Product management display system with extended pusher travel

Abstract

A product management display system includes a pusher assembly configured to be coupled to a shelf. The pusher assembly includes a floor, a track, a channel, a mating interface, and a pusher. The floor has a front end and a back end of the floor opposite the front end. The track extends between the front end of the floor and the back end of the floor. The channel extends longitudinally in the floor between the front end and the back end of the floor. The pusher is movable along the track between an initial position adjacent the front end of the floor and an extended position. Both the channel and the mating interface are configured to receive an attachment that extends a length of the track beyond the back end of the floor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A product management display system for a shelf assembly including a shelf for supporting a product, the product management display system comprising:
 a pusher assembly configured to be coupled to the shelf, the pusher assembly including
 a floor including a front end, a back end of the floor opposite the front end, and a first attachment receptacle, 
 a track extending between the front end of the floor and the back end of the floor, 
 an extension removably coupled to the floor, the extension including a front end, a back end, and a track portion configured to extend a length of the track when the extension is coupled to the floor, the extension including a second attachment receptacle, 
 a pusher movable along the track between an initial position and an extended position, wherein the pusher is moved away from the front end of the floor and toward the back end of the floor when the pusher is moved from the initial position toward the extended position, and 
 an extension adapter couplable to the first attachment receptacle when the extension is removed from the floor and couplable to the second extension attachment receptacle when the extension is coupled to the floor, 
   wherein the extension adapter is configured to move between a first position in which a back end of the extension adapter is located at the back end of the floor or the back end of the extension, and a second position in which the back end of the extension adapter is offset from the back end of the floor or the back end of the extension such that at least a portion of the extension adapter is cantilevered from the floor or the extension in the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The product management display system of  claim 1 , wherein the track includes a pair of track rails, and wherein the pusher includes guide rails, each of the guide rails wrapped around a corresponding one of the track rails. 
     
     
         3 . The product management display system of  claim 2 , wherein the each of the pair of track rails defines an outer edge of the floor. 
     
     
         4 . The product management display system of  claim 1 , wherein the floor defines a channel that extends longitudinally between the front end and the back end of the floor, and wherein the extension adapter includes a tongue portion that is at least partially receivable within the channel. 
     
     
         5 . The product management display system of  claim 4 , wherein the floor includes alignment flanges that extend into the channel, and wherein the tongue portion includes a tongue ridge that is configured to slide between the alignment flanges as the extension adapter moves between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The product management display system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first attachment receptacle and the second attachment receptacle includes a protrusion, and wherein the extension adapter includes a tab ridge that engages the protrusion in the second position to inhibit the extension adapter from sliding out of the first attachment receptacle or the second attachment receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The product management display system of  claim 1 , wherein the floor defines a channel that extends longitudinally between the front end and the back end of the floor, wherein the extension defines an extension channel that is aligned with the channel when the extension is coupled to the floor, and wherein the extension adapter includes a tongue portion that extends through both the channel and the extension channel to hold the extension together with the floor. 
     
     
         8 . The product management display system of  claim 1 , wherein the extension is a first extension and the track portion is a first track portion, wherein the pusher assembly further includes a second extension that is removably coupled to the first extension, the second extension including a second track portion that further extends the length of the track when the first extension and the second extension are coupled to the floor. 
     
     
         9 . The product management display system of  claim 1 , wherein the floor defines a channel in the floor that extends longitudinally between the front end and the back end of the floor, and wherein the pusher assembly further includes a divider wall configured to be received in the channel, the divider wall having a bottom flange, a top flange, and a wall extending from the top flange such that the wall defines two rows of product space above the floor when the divider wall is received in the channel. 
     
     
         10 . The product management display system of  claim 9 , wherein the floor includes alignment flanges that extend into the channel, and wherein the alignment flanges are received between the bottom flange and the top flange of the divider wall. 
     
     
         11 . A product management display system for a shelf assembly including a shelf for supporting a product, the product management display system comprising:
 a pusher assembly configured to be coupled to the shelf, the pusher assembly including
 a floor having a front end and a back end opposite the front end, 
 a track extending between the front end and the back end, 
 a channel defined in the floor and extending longitudinally between the front end and the back end of the floor, 
 a mating interface at the back end of the floor, and 
 a pusher movable along the track between an initial position and an extended position, wherein the pusher is moved away from the front end of the floor and toward the back end of the floor when the pusher is moved from the initial position toward the extended position, 
 wherein both the channel and the mating interface are configured to receive an attachment that extends a length of the track beyond the back end of the floor. 
   
     
     
         12 . The product management display system of  claim 11 , wherein the channel is configured to receive a first attachment and the mating interface is configured to receive a second attachment, and wherein the first attachment and the second attachment are different. 
     
     
         13 . The product management display system of  claim 12 , wherein the first attachment is an extension adapter, and wherein the second attachment is an extension. 
     
     
         14 . The product management display system of  claim 11 , wherein the floor includes an extension adapter receptacle that is configured to receive an attachment that extends the length of the track beyond the back end of the floor. 
     
     
         15 . The product management display system of  claim 11 , wherein the track includes a pair of track rails, and wherein the pusher includes guide rails, each of the guide rails wrapped around a corresponding one of the track rails. 
     
     
         16 . The product management display system of  claim 15 , wherein the each of the pair of track rails defines an outer edge of the floor. 
     
     
         17 . A product management display system for a shelf assembly including a shelf for supporting a product and a back wall spaced from a back end of the shelf by a gap, the product management display system comprising:
 a pusher assembly configured to be coupled to the shelf, the pusher assembly including
 a floor including a front end and a back wall defining a back end of the floor opposite the front end, 
 a track extending between the front end of the floor and the back end of the floor, and 
 a pusher movable along the track between an initial position and an extended position, wherein the pusher is moved away from the front end of the floor and toward the back end of the floor when the pusher is moved from the initial position toward the extended position, 
   wherein a portion of the pusher extends beyond the back end of the floor in the extended position,   wherein the back wall includes stop surfaces that limit movement of the pusher to the extended position.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the portion of the pusher extends into the gap in the extended position. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the pusher includes a body portion and a paddle portion, wherein the body portion defines a back end of the pusher, and wherein the back end of the pusher extends 0.25 to 2.0 inches beyond the back end of the floor when the pusher is in the extended position. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the pusher includes a body portion having an upper surface and product may rest on the upper surface, wherein a length of the body portion defines an initial product space when the pusher is in the initial position, and wherein the initial product space has a length between 2 inches and 8 inches.