Retail merchandise pusher

Abstract

A retail merchandise pusher, the pusher including a frame assembly for providing a support surface to a plurality of articles of merchandise in a front-to-back column, the frame assembly having sides, a front end and a back end, a first and second divider support fixedly coupled to the frame assembly proximate the front end and the back end, at least one divider removably coupled to the first and second divider supports, the at least one divider providing lateral support to the column of articles of merchandise along the side of the frame assembly, a pusher paddle slideably mounted to the frame assembly and interposed between the front end and back end of the frame assembly, the pusher paddle including a spring configured to apply pressure to the rear of the column of articles of merchandise, thereby urging the column of articles of merchandise forward; and, a transparent front stop coupled to the front end of the frame assembly for providing a front stop to the column of articles of merchandise.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retail merchandise pusher, comprising:
 a frame assembly for providing a support surface to a column of merchandise, the frame assembly having a front end, a back end and two sides, the two sides of the frame assembly each defined a guide rail;   a pusher paddle slideably mounted to the frame assembly and interposed between the front end and back end of the frame assembly, the pusher paddle having two substantially “C” shaped slots, each of the slots sized to accommodate a portion of the cross-sections of the guide rails within, the pusher paddle further including a spring of sufficient force to move the column of merchandise forward on the frame assembly;   a front stop coupled to the front end of the frame assembly for providing a front stop to the column of articles of merchandise;   a first and second divider support coupled to the frame assembly; and   at least one divider slideably coupled to the first and second divider supports, the at least one divider providing lateral support to the column of merchandise along the side of the frame assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 1 , wherein the divider support has a channel sized to receive a portion of the divider, the channel defined by alternating half cylinder support ribs to increase the friction between the divider support and a portion of the at least one divider at the slidable coupling 
     
     
         3 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 1 , wherein the divider support includes at least one boss to increase the friction between the divider support and a portion of the at least one divider at the slidable coupling. 
     
     
         4 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 1 , wherein at least one guide rail includes a hole sized to receive a locking device. 
     
     
         5 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 4 , wherein a locking device is selectively coupled to at least one of the slide rails at the hole. 
     
     
         6 . A retail merchandise pusher, comprising:
 a frame assembly for providing a support surface to a plurality of articles of merchandise in a front-to-back column, the frame assembly having a front end, a back end and two sides, the two sides of the frame assembly each defined a guide rail, wherein the guide rail has a substantially “L” shaped cross-section;   a pusher paddle slideably mounted to the frame assembly and interposed between the front end and back end of the frame assembly, the pusher paddle having two substantially “C” shaped slots, each of the slots sized to accommodate a portion of the substantially “L” shaped cross-sections of the guide rails within, the pusher paddle further including a spring with sufficient force to move the column of articles of merchandise forward on the frame assembly;   a front stop coupled to the front end of the frame assembly for providing a front stop to the column of articles of merchandise;   a first and second divider support fixedly coupled to the frame assembly proximate the front end and the back end; and   two dividers slideably coupled to the first and second divider supports, the dividers providing lateral support to plurality of articles of merchandise along the side of the frame assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 1 , wherein the divider support has a channel sized to receive a portion of the divider, the channel defined by alternating half cylinder support ribs to increase the friction between the divider support and a portion of the at least one divider at the slidable coupling. 
     
     
         8 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 1 , wherein the divider support includes at least one boss to increase the friction between the divider support and a portion of the at least one divider at the slidable coupling. 
     
     
         9 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 1 , wherein at least one guide rail includes a hole sized to receive a locking device. 
     
     
         10 . The retail merchandise pusher of  claim 9 , wherein a locking device is selectively coupled to at least one of the slide rails at the hole. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a retail merchandise pusher, comprising:
 constructing a frame assembly by affixing two guide rails with substantially “L” shaped cross-sections substantially parallel to one another in a spaced apart manner by welding the guide rails to front and end ties;   coupling a front stop an end of the frame assembly;   coupling one or more divider supports to the frame assembly;   sliding a pusher paddle onto the guide rails of the frame assembly, wherein the pusher paddle has two substantially “C” shaped slots sized to accommodate a portion of the cross-sections of the guide rails within; and    providing at least one divider, wherein the divider is slidably couplable to the one or more divider supports.