Display Tray Pusher Paddle

Abstract

A product display tray, which is provided with a spring-actuated pusher paddle for urging a column of products forwardly, includes a manually operated locking element pivotally attached to the pusher paddle and normally urged to a “release” position by the action of the pusher spring. When the paddle is fully retracted, the locking element is manually pivoted into a locking position to engage the tray structure and retain the paddle in its retracted position. The pusher paddle includes special features to facilitate its assembly with, and stable retention on, longitudinal guide rods on which the paddle slides. A pair of downwardly and outwardly inclined U-shaped guide sleeves engage innermost support rods of the tray and have detent projections therein requiring forcible snap-in assembly for greater stability during operations. Selected guide sleeves are partially recessed in lower portions to accommodate overriding of base supports and enable greater retraction of the paddle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . The combination of a product display tray, product pusher mounted on said tray for forward and backward sliding movement, and a coiled strip spring engaged between said tray and said product pusher to urge said pusher forwardly on said tray, wherein
 said tray comprises a plurality of laterally spaced apart, longitudinally disposed and parallel guide rods mounted at front and back ends thereof on longitudinally spaced apart front and back transverse base members,   said product pusher is a molding of plastic material and comprises a generally vertical upright panel and a generally horizontal base panel integrally joined with a lower portion of said upright panel and extending rearwardly therefrom to form a base platform,   said coiled strip spring is positioned with a coiled body portion thereof positioned behind a back of said upright panel and urging said upright panel forwardly, and an uncoiled strip portion of said spring extends forwardly and is secured in a front portion of said tray,   said base panel is formed in central portions thereof with a pair of downwardly and outwardly slanted and downwardly and outwardly opening guide sleeve elements, one on each side of a longitudinal center line of said base panel, slidably engaging an inner pair of guide rods of said tray, and   said slanted guide sleeve elements are provided with integrally molded rod-retention detent elements therein partially restricting entry to and exit from said guide sleeve elements, requiring snap-in or snap-out installation or removal of said product pusher from said inner pair of guide rods.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein
 said plurality of guide rods includes at least two pairs of such rods, including said inner pair and an outmost pair   said base panel is formed in outer portions thereof with an outer pair of laterally outwardly opening guide sleeve elements,   said laterally outwardly opening guide sleeve elements are of generally horizontally disposed U-shaped configuration with laterally outwardly opening outer ends thereof spaced apart a distance greater than lateral spacing between said outermost guide rods.   
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein
 said downwardly and outwardly slanted guide sleeve elements are of a generally U-shaped configuration with semi-cylindrical upper-inner end portions thereof disposed with respective axes thereof aligned with axes of respective ones of the guide rods of said inner pair thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein
 said plurality of guide rods consists of four such rods disposed with their respective axes in a common plane, 
 said downwardly and outwardly slanted guide sleeve elements are of a generally U-shaped configuration with semi-cylindrical upper-inner inner end portions thereof disposed with respective axes thereof aligned with axes of an inner pair of said rods, and 
 said base panel is formed in outer portions thereof with an outer pair of laterally outwardly opening guide sleeve elements, 
 said laterally outwardly opening guide sleeve elements are of generally horizontally disposed U-shaped configuration with semi-cylindrical inner end portions thereof disposed with respective axes thereof aligned with axes of said laterally outermost guide rods and with laterally outwardly opening outer ends thereof spaced apart a distance greater than lateral spacing between said outermost guide rods. 
 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein
 a pusher locking element is associated with said product pusher, 
 said pusher locking element is pivotally attached to a back of said product pusher for limited pivotal movement with respect thereto about a transverse axis adjacent to a lower portion of said product pusher, in first and second directions into release and locking positions respectively, 
 said pusher locking element having a locking portion extending rearward from said pivot axis and operative, when said locking element is in its locking position, to engage a fixed portion of said tray to lock said product pusher in a retracted position, 
 said pusher locking element having an actuating portion extending upward from said pivot axis and interposed between the back of said product pusher and the coiled body portion of said strip spring, whereby said spring urges said pusher locking element to pivot toward its release position. 
 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein
 said detent elements comprise elements projecting from a side wall of each of said slanted guide sleeve elements, and   said detent elements are spaced inward from open ends of said slanted guide sleeve elements such that, during assembly operations, the inner guide rods are partially received in and confined by said guide sleeve elements before engaging said detent elements.   
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein
 at least certain ones of said guide sleeve elements are formed with uppermost portions thereof projecting farther rearward than lower portions thereof, and   said projecting uppermost portions are configured to override and overlie said back transverse base members when said product pusher is in a fully retracted position.