Modular shelf management gravity feed system

Abstract

A modular shelf management system comprising a plurality of side panels, a lower panel, and a rail assembly. The lower panel connects the adjacently disposed side panels so that a cell is provided between the panels. The lower panel has a front end and a back end and is sloped in a direction from the back end to the front end. The back end of the lower panel is configured to receive product containers. The rail assembly is disposed in the cell for defining a travel path and includes a first rail and a second rail spatially disposed in a face-to-face relationship to one another. Each rail has a first end and a second end, and is sloped in a direction from the first end to the second end.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular shelf management system, comprising:
 a plurality of side panels arranged in a parallel relationship, each side panel having a front end and a back end;   at least one connecting member connecting the side panels in a way that a cell is provided between adjacent ones of the side panels; and   a first rail assembly disposed in the cell for defining a travel path, the first rail assembly comprising:   a first rail and a second rail spatially disposed in a parallel relationship to one another, each rail having a first end and a second end and sloped in a direction from the first end to the second end of the side panels,   wherein at least a portion of each of the first and second rails of the first rail assembly is fabricated of a low friction material.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second rail assembly defining a second travel path vertically spaced from the first rail assembly such that a first tier and a second tier is defined within the cell, the second rail assembly comprising:
 a first rail and a second rail spatially disposed in a parallel relationship to one another, each of the first rail and the second rail having a first end and a second end and sloped in a direction from the first end to the second end of the side panels,   wherein at least a portion of each of the first and second rails of the first and second rail assemblies is fabricated of a low friction material.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first rail assembly extends along the entire length of the side panels, and wherein the second rail assembly extends along a portion of the length of the side panels so as to define a loading aperture configured to receive product containers adjacent the second end of the side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first rail and the second rail of the first rail assembly are vertically spaced from a lower end of each of the side panels. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second rail assembly defining a second travel path vertically spaced from the first rail assembly such that a first tier and a second tier is defined within the cell, the second rail assembly comprising:
 a first rail and a second rail spatially disposed in a parallel relationship to one another, each of the first rail and the second rail having a first end and a second end and sloped in a direction from the first end to the second end of the side panels, wherein at least a portion of each of the first rail and the second rail is fabricated of a low friction material.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein first rail extends from one of the side panels and the second rail extends from another side panel. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a container stop extending between the side panels. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the slope of the first rail and the second rail is at least 2 degrees from horizontal. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first rail and the second rail comprises a series of rollers. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is a lower panel extending between the side panels. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the lower panel extends from the bottom of one side panel to the bottom of another side panel. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two cells. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the cells are of equal size and shape. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the cells has a size that is different than the size of an adjacent one of the cells. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first rail and the second rail each have a horizontal portion disposed adjacent the first end of the side panels and a sloped portion extended from the horizontal portion toward the second end of the side panels. 
     
     
         16 . A modular shelf management kit, comprising:
 a plurality of side panels connectable in a spaced apart, parallel relationship, each side panel having a front end and a back end and at least one rail extending therefrom; and   a plurality of connecting members for connecting adjacently disposed side panels in a way that a cell is provided between adjacent ones of the side panels with a pair of rails spatially disposed in a parallel relationship to one another, each rail sloped in a direction from the first end to the second end of the side panels, wherein at least a portion of each of the rails is fabricated of a low friction material.   
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein adjacently disposed side panels have at least two rails extending therefrom in a way that the cell provided between adjacent ones of the side panels has at least two pairs of rails spatially disposed in a parallel relationship to one another, each pair of rails being sloped in a direction from the first end to the second end of the side panels with one pair of rails being vertically spaced from another pair of rails such that a first tier and a second tier is defined within the cell, wherein at least a portion of each of the rails is fabricated of a low friction material; and
 wherein one rail of the side panel extends along the entire length of the side panels, and wherein another rail of the side panel extends along a portion of the length of the side panel.   
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the rails are vertically spaced from a lower end of each of the side panels. 
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein each of the rails includes a series of rollers. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the connecting member is a lower panel connectable to a lower end of adjacent disposed side panels.