Front stop and retail merchandise tray having snap in front stop

Abstract

A front stop, a retail merchandise tray and a method of assembling a retail merchandise tray are provided. The front stop has resilient mounting tabs that engage a frame of a retail merchandise tray. The tray includes a frame and a front stop mounted to the frame. A method of assembly includes resiliently biasing a mounting tab of the front stop when mounting the front stop to the frame.

1 . A retail merchandise tray, comprising:
 a frame extending between a front and a rear and providing a product support surface, the frame including first and second upstanding wall portions being laterally spaced apart from one another along a second axis being generally perpendicular to the first axis:   a front stop mounted to the first and second upstanding wall portions, the front stop including:
 an upright member; 
 a first mounting portion securing the front stop to the first upstanding wall portion, the first mounting portion including:
 a first mounting protrusion extending laterally generally parallel to the second axis into a first mounting protrusion receiving recess in the first upstanding wall portion; 
 a first mounting tab extending laterally generally parallel to the second axis into a first mounting tab receiving recess in the first upstanding wall portion, the first mounting tab being resiliently attached to the upright member such that a lesser amount of force is required to laterally displace the first mounting tab parallel to the second axis relative to the upright member than is required to laterally displace the first mounting protrusion generally parallel to the second axis relative to the upright member; and 
 a second mounting portion securing the front stop to the second upstanding wall portion. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 1 , wherein the second mounting portion includes:
 a second mounting protrusion extending laterally generally parallel to the second axis into a second mounting protrusion receiving recess in the second upstanding wall portion; and   a second mounting tab extending laterally generally parallel to the second axis into a second mounting tab receiving recess in the second upstanding wall portion, the second mounting tab being resiliently attached to the upright member such that a lesser amount of force is required to laterally displace the second mounting tab parallel to the second axis relative to the upright member than is required to laterally displace the second mounting protrusion generally parallel to the second axis relative to the upright member.   
     
     
         3 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes first and second longitudinally extending members extending parallel to a first axis, the first and second upstanding wall portions being provided by the first and second longitudinally extending members. 
     
     
         4 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first and second upstanding wall portions define a gap therebetween:   the first and second mounting portions being received, at least in part, between the first and second upstanding wall portions and within the gap.   
     
     
         5 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first mounting protrusion extends laterally from a first cantilevered portion of the first mounting portion, the first cantilevered portion extending in a cantilevered orientation generally parallel to the first axis rearward from the upright member;   the first mounting tab extends laterally from a second cantilevered portion of the first mounting portion, the second cantilevered portion extending in a cantilevered orientation generally parallel to the first axis rearward from the upright member;   the first and second cantilevered portions being offset from one another parallel to a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the first and second axes.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 5 , wherein a gap is formed between the first and second cantilevered portions, the gap offsetting the first cantilevered portion relative to the second cantilevered portion parallel to the third axis. 
     
     
         8 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the frame includes:
 at least one support member providing the first and second upstanding wall portions; 
 at least one second frame member extending longitudinally between a first end proximate the front of the frame and a second end proximate the rear of the frame, the second member providing, at least in part, the product support surface, the first end being received in a frame member receiving slot of the front stop. 
   
     
     
         9 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the at least one second frame member is rotatably secured to the at least one support member proximate the second end for pivotal movement about a pivot axis being generally parallel to the second axis; and   the engagement of the front stop with the first and second upstanding wall portions preventing pivotal movement of the at least one second frame member about the pivot axis.   
     
     
         10 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the at least one support member includes:
 a first longitudinally extending member in the form of a first load bearing member, the first load bearing member providing the first upstanding wall portion; and 
 a second longitudinally extending member in the form of a second load bearing member, the second load bearing member providing the second upstanding wall portion: 
   the at least one second frame member is in the form of a wire support structure mounted to the first and second load bearing members, the wire support structure providing the product support surface, the wire support structure including at least two longitudinally extending wires and at least one laterally extending wire connected to the at least two longitudinally extending wires, the first end of the at least one second frame member being provided by ends of the at least two longitudinally extending wires.   
     
     
         11 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first and second mounting tabs extend outward away from one another generally parallel to the second axis; and   the first mounting tab has a catch region and a tapered region, the tapered region tapering outward when moving in a direction extending away from a bottom of the first mounting tab towards a top of the first mounting tab, the top being closer to the first mounting protrusion than the bottom.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first and second wall portions are spaced apart parallel to the second axis a first distance:   the first and second mounting tabs extend outward away from one another generally parallel to the second axis, a second distance between a first end of the first mounting tab and a second end of the second mounting tab being greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         14 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first mounting tab has a first catch region and a first tapered region, the first tapered region tapering outward when moving in a direction extending away from a bottom of the first mounting tab towards a top of the first mounting tab, the top being closer to the first mounting protrusion than the bottom;   the second mounting tab has a second catch region and a second tapered region, the second tapered region tapering outward when moving in a direction extending away from a bottom of the second mounting tab towards a top of the second mounting tab, the top being closer to the second mounting protrusion than the bottom:   the bottom of the first mounting tab being spaced a third distance from the bottom of the second mounting tab, the third distance being substantially equal to or less than the first and second distances.   
     
     
         15 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second tapered regions are cam surfaces that laterally and resiliently bias the first and second mounting tabs laterally inward towards one another as the tapered region is increasingly inserted between the first and second upstanding wall portions until the first and second mounting tabs are aligned with the first and second mounting tab recesses, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second mounting protrusions extend laterally outward away from one another generally parallel to the second axis, a first end of the first mounting protrusion being spaced apart from a second end of the second mounting protrusion a fourth distance, the fourth distance being greater than the first and second distances. 
     
     
         17 . A method of assembling a retail merchandise tray of  claim 1  comprising:
 engaging the first mounting tab with the first upstanding wall at a location spaced from the first mounting tab receiving recess: 
 laterally, resiliently biasing the first mounting tab relative to the upright member with the first upstanding wall: 
 sliding the first mounting tab relative to the first upstanding wall until the first mounting tab is aligned with the first mounting tab receiving recess; and 
 inserting the first mounting tab into the first mounting tab receiving recess. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of engaging the first mounting tab with the first upstanding wall includes engaging a tapered surface of the first mounting tab and laterally resiliently biasing the first mounting tab relative to the upright member with the first upstanding wall includes sliding the tapered surface of the first mounting tab relative to the first upstanding wall. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein inserting the first mounting tab into the first mounting tab receiving recess includes inserting a catch region of the first mounting tab into the first mounting tab receiving recess. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of sliding the first mounting tab relative to the first upstanding wall occurs when the first and second upstanding walls are fixed relative to one another such that they do not move laterally relative to one another parallel to the second axis when the first mounting tab is slid relative to the first upstanding wall to align the first mounting tab with the first mounting tab receiving recess. 
     
     
         21 . A front stop mountable to a frame of a retail merchandise tray,
 the frame having first and second upstanding wall portions that are laterally spaced apart from one another along a first axis a first distance, the front stop comprising:   an upright member:   a first mounting portion configured to secure the front stop to the first upstanding wall portion, the first mounting portion including:
 a first mounting protrusion extending laterally generally parallel to the first axis; 
 a first mounting tab extending laterally generally parallel to the first axis, the first mounting tab being resiliently attached to the upright member such that a lesser amount of force is required to laterally displace the first mounting tab parallel to the first axis relative to the upright member than is required to laterally displace the first mounting protrusion generally parallel to the first axis relative to the upright member; and 
   a second mounting portion configured to secure the front stop to the second upstanding wall portion.   
     
     
         22 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A retail merchandise tray, comprising:
 a frame extending between a front and a rear and providing a product support surface, the frame including first and second upstanding wall portions being laterally spaced apart from one another along a second axis being generally perpendicular to the first axis:   a front stop mounted to the first and second upstanding wall portions, the front stop including:
 an upright member; 
 a first mounting portion securing the front stop to the first upstanding wall portion, the first mounting portion including:
 a first rearward extending wall portion extending in a cantilevered orientation relative to the upright member: 
 a first mounting tab extending laterally from the first rearward extending wall portion, the first mounting tab extending generally parallel to the second axis into a first mounting tab receiving recess in the first upstanding wall portion, the first rearward extending wall portion operably resiliently attaching the first mounting tab to the upright member. 
 
   
     
     
         33 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 32 , wherein the front stop further includes:
 a second mounting portion securing the front stop to the second upstanding wall portion, the second mounting portion including:
 a second rearward extending wall portion extending in a cantilevered orientation relative to the upright member; 
 a second mounting tab extending laterally from the second rearward extending wall portion, the second mounting tab extending generally parallel to the second axis into a second mounting tab receiving recess in the second upstanding wall portion, the second rearward extending wall portion operably resiliently attaching the second mounting tab to the upright member. 
   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 33 , wherein the first mounting portion includes a third rearward extending wall portion including a first mounting protrusion, the first mounting protrusion engaging the first upstanding wall portion and preventing angular rotation of the front stop about the first mounting tab about an axis parallel to the second axis. 
     
     
         36 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 35 , wherein the first and third rearward extending wall portions have a gap formed therebetween, the gap having a gap bottom positioned along the first axis between the upright member and the first mounting tab and positioned along the first axis between the upright member and the first mounting protrusion towards the upright member. 
     
     
         40 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the first rearward extending wall portion includes a first laterally facing face from which the first mounting tab extends, the first laterally facing face facing the first upstanding wall;   the second rearward extending wall portion includes a second laterally facing face from which the second mounting tab extends, the second laterally facing face facing the second upstanding wall;   the first and second laterally facing faces face outward away from one another and are positioned between the first and second upstanding wall portions;   the first and second upstanding wall portions define a first distance therebetween;   a first distal end of the first mounting tab being spaced a second distance from a second distal end of the second mounting tab when the first and second rearward extending wall portions are in a relaxed state, the second distance being greater than the first distance;   the first and/or second rearward extending wall portions being elastically deformable such that the first and second distal ends of the first and second mounting tabs may be spaced equal to or less than the first distance from one another in a deformed state to permit the first and second mounting tabs to slide between the first and second upstanding wall portions in the deformed state and then resiliently return to the relaxed state and into engagement with corresponding first and second recesses in the first and second upstanding wall portions.   
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The retail merchandise tray of  claim 43 , wherein:
 the first mounting portion includes a first mounting protrusion spaced from the first mounting tab, the first mounting protrusion extending into a first notch formed in the first upright wall portion;   the second mounting portion includes a second mounting protrusion spaced from the second mounting tab, the second mounting protrusion extending into a second notch formed in the second upright wall portion.   
     
     
         46 . (canceled)