US20080121595A1 - Shelf Organizer - Google Patents

Abstract

A gravity feed dispenser for containers, in which the dispenser carrying the containers includes a pair of longitudinally extending fingers engaging with shelf rack in snap-fitting relation to secure the dispenser in to the rack.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
• Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• This invention relates generally to container dispensers for refrigerators and particularly to a plurality of gravity feed dispensers which are snap-fitted to a merchandiser rack. The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,746 issued to True Manufacturing Co, Inc. of St. Louis, Mo.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• This invention comprises a gravity feed container dispenser in which the dispenser provides longitudinally extending ribs on the defining attachments means engaging the rails of the shelf rack in snap-fitted relation to hold the dispenser in place.
• It is an aspect of this invention to provide an open top container dispenser having spaced apart sidewalls to retain the containers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container dispenser;
• FIG. 2 is a view of the dispenser snap fitted onto a shelf rack;
• FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the dispenser;
• FIG. 4 is a plan view of the dispenser;
• FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the dispenser snap-fittingly engaged with the shelf rack; and
• FIG. 6 is a front view of the dispenser;
• FIG. 7 is a rear view of the dispenser; and
• FIG. 8 is a plan view of the shelf rack with the dispensers shown in the phantom outline
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the shelf rack loaded with bottle containers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• This shelf organizer consists essentially of arack20 formed from a generallyrectangular frame22 having opposed side members24 and front andrear members28 and lateralintermediate support members32 extending between the side members24 in generally parallel relation to said front andrear members28. Therack20 also includes a plurality of longitudinally extendingrails34 and front and rearupper stop members44 lying on therails34 and providing stop members above the front andrear members28, respectively. Therack20 is preferably integrally formed by welding and is held in an inclined position, sloping downwardly from the rear end by clip supports40. The profile of the refrigerator is shown bynumeral10.
• Therack20 providescontainer dispensers50, preferably of plastic, which, in the embodiment shown, seats on therack rails34. Thedispenser50 in the preferred embodiment is preferably molded from plastic and includesopposed sidewalls52 connected by afloor54. Thefloor54 includes a plurality oflongitudinal stringers56 extending substantially from top to bottom of thecontainer50, and a plurality of connectinglateral stringers58 which extend substantially from side to side of said dispenser. At its front end the retainer includes ashort floor portion60 integrally formed with thelongitudinal stringers56. Thesidewalls52 are of diminishing height rearwardly and are connected byarcuate strap members62 and64 at its front and rear ends respectively. At its front end, intermediate thestrap member62 and thefloor portion60, are opposed, arcuately formedstrap members66 which are not connected.
• Therack20 may be seated on theclips40 such that an inclined upper plane is formed from the upper surface of therails34. Typically, the inclined upper plane will be at about 5 to 10 degrees which is sufficient to provide an equally sloping floor for thecontainer dispensers50.
• Importantly, eachdispenser50 is removably attached to therack20 so that the dispensers can be removed to accommodate different sized containers. To this end thecontainer dispenser50 includes opposed longitudinally extendingstringers80,82 and84 at intervals constituting attachment means which depend below the floor member and are spaced to engage therails34 in snap-fitted relation. As shown inFIG. 3 and inFIG. 5 eachstringer82 is spaced from itscooperating stringer82 and includes a turned-inend88 to facilitate the snap-fitting action.
• Preferably, therails34 are equally spaced across width of therack20. Ideally, the distance between the outside faces of thestringers82 is equal to the distance between the inside faces of theadjacent rail34. With this arrangement the distance between the in-turnedportion88 of thestringers80,82 and84 is slightly greater than that of the engagedrail34 so that it is sprung below therail34 into overlapping engagement with the rail.
• The configuration of the in-turnedportion88 of the finger, constituting upset stringer portions, is such that theretainer50 is readily removed and replaced and yet is firmly held in position on the rack. Although bottle containers C is shown inFIG. 9, it will be understood that the container dispenser can also accept cans or other packages.
• Typically, thecontainer dispensers50 are held in side-by-side relation touching, or almost touching, and the containers are slidingly received on the floor so as to be gravity fed on said floor with the angle of inclination of the container dispenser floor being adjusted by virtue of theclips40. The containers C, which are shown inFIG. 9, are received within thedispensers50 for easy removal and the dispensers themselves are readily removed as by pulling upwardly on thestraps62.
• As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5 thelateral stringers58 between the first and second rails from eachside52 includetapered relief slits70. Theserelief slits70 are spaced to permit the sides of the containers to flex, to suit different diameter containers, yet maintain rigidity between the lateral stringers, in the vicinity of the attachment means.
• Also, the structure of the containers readily permits the length and width thereof to be adapted to suit the size of the cooler with which they are used by adjustment of the size and spacing of the lateral stringers.
• Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense many variations being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Claims (12)

1. A gravity feed container dispenser comprising a rack including a plurality of longitudinal rails, and

a container dispenser comprising a dispenser including attachment means cooperating with the rails to hold the dispenser in place on the rack in snap-fitted relation.

2. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a pair of longitudinally extending stringers having upset portions engaging in the rails.

3. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 2 wherein the rails are spaced apart an equal amount and the attachment fingers are spaced apart a similar amount such that the dispenser is spaced from a similar dispenser to permit one of the dispensers to be readily removed from the rack without disturbing the other dispenser.

4. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1 wherein the dispenser includes at least two spaced apart depending stringers, each engaging an adjacent one of the rails in snap-fitted relation.

5. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1 wherein the dispenser includes spaced apart sidewalls for retaining the containers.

6. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1 wherein the dispenser includes spaced apart sidewalls retaining the containers within the dispenser yet providing for easy removal from the dispenser.

7. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1 wherein the dispenser includes a forward retaining strap engageable by the container.

8. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1 wherein the dispenser includes a rearward retaining strap.

9. A gravity feed container dispenser as defined inclaim 1 wherein at least the forward end of the rack includes a strap means whereby the dispenser may be readily removed from the dispenser.

10. A gravity feed container as defined inclaim 1 wherein the dispenser includes a floor having a plurality longitudinally extending stringers and a plurality of laterally extending stringers.

11. A gravity feed container as defined inclaim 10 wherein the laterally extending stringers include relief slits to permit flexibility of the containers.

12. A gravity feed container as defined inclaim 11 wherein the slits are spaced to maintain rigidity in the vicinity of the attachment means.

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