Method and Apparatus for Container Dispensing on a Shelf

This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/623,615 filed Jan. 22, 2024 and having the title “Method And Apparatus For Container Dispensing On A Shelf.”

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for container dispensing on a shelf and more particularly optimizing container position, loading, feeding, visual display and removal on a lower shelf of a shelving unit for improved visualization and selection.

The present invention adapts a standard, prior art shelving unit having a plurality of shelves including at least a bottom shelf and a first shelf located above the bottom shelf. Dispenser arrangements placed horizontally retain containers of generally cylindrical configuration and include internal ramps whereby containers with a horizontal axis can be loaded in a top opening, pass down ramps and are placed in a lower opening whereby they are visible to a person who may remove a selected container. A plurality of loaded containers essentially rolls downwardly and forwardly to be placed in the lower opening thereby providing a consistent presentation and ease of removal relieving the requirement for persons to select from vertical axis cylindrical containers arrayed on a horizontal shelf—the human necessarily must grasp a nearby container, while remaining containers become progressively farther from the front of the shelf causing inconvenience and also reducing visibility which has a negative impact on circumstances such as making a purchasing decision.

The improvement comprises altering the angle of both the internal ramps and the dispenser front face to improve visibility and access when the dispenser is on a bottom shelf, both harder to visually observe and more difficult to reach when bending over to select a container.

The prior art for container dispensing shelf displays typically uses a standard shelving system having a plurality of shelves that, while height adjustable are nevertheless typically adjusted within ranges so as to maximize presentation of product generally placed with a vertical axis and resting on a container bottom.

When unaltered, wasted space may occur when shelf spacing is greater than container height, while difficulty in removal and difficulty in viewing containers at the rear of the shelf can result from too small a height.

A first solution is to include a dispenser with internal ramps whereby containers are inserted with a horizontal axis and cylindrical containers roll rearwardly and frontwardly, thereby maximizing both visibility—with front panel signage and the actual front located product—and ease of removal through elimination of product stacked at the rear of the shelf. A rectangular form permits placement flat on a shelf with close clearance to a higher shelf.

The angles discovered and described herein can also be achieved using an alternative embodiment. There is a practical demand for shipping product with minimal volume, in keeping with the need for ease in stocking on store shelves, while ultimately displaying product so as to maximize the presentation to consumers. A carefully designed bottom ramp can be shipped flat, assembled, and deployed with a standard flat-ramp dispenser, thereby accomplishing the goals described.

Disadvantages of the rectangular form flat on a shelf have been discovered when in a unique position on a bottom shelf. Visibility of a front panel is less because if vertical, in a low position, it is more difficult for a standing person to read. Similarly, presentation of a ready to remove container is low and at an inconvenient, horizontal, angle. Lower shelves are particularly problematic because it is very difficult to gain access to vertically placed containers, while horizontally dispensed containers are also not optimized because of reach and visibility. Ramp angles are potentially material because gravity feed of cylindrical containers is related to the force generated by gravitational acceleration which is a function of the mass-dependent on density contained within the cylindrical container. For example, more dense containers such as that containing a liquid may move on a shallower angle than a container having less density such as a container with dry product such as tablets or capsules.

A bottom shelf product dispenser is formed with a rectangular plan form having a depth and width. Symmetric side panels generally rectangular, but the top, front corner is removed to enable a slot for inserting containers and at the bottom front corner is both slotted and extended to flange providing a product display projection from which containers can be observed and removed. To facilitate generally cylindrical containers, a rectangular top panel encloses the top and a rectangular rectilinear rear panel both encloses the rear of the dispenser, but also urges directional change in loaded containers as will be more fully described below. A rectangular front panel closes the front, joining the sides, but extending upwardly to define the upper slot and downwardly to define the bottom slot. The front panel provides a surfaced for information or graphic display.

A base elevates the front slot, supporting the dispenser. Alternatively, the rectangular side panels could be reformed to provide a polygonal shape having a longer edge in the front. Ramps and a floor brace could be adapted to this different configuration. When a separate component the base can be formed from a sheet material having a shelf contacting floor and a dispenser contacting deck, separated by a front web and joined at the rear by a tab fitting a slot, both joining the floor and deck and providing a projection to retain a rectangular dispenser in a selected position.

The dispenser contains a top ramp and bottom ramp. The top ramp intersect the front panel and descends at about six to nine degrees from the horizontal stopping at a rear edge providing sufficient clearance to define a gap for a container to displace off the ramp adjacent the rear panel. A lower ramp extends fully from the rear panel to the front slot flange at an angle of between about ten to twelve degrees from the horizontal. The rear edge of the lower ramp receives containers passing through the gap. In the preferred embodiment the [ramp] deck is at an angle of about five degrees, which may vary depending on factors such as the arrangement of and connection between the tab and slot, but is not expected to vary by more than about one degree, plus or minus.

An alternative top loading hopper configuration eliminates the top loading slot and plurality of straight rams having instead an open (or openable and closeable) top and a single curved ramp enabling a filled top compartment to feed containers to a front lower corner outlet.

The dispensers described can be selected, in the alternative, to function as enclosed shipping cartons with the containers loaded inside, openable and deployable for use, or as reusable dispensers. A primary use is in a retail store environment where balancing ease of stocking and handling with maximizing sales resulting from ease of consumer decision making and access is key. However, this primary use does not foreclose alternatives, such as in inventory management such as in a workshop or kitchen environment.

The invention will be better understood and aspects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings discussed below.

The following detailed embodiments presented herein are for illustrative purposes. That is, these detailed embodiments are intended to be exemplary of the present invention for the purposes of providing and aiding a person skilled in the pertinent art to readily understand how to make and use of the present invention. Accordingly, the detailed discussion herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the metes and bounds of the patent protection afforded the present invention, in which the scope of patent protection is intended to be defined by the claims and their equivalents thereof. Therefore, embodiments not specifically addressed herein, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, should be and are considered to be implicitly disclosed by the illustrative embodiments and claims described herein and therefore fall within the scope of the present invention. Further yet, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention.

Reference throughout this specification, if any, to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

Before turning to the figures, which illustrate the exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.

A standard, prior art shelving unithas a plurality of shelvesincluding a bottom shelfand a first shelffixed to rear panel or stanchion supports.

Dispensercan be placed directly on shelves, or more advantageously used with the additional features of the invention. Dispenserreceives containers of generally cylindrical formand makes them available for viewing and removal as described herein. Dispenserhas loading opening, internal ramps,leading to lower opening. Containersare held in place in openingby lower opening flange. Dispenser front faceis formed, as further described, to enclose dispenser but also provide a surface to contain desired information, graphics, images, bar codes or the like.

Dispenser topbottomand rear panelwith sides,generally enclose dispenser, relieved by slots,. As can be seen, dispenseris generally formed with a rectilinear plan having depth and width, but adapted as further described.

Side panelis formed and arranged so that proximate what would be top front corneris a cutoutto define slot. Side panelbottom front corneris formed having projectionthe end of which is closed for product containment by flange.

In a first embodiment baseis formed and arranged with base front surfacefrom which base angled deckdepends to intersect base floor. Base projecting tab, when assembled, engages base slot. Slotis displaced forwardly from deck rear edge. Deck rear edgepreferably extends rearwardly from floor rear edgeproviding spacing from shelf rearand space defining a web containing base slot. When formed of foldable or hinged material, basecan have folds,between floor—frontand front—deck, respectively. Similarly tabjoins floorat fold.

Optimum operation of the gravity feed feature of a dispenserusing ramps,can be achieved through both clearance to provide operable paths for containersand angling ramps,as a function of the density of containers, itself dependent on, essentially, product density and contents.

Thus interior top ramp variations are shown in rampand interior bottom ramp variations shown in ramp. Thus, clearance for a containeris provided between rampand topwhile having a sufficient slope for container feed. Ramp endand dispenser rear panelpermits passage of containerfrom top rampto bottom ramp.

Ramp, if too shallow, will not have optimized gravity feed of containersfrom rearto slot. The parameters described can be adapted to a separate dispenserand baseor side panels could be adapted to support and present a unitary dispenser including both a dispenser and ramp portions and a base portion.

Rampcan be angled at about six degrees (6°) to about nine degrees (9°) downwardly from front to back relative to the horizontal in a dispenser and base combination. Rampcan be angled at about ten degrees (10°) to about twelve degrees (12°) from back to front relative to the horizontal in a dispenser and base combination. Horizontal is intended to have the normal meaning of perpendicular to the direction of gravitational acceleration on Earth.

Due to variables in materials in both the formation of the dispenser and base and diameters of products, the angular dimensions are believed to be accurate to plus or minus one and one half degrees (±1.5°).

In an alternative embodiment, a dispenseris formed and arranged with a curved ramp. Topmay be openable for reuse or the entire packed dispenser can be shipped enclosing containers. Slotcan be reconfigured for one or both of load dispersal or aesthetics using an elliptical edge. As with the other embodiments, separate or unitary dispenser and base portions could be utilized.

An improved ramp is formed and arranged to be interlocked with corresponding ramps in this manner, support of multiple dispensers or dispensers of greater width, can be accomplished in a method less likely to be subject to unwanted horizontal displacement.

In an alternative embodiment baseis formed and arranged with base front surfacefrom which base angled deckdepends to intersect base floor. Base projecting tab, when assembled, engages base slot. Slotis displaced forwardly from deck rear edge. Deck rear edgepreferably extends rearwardly from floor rear edgeproviding spacing from shelf rearand space defining a web containing base slot.

Being formed of foldable or hinged material, basecan have folds,between floor—frontand front—deck, respectively. In this embodiment tabhas top flangeand intermediate webthe relative width thereof providing a tendency to engage and hold in slot.

Working dimensions for the foldable and interlockable, originally flat, basecan be about 14 inches (356 mm) from edgeto fold, and about 13 and one half inches (343 mm) from edgeto foldwith spacing between foldandbeing about one and one half inches (38 mm). It will be understood that the structure being formed and arranged of an economical and easy to fabricate material such as 0.125 inch corrugated cardboard, or an equivalent such as a foam board material, has general tolerances that do not require the numerical values at a higher precision than that described. The dimensions described provide an angle between deckand floorof more than six degrees (6°) but less than seven degrees (7°).

Right interlocking taband left interlocking tab—when looking from front surfacetowards edge—have flangesandspaced outward from side edges,by tab webs,. Tabsandface in opposite directions. Flanges,and webs,are formed and arranged to define engagement slots,. Because of the opposite direction orientation, therefore, when arranged side by side, as shown in, corresponding rampscan be interlocked at location A by engagement between corresponding tabs,.

is a top plan viewof the embodiment shown in. Because of the angle of dispenserthe base is substantially concealed in this view. However, topand faceare visible as are the loading openingand lower opening.

There have thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution of the art may be better appreciated.

Numerous aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The construction and arrangements, as shown in the various exemplary embodiments, are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Some elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or other varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any process, logical algorithm, or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

While a number of exemplary embodiments have been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.