Pusher Assembly and Pusher Assembly Rack System

Abstract

A pusher rack system is provided. The system includes a rack and one or more pusher assemblies removably attached to the rack. The rack includes one or more wire support frames supported by vertical supports. The pusher assembly includes a connection arrangement for removably attaching the pusher assembly to the wire support rack to longitudinally fix the position of the pusher assembly relative to the rack while simultaneously allowing for lateral adjustment of the pusher assembly relative to the rack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pusher assembly rack system, comprising:
 a plurality of vertical supports;   at least one wire rack mounted to the plurality of vertical supports, the at least one wire rack including:
 an outer peripheral wire formed into a generally rectangular shape having a pair of longitudinally extending edges in opposed spaced relation and a front edge and a back edge in opposed spaced relation and extending laterally between the pair of longitudinally extending edges; 
 a plurality of laterally extending wires joined to and extending between the longitudinally extending edges of the outer peripheral wire; and 
 a first connection element joined to an underside of the at least one wire rack adjacent one of the longitudinally extending edges of the outer peripheral wire; and 
 a second connection element joined to the underside of the at least one rack adjacent the other one of the longitudinally extending edges of the outer peripheral wire; 
   at least one pusher assembly for front facing a linear row of products toward a front edge of the at least one rack;   wherein the at least one pusher assembly includes a connection arrangement operable to connect the pusher assembly to the at least one wire rack such that the at least one pusher assembly is laterally adjustable between the pair of longitudinally extending edges of the outer peripheral wire of the at least one wire rack and longitudinally fixed between the front edge and the back edge of the outer peripheral wire of the at least one wire rack.   
     
     
         2 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vertical supports includes a plurality of slotted openings formed through a back wall thereof for attaching the at least one wire rack to the plurality of vertical supports. 
     
     
         3 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second connection elements each include front and rear forwardly facing pins. 
     
     
         4 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of vertical supports includes a first, a second, a third, and a fourth vertical support, wherein the front forwardly facing pin of the first connection element is received in one of the slotted openings of the first vertical support, the rear forwardly facing pin of the first connection element is received in one of the slotted openings of the second vertical support, the front forwardly facing pin of the second connection element is received in one of the slotted openings of the third vertical support, and the rear forwardly facing pin of the second connection element is received in one of the slotted openings of the fourth vertical support. 
     
     
         5 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of slotted openings of each vertical support includes two linear rows of slotted openings. 
     
     
         6 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pusher assembly includes a base structure for supporting items loaded into the pusher assembly, the base structure comprising:
 a pair of support bars in opposed spaced relation;   a pair of support elements extending laterally between the pair of support bars, one of the pair of support elements proximal to a front end of each of the pair of support bars, the other one of the pair of support elements proximal to a back end of each of the pair of support bars;   a wire support frame mounted to the pair of support bars and extending over a top of each of the pair of support elements.   
     
     
         7 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 6 , wherein the connection arrangement includes a connection portion of each of the pair of support bars. 
     
     
         8 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 7 , wherein the connection portion of each support bar includes a plurality of discrete connection points for connecting the pusher assembly to the at least one wire rack. 
     
     
         9 . The pusher assembly rack system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of discrete connection points of each connection portion of each support bar includes a forwardly opening notch, a downwardly opening notch, and a shoulder. 
     
     
         10 . A pusher assembly for a rack, the rack including a plurality of vertical supports and at least one wire rack mounted to the plurality of vertical supports, the pusher assembly configured for front facing a linear row of products toward a front edge of the at least one wire rack, the pusher assembly comprising a connection arrangement operable to connect the pusher assembly to the at least one wire rack such that the pusher assembly is movable in a direction parallel to the front edge of the at least one wire rack and fixed relative to movement along a direction perpendicular to the front edge of the at least one wire rack. 
     
     
         11 . The pusher assembly of  claim 10 , the pusher assembly further comprising:
 a base structure including:
 a pair of support bars in opposed spaced relation; 
 a pair of support elements extending laterally between the pair of support bars, one of the pair of support elements proximal to a front end of each of the pair of support bars, the other one of the pair of support elements proximal to a back end of each of the pair of support bars; 
 a wire support frame mounted to the pair of support bars and extending over a top of each of the pair of support elements; 
   a pusher slidable along the base structure toward and away from a front stop connected to a front end of the base structure; and   a pair of side barriers movable in a direction that his perpendicular to a direction of movement of the pusher.   
     
     
         12 . The pusher assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the connection arrangement is provided by a connection portion of each of the pair of support bars. 
     
     
         13 . The pusher assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the connection portion of each support bar includes a plurality of discrete connection points for connecting the pusher assembly to the at least one wire rack. 
     
     
         14 . The pusher assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of discrete connection points of each connection portion of each support bar includes a forwardly opening notch, a downwardly opening notch, and a shoulder. 
     
     
         15 . The pusher assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the pusher of the pusher assembly includes a locking arm for selectively locking the pusher relative to the base structure to prevent movement of the pusher relative to the base structure. 
     
     
         16 . The pusher assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each one of the pair of side barriers includes a divider wall and front and back wire extension elements connected to the divider wall. 
     
     
         17 . The pusher assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the front wire extension element of each side barrier is received in the support element mounted proximal to the front end of each of the pair of support bars, and wherein the rear wire extension element of each side barrier is received in the support element mounted proximal the back end of each of the pair of support bars. 
     
     
         18 . The pusher assembly of  claim 17 , wherein each of the pair of support elements includes a pair of tension clips for holding the respective front or rear wire extension element in a fixed position. 
     
     
         19 . The pusher assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each divider of each side barrier is a metal plate element. 
     
     
         20 . A method for installing a pusher assembly on a rack, the rack including a plurality of vertical supports and at least one wire rack mounted to the plurality of vertical supports, the pusher assembly configured for front facing a linear row of products toward a front edge of the at least one wire rack and includes a connection arrangement for connecting the pusher assembly to the at least one wire rack, the method comprises:
 receiving a wire of the at least one wire rack in a forwardly opening notch of the connection arrangement;   rotating the pusher assembly about the wire received in the forwardly opening notch;   receiving a second wire of the at least one wire rack in a downwardly opening notch of the connection arrangement; and   abutting a third wire of the at least one wire rack with a shoulder of the connection arrangement.