JPS6319165B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a gravity feed product dispensing device.

More specifically, distributing filled bottles as displayed products in the order of display (first in, first out)
This invention relates to a gravity feed product dispensing device suitable for.

Gravity-feeding product display racks use gravity to advance products toward the front of the display rack so that the products are always located in a position that is easily accessible to buyers.

For example, if a product is displayed on a product display shelf that slopes from the back to the front, when a buyer picks up a product in the front of the shelf, the product in the back will naturally move forward due to gravity. , always located in a location easily accessible to buyers.

In addition, recently, soft drinks filled in plastic bottles with an annular flange on the neck have come on the market, and a gravity-fed product dispensing device for such plastic bottles has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1983-1999). (See Publication No. 149691).

The device includes a pair of suitably spaced rails for supporting the bin at an annular flange and normally has a track sloped toward its forward end. According to this device, when the bin located at the front end of the truck is picked up by the purchaser, the bins located behind it are sequentially moved toward the front of the truck by gravity, making it easier for the purchaser to purchase. It becomes possible to always position the bottle in the same position.

In general, any food product has a shelf life in order to maintain its quality as a food product due to reasons such as deterioration, deterioration of taste or aroma, etc. The best-before period varies depending on the type, condition, packaging form, etc. of the product. Canning or bottling is an excellent form of packaging, but it is not perfect. For example, carbonated beverages packed in plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles) are airtight enough to prevent spoilage, but carbonated drinks packed in glass bottles tend to lose more gas over time than carbonated drinks packed in glass bottles. It is known from experience that pressure tends to drop.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new type of gravity-fed product dispensing device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gravity feed product dispensing device that maintains the quality of the product at its best at the time of purchase by the customer.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a gravity-feeding product dispensing device that allows shoppers to purchase the displayed (first-in) products in the order in which they are displayed (first-out).

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a gravity-fed sliding product dispensing device which allows for extremely easy loading of products into the device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description below.

According to the invention, the above objects and advantages of the invention are provided by a gravity-fed article having at least one track for gravity suspending a plurality of bottles in a row by means of an annular flange in the neck of the bottle. a dispensing device, the track comprising an outer structure and an inner structure slidably attached to the outer structure and generally inclined in a longitudinal direction of the track; The body has a pair of rails spaced apart at a distance narrower than the outer diameter of the annular flange of the bottle and wider than the outer diameter of the bottle neck immediately below the flange, and has an inclined lower end. This is achieved by a sliding product dispensing device characterized in that it is provided with a stopper at the top.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a gravity feeding product dispensing device 1 of the present invention.
A merchandise display rack 10 with 1 is shown. The rack 10 is provided with two sets of dispensing devices 12, 12', each consisting of six product dispensing devices 11, one above the other. The rack 10 of FIG. 1 also includes two shelves 13, 13' and a storage compartment 14.
Two sets of dispensing devices 12, 12', two shelves 13, 1
3' and the storage 14 are supported on a support 17 consisting of columns 15, 15' and a rear wall 16.
The two sets of dispensing devices 12, 12' are, for example, pawls 18,
18', and the pawls 18, 18' are connected to the supports 15, 1.
It is supported by the support body 17 by fitting into the notches 19, 19' provided in the portion 5', respectively. Support 1
7 is a leg or caster (not shown)
can be provided.

Each dispensing device 11 is inclined from the back toward the front and is provided with a stopper 20. The angle of inclination varies depending on the size of the bins to be displayed, but is usually about 7 to about 13 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, preferably about 8 to about 13 degrees.
It is best to set it to 12 degrees.

The structure of each dispensing device is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. Dispensing device 11 consists of an inner structure 21 and an outer structure 22.
Inner structure 21 is slidably attached to outer structure 22. In the product display state, the inner structure 21 is housed within the outer structure 22 as shown in FIG. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the spring stopper 23 provided in the outer structure 22 is fitted into the hole 24 provided in the inner structure 21, and stops the inner structure from sliding from the outer structure. are doing.

FIG. 3 corresponds to a state diagram of the device illustrated in FIG. 2, viewed from below. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner structure 21 is formed as a generally elongated structure from a thin plate, for example, an iron plate, and includes a top wall 25, side walls 26, 26' and two spaced apart bottom walls 27, 27. ′ is included. separated 2
The two bottom walls 27, 27' receive the annular flanges of the bottle and suspend the bottle. The distance between the bottom walls 27 and 27' is x
They are spaced apart from each other by forming grooves 28 having a diameter. bottom wall 2
7 and 27' form a pair of rails spaced apart by a distance (x) sufficient to receive the annular flange of the bottle. Although the spacing varies depending on the size of the suspended bin, an appropriate spacing x can be easily determined. For example, in the case of a 1.5 capacity soft drink bottle, the appropriate distance x is about 35 to about 40 mm. One end of the bottom walls 27, 27' faces upward from the bottom wall surface and forms a stopper 20, 20'. Also, the stoppers 20, 20' are connected to the side walls 26, 2, respectively, as shown in FIG.
6' may be integrated. The stopper is provided at the lower end of the inclined inner structure 21. Inner structure 21 may be provided with a handle 36 to facilitate withdrawal and withdrawal from the outer structure (FIG. 4). Like the inner structure 21, the outer structure 22 is formed of thin plates to have an elongated structure as a whole, and includes an upper wall 30, side walls 31, 31', and a bottom wall 32, which is spaced apart by a distance y. 32'. Bottom wall 32,3
2' are separated by forming a groove 33. It is generally desirable that the distance y between the grooves 33 of the outer structure 22 be somewhat larger than the distance x between the grooves 28 of the inner structure 21 .

The upper wall 25 of the inner structure is provided with a restricted groove 34 in the longitudinal direction (FIG. 2). Groove 34 receives a stop projection 35 provided on outer structure 22. The stop projection 35 prevents the inner structure 21 from falling off the outer structure when the inner structure 21 is pulled out from the outer structure 22. It is also possible to provide the stopper 23 with this function without providing the stopper projection 35. That is, a hole into which the stopper 23 fits is provided at the rear of the inner structure 21 (at the distance where the stop projection 35 is located in FIG. 2). When the inner structure is pulled out, the stopper 23 fits into this protrusion to prevent the inner structure from falling off.
When returning the inner structure, it is sufficient to pull up the stopper 23 and return it. Although the groove 34 is not necessary when the stop protrusion 35 is not provided, it can be provided to reduce the weight.

When bottles as products are displayed in the apparatus 11 of the present invention (FIG. 1), when a purchaser picks up a bottle located at the tip, the bottles located behind it move forward due to gravity. The purchaser cannot pick up the bin located behind it without picking up the bin located at the front. Therefore, if the apparatus 11 of the present invention is filled with bottles from the rear and displayed, buyers can always purchase products with guaranteed quality.

In order to fill and display the device 11 of the invention with bottles, for example in the case of the device shown in FIG. 2, the inner structure 21 is pulled out by means of the stop projection 35 until it can no longer be pulled out. In this state, the rear end of the inner structure 21 will be very close to the person who is filling the bottle.
The person can easily fill the bottle from the rear end of the inner structure 21. Even if there are some bottles left in the device when it is time to fill them, since the bottles are filled from the rear, the bottles that are filled first will always be purchased first.

With the device of the invention, it is therefore possible to define the filling of bottles and the order in which they are purchased, making it possible to constantly control the goods.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the device according to the invention. The bottom wall 27 of the inner structure 21, which in this embodiment is formed from sheet metal,
Opposite edges of 27' are bent inward to form projecting edges 37, 37'. Projecting edge 37,3
7' contacts the annular flange portion 39 of the bottle to facilitate forward movement of the bottle by gravity.

Although the present invention has been described in detail using the specific examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the present invention is not limited in any way by the specific examples described above.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a product display rack equipped with a sliding product dispensing device of the present invention. FIG. 1B is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the notch provided in the support and the pawl for attaching the product dispensing device to the product display rack. FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are explanatory diagrams showing partial perspective views of the product dispensing device of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of the product dispensing device. 10...Product display rack, 11...Product dispensing device, 20...Stopper, 21...Inner structure, 2
2...Outer structure.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A gravity-fed product dispensing device having at least one track for gravity-suspending a plurality of bottles in a line by means of an annular flange on the neck of the bottle, the track comprising: consisting of an outer structure and an inner structure slidably attached to the outer structure and generally inclined in the longitudinal direction of the track, the inner structure extending from the annular flange of the bottle. It has a pair of rails spaced apart from each other with an interval narrower than the outer diameter but wider than the outer diameter of the bottle neck immediately below the flange, and a stopper is provided at the inclined lower end. A sliding product dispensing device featuring: 2. The inner structure is formed of a thin plate to have an elongated structure as a whole, and the bottom wall thereof has a groove, and the groove forms a pair of rails in the bottom wall. A device according to scope 1. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tip of the bottom wall of the inner structure faces upward from the bottom wall surface to form a stopper. 4. A claim in which opposing edges forming a pair of rails on the bottom wall of the inner structure face inward from the bottom wall surface to form a protruding edge, and the protruding edges form a pair of rails. The device according to any one of items 1 to 3. 5 The outer structure is formed of a thin plate to have an elongated structure as a whole, and a groove having a width wider than the width of the groove in the bottom wall of the inner structure is formed in the bottom wall of the outer structure. Apparatus according to claim 1. 6. A patent in which the outer structure is provided with a spring-type stopper and has a hole for receiving the stopper at a position corresponding to the position of the stopper when the inner structure is housed in the outer structure. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 7. Claim 1, wherein said inner structure has a longitudinally extending restricted groove and said outer structure has a stop projection received in said groove.
The device according to any one of items 1 to 6. 8. A product display rack having a gravity-fed product dispensing device having at least one track for gravity-suspending a plurality of bottles in a line by means of an annular flange in the neck of the bottle, the track comprising: , consisting of an outer structure and an inner structure slidably attached to the outer structure and generally inclined in the longitudinal direction of the track, the inner structure being arranged at an annular flange of the bottle. A sliding product having a pair of rails spaced apart from each other with an interval narrower than the outside diameter and wider than the outside diameter of the bottle neck immediately below the flange, and a stopper at the inclined lower end. Product display rack for displaying bottles with annular flange on the neck and equipped with a dispensing device. 9 The inner structure is formed of a thin plate to have an elongated structure as a whole, and the bottom wall thereof has a groove, and the groove forms a pair of rails in the bottom wall. Product display racks as described in Scope No. 8. 10. The product display rack according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the tip of the bottom wall of the inner structure faces upward from the bottom wall surface to form a stopper. 11. Claims in which the edges forming a pair of rails on the bottom wall of the inner structure face inward from the bottom wall surface to form a protruding edge, and the protruding edges form a pair of rails. The product display rack according to any one of items 8 to 10. 12 The outer structure is formed of a thin plate to have an elongated structure as a whole, and a groove having a width wider than the width of the groove in the bottom wall of the inner structure is formed in the bottom wall of the outer structure. A product display rack according to claim 8. 13 A patent in which the outer structure is provided with a spring-type stopper and has a hole for receiving the stopper at a position corresponding to the position of the stopper when the inner structure is housed in the outer structure. A product display rack according to any one of claims 8 to 12. 14. Any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the inner structure has a longitudinally extending restricted groove and the outer structure has a stop projection received in the groove. Easy to display products listed in.