Universal product display and shelf therefor

Abstract

A shelf for displaying products is disclosed, the shelf comprising opposing left and right side wall members and opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members. Each of the front and rear divider support members comprise a plurality of vertically oriented slots spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf. The shelf includes at least one elongated divider having a front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot in the front divider support member and a rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot in the rear divider support member. The divider is adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal slot positions along a width of the shelf and is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and spaced above a removable tray.

1 . A product display, comprising:
 a support frame;   at least one shelf supported by the support frame, the shelf comprising opposing front and rear divider support members and opposing left and right side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf; and   at least one elongated divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that the at least one divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the at least one divider being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member;   wherein the at least one divider is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members.   
     
     
         2 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein each of the front and rear divider support members further comprises a bottom portion that extends horizontally along the width of the divider support members, the front end portion of the at least one divider is supported by the bottom portion of the front divider support member, and the rear end portion of the at least one divider is supported by the bottom portion of the rear divider support member. 
     
     
         3 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear divider support members each further comprise a vertically oriented lower lip that extends horizontally along the width of the divider support members, wherein the lower lips together restrict the motion of the at least one divider in the frontward and rearward directions. 
     
     
         4 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the rear divider support member is supported entirely by the left and right side wall members. 
     
     
         5 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf further comprises a removable tray that forms a floor of the shelf for supporting products on the shelf, and the at least one divider is spaced above the tray and does not contact the tray, such that the tray can be removed from the shelf without removing or adjusting the at least one divider. 
     
     
         6 . The product display of  claim 5 , wherein the tray is supported by horizontal flanges of the left and right side wall members and the tray can be inserted and removed from the shelf by sliding the tray through a rear opening in the shelf that is defined by the rear divider support member above the rear opening and the horizontal flanges below the rear opening. 
     
     
         7 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the rear divider support member further comprises a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a top lip and a bottom lip, each extending horizontally between the left and right side wall members;
 wherein the front portion is generally in a plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion extends rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion extends rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip extends downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the lower lip extends upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion.   
     
     
         8 . The product display of  claim 7 , wherein the slots in the rear divider support member each comprise a front opening and a top opening, the front opening extending from the bottom portion upwardly across the front portion and to the top portion, and the top opening extending from a top end of the front opening rearwardly into the top portion. 
     
     
         9 . The product display of  claim 8 , wherein, when the at least one divider is being inserted into the shelf, the rear end portion of the divider enters top opening of a selected slot in the rear divider support member and slides downwardly into the front opening of the selected slot until the rear end portion of the divider contacts the bottom portion of the rear divider support member. 
     
     
         10 . The product display of  claim 10 , wherein, when the rear end portion of the at least one divider is positioned with the selected slot of the rear divider support member and is supported by the bottom portion of the rear divider support member, a top edge of the rear end portion of the divider is positioned below the top opening of the selected slot. 
     
     
         11 . The product display of  claim 8 , wherein the slots of the front divider support member correspond in horizontal alignment with the slots of the rear divider support member, and wherein the slots of the front divider support member each comprise a top opening and a rear opening such that when the at least one divider is being inserted into the shelf, the front end portion of the divider enters the top opening of a selected slot in the front divider support member and slides downwardly into the rear opening of the selected slot until the front end portion of the divider contacts a bottom portion of the front divider support member. 
     
     
         12 . The product display of  claim 11 , wherein at least one pair of slots having the same horizontal position each include an indicator feature that is not included in immediately adjacent slots, the pair of slots including one slot in the front divider support member and one slot in the rear divider support member, such that the front slots can be indexed relative to the rear slots without respect to the left or right side wall members or inserted dividers. 
     
     
         13 . The product display of  claim 12 , wherein the indicator features are included in a plurality of pairs of slots each spaced a regular number of slots apart from one another. 
     
     
         14 . The product display of  claim 12 , wherein, for each of the pair of slots, the indicator features comprise a first notch positioned at the top opening of the rear slot of the pair of slots, and a second notch positioned at a the top opening of the front slot of the pair of slots, such that the indicator features are readily visible when the shelf is viewed from above. 
     
     
         15 . The product display of  claim 7 , wherein the rear divider support member defines a channel extending horizontally along its length, and wherein the rear end portion of the at least one divider is positioned within the channel when engaged by one of the slots of the rear divider support member. 
     
     
         16 . A shelf for displaying products, the shelf comprising:
 opposing left and right side wall members;   opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf;   at least one elongated divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that the at least one divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the at least one divider being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member; and   a removable tray that forms a floor of the shelf for supporting products on the shelf, wherein the at least one divider is suspended above the tray by the front and rear divider support members and a lower edge of the divider is spaced from the top surface of the tray, such that the tray can be removed from the shelf without removing or adjusting the at least one divider.   
     
     
         17 . The shelf of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one divider is entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and does not contact the tray. 
     
     
         18 . The shelf of  claim 17 , wherein the rear divider support member further comprises a front portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a top lip and a bottom lip, each extending horizontally between the left and right side wall members;
 wherein the front portion is generally in a plane that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the top portion extends rearwardly from an upper edge of the front portion, the bottom portion extends rearwardly from a lower edge of the front portion, the top lip extends downwardly from a rear edge of the top portion, and the lower lip extends upwardly from a rear edge of bottom portion.   
     
     
         19 . The shelf of  claim 18 , wherein the slots in the rear divider support member each comprise a front opening and a top opening, the front opening extending from the bottom portion upwardly across the front portion and to the top portion, and the top opening extending from a top end of the front opening rearwardly into the top portion. 
     
     
         20 . A product display, comprising:
 a support frame and a plurality of shelves, each shelf supported by the frame in a tilted position with a rear end of the shelf higher than a front end, each shelf comprising:   opposing left and right side wall members and opposing front and rear divider support members supported by the side wall members, each of the front and rear divider support members comprising a plurality of vertically oriented slots, the slots being spaced horizontally from one other along a width of the shelf;   a removable tray supported by the side wall members and positioned beneath the divider support members, the tray having an upper sliding surface for supporting products that can slide in a direction from the rear end to the front end of the shelf under gravity, a plurality of drainage grooves formed in the upper surface of the tray, the drainage grooves extending lengthwise of the tray, an arced collection groove in a front end portion of the tray and in liquid communication with each of the drainage grooves, at least one drain hole passing through the tray and in liquid communication with the collection groove, wherein liquid in the drainage grooves is directed to flow by gravity through the drainage grooves into the collection groove and through the drain hole; and   a plurality of elongated dividers, each divider having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the front end portion configured to be received within a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the front divider support member and the rear end portion configured to be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality slots of the rear divider support member such that each divider is supported between the front and rear divider support members, the dividers being adjustable to a plurality of discrete horizontal positions along a width of the shelf with each discrete horizontal position corresponding to a respective one of the slots of the front divider support member and a corresponding one of the slots of the rear divider support member, wherein the dividers are entirely supported by the front and rear divider support members and spaced above the tray.