Display shelf for stackable products

Abstract

A display shelf which employs a mounting or support panel for attachment to one face of a transparent wall is provided with a floor which projects horizontally from the support panel, a containment wall which projects upwardly from the floor, and a retaining wall positioned above and in register with the containment wall to retain products stacked on products resting on the floor. The support panel does not extend above the floor so that product resting on the floor and product stacked thereon are directly visible through the transparent wall. The containment wall and/or retaining wall may be appropriately shaped to provide individual compartments for each unit of product displayed. Advertising material may be displayed on the support panel adjacent the transparent wall.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A shelf for supporting and displaying stackable products having a finite vertical height adjacent one face of a substantially transparent panel comprising: 
 (a) a support panel having a first face lying in a substantially vertical plane and defining a lower edge, first and second laterally opposed end edges, and an upper edge;    (b) a floor having a top face lying in a substantially horizontal plane substantially normal to and intersecting said vertical plane of the support panel between the laterally opposed ends of the support panel;    (c) a containment wall extending upwardly from the top face of said floor with a substantial portion thereof spaced horizontally from and substantially parallel with the plane of said first face of said support panel; and    (d) a retaining wall supported on said support panel above said top face of said floor a distance greater than the finite height of stackable products to be placed on said floor and substantially in register with said containment wall.    
     
     
         2 . A shelf as defined in  claim 1  wherein said support panel displays advertising material on a portion of the front face thereof between said laterally opposed edges and below said floor.  
     
     
         3 . A shelf as defined in  claim 1  wherein said containment wall includes a plurality of sections with each section shaped to define a containment compartment for an individual product.  
     
     
         4 . A shelf as defined in  claim 3  wherein said containment wall comprises a plurality of joined semi-cylindrical sections.  
     
     
         5 . A shelf as defined in  claim 3  wherein said retaining wall includes a plurality of sections with each section shaped to define a retaining wall for an individual product.  
     
     
         6 . A shelf as defined in  claim 4  wherein said retaining wall comprises a plurality of joined semi-cylindrical sections, each aligned with a corresponding semi-cylindrical section of said containment wall.  
     
     
         7 . A shelf as defined in  claim 1  wherein said containment wall defines openings which aid in removal of product from said shelf.  
     
     
         8 . A shelf as defined in  claim 1  wherein the ends of said containment wall and said retaining wall joins said support panel at positions interiorly spaced from said first and second laterally opposed edges and said support panel extends upwardly from the plane of the floor and outwardly from the ends of said containment wall to define spaced apart support flanges.  
     
     
         9 . A shelf as defined in  claim 8  including at least one mounting slot in each said support flange.  
     
     
         10 . The combination comprising: 
 (a) a substantially transparent wall having first and second oppositely disposed and substantially vertically aligned faces; and    (b) a shelf for supporting and displaying stackable products adjacent the first face of said substantially transparent wall comprising: 
 (i) a support panel having a first face lying in a substantially vertical plane and defining a lower edge, first and second laterally opposed end edges, and an upper edge;  
 (ii) a floor having a top face lying in a substantially horizontal plane substantially normal to and intersecting said vertical plane of the support panel between the laterally opposed ends of the support panel;  
 (iii) a containment wall extending upwardly from the top face of said floor with a substantial portion thereof spaced horizontally from and substantially parallel with the plane of said first face of said support panel;  
 (iv) a retaining wall supported on said support panel above and substantially in register with said containment wall; and  
 (v) means attaching said support panel to and substantially parallel with the first face of said substantially transparent wall.  
   
     
     
         11 . The combination defined in  claim 10  wherein said substantially transparent wall forms at least part of one wall of a refrigerated vault.  
     
     
         12 . The combination defined in  claim 10  wherein said substantially transparent wall forms at least part of a door.  
     
     
         13 . The combination defined in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 (i) a first stackable product arranged substantially vertically on said floor and visible through said substantially transparent wall; and  
 (ii) a second stackable product arranged substantially vertically on said first stackable product and visible through said substantially transparent wall.