GB2275181A - A shelving system - Google Patents

Abstract

A shelf 40 has at least one substantially U-shaped portion defining a flow path for produce stored on the shelf, wherein produce loaded onto the shelf at one end of the flow path urges produce already on the shelf towards the other end of the path, whereby produce may be circulated on the shelf ensuring no produce is left on the shelf for a disproportionate period. The invention may be incorporated as a shelf or as an attachment for a shelf. Means such as vertical and/or horizontal rollers may be provided to assist produce flow along the path. <IMAGE>

Description

A SHELVING SYSTEM The present invention relates to a shelving system and more particularly to a shelving system which provides a convenient storage and retrieval means for produce placed on said shelves.

In general, shelving systems comprise a number of shelves on which produce is placed to a predetermined depth. To increase the efficiency to which the available space is utilized, produce may be stacked one on top of the other on one shelf or further shelves may be provided. Where a plurality of shelves are provided one on top of the other, the produce must be loaded from the front. These arrangements provide certain disadvantages.

A first disadvantage of prior art shelving systems is that a buyer of the produce on the shelves may encounter some difficulty in extracting the produce from a shelf especially where the produce is housed in a container having a height comparable to that of the internal height of the shelf spacing. Secondly, where shelf depth is substantial, increased difficulty may be encountered in extracting said produce when stocks are low, that is, produce is only available from the depths of the shelf.

Where produce has a short shelf-life, it is important that out-of-date stock is not retained at the rear of the shelf.

It is an object of the present invention to seek to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide improved shelving arrangements.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a shelf having at least one substantially U-shaped portion defining a flow path for produce stored on the shelf, wherein produce loaded onto the shelf at one end of the flow path urges produce already on the shelf towards the other end of the path, whereby produce may be circulated on the shelf ensuring that no produce is left on the shelf for a disproportionate period.

The present invention further provides a surface for attachment to a shelf, the surface having at least one substantially U-shaped portion defining a flow path for produce stored on the shelf, wherein produce loaded onto the shelf at one end of the flow path urges produce already on the shelf towards the other end of the path, whereby produce may be circulated on the shelf ensuring that no produce is left on the shelf for a disproportionate period.

Conveniently, entrance and exit openings are provided for respectively, loading and extracting produce from the shelf, the entrance being optionally provided with uni-directional hinged doors or flaps and the exit being provided with a stop.

Advantageously, a low friction surface is provided along the path.

Optionally, means are provided to ensure produce flows easily around the curved portion of the substantially U-shaped path.

Embodiments of the present invention may be provided for storing and dispensing small cylindrical containers, such as cans and bottles, upright rectangular containers, such as milk and fruit cartons, and larger cylindrical objects which normally require special dispensing means such as for example, domestic gas cylinders.

Where rectangular and/or heavy containers are to be stored and dispensed using the shelving means of the present invention, the means for ensuring said containers traverse the curved portion of the U-shaped path may comprise a turntable or a set of horizontally and/or vertically disposed rollers.

The invention also provides a modular shelf in which pairs of U-shaped portions have mutually parallel produce flow paths, a first inner portion having a relatively short flow path and a second outer portion having a longer path.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, four embodiments of shelving according to the invention. In the drawings: Figures la and 1b are a plan view and front elevation of a first embodiment of shelving; Figures 2a and 2b are a plan view and front elevation of a second embodiment of shelving; and Figure 3a is a sectional plan view of a third embodiment of shelving taken along the line a-a of Figure 3b; Figure 3b is a sectional front elevation of the third embodiment of shelving taken along the line b-b of Figure 3a; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of shelving.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures la and Ib, a first embodiment of shelving is shown. The shelving comprises a shelf base 10 which may be supported in a horizontal plane by any standard support. A substantially U-shaped path is provided on the upper shelf surface, the path comprising an inner 11 and outer 12 guide. Produce for sale, usually contained in a cylindrical package, for example, a can C, is placed into one of a pair of path openings 14, 15 defined between the inner 11 and outer 12 guides. Skids 16 are provided along the path between the guides 11, 12 to provide a low friction surface for the containers to slide over. One of the path openings is defined as an exit 15 from which produce is taken. A stop 17 is positioned at the shelf edge over which a user lifts the product.In use a store keeper or shelf stacker, for example, selects one path opening 14 for loading the shelf 10. The produce, usually packaged in a cylindrical container such as a can, is placed in the selected opening 14 and is used to push back the container immediately behind. Successive 'loadings' push the containers around the path so that the first container loaded is presented at the exit 15. To the customer, the shelf is full and produce can be extracted from the entrance 14 and/or the exit 15 openings. By consistently selecting one of the openings 14 as a loading port, the store keeper or shelf stacker ensures that stale produce is not retained at the back of the shelf 10. This arrangement is particularly useful for dairy produce, which has a relatively short shelf-life and for repricing and stock-taking exercises.

Where the shelves are in a refrigerator or a cooling cabinet, chilled containers from rear of the shelves can be extracted easily by loading unchilled containers into one of the pair of openings. This embodiment is particularly preferred as there are no moving parts and minimal maintenance is required.

Referring now to Figures 2a and 2b, a second embodiment of shelving is shown. Similarly to the first embodiment, this shelving means is mounted on a shelf 20 and comprises a substantially U-shaped path formed from inner 21 and outer 22 guides having openings at the shelf edge which are nominated as entrance 24 and exit 25 openings. The exit opening 25 is provided with a stop 27 to prevent containers, which run over skids 26, falling or being pushed out during the loading process. The entrance opening 24 is provided with uni-directional hinged doors or flaps 28 which allow containers to be loaded but not extracted from the entrance 24 path. A turntable 29 is pivotally mounted to one end of the inner guide rail 21 and is free to rotate to allow relatively heavy containers, for example paint cans, to be guided around the substantially U-shaped path.The outer circumference of the turntable 29 is optionally provided with a support means such as a set of bearings (not shown).

With reference to Figures 3a and 3b, a third embodiment of shelving is shown. As before, the shelving means comprises a substantially U-shaped path. The path is defined on a shelf surface 30 between inner 31 and outer 32 guide rails which form entrance 34 and exit 35 openings. Slides 36 are provided along the straight portions of the path. Around the curved portion of the path horizontally and vertically disposed rollers 37,38 are provided to ensure relatively heavy containers pass easily around said curved portion.

The fourth embodiment of shelving as shown in Figure 4 comprises a surface 40 for attachment to a shelf. The surface comprises one or more U-shaped paths, in this case three paths, each path having an inner 41 and outer 42 guide and a low friction floor 44. An optional floor lip 45 is provided so that an entire shelf area may be covered. The path openings are, as before, defined between the inner 41 and outer 42 guides. The surface 40 is manufactured from any suitable plastics material such as from vacuum formal sheet of high-impact polystyrene.

The present invention provides a variety of useful applications including supermarkets, grocery stores, hardware stores, refrigeration units for canned and bottled beverages, and where the apparatus is sufficiently robust, distribution units for domestic gas cylinders.

In another embodiment (not shown) a shelving arrangement comprises a number of pairs of parallel U-shaped paths.

Each pair of paths has a first inner path of relatively short length and a second path of longer length. Guides and skids, rollers or a turntable similar to the arrangements of the above embodiments are provided to ensure low friction flow around the path.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS:

1. A shelf having at least one substantially U-shaped portion defining a flow path for produce stored on the shelf, wherein produce loaded onto the shelf at one end of the flow path urges produce already on the shelf towards the other end of the path, whereby produce may be circulated on the shelf ensuring no produce is left on the shelf for a disproportionate period.

2. A surface for attachment to a shelf, the surface having at least one substantially U-shaped portion defining a flow path for produce stored on the shelf, wherein produce loaded onto the shelf at one end of the flow path urges produce already on the shelf towards the other end of the path, whereby produce may be circulated on the shelf ensuring no produce is left on the shelf for a disproportionate period.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein entrance and exit openings are provided for respectively loading and extracting produce from the shelf, the entrance being optionally provided with uni-directional hinged doors or flaps and the exit being provided with a stop.

4. The invention as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a low surface is provided along the flow path.

5. The invention as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to ensure produce flows easily around the curved portion of the substantially U-shaped path.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for ensuring the containers flow easily around the curved portion of the substantially U-shaped path comprises a pivotable turntable.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for ensuring the containers flow easily around the curved portion of the substantially U-shaped path comprises a set of horizontally and/or vertically disposed rollers.

8. The invention as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims in which pairs of substantially U-shaped portions have mutually parallel produce flow paths, a first inner portion having a relatively short flow path and a second outer portion have a longer path.

8. A shelving arrangement comprising one or more shelves as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

9. A shelf or shelfing arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.