Product display with improved pull-through frame arrangements

Abstract

A display tray for specially shaped packages (e.g., sliced meat products), having flat, flexible bases and a forwardly projecting housings for the product, typically, typically with recesses in the base to accommodate nesting. A vertical frame at the front, permitting the product housing to project through while normally retaining the base and while also allowing the base to be pulled through by a customer, is known. The new tray positions this frame a sufficient distance behind a front stop of the tray to enable a customer to replace a pulled-through product into the tray, in front of the frame and a product projecting through the frame. To particular advantage, the thus-positioned frame is incorporated into a special tray insert, easily installed in a general purpose tray to accommodate the described, specially shaped packages, and easily removed from the tray to render it more suitable for the display of general merchandise.

1 . In a product display tray particularly for the display of product packages having a forwardly projecting product pocket and a surrounding flange of flexible material, the tray being of the type comprising a bottom structure, a spring-driven paddle movable over said bottom structure and urged toward a front of said display tray for urging displayed product packages toward the front, and a front stop element positioned at the front of said tray to limit forward movement of items supported on said bottom structure, the improvement which comprises
 (a) a product supporting and dispensing insert removably mounted in a forward portion of said tray,   (b) said insert comprising a frame defining a generally vertical frame opening for receiving the forwardly projecting pocket of a product package,   (c) said frame opening being smaller than the surrounding flange of said package while of a size to enable said flange, when flexed, to be pulled forwardly through the opening,   (d) said insert including spacer means extending forward from said frame for positioning said frame a predetermined distance rearwardly of said stop element,   (e) said predetermined distance being greater than the forward projection of a product pocket through said frame by an amount sufficient to accommodate a pull-through removal of a product package positioned in said frame.   
   
   
       2 . A product display tray according to  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) said predetermined distance is greater than said forward projection by an amount at least equal to a front-to-back thickness of a product package, whereby a product package may be placed loosely in said insert, in a generally upright orientation, forwardly of a package projecting through said frame.   
   
   
       3 . A product display tray according to  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) the bottom structure of said display tray comprises a plurality of spaced-apart wire elements extending in a front-to-back direction, and   (b) said insert comprises support elements shaped and sized for a snap-over fit onto outermost ones of said spaced-apart wire elements.   
   
   
       4 . A product display tray according to  claim 3 , wherein
 (a) said support elements also comprise said spacer means.   
   
   
       5 . A product display tray according to  claim 3 , wherein
 (a) said insert is of wire construction,   (b) said support elements comprise upper and lower wire elements on each side of said insert,   (c) said upper and lower wire elements are positioned in parallel relation and spaced apart vertically a distance to receive between them one of said outermost wires of said tray.   
   
   
       6 . A product display tray according to  claim 5 , wherein
 (a) said frame comprises a wire section of generally inverted U-shaped configuration having lower end portions fixed to rearward portions of said upper and lower wire elements, and   (b) said upper and lower wire elements at both sides of said insert are connected together at forward ends thereof by a front connector element extending across said bottom structure.   
   
   
       7 . A product display tray according to  claim 6 , wherein
 (a) said front connector element is formed of wire and is of a generally inverted U-shaped configuration having an transversely extending upper element spaced a short distance above said bottom structure.   
   
   
       8 . A product display tray according to  claim 6 , wherein
 (a) a strip spring extends from said movable paddle to a front portion of said tray to urge said paddle forwardly thereon,   (b) said transversely extending portion of said front connector element includes a tongue element extending from a central upper portion of said connector element and disposed at an angle extending downwardly and rearwardly,   (c) a lower extremity of said tongue element positioned in overlying relation to said strip spring, and   (d) upper portions of said tongue being positioned in spaced above relation to said bottom structure for engagement and support of forwardly projecting portion of a product package placed loosely in said insert, in front of a package restrained by said frame.   
   
   
       9 . A removable insert for a product display tray, for the display of product packages having a forwardly projecting product pocket and a surrounding flange of flexible material, where the tray has a bottom structure comprising at least two laterally spaced, longitudinally extending wires, a pusher paddle slideable along said bottom structure, a spring urging said paddle forwardly along said bottom structure, and a front barrier structure positioned adjacent a front of said tray, said insert comprising
 (a) a wire frame member of generally inverted U-shaped form defining a frame opening of a size larger than said forwardly projecting pocket and smaller than the surrounding flange of said package while of a size to enable said flange, when flexed, to be pulled forwardly through the opening,   (b) a pair of vertically spaced apart, forwardly extending wires fixed to said wire frame at each side thereof and spaced for a snap-over fit with the laterally spaced wires of said bottom structure,   (c) a connecting wire joining front portions of said pairs of vertically spaced wires,   (d) said insert being adapted for snap-over mounting on, the front portion of said product display tray to position the frame member at a location spaced a distance rearwardly of the front of said tray.   
   
   
       10 . An insert according to  claim 9 , wherein
 (a) said distance is greater than a forward projection of said product pocket by an amount at least equal to a front-to-back thickness of a product package, whereby a product package may be placed loosely in a front portion of said insert, in a generally upright orientation, forwardly of a package projecting through said frame.   
   
   
       11 . In a product display tray particularly for the display of product packages having a forwardly projecting product pocket and a surrounding flange of flexible material, the tray being of the type comprising a bottom structure, a spring-driven paddle movable over said bottom structure and urged toward a front of said display tray for urging displayed product packages toward the front, and a front barrier element positioned at the front of said tray, the improvement which comprises
 (a) a product dispensing frame mounted in a forward portion of said tray, spaced rearwardly of said front barrier element,   (b) said frame being vertically oriented and defining a frame opening for receiving the forwardly projecting pocket of a product package,   (c) said frame opening being smaller than the surrounding flange of said package while of a size to enable said flange, when flexed, to be pulled forwardly through the opening, and   (d) said frame being positioned a predetermined distance rearwardly of said barrier element,   (e) said predetermined distance being greater than the forward projection of a product pocket through said frame by an amount sufficient to accommodate placement of a loose product package between a product pocket projecting through said frame and said front barrier element.   
   
   
       12 . The improvement of  claim 11 , wherein said frame comprises a frame insert removably positioned in said tray. 
   
   
       13 . The improvement of  claim 12 , wherein
 (a) said product display tray comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending wire elements forming a support for bottom edges of said product packages, and   (b) said removably positioned frame is arranged for snap-over attachment to certain of said wire elements.   
   
   
       14 . The improvement of  claim 13 , wherein
 (a) said frame insert is formed substantially of wire and includes a frame portion of generally inverted U-shaped configuration and at least one wire element extending forwardly from each side of said frame portion, from bottom portions thereof, and serving to space said frame portion rearwardly of said front barrier element.   
   
   
       15 . The improvement of  claim 14 , wherein
 (a) said tray bottom structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending wire elements for supporting bottom edge portions of product packages,   (b) said at least one wire element comprises a pair of vertically spaced apart, longitudinally extending wire elements arranged for snap-over mounting on outer ones of the longitudinally extending wire elements of said bottom structure, to engage said outer ones in straddling relation.