the rail member, is disposed so as to stand up from the rail member, and is able to advance the product by abutting against the product from the rear; a hook member that is disposed at a position below the forward-advance member and can be pulled out from the forward-advance member, and can engage with the fixed portion to restrict movement behind the fixed portion or be separated from the fixed portion; and a biasing member that biases the forward-advance member and the hook member in the direction in which they approach each other.

Images