Method and apparatus for converting gondola shelf to gravity feed shelf

Abstract

Flat, horizontal gondola shelving is converted to inclined gravity-feed shelving using an adapter with an inclined sheet supporting a bearing surface, a leg extending downwardly from a rear of the inclined sheet, which is received in a gap between a flat gondola shelf and a rear wall of the shelving unit supporting the shelf, a ledge extending forwardly of the leg, spaced from the rear of the inclined sheet, to lift the rear of the inclined sheet off the rear of the flat shelf, and a stop member along the front of the inclined sheet. Front end stop extensions may be provided to keep product from falling over the stop member along the front.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for converting a flat, horizontal shelf to an inclined gravity feed shelf, comprising: 
 an inclined sheet supporting a bearing surface, said bearing surface extending between a front and a rear of the inclined sheet;    a generally vertical wall extending downwardly from the rear of the inclined sheet;    a ledge extending forwardly of the generally vertical wall, said ledge positioned a predetermined distance below the rear of the inclined sheet.    
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1 , further comprising an upwardly-directed lip at the front of the inclined sheet.  
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of front end stop extensions provided adjacent the upwardly-directed lip.  
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 3 , wherein one or more of the front end stop extensions includes a generally inverted U-shaped wire member having first and second legs, said first and second legs extending through wire-receiving holes provided in the inclined sheet.  
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 3 , further comprising a cover provided over one or more of the front end stop extensions.  
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 5 , wherein each of the front end stop extensions includes a generally inverted U-shaped wire member having first and second legs, said first and second legs extending through wire-receiving holes provided in the inclined sheet, and said cover comprises a sleeve provided over the generally inverted U-shaped wire member, said sleeve including one or more of a group of indicia, a coupon dispenser, a flashing light, and a sound-emitting element.  
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 3 , wherein one or more of the front end stop extension comprises a semi-rigid curved sheet provided in an elongated slot formed in one of the front of the inclined sheet or in an elongated sheet-support member provided along the front of the inclined sheet.  
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing surface includes a multiplicity of rollers.  
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing surface supported by the inclined sheet includes a plurality of roller track members secured to the inclined sheet, each of the roller track members including a plurality of rollers therein.  
     
     
         10 . The adapter of  claim 9 , wherein each of the roller track members is generally C-shaped in cross-section and includes an upper elongated surface having a plurality of roller-receiving apertures therein, a pair of side support legs extending downwardly from the upper elongated surface, inwardly-directed feet extending from each of the side support legs, and a plurality of axle-receiving holes along each of the side support legs, each of the axle-receiving holes along one of the side legs being aligned with one of the axle-receiving holes along the other side support leg, and wherein each of the rollers includes an axle received in a pair of the axle-receiving openings.  
     
     
         11 . The adapter of  claim 10 , wherein the inclined sheet includes a plurality of pairs of columns of upwardly-projecting tangs, wherein the tangs in one of each of the pairs of columns extend sideways, in an opposite direction from the tangs of the other column of said pair of columns, each of said pairs of columns of tangs defining channels to receive the inwardly-directed feet extending from each of the side support legs of one of the roller track members.  
     
     
         12 . The adapter of  claim 11 , wherein the tangs of one of the columns are staggered from the tangs of another of the columns.  
     
     
         13 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the inclined sheet includes a multiplicity of roller supports extending upwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         14 . The adapter of  claim 13 , wherein the roller supports comprise tab members having axle-receiving openings therein.  
     
     
         15 . The adapter of  claim 13 , wherein the roller supports are integral with the inclined sheet.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for converting a flat shelf of a gondola shelving unit into a gravity feed shelf, comprising: 
 an inclined sheet having a plurality of upwardly-extending tabs to receive one of a group of an array of track members each having a bearing surface thereon and an array of rollers, extending between a front and a rear of the inclined sheet;    a downwardly-extending leg at the rear of the inclined sheet; and    a stop member along the downwardly-extending leg, said stop member spaced a predetermined distance from the rear of the inclined sheet and being adapted to rest along a rear end of a flat shelf, whereby the rear of the inclined sheet is raised off the flat shelf a distance corresponding to said predetermined distance between the stop member and the rear of the inclined sheet.    
     
     
         17 . A method for converting a flat shelf of a gondola shelving unit into a gravity feed shelf comprising: 
 forming a sheet to have an array of rollers carried by the sheet;    placing the sheet with said roller array on a flat shelf; and    supportably mounting a rear of the sheet with the roller array in a raised position relative to a front of the sheet with the roller array, whereby said array is supported in an inclined orientation to facilitate gravity flow movement of product placed thereon.    
     
     
         18 . A method of converting a flat shelf of a gondola shelving unit into a gravity feed shelf comprising: 
 piercing and forming a plurality of tabs on a sheet such that the tabs extend upwardly from the sheet and adapting the tabs to receive one of a group of an array of track members each having a bearing surface thereon and an array of rollers, extending between a front and a rear of the inclined sheet;    securing to said plurality of tabs one of the group of an array of track members each having a bearing surface thereon and an array of rollers;    forming a downwardly-extending leg along the rear of the inclined sheet;    securing a stop member to said downwardly-extending leg a predetermined distance from the rear of the inclined sheet; and    placing the stop member on a rear end of a flat shelf and placing the front of the inclined sheet on said flat shelf, whereby the rear of the inclined sheet is raised off the flat shelf by a distance corresponding to the predetermined distance between the stop member and the rear of the inclined sheet.    
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing an adapter for converting a flat shelf of a gondola shelving unit to an inclined gravity-feed shelf comprising: 
 rolling a sheet having a front and a rear;    punching a multiplicity of cuts through the sheet to from tab members having axle-receiving openings therein;    folding said tab members upward from the sheet;    forming a downwardly extending support leg along the rear of the sheet;    securing a forwardly-extending ledge to the support leg a predetermined distance below the rear of the sheet;    and rollably securing rollers between pairs of the upwardly-folded tab members.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein rollably securing rollers between pairs of the upwardly-folded tab members includes inserting an axle of each of the rollers in the axle-receiving openings of the upwardly-folded tab members.