Slidable coupling components for shelf management systems

Abstract

Self-fronting merchandise pusher systems. Numerous products in a store are merchandised on shelves and spring-biased pushers are used to urge products toward the front edge of the shelf on which the products are displayed and stored. Each pusher is generally mounted on a track, and each pusher track is generally positioned between two divider walls or between a divider wall and an end wall. Each pusher is independently biased towards the front of the shelf. The system provides an improved apparatus for coupling any of the longitudinal members, such as the pusher tracks, divider walls or integrated divider/pusher tracks, to the shelf-mounting member. The shelf-mounting member forms an alignment track for selective and slidable coupling with the longitudinal members. The coupling is designed to resist sliding when the coupling is under torque.

1 . A system for self-fronting merchandise comprising: 
 an elongated shelf-mounting member adapted for being secured along the front edge of a shelf and having at least one fitting adapted for coupling to a longitudinal member such as a divider wall or a track having a pusher;    an elongated ridge of a first material protruding generally upwardly from the shelf-mounting member, the ridge having a cross-section with a generally bulbous head supported by a relatively slender stem and adapted for being received into a groove formed of a second material and disposed on the end of the longitudinal member for securing the longitudinal member into a generally perpendicular relationship with the shelf-mounting member, wherein the shelf-mounting member is made from a polymer composition that is different than the composition of either the divider wall or the track.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is styrene.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second material is a polyester.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the polyester is selected from polyethylene terephthalate, a modified polyethylene terephthalate, and polycarbonate.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the groove does not contact the bulbous head of the ridge on a substantial portion of the surface of the bulbous head.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf-mounting member is extruded.  
   
   
       7 . A self-fronting merchandise system, comprising: 
 an elongated transverse shelf-mounting member having a base suitable for being secured along a top front edge of a shelf, a front wall extending upward from the base suitable for aligning merchandise, and an elongated coupling element extending upward from the base and running along the length of the shelf-mounting member to form an alignment track; and    a plurality of longitudinal members selected from divider walls, pusher tracks and combinations thereof, each longitudinal member having a proximal end that includes a slidable coupling element that is selectively securable to the alignment track at any point along the length of the alignment track;    wherein the composition of the elongate coupling element and the composition of the slidable coupling element are selected to produce sufficient friction between the secured coupling elements such that each longitudinal member is slidable along the length of the alignment track under a force that is substantially collinear with the alignment track, yet each longitudinal member resists sliding under a force that creates torque between the longitudinal member and the alignment track.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal members are injection molded.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal members are made from styrene.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the shelf-mounting member is extruded.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the shelf-mounting member is made from a polyester.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the polyester is selected from polyethylene terephthalate, a modified polyethylene terephthalate, and polycarbonate.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the elongated coupling element is a tongue and the slidable coupling element is a groove.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the tongue has a bulbous distal end, and wherein the groove receives the bulbous distal end and provides a gap around the bulbous end.