Adjustable Merchandise Tray With Spring Pusher and Rotating Retainer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelf systems fail to efficiently display and push products towards the front of shelves, especially in cooler or refrigerator sections, where products like soft drinks and bottled beverages need to be visible and accessible, due to limitations in adjustable width and retention mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable tray system with dividers that can be adjusted laterally to accommodate various product sizes, a pusher mechanism using a coiled spring, and a retainer that can rotate to guide and retain products, allowing for optimal product placement and easy loading/unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-width tray is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate products of various widths
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple sections with adjustable dividers that can be positioned at different locations along the tray length. This segmentation allows the tray to be customized for different product widths while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The dividers act as independent segments that can be repositioned without redesigning the entire tray.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray incorporates adjustable and movable components such as dividers that can be repositioned along the tray. This dynamic capability allows the tray configuration to adapt to different product sizes and widths, transforming a static structure into a versatile, adjustable system without significantly increasing complexity.
2Productivity
If products are placed manually, then no additional mechanisms are needed, but product placement efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher mechanism is designed to automatically push products forward along the tray without requiring manual intervention. Once products are loaded onto the tray, the pusher system self-activates to move them toward the display area, eliminating the need for continuous manual placement while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pusher mechanism performs the action of moving products forward in advance, before consumers need to access them. This preliminary action ensures products are consistently positioned at the front of the display, improving accessibility without requiring repeated manual intervention during the display period.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a simple retainer structure is used, then the device is simple, but it cannot effectively guide and retain products in multiple positions
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer structure is segmented into multiple retention positions or zones along the tray, each capable of holding products at different locations. This segmentation allows the same retainer component to serve multiple functions and retain products in various positions without requiring entirely separate retainer structures for each position.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer mechanism is designed as a multi-functional component that can retain products at multiple positions and serve both guidance and retention functions. This universal design allows a single retainer structure to perform multiple tasks (guiding products during loading, retaining products at different positions, and working with the pusher mechanism) without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures products are consistently displayed at the front of shelves, enhancing visibility and accessibility while allowing for easy adjustment and loading, even in constrained spaces, thereby improving merchandising efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pusher mechanism using a coiled spring
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 pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer, 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.