Sliding and Tilting Shelves, Especially for Use in a Refrigerated Mechandise Display

Abstract

A shelf system for use in displaying and storing merchandise is especially suited for use in a refrigerated or chiller compartment that can be used with other conventional display sections. The shelving system or unit includes a squared frame that is mounted in a refrigeration compartment. Side or knife brackets are mounted on opposite sides of the frame and shelves on which items of merchandise are stored in spring loaded pusher track systems are mounted on the side brackets. Guide members mounted on the side brackets allow the shelves to slide between a retracted and an extended position on a planar path, but when the shelves reach the extended position, the glide members tilt allowing the shelves to tile for easier access to items stored thereon.

1 . A shelf assembly for use in storing and displaying merchandise, the shelf assembly comprising:
 a pair of side brackets mountable on a frame, each side bracket including a glide member mounted on an interior surface;   at least one shelf subassembly positioned between and supported by the pair of side brackets, each shelf subassembly including outwardly facing slide channels extending along the side of each shelf subassembly, the glide members on the side brackets being received within the slide channels so that the shelf subassembly can travel fore and aft, between a retracted position and an extended position, relative to the pair of side brackets as the glide members ride within the slide channels;   the shelf assembly being characterized in that the glide members are pivotally mounted on the side brackets, wherein each shelf subassembly moves only horizontally during initial movement from the retracted position toward the extended position, movement of the shelf subassembly to the extended position imparting rotation to the glide members while the glide members remain within the slide channels so that the shelf subassembly will tilt, due to gravity, relative to the side brackets when in the extended position.   
     
     
         2 . The shelf assembly of  claim 1  wherein the side brackets are mounted to the frame adjacent a rear portion of the side brackets and adjacent to a front portion of the side brackets, so that the side brackets are immobile relative to the frame, the shelf subassembly sliding and tilting relative to both the frame and the side brackets. 
     
     
         3 . The shelf assembly of  claim 2  wherein the side brackets are mounted to the frame in columns on the sides of the shelf assembly so that multiple shelf subassemblies can be mounted, one above the other relative to the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The shelf assembly of  claim 3  wherein two of the side brackets comprising a pair of side brackets are only attached to the frame along sides of the frame so that shelf assemblies and merchandise items located on the shelves can slide and rotate without abutting members extending between the side brackets forming a pair of side brackets. 
     
     
         5 . The shelf assembly of  claim 1  wherein the glide members are pivotally secured to the side brackets at one end of each glide member with at least one pin extending from an opposite end of each glide members through an arcuate slot in the side bracket on which the glide member is mounted so that the pin moves within the arcuate slot as the glide member tilts due gravity acting on the shelf subassembly in the extended position. 
     
     
         6 . The shelf assembly of  claim 5  wherein the pin extends through an axis of rotation of each glide member and into a pivot point on the side bracket on which the glide member is mounted. 
     
     
         7 . The shelf assembly of  claim 6  wherein multiple pins extend into multiple arcuate slots in the bracket on which the bracket on which the glide member is mounted, the multiple pins being spaced from an axis around which the glide member rotates through and angle subtended by the arcuate slots. 
     
     
         8 . The shelf assembly of  claim 5  wherein the glide members are pivotally mounted on the side brackets adjacent a forward end of the glide members. 
     
     
         9 . The shelf assembly of  claim 1  wherein the side brackets comprise knife brackets including an upright wall forming the interior surface on which the glide members are mounted. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf assembly of  claim 1  wherein a rearward facing notch on the glide members is engaged by the shelf subassembly when in a retracted position to form a stop retaining the shelf subassembly in the retracted position, upward movement of the shelf subassembly disengaging the shelf subassembly from the notch so that the shelf subassembly can move from the retracted to the extended position. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf assembly of  claim 1  wherein the at least one shelf tilts relative to the side brackets only after the shelf has moved to a position in which its center of gravity is positioned beyond a glide member pivot point. 
     
     
         12 . A retail product display and storage assembly for use in a refrigerated compartment, the assembly comprising:
 a plurality of sliding shelves, stacked one above the other on multiple levels;   a squared frame positionable in the refrigerated compartment, the frame including four upright frame corner posts positioned to define vertical reference lines not solely dependent upon interior surface contours of the refrigerated compartment;   side brackets, each securely attachable to and detachable the frame at a rear frame corner post and a front frame corner post on one side of the frame, two side brackets on the same level, one on each side of the frame, being held in position by the frame to form a planar path along which the sliding shelves will slide between a retracted and an extended position; and   glide members mounted on the side brackets and received in side channels on the shelves to allow the shelves to slide between the retracted to the extended positions.   
     
     
         13 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 12  wherein the frame is removable from the refrigerated compartment through a front door on the refrigerated compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 13  wherein the four upright frame corner posts are interconnected by braces only extending around a periphery of the frame, the braces being separate from the side brackets. 
     
     
         15 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 14  wherein each side bracket is secured only to the frame, and side brackets on the same level are connected only to the frame, with the exception of to the sliding shelf extending therebetween on the same level, to form a strapless assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 12  wherein the sliding shelves are tiltable when located in the extended position, but not when sliding between the retracted and extended positions. 
     
     
         17 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 16  wherein the glide members are tiltable glide members located adjacent a front end of each side bracket. 
     
     
         18 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 17  wherein all of the sliding shelves include channels along opposite sides thereof, tiltable glide members being received within adjacent channels on adjacent sliding shelves. 
     
     
         19 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 12  wherein the side channels each sliding shelf comprise rigid side channels interconnected by front and rear lateral supports. 
     
     
         20 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 19  wherein pusher track subassemblies are mounted on the front and rear lateral supports to store rows of products on each shelf. 
     
     
         21 . The retail product display and storage assembly of  claim 20  wherein each side bracket comprises a knife bracket with rearwardly extending hooks mountable in openings on a frame rear corner post and a tongue formed adjacent a bracket front end for engaging a frame front corner post to immovably mount each side bracket to the frame. 
     
     
         22 . A strapless merchandise assembly for displaying and storing merchandise and providing an item storage volume equal to a large percentage of available display space, the assembly comprising;
 a plurality of slidable and tiltable shelves, each shelf being mountable between two side brackets, wherein the side brackets are independently held in fixed positions, each shelf being mounted between pairs of side brackets, without straps extending laterally between side brackets forming a pair of side brackets either above or below each shelf, each shelf being slidable relative to the pair of side brackets on which it is mounted between retracted and extended positions, and each shelf being tiltable relative to the pair of side brackets on which it is mounted only when the shelf is in the extended position;   each of the shelves has a channel on each side receiving glide members mounted on each side bracket, adjacent a front portion of each side bracket, so that each shelf slides along a planar path relative to the pair of side brackets on which it rides between the retracted and extended positions, and   wherein each of the shelves moves only horizontally during initial movement from the retracted position toward the extended position and wherein each glide member tilts when the shelf reaches the extended position and the shelf tilts due to gravity, the extended position at which each shelf tilts being dependent upon distribution of weight of items stored on that shelf, initial horizontal movement of each shelf from the retracted position toward the extended position allowing each shelf to move without engaging adjacent shelves closely spaced thereabove and therebelow each shelf during initial movement from the retracted position, each shelf being free to tilt without obstruction of items stored on the shelf by straps above and below the shelf so that shelves can be positioned relatively close together to increase the percentage of item storage volume relative to display space.   
     
     
         23 . The strapless merchandise assembly of  claim 22  wherein the side brackets are mounted on a frame, wherein the frame does not extend over a shelf mounted on side brackets mounted on the frame. 
     
     
         24 . The strapless merchandise assembly of  claim 23  wherein straps do not extend between portions of the frame over or below the shelves. 
     
     
         25 . The strapless merchandise assembly of  claim 23  wherein straps do not extend over or above any shelf between side brackets on which said shelf rides.