Package conveyor

Abstract

A product puller for moving products or items within a shelving or other storage unit. The product puller includes a sheet having a surface for supporting one or more products thereon, a product backstop, and a means for moving the product puller in a desired direction. For example, the product puller finds use in moving a product located thereon forward or backward relative to a front edge of a shelf or storage unit.

1 . An apparatus for conveying merchandise on a shelf in a selected direction relative to a front edge of the shelf, said apparatus comprising: 
 a sheet member having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, and a rear end;    a means for grasping said sheet member located adjacent said front end of said sheet member; and    a backstop located adjacent said rear end of said sheet member.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said grasping means comprises at least one of a slot, a hole, and a handle.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sheet housing located adjacent a front end of an associated shelf, said sheet housing defining a generally hollow interior and comprising an opening located adjacent an upper portion of said housing, said opening being dimensioned for receiving said sheet member wherein said sheet member enters said sheet housing as said sheet member is advanced forward on an associated shelf.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said backstop comprises a generally vertical wall.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said backstop further comprises a generally horizontal wall and an angled wall located distal to said generally horizontal wall.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a tether system connected to an associated shelf, said tether system comprising a tether connected to said sheet member.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said tether is connected to said backstop.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said tether system further comprises a mounting bracket connected to the associated shelf.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein a portion of said mounting bracket serves as an end stop to limit a rearward movement of said sheet member.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a self-coiling material.  
     
     
         11 . A product puller for moving objects forward on a shelf, said product puller comprising: 
 an elongated sheet member including a top surface for supporting associated merchandise items on an associated shelf having a front end;    means for grasping said sheet member to advance said sheet member toward the associated shelf front end; and    mounting means for mounting said sheet member to the associated shelf.    
     
     
         12 . The product puller according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 said mounting means comprises (i) first and second opposing side members, said side members being transversely disposed relative to a front end of an associated shelf, and (ii) a plurality of rollers disposed between said side members; and    wherein said sheet member comprises a continuous belt, said sheet member being disposed about said plurality of rollers.    
     
     
         13 . The product puller according to  claim 11 , wherein said mounting means comprises first and second product dividers, said product dividers each comprising a generally vertical wall, and a generally horizontal wall, wherein said generally horizontal of each divider extends toward the other divider.  
     
     
         14 . The product puller accordingly to  claim 11 , wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of opposing product dividers disposed generally transverse to a front of an associated shelf, said product dividers comprising a generally vertical wall, a first lower flange generally perpendicular to said vertical wall and oriented toward said opposing product divider, and a second lower flange, generally perpendicular to said vertical wall and opposite said first lower flange for mounting a sheet member of an adjacent product puller.  
     
     
         15 . An assembly for conveying items on a shelf, said assembly comprising: 
 a one-piece product puller comprising (i) a sheet member comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, a back end, and a longitudinal axis; (ii) a backstop; and (iii) a slot for grasping said product puller.    
     
     
         16 . The assembly according to  claim 15 , further comprising a tether system mounted to an associated shelf, said tether system comprising a tether connected to said sheet member.  
     
     
         17 . The assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein said sheet member is slidable along a surface of an associated shelf, and said tether includes a resilient material and exhibits a biasing force sufficient to bias an empty sheet toward a back of an associated shelf, said biasing force being too weak to bias said sheet member towards the back of the associated shelf when at least one item is disposed on said top surface of said sheet member.  
     
     
         18 . The assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said front end of said sheet member is rounded, and said back end of said sheet member is generally square.  
     
     
         19 . The assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said slot is oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis of said sheet member.  
     
     
         20 . The assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said backstop includes a generally vertical wall portion of said sheet member.