Pusher-type display system

Abstract

A display device has a spring-biased pusher ( 20 ) carried on an elongate track ( 24 ). A sample carrier may be located at a front end of the track. A number of such tracks and pushers may be arrayed side-by-side with one or more pitch(es) corresponding to the products ( 500 ) being displayed in a number of columns or lanes ( 510 -A- 510 -N) associated with each track and pusher. The sample carrier may include a principal portion ( 220 ) unitarily formed with the track and one or more additional portions ( 250;272 ) securable thereto to retain the sample ( 236 ).

1 . A display device comprising: 
 an elongate track extending from back to front ends;    a pusher carried on the track for reciprocal sliding movement between rearward and forward positions;    a spring biasing the pusher forward; and    a sample carrier at the track front end.    
   
   
       2 . A combination of a plurality of devices of  claim 1  wherein: 
 each such device is positioned in a side-by-side array on an upper surface of a common shelf; and    there are a plurality of product-carrying lanes, each lane associated with one said pusher so that the pusher presses forward on a column of products in such lane to bias such column against a stop surface proximate the sample carrier.    
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 2  further comprising an end member at the extreme first end of the array and cooperating with the adjacent device to define the extreme first end lane.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the spring is a negator spring.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein an outer end of the spring is secured to a forward portion of the track and a coiling portion is carried by the pusher.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the carrier includes: 
 a base, unitarily formed with at least a major portion of the track;    a cover having first surfaces positioned to engage with mating surfaces of the base when installed thereon; and    a sample-holding insert installable to the cover via a sliding translation prior to installation of the cover to the base but not nondestructively removable while the cover is in an installed condition.    
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the insert carries a sample of hair or a hair simulant.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the sample is permanently adhered to the insert.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein: 
 the cover comprises a single piece of molded plastic;    the insert comprises a single piece of molded plastic;    the cover is at least for a partial area transparent; and    the track member has a plurality of predefined relieved areas permitting predetermined rearward portions of the track to be broken off to shorten the track to accommodate a shelf having a particular depth onto which the track is placed.    
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1  including said sample and wherein the carrier comprises: 
 a base portion unitarily molded with a portion of the track; and    means for mounting the sample to the base portion.    
   
   
       11 . A device comprising: 
 a hair or hair stimulant sample; and    a molded sample holder to which the sample is secured having: 
 means for slidably guiding insertion of the sample holder into a mating cover member.  
   
   
   
       12 . A display device comprising: 
 an elongate track extending from back to front ends;    a pusher carried on the track for reciprocal sliding movement between rearward and forward positions;    a first spring biasing the pusher forward; and    a second spring biasing the pusher rearward in at least a first condition.    
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the second spring is nondestructively disengageable by a user to place the display in a second condition wherein the second spring does not bias the pusher rearward.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the first and second springs are negator springs, each having a coiling portion carried by the pusher and a distal end portion secured to the track.    
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the first spring exerts a bias force of between 120% and 300% of a bias force exerted by the second spring at least along a majority of a distance between said rearward and forward positions.    
   
   
       16 . A display device comprising: 
 an elongate track member extending from back to front ends;    a pusher carried on the track for reciprocal sliding movement between rearward and forward positions; and    a first spring biasing the pusher forwardly,    wherein the pusher has first and second conditions presenting relatively narrow and wide contact spans for articles being displayed.    
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein said pusher has a face plate portion rotatable between first and seconds orientations about a front-to-back axis in said first and second conditions, respectively, to present said relatively narrow and wide contact spans.  
   
   
       18 . A display device comprising: 
 an elongate track member extending from back to front ends;    a pusher carried on the track for reciprocal sliding movement between rearward and forward positions;    a first spring biasing the pusher forwardly; and    a mounting element having depending mounting prongs for engaging mounting holes of a shelf supporting the device and held relative to the track for transverse movement governed by a detent mechanism.    
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein: 
 said mounting element comprises a single molded piece with said prongs depending from an underside of a body plate; and    said detent mechanism comprises a plurality of transversely arrayed detents on an upper surface of said body plate and a flexible catch engaged thereto.    
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said detent mechanism has a detent pitch of 0.125 inch (3.2 mm) or less.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 18  in combination with a support shelf, the mounting holes of which are at a first pitch and wherein said detent mechanism has a detent pitch less than the first pitch.