Shelf divider apparatus assisting in sliding sheet removal for gravity feed shelving

Abstract

A shelf divider member for use with gravity feed shelving systems, having outwardly-extending connector clips at each end, the shelf divider formed of generally elongated L-shaped divider member having a lowered connection point to the associated gravity feed shelf unit at the front, and an elevate+d connection point at the rear. Generally V-shaped divider guests extend downwardly from the elongated divider member to facilitate maintaining gravity feed product within the flow lanes. A plastic slide track sheet associated with the gravity feed shelf unit can be readily removed for cleaning, replacement and reinsertion, all without requiring any removal, including of any portion, of the respective shelf divider members.

1 . A divider member for use to separate flow lanes in a gravity feed shelf, the shelf having side members connected by at least front and rear transverse support rods, the divider member comprising: 
 a first elongate portion extending in a direction generally parallel to an inclined plane of a gravity feed shelf;    a second portion extending downwardly from and generally perpendicular to said first elongate portion; and    a connector clip member projecting rearwardly from a rear end of the first elongate portion, said connector clip member being selectively secured to a crossbar spaced a distance above a rear of the gravity feed shelf, said distance being sufficiently greater than a thickness of a slide sheet received on the gravity feed shelf to permit removal of said slide sheet from a direction rearward of the gravity feed shelf without a need to first disconnect said connector clip member from the crossbar.    
   
   
       2 . The divider member of  claim 1  further comprising a front connector clip member projecting forwardly of a lower end of the second portion, said front clip member being selectively secured to a front transverse support rod of the inclined shelf.  
   
   
       3 . The divider member of  claim 2 , wherein the first elongate portion and the second portion are compressibly biased when the connector clip member is connected to the crossbar and the second connector clip is connected to the front transverse support rod.  
   
   
       4 . The divider member of  claim 1  further comprising at least one gusset extending downwardly from the first elongate portion.  
   
   
       5 . The divider member of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one gusset is generally V-shaped.  
   
   
       6 . A gravity feed shelving system including: 
 at least one inclined gravity feed shelf having side members connected by at least a front transverse support rod and a rear transverse support rod;    a crossbar spaced a distance above the rear transverse support rod;    at least one divider member including:    a) a first elongate portion extending in a direction generally parallel to an inclined plane of the gravity feed shelf,    b) a second portion extending downwardly and generally perpendicular to the first elongate portion, and    c) a connector clip member projecting rearwardly from a rear end of the first elongate portion, said connector clip including a plurality of clip projections; and    said crossbar including a first row of slotted openings sized to selectively receive at least two of the plurality of clip projections for securement of the rear end of the first elongate portion at a first height.    
   
   
       7 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 5 , further including a slide sheet member provided on the at least one inclined gravity feed shelf, said slide sheet member having a thickness sufficiently less than the distance between the crossbar and the rear transverse support rod to permit removal of the slide sheet from a direction rearward of the inclined gravity feed shelf without a need to first remove the connector clip member from the crossbar.  
   
   
       8 . The gravity feed shelf system of  claim 7 , wherein the connector clip member further includes a pair of clip projections at a different height than said at least two of the plurality of clip projections, said pair of clip projections facilitating securement of the rear end of the first elongate portion to the crossbar at a second height, said second height being at a different height than said first height.  
   
   
       9 . The gravity feed shelf system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one divider member includes at least one gusset extending downwardly from the first elongate portion, and when each of the pair of clip projections is received in the slotted openings of the crossbar, said at least one gusset engages the slide sheet member.  
   
   
       10 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 6 , wherein the crossbar further includes a second row of slotted openings sized to selectively receive at least two of the plurality of clip projections, said second row of slotted openings being disposed lower than the first row of slotted openings to facilitate securement of the rear end of the first elongate portion at a second height, said second height being below said first height.  
   
   
       11 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one divider member includes at least one gusset extending downwardly from the first elongate portion.  
   
   
       12 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one gusset is generally V-shaped.  
   
   
       13 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one inclined gravity feed shelf further includes a plurality of laterally spaced wire slide members extending between the front support rod and the rear support rod.  
   
   
       14 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 13 , wherein when the clip projections are received in the first row of slotted openings, the at least one gusset does not extend below an inclined plane defined by the plurality of laterally spaced wire slide members.  
   
   
       15 . The gravity feed shelving system of  claim 14 , wherein when the clip projections are received in the second row of slotted openings, a lower portion of the at least one gusset extends between a pair of the wire slide members, thereby extending below the plane defined by the plurality of laterally spaced wire slide members.  
   
   
       16 . A divider member for use to separate flow lanes in a gravity feed shelf, having side members connected by transverse supports and a slide surface formed of a plurality of wire slide members, the divider member comprising: 
 an elongate divider bar member having a plurality of downwardly-extending gusset members;    connection clip members attached at each of a front end and a rear end of the divider bar member to facilitate adjustable positioning of the divider bar member relative to the gravity feed shelf with the front end of the divider bar member carrying the connector clip members at a lower location than at the rear end relative to the gravity feed shelf, the divider bar member adapted to permit removal for cleaning and replacement of an associated slide track sheet without the need for removing the divider bar member or any part of the divider bar member.    
   
   
       17 . The divider member of  claim 16 , wherein the elongated divider bar member comprises a generally L-shaped rod member.  
   
   
       18 . The divider member of  claim 16 , wherein the connector clip members comprise multiple outwardly extending clip projections permitting retention of the clip projections within slotted openings of a crossbar associated with the gravity feed shelf.  
   
   
       19 . The divider member of  claim 17 , wherein the clip projections further permit respective engagement with a plurality of vertically aligned slot openings along the crossbar associated with the gravity feed shelf to thereby permit selective vertical positioning of the divider bar member relative to the associated gravity feed shelf unit.  
   
   
       20 . The divider member of  claim 17 , wherein the clip connector members formed at the rear end of the divider bar member include upper and lower clip projections, thereby permitting, depending on which of the upper and lower clip projections are selected for engagement with the associated gravity feed shelf unit, of an elevated or a lowered positioning of the divider bar member relative to the gravity feed shelf.  
   
   
       21 . Method of providing an inclined shelf of a gravity feed shelving system with a readily removable slide sheet, comprising: 
 providing an inclined shelf including side members connected by at least front and rear transverse support rods;    providing a slide sheet on said inclined shelf;    providing at least one divider member having a first elongate portion extending in a direction generally parallel to the inclined shelf, a second portion extending downwardly from and generally perpendicular to the first elongate portion, and a connector clip member projecting rearwardly from a rear end of the first elongate portion; and    connecting the connector clip member to a crossbar spaced a distance above a rear of the inclined shelf, said distance being sufficiently greater than a thickness of the slide sheet to permit removal of the slide sheet from a direction rearward of the inclined shelf without a need to first disconnect said connector clip member or any portion thereof from the crossbar.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein in providing the at least one divider member, the divider member includes a front connector clip member projecting forwardly of a lower end of the second portion, and further comprising connecting the front connector clip member to the front transverse support of the inclined shelf.