System and method for product display, arrangement and rotation

Abstract

A device, system, and method system for manually arranging products on a display shelf without requiring additional shelf width. The product containers, such as jars, cans, and bottles, may be pulled forward toward the front of the display shelf by pulling a front member which is attached to two slide rails which fit into the vacant spaces near the bottom of rounded container sides. In an alternate embodiment, a base is provided to elevate the containers, and the slide rails slide underneath the container. The slide rails are attached to a rear member which engages the rear of the last product container in the row, and pushes the containers forward as the front member is pulled away from the display shelf. The device may be a wire frame which may include side covers of various shapes and sizes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A product alignment wire frame device for use in aligning product containers on a display surface, the wire frame product alignment device comprising: 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;    a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear;    a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and    a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display shelf.    
     
     
         34  The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 1  further comprising a closed wire frame.  
     
     
         35 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 34  wherein the wire frame is closed by welding the ends of the wire together.  
     
     
         36 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 34  wherein the wire frame is closed by gluing the ends of the wire together.  
     
     
         37 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 34  further comprising 
 at least one coupler, such that the coupler holds a first wire end in proximity to a second wire end.  
 
     
     
         38 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 1  wherein 
 the width of the rear wire member and the width of the front wire member are adjustable in order to adjust the distance between the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member.  
 
     
     
         39 . The product alignment device of  claim 38  wherein: 
 the width of the rear wire member is adjustable by bending the rear wire member, and  
 the width of the front wire member is adjustable by bending the front wire member.  
 
     
     
         40 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 1  wherein the wire frame includes at least one coating.  
     
     
         41 . A product alignment device for use in aligning product containers on a display shelf, the product alignment device comprising: 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;    a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear;    an adjustable-width rear plate attached to the rear of the first side rail member and attached to the rear of the second side rail member; and    an adjustable-width front member attached to the front of the first side rail member and attached to the front of the second side rail member, such that the front member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the display shelf.    
     
     
         42 . The product alignment device of  claim 41  wherein 
 the rear plate width may be adjusted by bending the rear plate.  
 
     
     
         43 . The product alignment device of  claim 41  wherein 
 the front member is a bent wire, so that the width of the front member may be adjusted by bending the wire.  
 
     
     
         44 . The product alignment device of  claim 41  wherein 
 the rear plate includes a first recess for receiving a portion of the first wire side rail member; and  
 the rear plate includes a second recess for receiving a portion of the second wire side rail member.  
 
     
     
         45 . A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a display shelf, the system comprising: 
 a product display shelf having a front portion and a rear portion;    at least one product container positioned on the display shelf; and    an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display shelf towards the front portion of the display shelf, the arranging means comprising 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;  
 a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product container on the display shelf;  
 a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and  
 a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display shelf.  
   
     
     
         46 . The system for displaying products of  claim 45  wherein 
 the product container comprises a first edge in proximity to the first wire side rail member, and a second edge in proximity to the second wire side rail member;  
 the first wire side rail member is positioned below the outermost point of the first edge; and  
 the second wire side rail member is positioned below the outermost point of the second edge.  
 
     
     
         47 . The system for displaying products of  claim 45 , further comprising 
 a temporary shelf basket for extending to receive products from the display shelf to facilitate the rotation of older products from the rear portion of the display shelf to the front portion and newer products to the rear portion of the display shelf; the shelf basket comprising means to engage the display shelf for maintaining the shelf basket in a predetermined position.    
     
     
         48 . The system for displaying products of  claim 45 , further comprising at least one divider support base placed on the display shelf and under the first and second wire side rail members, the divider support base comprising 
 a base, such that the first and second wire side rail members may be pushed and pulled on top of the base, and    a plurality of support ribs, such that height of the support ribs is greater than the height of the first and second wire side rail members, so that the first and second wire side rail members may be moved underneath the base of containers which are placed on the support ribs.    
     
     
         49 . A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a display shelf, the system comprising: 
 a product display shelf having a front portion and a rear portion;    at least one product container positioned on the display shelf; and    an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display shelf towards the front portion of the display shelf, the arranging means comprising    a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear,    a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product container on the display shelf,    an adjustable-width rear plate integral to the rear of the first side rail member and integral to the rear of the second side rail member, and    an adjustable-width front member attached to the front of the first side rail member and attached to the front of the second side rail member, such that the front member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the display shelf.    
     
     
         50 . A system for displaying products generally forming a queue in a display box, the system comprising: 
 a product container display box comprising 
 a bottom having a rear portion and a front portion,  
 a first side, and  
 a second side;  
   at least one product container positioned in the display box; and    an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display box towards the front portion of the display shelf, the arranging means comprising    a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;    a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product container on the display box bottom;    a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and integral to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and    a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and integral to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display box in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display box.    
     
     
         51 . The system for displaying products of  claim 50  wherein 
 the product container display box is positioned on a display shelf.  
 
     
     
         52 . The system for displaying products of  claim 50  wherein 
 the product container display box further comprises a front, such that the front comprises 
 a first slot to accept a portion of the first wire side rail member, and  
 a second slot to accept a portion of the second wire side rail member.  
 
 
     
     
         53 . A method for aligning product containers in a queue on a display surface, comprising: 
 placing an arranging means on the display surface, the arranging means comprising 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;  
 a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product containers on the display surface;  
 a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and  
 a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display surface;  
   placing at least one product container in the channel, such that the product container comprises a first edge in proximity to the first slide rail member, and a second edge in proximity to the second slide rail member,    pulling the front pull element away from the display surface and thereby pulling the first and second slide rails and the rear positioning element outwardly with respect to the display shelf, thereby engaging the rearmost product container and pulling all product containers located in the channel toward the front of the display surface; and    pushing the front pull element back toward the rear of the display surface after the product containers are properly aligned with respect to the front of the display surface.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  further comprising 
 positioning the first slide rail member below the outermost point of the first edge of the containers; and  
 positioning the second slide rail member below the outermost point of the second edge of the containers.  
 
     
     
         55 . A method for displaying products generally forming a queue in a display box, the method comprising: 
 inverting a display box, the display box containing a plurality of product containers, and the display box comprising 
 a bottom having a rear portion and a front portion,  
 a top,  
 a front face,  
 a rear face,  
 a first side face, and  
 a second side face;  
   cutting the rear face, the front face, the first side face, and the second side face, so that a portion of each face remains integral to the bottom;    removing the bottom portion and the faces that remain integral to the bottom, so that the bottoms of a row of containers is exposed;    providing a first slot and a second slot on the front face;    inserting an arranging means over the bottoms of the row of containers, the arranging means comprising 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;  
 a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product containers in the display box;  
 a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and  
 a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display box in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display box;  
   replacing the bottom portion and the faces that remain integral to the bottom on the inverted row of containers;    inverting the display box so that the a portion of the first wire side rail member fits into the first slot, and a portion of the second wire side rail member fits into the second slot;    removing the top of the display box so that at least a portion of the product containers are exposed; and    using the arranging means to move product containers toward the front of the display box.    
     
     
         56 . A method for displaying products of  claim 55  further comprising 
 removing the front of the display box so that the arranging means may slide on the bottom of the display box.  
 
     
     
         57 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 1  wherein 
 the rear wire member comprises 
 an upwardly bent portion of the rear of the first side member,  
 an upwardly bent portion of the rear of the second side member, and  
 a rear wire member connecting the upwardly bent portion of the rear of the first side member to the upwardly bent portion of the rear of the second side member.  
 
 
     
     
         58 . The product alignment wire frame device of  claim 57  wherein 
 the front wire member comprises 
 an upwardly bent portion of the front of the first side member,  
 an upwardly bent portion of the front of the second side member, and  
 a front wire member connecting the upwardly bent portion of the front of the first side member to the upwardly bent portion of the front of the second side member.  
 
 
     
     
         59 . A method of adjusting the length of a wire frame pull device, the method comprising 
 providing a wire frame pull device having a flat generally rectangular shape, and having a front portion and a rear portion;    bending the front portion of the wire frame pull device upwards, thereby forming a pull handle;    determining the desired length of the pull device; and    bending the rear portion of the wire frame pull device upwards such that the device has the desired length, and such that the rear portion forms a pusher element.    
     
     
         60 . A method for aligning product containers in a queue on a display surface, comprising: 
 placing a container support on the display surface, the container support having a first edge, and second edge, and a top surface;    placing an arranging means on the display surface, the arranging means comprising 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the first wire side rail is placed outside of the first edge of the container support,  
 a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail is placed outside of the second edge of the container support,  
 a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and  
 a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display surface;  
   placing at least one product container on the display surface;    pulling the front pull element away from the display surface and thereby pulling the first and second slide rails and the rear positioning element outwardly with respect to the display shelf, thereby engaging the rearmost product container and pulling all product containers positioned on the container support toward the front of the display surface; and    pushing the front pull element back toward the rear of the display surface after the product containers are properly aligned with respect to the front of the display surface.    
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein 
 the container support is cardboard.  
 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61  wherein 
 a portion of the container over the rear of the display shelf.  
 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60  wherein 
 the container support is adhesively attached to the display shelf.  
 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 60  wherein 
 the container support is magnetically attached to the display shelf.  
 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 49  further comprising 
 a front stop device.  
 
     
     
         66 . A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a display shelf, the system comprising: 
 a product display shelf having a front portion and a rear portion;    at least one product container positioned on the display shelf in a display row, the display row having a front portion and a rear portion;    a front stop device positioned in the front portion of the display row;    an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display row towards the front portion of the display row, the arranging means comprising 
 a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear,  
 a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear,  
 a rear pusher element, and  
 a front member attached to the front of the first side rail member and attached to the front of the second side rail member, such that the front member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the display shelf.  
   
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66  wherein 
 the front stop device extends across the front portions of a plurality of display rows.  
 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 66  wherein 
 the front stop snaps onto the front of the display shelf.