Method and apparatus for container dispensing on a shelf

Abstract

A container dispenser for cylindrical containers uses gravity feed to direct containers from an input to an output slot, particularly adapted to use on a bottom shelf by providing visual and physical availability. Ramps can be formed and arranged to interlock and support dispensers at a desired angle.

In accordance with our invention, we claim: 
     
         1 . A lower shelf product dispenser arrangement adapted for placement on a shelf assembly having a front a rear and a shelf surface comprising:
 a dispenser with a rectilinear plan form having a depth and width;   a dispenser side panel being generally rectilinear but having a top front corner relieved to enable a slot and a bottom from corner having a product display projection;   a generally rectilinear dispenser box top panel;   a generally rectilinear dispenser box rear panel;   a generally rectilinear dispenser box front panel closing said dispenser box in the manner of a box, but leaving a top slot for product insertion and having a dispenser box bottom front slot for product removal;   a dispenser box product display flange closing a portion of the dispenser box area projecting from said bottom front slot to retain product until removed by vertical displacement;   a base angled seven degrees (7°) plus or minus one and one half degrees (±1.5°) upwardly from back to front so as to provide improved product visibility and manipulation from said dispenser;   a dispenser box top ramp angled at ten degrees (10°) plus or minus one and one half degrees (±1.5°) downwardly from front to back, when said dispenser box is upon said base;   a rear gap between said dispenser box top ramp and said dispenser box rear panel such that product can be inserted in said top slot and pass through action of gravity rearwardly off and past said top ramp;   a dispenser box lower ramp angled ten degrees (10°) plus or minus one and one half degrees (±1.5°) downwardly from back to front, such that when said box is upon said base, the slope of said lower ramp is between fifteen degrees (15°) and seventeen degrees (17°) extending from said rear panel to said flange;   said lower dispenser box ramp receiving product passing through said gap and said product passing through action of gravity downwardly and forwardly through said bottom front dispenser box slot to abut said flange;   said base is formed and arranged with a base front surface from which a base angled deck extends to intersect a base floor;   said base is further formed and arranged from foldable material, said base having a floor fold between said base floor and said base front and a base deck fold between said base front and said base deck;   said base is further formed and arranged to have a base end tab extending from a floor rear edge on said floor and a slot proximate a deck rear edge on said deck, said slot matingly receiving said base end tab;   said base is further formed and arranged so that said base end tab engages said slot, said slot being displaced forwardly from said deck rear edge providing spacing from a said shelf rear and providing location of said dispenser box in the described orientation;   said base being foldable and interlockable, originally flat, with left and right side edges;   said base extending about 14 inches (356 mm) from said deck end edge to said deck fold, and about 13 and one half inches (343 mm) from said floor edge to said floor fold with spacing between said deck fold and said floor fold being about one and one half inches (38 mm) whereby when assembled by folding and interlocking said tab and said slot an angle between said deck and said floor is more than six degrees (6°) but less than seven degrees (7°).   said base has a right interlocking tab and left interlocking tab extending from opposed right and left side edges of said deck;   said right tab and said left tab have, respectively, right flange and left flange spaced outward from right side edge and left side edge by right tab web and left tab web in a generally “L” shaped configuration such that said right tab and said left tab face in opposite longitudinal directions;   said right flange and said left flange spaced being spaced outward from right side edge and left side edge by right tab web and left tab web so as to define between their respective inner edges and the respective side edges of said deck, left and right slots;   said base being a first base and said right flange and said left flange being formed and arranged to interlock with a second base having the same configuration such that said first base and said second base are maintained in a side by side configuration.   
     
     
         2 . A lower shelf product dispenser arrangement adapted for placement on a shelf assembly having a front a rear and a shelf surface comprising:
 a dispenser with a rectilinear plan form having a depth and width;   a dispenser side panel being generally rectilinear but having a top front corner relieved to enable a slot and a bottom from corner having a product display projection;   a generally rectilinear dispenser box top panel;   a generally rectilinear dispenser box rear panel;   a generally rectilinear dispenser box front panel closing said dispenser box in the manner of a box, but leaving a top slot for product insertion and having a dispenser box bottom front slot for product removal;   a dispenser box product display flange closing a portion of the dispenser box area projecting from said bottom front slot to retain product until removed by vertical displacement;   a base angled at about seven degrees (7°) upwardly from back to front so as to provide improved product visibility and manipulation from said dispenser;   a dispenser box top ramp angled at about ten degrees (10°) downwardly from front to back, when said dispenser box is upon said base;   a rear gap between said dispenser box top ramp and said dispenser box rear panel such that product can be inserted in said top slot and pass through action of gravity rearwardly off and past said top ramp;   a dispenser box lower ramp angled at about +ten degrees (10°) downwardly from back to front, such that when said box is upon said base, the slope of said lower ramp is between about fifteen degrees (15°) and seventeen degrees (17°) extending from said rear panel to said flange;   said lower dispenser box ramp receiving product passing through said gap and said product passing through action of gravity downwardly and forwardly through said bottom front dispenser box slot to abut said flange.   
     
     
         3 . The lower shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 2  further comprising:
 said base is formed and arranged with a base front surface from which a base angled deck extends to intersect a base floor; 
 said base is further formed and arranged from foldable material, said base having a floor fold between said base floor and said base front and a base deck fold between said base front and said base deck; 
 said base is further formed and arranged to have a base end tab extending from a floor rear edge on said floor and a slot proximate a deck rear edge on said deck, said slot matingly receiving said base end tab; 
 said base is further formed and arranged so that said base end tab engages said slot, said slot being displaced forwardly from said deck rear edge providing spacing from a said shelf rear and providing location of said dispenser box in the described orientation. 
 
     
     
         4 . The lower shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 3  further comprising:
 said base being foldable and interlockable, originally flat, with left and right side edges; 
 said base extending about 14 inches (356 mm) from said deck end edge to said deck fold, and about 13 and one half inches (343 mm) from said floor edge to said floor fold with spacing between said deck fold and said floor fold being about one and one half inches (38 mm) whereby when assembled by folding and interlocking said tab and said slot an angle between said deck and said floor is more than six degrees (6°) but less than seven degrees (7°). 
 
     
     
         5 . The lower shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 2  further comprising:
 said base has a right interlocking tab and left interlocking tab extending from opposed right and left side edges of said deck; 
 said right tab and said left tab have, respectively, right flange and left flange spaced outward from right side edge and left side edge by right tab web and left tab web in a generally “L” shaped configuration such that said right tab and said left tab face in opposite longitudinal directions; 
 said right flange and said left flange spaced being spaced outward from right side edge and left side edge by right tab web and left tab web so as to define between their respective inner edges and the respective side edges of said deck, left and right slots; 
 said base being a first base and said right flange and said left flange being formed and arranged to interlock with a second base having the same configuration such that said first base and said second base are maintained in a side by side configuration. 
 
     
     
         6 . The lower shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 5  further comprising:
 said base being foldable and interlockable, originally flat, with left and right side edges; 
 said base extending about 14 inches (356 mm) from said deck end edge to said deck fold, and about 13 and one half inches (343 mm) from said floor edge to said floor fold with spacing between said deck fold and said floor fold being about one and one half inches (38 mm) whereby when assembled by folding and interlocking said tab and said slot an angle between said deck and said floor is more than six degrees (6°) but less than seven degrees (7°). 
 
     
     
         7 . A shelf product dispenser arrangement comprising:
 means for retaining product containers having means for product transport from a storage condition to a removable condition;   means for presentation of said product for observation and removal;   said means for retaining and transporting comprising one or more internal ramps within a dispenser box;   said means for presentation and removal including in combination a face adaptable to display of means for content identification, opening means for product removal and retention means for retaining said product in a selected location until removed;   said means for presentation and removal utilizing inclined base means for placing said means for presentation at a selected angle for optimizing viewing and removal.   
     
     
         8 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said means for retaining product containers having a plurality of wall members and a ramp with loading means and removal means. 
 
     
     
         9 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said means for presentation of said product for observation and removal being an opening and a retainer member acting in combination to hold said product in a viewable position while permitting manual removal thereof. 
 
     
     
         10 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said means for retaining and transporting comprising one or more internal ramps within a dispenser box directing said product downwardly and forwardly. 
 
     
     
         11 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said means for presentation and removal being a face adaptable to display of means for content identification, opening means for product removal and retention means for retaining said product in a selected location until removed. 
 
     
     
         12 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said means for presentation and removal utilizing inclined base means for placing said means for presentation at a selected angle for optimizing viewing and removal. 
 
     
     
         13 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 12  further comprising:
 said inclined base means being formed and arranged with a selectable tab means for interlocking a deck and floor, and side tab means for interlocking a plurality of said base means. 
 
     
     
         14 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said means for retaining product containers having a plurality of wall members and a ramp with loading means and removal means; 
 said means for presentation of said product for observation and removal being an opening and a retainer member acting in combination to hold said product in a viewable position while permitting manual removal thereof; 
 said means for retaining and transporting comprising one or more internal ramps within a dispenser box directing said product downwardly and forwardly; 
 said means for presentation and removal being a face adaptable to display of means for content identification, opening means for product removal and retention means for retaining said product in a selected location until removed; 
 said means for presentation and removal utilizing inclined base means for placing said means for presentation at a selected angle for optimizing viewing and removal. 
 
     
     
         15 . The shelf product dispenser arrangement of claim  15  further comprising:
 said inclined base means being formed and arranged with a selectable tab means for interlocking a deck and floor and side tab means for interlocking a plurality of said base means.