Pusher and merchandise display system

Abstract

A pusher and system for dispensing articles includes a display cell having a back wall, a pair of opposing sidewalls and an open front. The pusher includes first and second members, each featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and at least one hinge portion. The first and second members are joined by pivot axes. The leading edges feature pushing flaps to cooperatively engage a rearmost article positioned in the cell while the trailing edges cooperatively engage the back wall of the cell. Tensioning elements urges the hinge portions of the pusher towards one another so that articles are pushed towards the open front of the cell. A pair of centering flaps are joined one each to the trailing edges of the pusher and cooperatively engage the opposing sidewalls of the cell to assist in centering the pusher within the cell.

1 . A pusher for dispensing articles from a display cell having a back wall, a pair of opposing sidewalls and an open front, said pusher comprising:
 a) a first member featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and a hinge portion;   b) a second member featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and a hinge portion;   c) said first member joined to said second member at a first pivot axis between the leading edges and the first and second hinge portions and at a second pivot axis between the trailing edges and the hinge portions;   d) the leading edges adapted to cooperatively engage a rearmost article positioned in the cell;   e) the trailing edges adapted to cooperatively engage the back wall of the cell;   f) a tensioning element urging the hinge portions towards one another so that the back wall of the cell is engaged by the trailing edges and the rearmost article is engaged by the leading edges and pushed towards the open front of the cell; and   g) a pair of centering flaps joined one each to the trailing edges, said centering flaps cooperatively engaging the opposing sidewalls of the cell to assist in centering the pusher within the cell.   
   
   
       2 . The pusher of  claim 1  wherein the first and second members each includes an additional hinge portion and said first and second members are also joined at a third pivot axis between the additional hinge portions and the trailing edges. 
   
   
       3 . The pusher of  claim 2  wherein the first and second members each includes another additional hinge portion and said first and second members are also joined at a fourth pivot axis between the another additional hinge portions and the trailing edges. 
   
   
       4 . The pusher of  claim 1  wherein the first and second members are each constructed from a single piece. 
   
   
       5 . The pusher of  claim 4  wherein the first and second members are each constructed of corrugated fiberboard. 
   
   
       6 . The pusher of  claim 5  wherein the first and second member are cut from a single sheet of corrugated fiberboard. 
   
   
       7 . The pusher of  claim 1  wherein the first and second members include slots formed at the hinge portions that receive the tensioning element. 
   
   
       8 . The pusher of  claim 7  wherein the slots include generally V-shaped slots. 
   
   
       9 . The pusher of  claim 8  wherein the tensioning element is an elastic loop. 
   
   
       10 . The pusher of  claim 1  wherein the first and second members each include pivot slits that engage one another at the pivot axes. 
   
   
       11 . The pusher of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of pushing flaps attached to the leading edges. 
   
   
       12 . A merchandise display system for dispensing articles comprising:
 a) a display cell having a back wall, a pair of opposing side walls and an open front; and   b) a pusher including:
 i. a first member featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and a hinge portion; 
 ii. a second member featuring a leading edge and a trailing edge and a hinge portion; 
 iii. said first member joined to said second member at a first pivot axis between the leading edges and the first and second hinge portions 
 iv. and at a second pivot axis between the trailing edges and the hinge portions; 
 v. the leading edges adapted to cooperatively engage a rearmost article positioned in the cell; 
 vi. the trailing edges adapted to cooperatively engage the back wall of the cell; 
 vii. a tensioning element urging the hinge portions towards one another so that the back wall of the cell is engaged by the trailing edges and the rearmost article is engaged by the leading edges and pushed towards the open front of the cell; 
 viii. a pair of centering flaps joined one each to the trailing edges, said centering flaps cooperatively engaging the opposing sidewalls of the cell to assist in centering the pusher within the cell. 
   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the first and second members of the pusher each includes an additional hinge portion and said first and second members are also joined at a third pivot axis between the additional hinge portions and the trailing edges. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the first and second members of the pusher each includes another additional hinge portion and said first and second members are also joined at a fourth pivot axis between the another additional hinge portions and the trailing edges. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the first and second members of the pusher are each constructed from a single piece. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the first and second members of the pusher are each constructed of corrugated fiberboard. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the first and second members of the pusher include generally V-shaped slots formed at the hinge portions and the tensioning element includes an elastic loop that is received by the V-shaped slots. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the pusher further comprises a pair of pushing flaps attached to the leading edges. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the display cell is constructed from corrugated fiberboard. 
   
   
       20 . A device for pushing articles in a display cell having a back wall, an opposing pair of side walls and an open front, the device comprising:
 a) a first member featuring a rear panel and a forward panel, said rear panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge and said forward panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge, said trailing edge of the forward panel joined to the leading edge of the rear panel in a hinged fashion so that a first member angle is defined between the forward and rear panels of the first member;   b) a second member featuring a rear panel and a forward panel, said rear panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge and said forward panel including a leading edge and a trailing edge, said trailing edge of the forward panel joined to the leading edge of the rear panel in a hinged fashion so that a second member angle is defined between the forward and rear panels of the second member;   c) said forward panel of the first member joined to the forward panel of the second member in a hinged fashion;   d) said rear panel of the first member joined to the rear panel of the second member in a hinged fashion;   e) the leading edges of the forward panels of said first and second members adapted to cooperatively engage a rearmost article positioned in the cell;   f) the trailing edges of the rear panels of said first and second members adapted to cooperatively engage the back wall of the cell;   g) a tensioning element urging portions of the first and second members together so that the acuteness of the first member and second member angles increase and so that the rearmost article engaged by the forward panels of the first and second members is pushed towards the open front of the cell; and   h) a first centering flap joined to the trailing edge of the rear panel of the first member and a second centering flap joined to the trailing edge of the rear panel of the second member, said first and second centering flaps cooperatively engaging the opposing sidewalls of the cell to assist in centering the pusher within the cell.