Adjustable Merchandise Tray With Reconfigurable Product Lanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelf systems fail to efficiently display and advance products of varying sizes towards the front for optimal visibility and accessibility, particularly in refrigerated sections, as they lack adjustable mechanisms to accommodate different product dimensions and sizes.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable tray system with interchangeable dividers and cams that allow for adjustable lane sizes, featuring a retainer for product containment and a pusher mechanism to advance products, ensuring optimal visibility and accessibility by accommodating various product sizes and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-size trays are used in merchandise display systems, then manufacturing and inventory management are simplified, but the system cannot accommodate products of varying sizes efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple sections with removable and reconfigurable dividers that can be adjusted to create different lane sizes. This segmentation allows the same tray base to accommodate various product sizes by reconfiguring the internal dividers rather than requiring multiple fixed-size trays.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray incorporates adjustable and movable components including removable dividers, adjustable lane width mechanisms, and reconfigurable sections that allow the tray structure to dynamically adapt to different product dimensions. This transforms a static fixed-size tray into a dynamic, reconfigurable display solution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple tray sizes are maintained in inventory to accommodate different products, then product accommodation flexibility is improved, but inventory complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single universal tray design with reconfigurable features serves multiple product size requirements. The tray includes adjustable dividers and modifiable sections that allow one tray type to fulfill the function of what would traditionally require multiple specialized tray sizes, thereby reducing inventory variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray system allows for easy removal, repositioning, and reconfiguration of divider components. These components can be discarded from one configuration and recovered/reused in another, enabling the same physical tray to be repeatedly reconfigured for different product sizes without requiring additional trays.
3Ease of operation
If products are placed toward the front of the shelf for visibility, then consumer accessibility is improved, but product stability and containment become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tray incorporates localized containment features such as front retainers, side walls, and adjustable dividers positioned at specific locations. These local structural elements provide product containment and stability while allowing the majority of the product to be positioned toward the front for visibility and accessibility. Each section of the tray has tailored properties to address specific containment needs.
Data Source
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AI summary
An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system may include a retainer for limiting the movement of products loaded in the adjustable tray, a first divider extending from a first panel and second divider extending from a second panel. The spacing between the first divider and the second divider can be configured to be adjusted. The first panel and the second panel can be configured to move to provide additional surface area for the adjustable tray to accommodate different sized products. The adjustable tray may further include a pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer.