US20040178158A1

US20040178158A1 - System and method for product display, arrangement and rotation

Info

Publication number: US20040178158A1
Application number: US10/811,659
Authority: US
Inventors: James Close
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-16
Filing date: 2004-03-29
Publication date: 2004-09-16

Abstract

A device, system, and method system for manually arranging products on a display shelf without requiring additional shelf width. The product containers, such as jars, cans, and bottles, may be pulled forward toward the front of the display shelf by pulling a front member which is attached to two slide rails which fit into the vacant spaces near the bottom of rounded container sides. In an alternate embodiment, a base is provided to elevate the containers, and the slide rails slide underneath the container. The slide rails are attached to a rear member which engages the rear of the last product container in the row, and pushes the containers forward as the front member is pulled away from the display shelf. The device may be a wire frame which may include side covers of various shapes and sizes.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part application for U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/918,843 which was filed on Jul. 31, 2001. Application Ser. No. 09/918,843 was related to provisional patent application No. 60/290,969 filed on May 14, 2001 and to provisional patent application No. 60/292,441 filed on May 19, 2001.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the display, arrangement and rotation of products such as those packaged in bottles, jars, cans, and boxes, and more particularly to an improved product display, arrangement and rotation system and method in which products displayed on a display shelf can easily be arranged or rotated to have the products' expiration dates kept safely up to date and to conveniently position the products manually near the front edge of the shelves for improved visual exposure and effortless selection by consumers.

2. Description of Related Art

Retail stores relying on the consumers to serve themselves have recognized the importance of displaying products near the front edge of display shelves so that the products can be readily seen by consumers and easily reached by the consumers. Customers typically remove products from the front of a display shelf, and products remaining toward the rear of display shelves are often difficult to reach.

Well operated retail stores have clerks move around the store periodically to check the status of goods and to make appropriate corrections by moving products toward the front of display shelves. There is a need to make this alignment process more efficient. It is also desirable to properly rotate products on a display shelf so that the older products are sold before the newer products. A system for the easy rotation of products is needed to decrease the likelihood that a product will have to be discarded after reaching its expiration date.

The prior art provides some examples of automated or semi-automated shelf display alignment.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,438 to applicant describes a system and method for product display, arrangement and rotation. That patent includes a relatively fixed side frame which is typically held in place by magnetic attraction, and a pull frame attached to a rear member that is used to pull product forward on a shelf. That invention is appropriate for containers with straight side walls such as boxes and cans. The current invention is well-suited for containers such as bottles and jars with rounded, or otherwise non-linear side wall profiles.

The '438 patent discusses prior art including U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,463 to Steven K. Gold which teaches the use of springs to push items to the front position on the display shelf; U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,126 to Foster which also uses a ribbon spring arrangement to advance a row of items forward; U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,125 to Kunz, which is similar to the '126 patent, with the addition of a protective wire grid to prevent a glass jar from falling out of the device; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,546 to Crum which also uses a spring mechanism.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device, system and method for displaying and rotating products generally forming a queue on a display surface such as a display shelf.

Some embodiments include two slide rails, one slide rail positioned on either side of a row of product containers. The containers are typically bottles or jars with rounded bottom sides. The slide rails preferably fit within the vacant space left by the rounded lower portion of a row of containers, or within the vacant space left by the lower portions of adjacent rows of containers so as not to take up valuable shelf space. The slide rails are connected to a rear element so that when the slide rails are pulled outward from the display shelf, the rear element engages the queue and pulls the remaining containers toward the front of the display shelf. A front pull element preferably connects the first slide rail with the second slide rail so that the two slide rails may be pulled at the same time and rate by pulling the front pull element.

In one embodiment, the slide rails, the front pull element, and the rear element are formed as a single wire frame. In other embodiments, a plate may serve as the rear element; a cover such as plastic tubing may be placed over the slide rails in order to increase the size of the slide rails in order to help stabilize the product containers; the device may be formed as a single unit, such as by injection molding; or the width between the slide rails may be adjusted.

In some embodiments according to the invention, the slide rail element includes indicia identifying the number of the products in the queue when the positioning element is moved so that the products are substantially aligned with the front portion of the surface. The indicia may also contain information corresponding to the products in the queue. Additionally, the indicia may be a bar code.

Another embodiment according to the invention comprises a temporary shelf basket for receiving products from the surface of the shelf to facilitate the rotation of older products from the rear portion of the surface to the front portion and newer products to the rear portion of the surface. The shelf basket is temporarily attached to the display shelf, preferably by inserting basket support arms into holes located on the display shelf.

A method is provided to use the shelf basket for product rotation by temporarily attaching the basket to the display shelf; removing old product from a row of product display; determining the number of new containers necessary to fill the row; placing the proper number of new containers in the row; removing the old product from the basket and placing the old products in front of the new products in order to fill the row; and removing the shelf basket from the display row.

Another method according to the invention is a method for arranging and displaying products generally forming a queue and taking an inventory, comprising the steps of providing a shelf generally for receiving products to be displayed and having a front and rear portion; providing products having front and rear sides for arrangement and display on the shelf generally in a queue having a front and rear product; and providing an arranging means for placement on the shelf. The arranging means comprises a pair of slide rails, the slide rails defining a channel for receiving the products. The arranging means further has a rear element adapted to engage the rear product in the queue from the rear side of the product, thereby allowing the rear product to be engaged by the rear element for movement from a position in the rear portion to a predetermined position closer to the front portion of the surface. The method further comprises positioning the products in the channel generally in the form of a queue; selectively moving the products manually from the rear portion of the shelf towards the front portion of the shelf by applying a force to the slide rails generally in a direction of the front portion of the shelf, thereby engaging the rear product with the rear element until the first product is located at a predetermined position near the front portion of the shelf; reading the indicia to determine the number of products remaining in the queue; and finally, returning the device to its original position by applying a force on the slide rails generally in a direction of the rear portion of the shelf until the device reaches its original position.

Another embodiment incorporates a product support base with raised tabs to support a row of product containers and to permit the slide rails to slide underneath product containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a wire frame embodiment of the invention with slip-on tubing covers. [0018]
FIG. 1B is a perspective of a slip-on split tubing cover of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A. [0019]
FIG. 1C is a cross sectional view towards the rear element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A showing an adjustable width feature of the embodiment. [0020]
FIG. 1D is a cross sectional view towards the front pull element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A showing an adjustable width feature of the embodiment. [0021]
FIG. 1E is a front view of a portion of a display shelf showing product containers and several devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A. [0022]
FIG. 1F is a perspective view of a device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A used to align containers on a display shelf. [0023]
FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of an alternative wire frame embodiment of the invention with slip-on tubing covers. [0024]
FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the alternative wire frame embodiment of FIG. 2A with tubing covers inserted over the side rails. [0025]
FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the alternative wire frame embodiment of FIG. 2B with a rear element installed. [0026]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative wire frame embodiment without a rear plate element. [0027]
FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of another wire frame embodiment of the invention. [0028]
FIG. 4B is a cross sectional view of an alternate rear member with side rail receiving channels. [0029]
FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A positioned on a display shelf for proper length sizing. [0030]
FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A positioned on a display shelf with the rear element being bent to size the length of the device. [0031]
FIG. 4E is a perspective view of a portion of a display shelf showing product containers and several devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A. [0032]
FIG. 4F is a perspective view of a portion of a display shelf showing stacked product containers being aligned with devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. 4G is a front view of a portion of product containers on a shelf. [0033]
FIG. 5A is a front view of a portion of product containers on a shelf. [0034]
FIG. 5B is a front view of a portion of product containers on a shelf illustrating the vacant space at the base of the containers. [0035]
FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. [0036]
FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6A positioned on a display shelf with product containers. [0037]
FIG. 6C is a perspective view of another cover for the embodiment of FIG. 6A. [0038]
FIG. 6D is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6[0039] c with the width of the device narrowed by bending the rear element and the front pull element.
FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an embodiment having unconnected bent wire as the rear member. [0040]
FIG. 7B is a perspective view of an embodiment having welded wires as the rear member. [0041]
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment with molded or extruded elements. [0042]
FIG. 9 is a top view of several devices in position on a display shelf illustrating the use of the device in aligning product containers. [0043]
FIG. 10A is a perspective view of an accessory rear element for stacked containers. [0044]
FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 10A showing stacked containers. [0045]
FIG. 10C is a side view of stacked containers with the rear element of FIG. 10A. [0046]
FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a basket to assist in restocking for product rotation. [0047]
FIG. 11B is a perspective view of a basket positioned on a display shelf. [0048]
FIG. 12A is a perspective bottom view of a container base to inhibit container rotation. [0049]
FIG. 12B is a side view of devices of FIG. 12A attached to the bottoms of containers. [0050]
FIG. 12C is a bottom view of a container base of FIG. 12A. [0051]
FIG. 12D is a bottom view of a container base with a rectangular base. [0052]
FIG. 13A is a perspective view of a divider base unit. [0053]
FIG. 13B is an exploded side view of several adjacent divider base units. [0054]
FIG. 13C is a side view of adjacent divider base units with can containers. [0055]
FIG. 13D is a perspective view of an alignment device placed on a divider base unit. [0056]
FIG. 13E is a side view of adjacent divider base units with can containers. [0057]
FIG. 14A is an exploded top perspective view of a two piece wire frame assembly. [0058]
FIG. 14B is a top perspective view of an assembled frame of the embodiment of FIG. 14A. [0059]
FIG. 15A is a top view of a frame with a coupling device. [0060]
FIG. 15B is a top view of an embodiment with a coupling device accepting two overlapping side rail portions. [0061]
FIG. 16A is a top perspective view of a frame with an adjustable rear pull plate member. [0062]
FIG. 16B is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 16A showing a removing of the rear pull plate element. [0063]
FIG. 16C is a top perspective exploded view of the pull member of FIG. 16A. [0064]
FIG. 16D is a top perspective view of the pull member of FIG. 16A before the rear member is bent upwards. [0065]
FIG. 17A is a side perspective view of a cut and inverted display carton. [0066]
FIG. 17B is a side perspective view of the carton of FIG. 17A with the bottom portion removed and wire frames inserted over the bottoms of rows of product containers [0067]
FIG. 17C is a side perspective view of the carton of FIG. 17A with the front bottom portion of the carton removed. [0068]
FIG. 17C is a side perspective view of the carton of FIG. 17A with the carton re-inverted and the top portion removed. [0069]
FIG. 18A is a front perspective view of a pull device with adjustable bend couplers. [0070]
FIG. 18B is a perspective view of an adjustable bend coupler of FIG. 18A. [0071]
FIG. 19 is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a multiple row front stop device. [0072]
FIG. 20A is a front perspective view of an embodiment with snap on front stop devices. [0073]
FIG. 20B is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 20A. [0074]
FIG. 20C is a front perspective view of a front stop device with pull slot and anchor features. [0075]
FIG. 20D is a front perspective view of the front stop device of FIG. 20C with pull slide. [0076]
FIG. 21A is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a container support and a pull device with a generally rectangular front pull shape. [0077]
FIG. 21B is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 21A. [0078]
FIG. 21C is a front perspective view of an unaligned row of the embodiment of FIG. 21A. [0079]
FIG. 21D is a front perspective view of an aligned row of the embodiment of FIG. 21A. [0080]
FIG. 21E is a front perspective view of several rows of the embodiment of FIG. 21A. [0081]
FIG. 21F is a front perspective view of several rows of the embodiment of FIG. 21A. [0082]
FIG. 22A is a top view of an unbent alignment device. [0083]
FIG. 22B is a side view of the alignment device of FIG. 20A bent to a first length. [0084]
FIG. 22C is a side view of the alignment device of FIG. 20A bent to a second length. [0085]
FIG. 22D is a side view of the alignment device of FIG. 20A bent to a third length. [0086]
FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a container support and a pull device with a generally triangular front pull shape. [0087]
FIG. 24A is a top perspective view of a closed loop wire frame. [0088]
FIG. 24B is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 24A showing a narrowing of the width. [0089]
FIG. 24C is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 24A. [0090]
FIG. 24D is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 24A. [0091]
FIG. 25A is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of single or multiple row stop devices. [0092]
FIG. 25B is a front perspective detailed view of a front stop holder of FIG. 25A. [0093]
FIG. 25C is a side view of the holder of FIG. 25B secured to the lip of a display shelf.[0094]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Detailed Description of Embodiment—Wire Frame with Slit Side Rail Covers [0095]
Referring now to FIG. 1A, an embodiment of the current invention is a product [0096] display aligning device 10 which is comprised of a wire frame featuring a first side rail 11, a second slide rail 12, a rear pull element 30 affixed to the first and second side rails, and a front pull member 20.
Referring now to FIG. 1B which is a perspective of a slip-on split tubing cover of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the side rails may be covered with a material such as a round [0097] slit plastic tubing 14, or they may be left uncovered. In this example, the slit tubing is positioned over each side rail. In other embodiments, the side rail coverings may be installed by other techniques, such as slipping the cover onto the side rail before bending the side rail, or they may be fabricated as a single element without a wire support. The covers may be of various shapes and sizes in order to best fit a particular use as discussed below. In this embodiment, the term slide rail refers to a covered side rail if a cover is installed, and to an uncovered side rail if a cover is not installed prior to use.
Referring now to FIG. 1C which is a cross sectional view towards the rear element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, a [0098] rear plate 30 is affixed to the side rails 11 and 12 by means of welds 31. Other means of attachment such as positioning the side rails in retaining tabs or channels on the rear element may also be used. One function of the rear element is to engage product containers in order to align those containers on a display shelf. In other embodiments, another function of the rear element is to provide a surface for affixing a label associated with the display product. The rear element may be of various shapes, and in some instances may simply be a bent portion of one or both slide rails. In this embodiment, the side rails 11 and 12 may be bent relative to the rear element in order to narrow or enlarge the distance between the slide rails. For example, the first side rail 11 may be bent to a narrowing position 111, and the second side rail 12 may be bent to a narrowing position 112. This width adjustment feature is useful for adapting the device to various sizes of container bases.
Referring now to FIG. 1D which is a cross sectional view towards the front pull element of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, in this embodiment, the side rails [0099] 11 and 12 are formed from a continuous heavy wire. For example, the wire may be a stainless steel such as ⅛″ or thicker wire. The wire may simply be bent in the plane of the slide rails to form a box end, but the wire is typically bent upwards in the form of an inverted “V” in order not to interfere with the visibility of display shelf labeling. In this embodiment, the front pull element may be bent to narrow or enlarge the distance between the side rails as illustrated by a second narrowing position 120.
Referring now to FIG. 1E which is a front view of a portion of a [0100] display shelf 50 showing product containers 90 and several devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the adjacent product containers and alignment devices may be similar as illustrated in this figure, or the devices may be adapted to various shapes and sizes of containers so that the geometry of adjacent devices may be different.
Referring now to FIG. 1F which is a perspective view of a device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A used to align containers on a display shelf, a clerk's [0101] hand 200 may grasp the front pull element 20 and thereby pull the slide rails 40 and 41 away from the rear of the display shelf. The rear element will engage the rearmost product container 91 and pull the container toward the front of the shelf. The clerk would typically continue pulling until the forward-most product container is properly aligned with the front of the display shelf, and would then push the front pull element back to its original position at the edge of the display shelf.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Wire Frame Inserted in Rail Covers [0102]
Referring now to FIG. 2A, another embodiment of the current invention is a product display aligning device which is comprised of a [0103] wire frame 9 featuring a first side rail 11, a second slide rail 12, and a front pull member 20. In this embodiment, a rear element is not installed until after slide covers 15 are inserted over the side rails.
Referring now to FIG. 2B which is a perspective view of the alternative wire frame embodiment of FIG. 2A with tubing covers inserted over the side rails, the side rails are partially covered with a material such as a round [0104] plastic tubing 15. The covers may be of various shapes and sizes in order to best fit a particular use as discussed below.
Referring now to FIG. 2C which is a perspective view of the alternative wire frame embodiment of FIG. 2B with a rear element installed, a [0105] rear element 30 is welded or otherwise attached to the side rails. The covered side rails serve as slide rails 40 and 41.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Wire Rear Member [0106]
Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the current invention is a product display aligning device which is comprised of a wire frame featuring a [0107] first slide rail 40, a second slide rail 41, a front pull member 20, and a bent rear member 32. In this embodiment, the rear element function is provided by the bent wire of the side rails. The wire may be welded or otherwise coupled at any point in the frame, but preferably the wire is either jointed at the bent rear member or in a position along the side rails that is covered. Alternatively, the wire may be left uncoupled, and the cover may serve to hold the wire in proper alignment. In another embodiment, the front pull section 20 and the bent rear member may be two different pieces of wire that are held in position by the side rail covers, so that the front and rear sections are inserted into the covers.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Adjustable Frame Length [0108]
Referring now to FIG. 4A, which is an exploded perspective view of another wire frame embodiment of the invention, the [0109] wire frame 9 is bent to form the two side rails 11 and 12, and the front pull member 20. The back ends of the side rails are left straight and unattached. A rear member 33 is slipped onto the side rails. The rear member may have a label 35 or other identifying information affixed or printed on it.
Referring now to FIG. 4B, which a cross sectional view of an alternate rear member with rail channels, the [0110] rear member 33 has a first side rail receiving channel 34 a and a second side rail receiving channel 34 b to accept the side rails. This embodiment is particularly useful for specialty items such as baby food.
Referring now to FIG. 4C, which is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A positioned on a display shelf for proper length sizing, the device may be sized for proper length on a display shelf by placing the [0111] wire frame 9 with the front pull section positioned at the rear of the shelf 50. The side rails 11 and 12 will then overhang the front edge of the display shelf. The rear member 33 is placed on the side rails by inserting each side rail in a side rail receiving channel located on the rear member.
Referring now to FIG. 4D which is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A positioned on a display shelf with the rear element being bent to size the length of the device, the rear member may be bent upwards to a second position [0112] 133 in order to size the device for the shelf. Optionally, covers may be placed on the side rails before bending the side rails, or slit covers may be placed on the side rails after bending. For smaller product containers, the side rails may serve as slide rails without covers.
Referring now to FIG. 4E which is a perspective view of a portion of a display shelf showing product containers and several devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the devices are positioned so that the [0113] rear elements 33 are at the rear of the display shelf 50. In the case of small containers 91 such as baby food jars, the containers may be stacked.
Referring now to FIG. 4F which is a perspective view of a portion of a [0114] display shelf 50 showing stacked product containers being aligned with devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, a clerk's hand 200 may grasp the front pull element 20 and pull the slide rails away from the rear of the display shelf. The rear element 33 will engage the rearmost product containers 91 and pull the containers toward the front of the shelf. The clerk would typically continue pulling until the forward-most product container is properly aligned with the front of the display shelf, and would then push the front pull element back to its original position at the edge of the display shelf.
Referring now to FIG. 4G which is a front view of a portion of product containers on a [0115] display shelf 50, the side rails 11 and 12 fit in the spaces created by the rounded bottoms of the containers 91 so that the devices can be installed without requiring additional shelf width.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Various Slide Rail Shapes and Sizes [0116]
Referring now to FIG. 5A which is a front view of a portion of [0117] product containers 92 on a shelf 50, the figure illustrates that various shapes of slide rails may be used fit in the vacant spaces created by the bottom portions of the product containers. The slide rails may be round 15, or polygonal such as the rectangular 16 or generally triangular 17 elements as shown. The slide rails may be of single piece construction such as plastic extrusions, or they may be in the form of covers which are positioned on a wire frame.
Referring now to FIG. 5B which is a front view of a portion of product containers on a shelf illustrating the vacant space at the base of the containers, the widest part of the [0118] containers 92 is shown as point 43 along the side wall of the containers. The base of the containers is shown as 44. The area between the lower portion of the side wall 47 and a line 46 tangent to the widest point 43 of the container and perpendicular to the display shelf 50 defines a vacant cross sectional area for the preferred positioning of the slide rails. Depending upon the height and mass of the container, it is desirable to select a slide rail geometry and size that will fit substantially within the vacant space so as not to take up additional shelf width, but which will also assist in stabilizing the containers when they are moved.
The slide rails may include markings or indicia for indicating the number of products in the queue, or the number of products necessary to fill a queue. [0119]
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Extruded Slide Rails [0120]
Referring now to FIG. 6A which is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, the slide rails may be extruded, or otherwise fabricated, such as the generally [0121] triangular sections 17 shown, and the front pull section 21 and the rear member may be insertable into the slide rails.
Referring now to FIG. 6B which is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6A positioned on a [0122] display shelf 50 with product containers 92, the slide rails 40 and 41 are the extruded sections, and the rear member 35 and the front pull member 21 have been inserted into the slide rails.
Referring now to FIG. 6C which is a perspective view of another cover for the invention of FIG. 6A, the front pull [0123] element 21 and the rear element 35 are inserted into round covers 15.
Referring now to FIG. 6D which is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6C, the width of the device may be narrowed by bending the [0124] rear element 35 and the front pull element 21. In this manner, the device may be adapted to various sizes of containers.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Bent Wire Rear Member [0125]
Referring now to FIG. 7A which is a perspective view of an embodiment having unconnected bent wire as the rear member, the side rails [0126] 11 and 12 may be bent inward to function as a rear member without a plate or other connecting device.
Referring now to FIG. 7B which is a perspective view of an embodiment having welded wires as the rear member, one or [0127] more wire elements 36 may be welded or otherwise secured to the side rails 11 and 12 in order to hold the side rails in position and to form a rear member.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Extruded Unit [0128]
Referring now to FIG. 8 which is a perspective view of an embodiment with molded or extruded elements, the entire arranging [0129] unit 10 may be produced by injection molding. This technique is useful for common slide rail sizes and shelf widths. Alternately, the slide rails 40 and 41, the rear element plate 37, and the front pull element 22 may be molded separately and assembled; the slide rails and front pull element may be formed as a first unit and then attached to a rear element plate; or the slide rails and rear element plate may be formed as a first unit and then attached to a front pull element.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Alignment Method [0130]
Referring now to FIG. 9 which is a top view of several devices in position on a display shelf, reference [0131] 201 shows a first size of device with no products in the row; reference 202 shows a second size of device with no products in the row; reference 203 shows the first size of device with products 94 properly displayed toward the front of the display shelf; reference 204 shows the second size of device with products 93 remaining toward the rear of the display and with empty shelf space in front of the products where products have been removed; reference 205 shows a clerks hand 200 having pulled the device to align the products of element 204 toward the front of the display shelf; and reference 206 shows a clerks hand 200 having pushed the device back into position after aligning the products toward the front of the display shelf.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Rear Element for Stackable Containers [0132]
Referring now to FIG. 10A which is a perspective view of an accessory rear element for stacked containers, the rear element [0133] 38 is designed to fit between the channel between the first slide rail and the second slide rail in order to support stacked containers. In this example, the rear element is comprised of a rear support 381, side supports 382, a base 384, and a front lip 383.
Referring now to FIG. 10B which is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 10A showing [0134] stacked containers 91, the rear element supports the rearmost stack of containers as the stack is moved into alignment. Once the containers are aligned, the front pull member may be pushed back into position, and the accessory rear element will remain with the rear product stack in the row. The accessory rear element supports a stacked row as it is moved into alignment.
Referring now to FIG. 10C which is a side view of stacked containers with the rear element of FIG. 10A, a clerk's [0135] hand 200 may grasp the pull unit to engage the rear support 381 in order to pull the stacks of containers 91 forward.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Product Support Basket [0136]
Referring now to FIG. 11A which is a perspective view of a basket to assist in restocking for product rotation, the [0137] basket 400 is designed with support arms 401 which can be inserted into holes in the display shelf in order to support the basket and its contents. The support arms each preferably include a bend 402 which engages a hole in the display shelf. The display shelf is typically perforated on the front edge with a plurality of holes. The basket is typically of welded wire construction.
Referring now to FIG. 11B which is a perspective view of a basket positioned on a display shelf, the [0138] basket 400 has been positioned adjacent to a row of product containers 92. The basket is held in place by inserting the support arms into holes 51 on the display shelf 50. The basket is typically used to hold product containers from a shelf while new containers are placed in the rear of the row according to proper rotation. For example, the product row illustrated has 4 containers, and a full row would hold 9 containers. The four containers may be removed by pulling the front pull element and bringing the product containers to the front of the shelf. The four containers would be placed in the basket, and five new containers would be inserted in the row by placing a container at the front of the row and pushing it backwards toward the rear of the shelf. The slide rails 40 and 41 help to align the product as it is being pushed backward. After the five new containers are placed in the row, the four old containers are removed from the basket and placed in the row in front of the new containers. The entire row can be aligned, if necessary, by pulling the pull element.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Rotational Alignment Base [0139]
Referring now to FIG. 12A which is a perspective bottom view of a device to inhibit container rotation, a product container may be formed with a [0140] polygonal base 500 which can inhibit rotation of the container when the container is placed in a display alignment device. The side walls of the polygonal base are preferably in or near contact with the slide rails, and the slide rails prevent the product base 500 from rotating when the slide rails are pulled forward.
Referring now to FIG. 12B which is a side view of devices of FIG. 12A attached to the bottoms of containers, the [0141] base 500 is positioned between the slide rails 40 and 41 in order to prevent the container from rotating as it is moved on the display shelf.
Referring now to FIG. 12C which is a bottom view of a container base of FIG. 12A, the base [0142] 500 fits between the slide rails 40 and 41. The base may either be touching the slide rails, or there may be a gap between the base and the slide rails.
Referring now to FIG. 12D which is a bottom view of a container base with a [0143] rectangular base 501, the base may be rectangular.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Divider Support Base [0144]
Referring now to FIG. 13A which is a perspective view of a divider base unit, it is desirable with some products such as soup cans, to provide a product alignment means which can align product on a display shelf without taking additional shelf width. Containers such as soup cans, toppings, and Vienna sausages are well-suited to this embodiment. Soup cans, for instance, typically have a 0.005 inch thick rim at the top of the cans for the purpose of stabilizing a stack of cans. A [0145] base unit 600 as illustrated in FIG. 13A is designed to fit within the small gap between the bottom portions of adjacent rows of cans. The unit includes a vertical lip 602 that serves as a divider between rows of containers.
Referring now to FIG. 13B which is an exploded side view of several adjacent divider base units, another [0146] rib 608 is preferably located so that the first rib 603 of a second base unit can fit over the rib to create a channel for a particular size container.
Referring now to FIG. 13C which is an is a side view of adjacent divider base units with can containers, the stacking of base units may continue for as many rows as desired, and an [0147] end unit 620 may be placed as a last unit to form the last channel.
Referring now to FIG. 13D which is a perspective view of an alignment device placed on a divider base unit, [0148] ribs 603 and 604, which are typically {fraction (5/32)}″ high, support the containers above flat areas of the base 605, 606, and 607. A product alignment device, such as a {fraction (1/8)}″ wire pull frame can be positioned on the flat areas 605 and 607, so that the slide rails 40 and 41 may move on those surfaces underneath the containers positioned on the ribs 603 and 604.
Referring now to FIG. 13E which is a side view of adjacent divider base units with can containers, the [0149] can containers 95 may be placed in the channels formed by the base units. The front pull member 21 of the alignment device can be used to align the products to the front of the display shelf.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Closed Adjustable Wire Frame [0150]
In this embodiment, a [0151] closed wire frame 8 is provided as shown in FIG. 24. The frame includes a first side rail 11, a second side rail 12, a front portion 20 and a rear portion 32. In this example, the front portion and the back portion are symmetric. In other examples, the front and rear portions may be non-symmetric. Examples of non-symmetry include making the front section lower than the side rails, or making the rear section taller than the front section.
In this example, the front portion has a [0152] front bend 710, and the rear portion has a rear bend 720, so that the distance between the side rails may be increased or decreased by bending the front and rear portions along the front bend 710 and rear bend 720.
In this example, there are four additional bends in the frame including a first side front bend [0153] 711, a second side front bend 712, a first side rear bend 721, and a second side rear bend 722. In one manufacturing process, the six bends are provided on a single piece of wire, and the ends of the wire are welded together. Automatic Specialties Co. of Marlboro, Mass. may fabricate a frame of this type according to customer specifications.
This frame may be fabricated so that the length of the side rails [0154] 11 and 12 corresponds to a display shelf depth. Commonly, display shelves have depths ranging from 18-24 inches. The product may also be provided with various lengths of front and rear portions in order to permit adjustment of frame width to match desired display products. The wire frame may be positioned adjacent to display items where the lower portions are contoured, so as to not take up additional shelf space.
The frame may be adjusted as previously discussed by bending the device along the [0155] front bend 710 and rear bend 720 in order to increase or decrease the distance between and first and second side rails.
In one embodiment for cans having a bottom diameter ranging from about 1½ inches to about 3 inches, the front and rear portions may be provided in a length of about 6 inches. As this frame width is adjusted, any distance between the side rails may be selected in the range of about 1½ to 3 inches. FIG. 24B illustrates a narrowing of the width between the [0156] first side rail 11 and the second side rail 12 by decreasing the front bend 710 angle and decreasing the rear bend 720 angle.
In some applications, it is desirable to provide a size of frame so that the apex of the front bend is within a range of about 1 inch to 3 inches above the display shelf. This range permits a person to easily grab and hold the front portion, without making the front portion too tall where it could obstruct a merchandise item. [0157]
In other embodiments, the frame may be fabricated from two or more pieces of wire that are welded or joined with a coupler. In other embodiments, the wire ends may not be joined. [0158]
FIG. 14A shows a two piece assembly where the [0159] rear portion 39 is fabricated in one piece, and the first side rail 11, the second side rail 12 and the front portion 20 are fabricated as a second piece. FIG. 14B shows welds 731 and 732 joining the two pieces to form the wire frames.
Alternately, the frame pieces may be attached by other means such as glue or mechanical sleeve couplers. In some embodiments the end side rails may fit into pockets or channels in the rear portion, or the rear portion may fit into pockets or channels on the ends of the side rails. In other embodiments, each of the rear portion, the front portion, the first side rail, and the second side rail may be fabricated separately and assembled into a frame by welding, gluing, mechanical coupling, or other means. A coupling device typically accepts the ends of two wire members and holds the ends in close proximity, such as through a friction fit between the couples and wire ends. Another type of coupling device permits the wire member to slide relative to each other in order to provide length adjustment. [0160]
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Adjustable Wire Loop with Coupler [0161]
This embodiment is similar to the closed wire frame embodiment described above, except that the frame is not welded or glued closed. In this embodiment, the ends of the framing are secured with a coupling device such as a section of tubing. The coupling device is preferably located on or near the rear portion of the front portion in order to minimize contact with merchandising items as the slide rails are moved past the items. [0162]
FIG. 15A is a top view of a frame with a [0163] coupling device 370 near the rear portion. FIG. 15B is a top view of an embodiment where a coupling device 372 accepts two side rail portions and permits adjustment of length by increasing or decreasing the overlap of the side rail sections.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Plastic Frame [0164]
In one embodiment a frame is fabricated as a single injection molded plastic unit. In this embodiment, the dimensions are typically set for a particular product container size. [0165]
In an alternate embodiment, a plastic frame may be assembled from two or more pieces—such as a front and rear portion and side rails, and then glued or otherwise assembled into a frame unit. [0166]
In an alternate embodiment, the left and right rails of a frame are fabricated as separate units and assembled with front and rear adjustable coupling devices at the [0167] front bend 710 and the rear bend 720 location to permit wider adjustments.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Wire Frame with Adjustable Rear Plate [0168]
In this embodiment, an adjustable rear plate is provided, so that the rear plate may be adjusted from a maximum width at a rear bend angle of 180 degrees to a narrower width as the bend angle is decreased. [0169]
FIG. 16A is an illustration of a frame with a rear [0170] pull plate member 390 in a first position.
FIG. 16B is an illustration of the frame of FIG. 16A in a second, narrower position. [0171]
FIGS. [0172] 16C-D illustrate one method of attaching a rear plate member 390 to the side rails 11 and 12 by providing receiving channels 391 and 392 on the rear plate so that wire ends of the side rails inserted into the receiving elements. The rear plate member is then bent upwards.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Wire Frame in Cardboard Display Box [0173]
In this embodiment, one or more rows of merchandise items are displayed in cartons such as cardboard boxes. The wire frame may slide on the bottom of a [0174] carton 820 as shown in FIG. 17D which is a display carton with a cut out front bottom portion and with the top portion removed. The front of the carton is typically either removed as shown in FIG. 17D or may be slotted to accept the side rails as described in the embodiment below.
On way to position the wire frame relative to the merchandise items is to follow a sequence such as that described in FIGS. 17A to [0175] 17D. In one such sequence, the carton is inverted and cut along the sides as shown in FIG. 17A. In FIG. 17B, the bottom portion 820 of the carton is temporarily removed from the top portion 810, and frame elements 8 are positioned over each row of merchandise items 830. The front portion 822 of the bottom of the carton 820 is removed as shown in FIG. 17C, and the bottom portion is placed back over the merchandise items. The carton is reinverted as shown in FIG. 17D, and the top portion 810 is removed. At this point, a frame 8 may be used to pull a row of merchandise items 830 toward the front of the carton.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Wire Rack in Combination with a Carton Display. [0176]
In this embodiment products are displayed in cartons similar to the boxes of FIGS. 17A-17D. The front portion of the display carton bottoms may be slotted to accept the side rails of the wire frame, so that the wire frame may slide unobstructed on the bottom of the display carton. [0177]
The display box or display carton embodiments illustrate the use of the invention on various display surfaces. Examples of display surfaces include merchandise directly on display shelves and the bottom portions of display boxes or cartons, whether those boxes or cartons rest on display shelves or other supports such as a stack of other boxes. [0178]
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Pull Frame with Adjustable Bend Couplers [0179]
FIG. 18A is a front perspective view of a pull device with [0180] adjustable bend couplers 395. FIG. 18B, which is a perspective view of an adjustable bend couple, shows a receiving socket 396 for an upturned end of a side rail 11. This embodiment is an example of other methods of manufacturing and assembling a pull frame with adjustable width. In this example, the adjustable bend couplers 395 are relatively rigid, but may be bent to a desired angle.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Pull Frame with Front Stop [0181]
FIG. 19 is a front perspective view of an embodiment with a multiple row [0182] front stop device 740. In one embodiment, the multiple row front stop device may include side extensions 741 and 742 which can be inserted between rows of merchandise. In other embodiments, the multiple row front stop device 740 may not include side extensions. In this example, then combined weight of the containers behind the multiple row front stop device acts to prevent a container from one row from being inadvertently or accidentally pulled off of the display shelf.
FIG. 20A is a front perspective view of an embodiment with snap on [0183] front stop devices 750 which clip to the front portion of a display shelf. FIG. 20B is a side view of a display shelf and front stop device. In this example, the front stop device 750 acts to prevent an item from being inadvertently pulled from the shelf. In addition to preventing accidental removal of an item from the shelf, these stop devices permit a one-handed alignment of display rows. In this example, a lerk may grasp the pull frame and pull the frame forward without stopping the items with a second hand.
FIG. 20C is a front perspective view of a [0184] front stop device 762 which clips to the front portion of a Lozier or Madix display shelf. The front stop includes a display area 764 for attaching price labels, a pull slot 766, and an elastic anchor slot 768. This example of a front stop works with several display alignment techniques including the wire pull frame 8 as shown; a pull slide as shown in FIG. 20D, and elastic pull devices. In some embodiments, such as the elastic pull devices, a similar stop may be inserted in the rear of a display row in order to provide a rear elastic anchor.
FIG. 25A is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of single or multiple row stop devices. In this embodiment, a [0185] front stop holder 793 is secured to the lip 52 of a display shelf 50. FIG. 25B is a front perspective detailed view of a front stop holder. FIG. 25C is a side view of the holder secured to the lip of a display shelf. A pull frame, as illustrated by narrow frame 8 b or wide frame 8 a, may slide over the front stop holder 793 so that the first side rail slides on one side of the holder, and the second side rail slides on the other side of the holder. The holder may include a pull strip slot 766 which permits a pull member 797 to slide through the slot. A plurality of holders 793 may secure a stop bar 792 to create a front stop assembly 790 which serves multiple display rows. In other embodiments, one or more holders 793 may be used without a stop bar to provide a stop for a single row of items. In this example, the front stop holder includes a price label surface 795, a rear member 794, a lip retention means such as a screw 799, and a bottom 796. When the device is produced from plastic and secured to the shelf lip, the rear member is flexed toward the front price label surface thereby creating a spring force on the plastic acts against the screw and tends to keep the connection with the display shelf lip tight. In this example, the stop bar 792 snaps into the stop bar retention means 798. The rod size is typically ⅛ to ¼ inch in diameter, as appropriate for the items being displayed. In this example, the front stop holders may be extruded and cut to a desired width. Post processing, such as providing the pull strip slot may be performed. The stop bar may also be extruded and cut to a desired length. In this example, the front stop holders are placed on about 2 foot centers, and 4 foot sections of rod are used for the stop bar. The ends of the stop bar preferably are placed in a stop bar retention means.
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Pull Frame with Container Support [0186]
FIGS. [0187] 21A-F show an embodiment with a container support 420 and a pull device 70. In this example, the pull device has a generally rectangular front pull shape. In other examples, other shapes of pull frames may be used. The container support 420 holds the containers 96 slightly above the display shelf 50, so that a pull device may be inserted between the containers 96 and the shelf. In this manner, the pull devices may be used for product alignment without requiring any extra display shelf width. In many of the examples above, the pull frame was designed to fit under the rounded edges of containers. In this embodiment, a pull frame may be used with rectangular shaped containers and other container shapes without requiring that the container have a rounded bottom portion.
In one embodiment, the container support is cardboard, and excess length of the cardboard support is bent around the rear portion of the display shelf. The bent rear portion of the [0188] container support 422 helps to hold the cardboard in place. In other examples, the container support may be other materials such as metal or plastic. In other examples the container support may be affixed to the display shelf with magnets or adhesive.
FIGS. 21C and 21E show a row of containers that are not aligned to the front of the shelf. FIGS. 21D and 21F illustrate a [0189] pull device 70 used to align the containers toward the front of the display shelf.
In one example, the pull frame has a thickness of about {fraction (1/8)} inch, and the container supports are slightly more than {fraction (1/8)} inch thick. [0190]
FIG. 23 shows an example of a [0191] wire frame 8 used with the container support.
The combination of container support and pull frame can work for both small and large items of various shapes. The system is useful for the large number of box containers in a typical store. [0192]
Detailed Description of Embodiment—Adjustable Length Rectangular Pull Frame [0193]
FIGS. [0194] 22A-D show a rectangular pull frame 70 which includes a rear portion 76, a first side 79, a second side 77, and a front portion 78. In one example, the rectangular frame is fabricated as a simple loop in one plane, and then the front portion may be bent upwards to form a bent up front portion 72 which serves as a pull handle. The rear portion is then bent up to form a bent up rear portion 74 which serves as a pusher element. The length of the frame may be set at a desired shelf depth by varying the location of either the front or rear bend. Typically the rear bend would be used for length adjustment as illustrated by FIGS. 22B-22D which progressively show more of the frame upturned in the rear in order to shorten the length of the sides. This pull frame may be used with container supports as described in the embodiment above, and can be used to fit under rounded bottom edge containers. In other embodiments, the rear portion may be bent upwards and the front portion may remain flat and serve as a low profile pull handle.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A product alignment wire frame device for use in aligning product containers on a display surface, the wire frame product alignment device comprising:

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and attached to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and

a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display shelf.

34 The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 further comprising a closed wire frame.

35. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 34 wherein the wire frame is closed by welding the ends of the wire together.

36. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 34 wherein the wire frame is closed by gluing the ends of the wire together.

37. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 34 further comprising

at least one coupler, such that the coupler holds a first wire end in proximity to a second wire end.

38. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 wherein

the width of the rear wire member and the width of the front wire member are adjustable in order to adjust the distance between the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member.

39. The product alignment device of claim 38 wherein:

the width of the rear wire member is adjustable by bending the rear wire member, and

the width of the front wire member is adjustable by bending the front wire member.

40. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 wherein the wire frame includes at least one coating.

41. A product alignment device for use in aligning product containers on a display shelf, the product alignment device comprising:

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

an adjustable-width rear plate attached to the rear of the first side rail member and attached to the rear of the second side rail member; and

an adjustable-width front member attached to the front of the first side rail member and attached to the front of the second side rail member, such that the front member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the display shelf.

42. The product alignment device of claim 41 wherein

the rear plate width may be adjusted by bending the rear plate.

43. The product alignment device of claim 41 wherein

the front member is a bent wire, so that the width of the front member may be adjusted by bending the wire.

44. The product alignment device of claim 41 wherein

the rear plate includes a first recess for receiving a portion of the first wire side rail member; and

the rear plate includes a second recess for receiving a portion of the second wire side rail member.

45. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a display shelf, the system comprising:

a product display shelf having a front portion and a rear portion;

at least one product container positioned on the display shelf; and

an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display shelf towards the front portion of the display shelf, the arranging means comprising

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product container on the display shelf;

46. The system for displaying products of claim 45 wherein

the product container comprises a first edge in proximity to the first wire side rail member, and a second edge in proximity to the second wire side rail member;

the first wire side rail member is positioned below the outermost point of the first edge; and

the second wire side rail member is positioned below the outermost point of the second edge.

47. The system for displaying products of claim 45, further comprising

a temporary shelf basket for extending to receive products from the display shelf to facilitate the rotation of older products from the rear portion of the display shelf to the front portion and newer products to the rear portion of the display shelf; the shelf basket comprising means to engage the display shelf for maintaining the shelf basket in a predetermined position.

48. The system for displaying products of claim 45, further comprising at least one divider support base placed on the display shelf and under the first and second wire side rail members, the divider support base comprising

a base, such that the first and second wire side rail members may be pushed and pulled on top of the base, and

a plurality of support ribs, such that height of the support ribs is greater than the height of the first and second wire side rail members, so that the first and second wire side rail members may be moved underneath the base of containers which are placed on the support ribs.

49. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a display shelf, the system comprising:

a product display shelf having a front portion and a rear portion;

at least one product container positioned on the display shelf; and

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear,

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product container on the display shelf,

an adjustable-width rear plate integral to the rear of the first side rail member and integral to the rear of the second side rail member, and

50. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue in a display box, the system comprising:

a product container display box comprising

a bottom having a rear portion and a front portion,

a first side, and

a second side;

at least one product container positioned in the display box; and

an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display box towards the front portion of the display shelf, the arranging means comprising

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product container on the display box bottom;

a rear wire member attached to the rear of the first side member and integral to the rear of the second side member, such that the rear wire member is positioned substantially above the first wire side rail member and the second wire side rail member; and

a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and integral to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display box in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display box.

51. The system for displaying products of claim 50 wherein

the product container display box is positioned on a display shelf.

52. The system for displaying products of claim 50 wherein

the product container display box further comprises a front, such that the front comprises

a first slot to accept a portion of the first wire side rail member, and

a second slot to accept a portion of the second wire side rail member.

53. A method for aligning product containers in a queue on a display surface, comprising:

placing an arranging means on the display surface, the arranging means comprising

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product containers on the display surface;

a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display surface;

placing at least one product container in the channel, such that the product container comprises a first edge in proximity to the first slide rail member, and a second edge in proximity to the second slide rail member,

pulling the front pull element away from the display surface and thereby pulling the first and second slide rails and the rear positioning element outwardly with respect to the display shelf, thereby engaging the rearmost product container and pulling all product containers located in the channel toward the front of the display surface; and

pushing the front pull element back toward the rear of the display surface after the product containers are properly aligned with respect to the front of the display surface.

54. The method of claim 53 further comprising

positioning the first slide rail member below the outermost point of the first edge of the containers; and

positioning the second slide rail member below the outermost point of the second edge of the containers.

55. A method for displaying products generally forming a queue in a display box, the method comprising:

inverting a display box, the display box containing a plurality of product containers, and the display box comprising

a bottom having a rear portion and a front portion,

a top,

a front face,

a rear face,

a first side face, and

a second side face;

cutting the rear face, the front face, the first side face, and the second side face, so that a portion of each face remains integral to the bottom;

removing the bottom portion and the faces that remain integral to the bottom, so that the bottoms of a row of containers is exposed;

providing a first slot and a second slot on the front face;

inserting an arranging means over the bottoms of the row of containers, the arranging means comprising

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear;

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail member is spaced apart from the first wire side rail member to define a channel to receive the product containers in the display box;

a front wire member attached to the front of the first side member and attached to the front of the second side member, such that the front wire member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display box in order to pull or push the rear wire member forward or backward relative to the display box;

replacing the bottom portion and the faces that remain integral to the bottom on the inverted row of containers;

inverting the display box so that the a portion of the first wire side rail member fits into the first slot, and a portion of the second wire side rail member fits into the second slot;

removing the top of the display box so that at least a portion of the product containers are exposed; and

using the arranging means to move product containers toward the front of the display box.

56. A method for displaying products of claim 55 further comprising

removing the front of the display box so that the arranging means may slide on the bottom of the display box.

57. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 1 wherein

the rear wire member comprises

an upwardly bent portion of the rear of the first side member,

an upwardly bent portion of the rear of the second side member, and

a rear wire member connecting the upwardly bent portion of the rear of the first side member to the upwardly bent portion of the rear of the second side member.

58. The product alignment wire frame device of claim 57 wherein

the front wire member comprises

an upwardly bent portion of the front of the first side member,

an upwardly bent portion of the front of the second side member, and

a front wire member connecting the upwardly bent portion of the front of the first side member to the upwardly bent portion of the front of the second side member.

59. A method of adjusting the length of a wire frame pull device, the method comprising

providing a wire frame pull device having a flat generally rectangular shape, and having a front portion and a rear portion;

bending the front portion of the wire frame pull device upwards, thereby forming a pull handle;

determining the desired length of the pull device; and

bending the rear portion of the wire frame pull device upwards such that the device has the desired length, and such that the rear portion forms a pusher element.

60. A method for aligning product containers in a queue on a display surface, comprising:

placing a container support on the display surface, the container support having a first edge, and second edge, and a top surface;

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the first wire side rail is placed outside of the first edge of the container support,

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear, such that the second wire side rail is placed outside of the second edge of the container support,

placing at least one product container on the display surface;

pulling the front pull element away from the display surface and thereby pulling the first and second slide rails and the rear positioning element outwardly with respect to the display shelf, thereby engaging the rearmost product container and pulling all product containers positioned on the container support toward the front of the display surface; and

61. The method of claim 60 wherein

the container support is cardboard.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein

a portion of the container over the rear of the display shelf.

63. The method of claim 60 wherein

the container support is adhesively attached to the display shelf.

64. The method of claim 60 wherein

the container support is magnetically attached to the display shelf.

65. The system of claim 49 further comprising

a front stop device.

66. A system for displaying products generally forming a queue on a display shelf, the system comprising:

a product display shelf having a front portion and a rear portion;

at least one product container positioned on the display shelf in a display row, the display row having a front portion and a rear portion;

a front stop device positioned in the front portion of the display row;

an arranging means operable for moving the product container manually from the rear portion of the display row towards the front portion of the display row, the arranging means comprising

a first wire side rail member having a front and a rear,

a second wire side rail member having a front and a rear,

a rear pusher element, and

a front member attached to the front of the first side rail member and attached to the front of the second side rail member, such that the front member may be moved forward or backward relative to the display shelf in order to pull or push the rear plate forward or backward relative to the display shelf.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein

the front stop device extends across the front portions of a plurality of display rows.

68. The system of claim 66 wherein

the front stop snaps onto the front of the display shelf.