Tray with fronting member, associated displays and methods

Abstract

A display for displaying a product for customer selection at a retail location is provided. The display includes a plurality of stacked trays carrying product, each tray comprising a bottom and a fronting member. The fronting member of the trays is configured to move relative to the bottom to move the product along the bottom toward an end of the bottom.

1 . A method of shipping product within a tray from a first location to a second location remote from the first location, the method comprising: 
 placing product in the tray at the first location, the tray including a bottom upon which the product rests and a fronting member slidably connected to the tray, the fronting member of the tray being moveable relative to the bottom to move the product placed in the tray along the bottom toward a front of the tray; and    transporting the tray with the product placed therein to the second location.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a display at the second location using the tray with the product, the display arranged and configured to allow a customer to remove the product from the tray, the fronting member of the tray being moveable relative to the bottom to move the product placed in the tray along the bottom toward the customer.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising transporting the tray from the second location to the first location for refilling of the tray after the product placed in the tray is removed.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising 
 placing products in multiple trays, each tray including a bottom upon which product rests and a fronting member slidably connected to the tray;    transporting the trays with the products to the second location; and    forming a display at the second location using the trays with the products, the display arranged and configured to allow a customer to remove the product from at least one tray, the fronting member of the at least one tray being moveable relative to the bottom to move the product along the bottom toward the customer.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of forming a display using the trays with the products includes stacking the trays, wherein an upper tray exposing product carried by the tray.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising supporting the weight of the upper tray using a lower tray.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising building a shipping unit comprising the trays with the product prior to the step of transporting the trays to the second location.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising stacking the trays with the product upon a crate.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising filling the crate with containers of milk.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the crate has an open top with the trays stacked thereon, at least one tray having a length that spans the open top of the crate.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of forming a display using the tray with the product includes placing the tray on a shelf of the display.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising washing the tray.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a container of yogurt.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising placing products in multiple trays, each tray including a bottom upon which product rests and a fronting member slidably connected to the tray; and 
 stacking the trays on a pallet.    
   
   
       15 . A tray for transporting and displaying a product at a retail location for customer selection, the tray comprising: 
 a bottom having a first end and a second end and a slide region along which the product can slide between the first end and the second end; and    a fronting member slidable relative to the bottom, the fronting member having a front and a back, the front of the fronting member configured for use in grasping the fronting member and moving the back of the fronting member toward the first end of the bottom, the back of the fronting member spanning the slide region and configured to engage products disposed on the bottom for moving products along the slide region toward the first end of the bottom;    wherein the tray is configured to be repeatedly cycled between a filling operation at a facility remote from the retail location and a displaying operation at the retail location where the product is displayed for customer selection.    
   
   
       16 . The tray of  claim 15  further comprising a bumper located at the first end of the bottom.  
   
   
       17 . The tray of  claim 15 , wherein the fronting member is configured to be grasped and moved manually.  
   
   
       18 . A display for displaying a product for customer selection at a retail location, the display comprising a plurality of stacked trays carrying product, each tray comprising a bottom and a fronting member, the fronting member of the trays configured to move relative to the bottom to move the product along the bottom toward an end of the bottom.  
   
   
       19 . The display of  claim 18 , wherein an upper tray of the stacked trays is anchored in place using a lower tray of the stacked trays.  
   
   
       20 . The display of  claim 18 , wherein products carried by an upper tray are exposed for customer selection.  
   
   
       21 . The display of  claim 20 , wherein products carried by a lower tray are covered by the upper tray.  
   
   
       22 . The display of  claim 18 , wherein the display is refrigerated.  
   
   
       23 . The display of  claim 22 , wherein the products are containers of yogurt.  
   
   
       24 . The display of  claim 18  further comprising nesting structure that anchors the upper tray and lower tray together.  
   
   
       25 . The display of  claim 18 , wherein the fronting member having a front and a back, the front of the fronting member configured for use in grasping the fronting member and moving the back of the fronting member toward the first end of the bottom, the back of the fronting member spanning the slide region and configured to engage products disposed on the bottom for moving products along the bottom toward a front of the display.  
   
   
       26 . A method of building a display at a retail location, the method comprising: 
 positioning a first tray filled with products on the display, the first tray comprising a first bottom along which the products can slide and a first fronting member having a first front configured for use in manually grasping the first fronting member and a first back capable of engaging the products disposed on the first bottom to move the products along the first bottom in response to manually pulling the first front; and    stacking a second tray filled with products on top of the first tray, the second tray comprising a second bottom along which the products can slide and a second fronting member having a second front configured for use in manually grasping the second fronting member and a second back capable of engaging the products disposed on the second bottom to move the products along the second bottom in response to manually pulling the second front.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first and second trays are filled at a location remote from the display.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of stacking includes nesting the second tray with the first tray.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising inhibiting removal of product from the first tray using the second tray.