Universal product display

Abstract

A universal cooler product display generally used for displaying any of various products, such as dairy products inside a store cooler, includes an adjustable frame supporting adjustable shelves having HDPE trays that allow products to slide forward under gravity and a drainage system to dispose of unwanted liquids.

1 . A product display, comprising:
 a support frame;   at least one shelf supported by the support frame, the shelf comprising opposing front and rear edges, and opposing side edges; and   at least one elongated divider extending from the front edge to the rear edge, the divider being slidably adjustable side-to-side of the shelf to a plurality of positions along a width of the shelf while mounted to the shelf, wherein at least some of the plurality of positions comprises a continuous, non-discrete range of positions.   
     
     
         2 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the divider is releasably fastenable to the shelf at any of the plurality of positions. 
     
     
         3 . The product display of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the shelf further comprises left and right side wall members and front and rear divider support members, each divider support member connecting the left side wall member to the right side wall member;   the divider comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion being slidably engaged with the front divider support member and the second end portion being slidably engaged with the rear divider support member; and   the shelf further comprises at least one fastening device for releasably fastening the second end portion of the divider to the rear divider support member.   
     
     
         4 . The product display of  claim 3 , wherein the rear divider support member comprises an elongated slot extending along its length that defines the continuous, non-discrete range of positions, and the fastening device extends from to the second end portion of the divider through the elongated slot in the rear divider support member. 
     
     
         5 . The product display of  claim 3 , wherein each divider support member comprises a channel extending along its length, and wherein the first end portion of the divider is slidably engaged within the channel of the front divider support member and the second end portion of the divider is slidably engaged within the channel of the rear divider support member. 
     
     
         6 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a plurality of elongated, vertically disposed shelf support columns, each column comprising a plurality of vertically aligned slots for supporting the shelf at different heights. 
     
     
         7 . The product display of  claim 6 , wherein at regular intervals along the plurality of vertically aligned slots certain slots are marked for indexing with corresponding slots in the other columns. 
     
     
         8 . The product display of  claim 6 , wherein the shelf can be supported by the plurality of shelf support columns at a plurality of height positions, a plurality of tilt angles, and a plurality of fore-aft positions relative to the shelf support columns. 
     
     
         9 . The product display of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of shelf support brackets, each bracket comprising at least one slot hook for attaching to one of the slots in the shelf support columns and at least one shelf hook for supporting the shelf. 
     
     
         10 . The product display of  claim 9 , wherein the shelf further comprises left and right side wall members each having a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches for receiving a shelf hook of one of the brackets to position the shelf at a selected fore-aft position relative to the shelf support columns. 
     
     
         11 . The product display of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises at least one cross brace extending from one shelf support column to another shelf support column, the cross brace being adjustable to a plurality of height positions relative to said one shelf support column and said another support column. 
     
     
         12 . A product display, comprising:
 a support frame; and   at least one shelf supported by the frame in a tilted position with a rear end of the shelf higher than a front end of the shelf;   the shelf comprising a high-density polyethylene tray having an upper sliding surface for supporting products that can slide in a direction from the rear end to the front end of the shelf under gravity.   
     
     
         13 . The product display of  claim 12  wherein the tray further comprises:
 a plurality of drainage grooves formed in the upper surface of the tray, the drainage grooves extending lengthwise of the tray; 
 a collection groove in a front end portion of the tray and in liquid communication with each of the drainage grooves; 
 at least one drain hole passing through the tray and in liquid communication with the collection groove; 
 wherein liquid in the drainage grooves is directed to flow by gravity through the drainage grooves into the collection groove and through the drain hole. 
 
     
     
         14 . The product display of  claim 13 , wherein the drainage grooves are substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another widthwise of the tray. 
     
     
         15 . The product display of  claim 13 , wherein the collection groove is arced such that left and right ends of the collection groove are closer to the front end of the tray than a middle portion of the collection groove, and wherein each end of the collection groove terminates in a drain hole. 
     
     
         16 . The product display of  claim 12 , the tray further comprising a handle at the rear end of the tray. 
     
     
         17 . A product display, comprising:
 a support frame;   a plurality of shelves supported one above the other by the frame in a tilted position with a rear end of each shelf higher than a respective front end of each shelf;   each shelf comprising a tray, each tray comprising a plurality of grooves in an upper surface of the tray and at least one drain hole adjacent a front end portion of the tray, the grooves being in liquid communication with the drain hole; and   a drip pan coupled to the frame below the front end of a lowermost shelf;   wherein liquid in the grooves of each tray is directed to flow by gravity through the grooves, through the drain hole in the tray, through the drain holes in any lower trays, and into the drip pan.   
     
     
         18 . The product display of  claim 17 , wherein each tray comprises at least two drain holes, one each adjacent left and right sides of the front edge portion of the tray. 
     
     
         19 . The product display of  claim 18 , wherein each tray further comprises an arced collection groove adjacent the front edge of the tray that is in fluid communication with the plurality of grooves and the two drain holes in the tray, and wherein the arced collection groove directs fluid from the plurality of grooves towards the two drain holes in the tray. 
     
     
         20 . The product display of  claim 17 , wherein each shelf further comprises a shelf frame that supports the tray, the shelf frame comprising at least one opening, and wherein the drain hole in the respective tray is aligned above the opening in the shelf such that liquid passing through the drain hole in the tray also passes through the opening in the shelf frame. 
     
     
         21 . The product display of  claim 17 , wherein the drip pan is adjustable fore and aft to position the drip pan at a selected position relative to the front end of the lowermost shelf, and wherein the drip pan is removable from the frame for emptying and cleaning.