Merchandise display system and unit

Abstract

A unit for a merchandise display system, comprising: a support surface for supporting a plurality of merchandise items in a first orientation and defining a travel path for said plurality of merchandise items to a display receptacle, said support surface configured to urge said plurality of merchandise items to said display receptacle; a display receptacle coupled to a dispensing end of said support surface and comprising: a transfer region for transferring at least a front-most merchandise item of said plurality of merchandise items from said support surface to a display region and reorienting said at least front-most merchandise item from said first orientation to a second, display orientation during transfer; and a display region for receiving said at least front-most merchandise item from said support surface and for holding said front-most merchandise item in said display orientation in which a display surface of said merchandise item is upright.

1 . A unit for a merchandise display system, comprising:
 a support surface for supporting a plurality of merchandise items in a first orientation and defining a travel path for said plurality of merchandise items to a display receptacle, said support surface configured to urge said plurality of merchandise items to said display receptacle;   said display receptacle coupled to a dispensing end of said support surface and comprising:
 a transfer region for transferring at least a front-most merchandise item of said plurality of merchandise items from said support surface to a display region and reorienting said at least front-most merchandise item from said first orientation to a second, display orientation during transfer; and 
 said display region for receiving said at least front-most merchandise item from said support surface and for holding said front-most merchandise item in said display orientation in which a display surface of said at least front-most merchandise item is upright. 
   
     
     
         2 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said travel path is further defined between a first lateral wall upstanding from a first lateral edge of said support surface and a second lateral wall upstanding from a second lateral edge of said support surface. 
     
     
         3 . A unit according to  claim 2 , wherein a width of said travel path corresponds to a spacing between said first and second lateral walls and wherein said travel path width is configurable to correspond approximately to a merchandise item width. 
     
     
         4 . A unit according to  claim 2 , wherein said first lateral wall comprises, at an end remote from said support surface, and over at least a portion of a length of said first lateral wall, a flange that extends transversely toward said second lateral wall, and said second lateral wall comprises, at an end remote from said support surface, and over at least a portion of a length of said second lateral wall, a flange that extends transversely toward said first lateral wall. 
     
     
         5 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said support surface comprises a friction reducing agent. 
     
     
         6 . A unit according to  claim 5 , wherein said friction reducing agent comprises a low-friction sheet disposed on said support surface. 
     
     
         7 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said support surface further comprises a biasing element arranged to urge said plurality of merchandise items to said display receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said support surface is inclined relative to a horizontal. 
     
     
         9 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said transfer region comprises a surface inclined relative to a horizontal. 
     
     
         10 . A unit according to  claim 9 , wherein said support surface is inclined relative to said horizontal, and wherein an angle of inclination of said support surface to said horizontal is less than an angle of inclination of said surface of said transfer region to said horizontal. 
     
     
         11 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said display region comprises a retaining portion and a display region support surface, said display region support surface for supporting a merchandise item in said display receptacle and said retaining portion for maintaining said merchandise item in said display orientation. 
     
     
         12 . A unit according to  claim 11 , wherein said retaining portion forms an acute angle with said display region support surface. 
     
     
         13 . A unit according to  claim 12 , wherein said acute angle is 45°. 
     
     
         14 . A unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said unit comprises a discrete unit configured for location on a shelf of said merchandise display system. 
     
     
         15 . A unit according to  claim 14 , wherein said unit comprises an engagement element for coupling said unit to a cooperative engagement element located on said shelf of said merchandise display system. 
     
     
         16 . A unit according to  claim 15 , wherein said engagement element comprises a runner system for engagement with a cooperative runner system of said cooperative engagement element of said shelf of said merchandise display system, said runner system configured to permit movement of said unit from a display position on said shelf to an extended position in front of said shelf. 
     
     
         17 . A unit according to  claim 15 , wherein said unit is removable from said shelf of said merchandise display system. 
     
     
         18 . A unit according to  claim 14 , wherein said unit further comprises said plurality of merchandise items located therein. 
     
     
         19 . A unit according to  claim 18 , further comprising a removable packaging enclosing said unit. 
     
     
         20 . A unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a support surface element located in said unit, said support surface element configured to cover said transfer region of said display receptacle and a portion of said display region of said display receptacle, said support surface element for transferring said at least front-most merchandise item of said plurality of merchandise items from said support surface to a raised display region formed from at least a portion of said support surface element and an uncovered portion of said display region. 
     
     
         21 . A unit according to  claim 20 , wherein said portion of said support surface element is configured to serve as said support surface of said unit. 
     
     
         22 . A unit according to  claim 20 , wherein said support surface element comprises at least one of a friction reducing agent and a friction reducing element. 
     
     
         23 . A unit according to  claim 22 , wherein said at least one of said friction reducing agent and said friction reducing element comprises a low-friction sheet disposed on said support surface element. 
     
     
         24 . A merchandise display system, comprising:
 a shelving array comprising a plurality of shelves;   at least one unit according to  claim 1  located on at least one of said plurality of shelves.   
     
     
         25 . A merchandise display system according to  claim 24 , wherein said support surface comprises a shelf surface. 
     
     
         26 . A display receptacle for a unit of a merchandise display system, comprising:
 an engagement element for coupling said display receptacle to a dispensing end of a support surface of said unit;   a transfer region for transferring at least a front-most merchandise item of a plurality of merchandise items located on said unit from said support surface to a display region and reorienting said at least front-most merchandise item from a first orientation to a second, display orientation during transfer; and   said display region for receiving said at least front-most merchandise item from said support surface and for holding said at least front-most merchandise item in said display orientation in which a display surface of said at least front-most merchandise item is upright.   
     
     
         27 . A display receptacle for a merchandise display system, comprising:
 an engagement element for coupling said display receptacle to a dispensing end of a shelf of said merchandise display system, said shelf comprising a support surface of said merchandise display system;   a transfer region for transferring at least a front-most merchandise item of a plurality of merchandise items located on said merchandise display system from said support surface to a display region and reorienting said at least front-most merchandise item from a first orientation to a second, display orientation during transfer; and   said display region for receiving said at least front-most merchandise item from said support surface and for holding said at least front-most merchandise item in said display orientation in which a display surface of said at least front-most merchandise item is upright.   
     
     
         28 . A display receptacle according to  claim 27 , wherein said transfer region comprises a surface inclined relative to a horizontal. 
     
     
         29 . A display receptacle according to  claim 28 , wherein said support surface is inclined relative to said horizontal, and wherein an angle of inclination of said support surface to said horizontal is less than an angle of inclination of said surface of said transfer region to said horizontal. 
     
     
         30 . A display receptacle according to  claim 29 , wherein said display region comprises a retaining portion and a display region support surface, said display region support surface for supporting a merchandise item in said display receptacle and said retaining portion for maintaining said merchandise item in said display orientation. 
     
     
         31 . A display receptacle according to  claim 30 , wherein said retaining portion forms an acute angle with said display region support surface. 
     
     
         32 . A display receptacle according to  claim 31 , wherein said acute angle is 45°. 
     
     
         33 . A support surface element locatable in a unit according to  claim 1 , said support surface element configured to cover said transfer region of said display receptacle of said unit and a portion of said display region of said display receptacle of said unit, said support surface element for transferring said at least front-most merchandise item of said plurality of merchandise items in said unit from said support surface of said unit to a raised display region formed from at least a portion of said support surface element and an uncovered portion of said display region.