MARKETING SHELF

This invention, relates to a marketing shelf. More particularly, it relates to a marketing shelf, in particular for containers, comprising a rack in which there is arranged at least one inclined pull-out shelf. The shelf, or the suspension of the shelf, is preferably provided with a stop device arranged to stop the shelf in at least one position between the fully moved-in and fully moved-out positions.

It is important for goods that are offered for sale to be presented in a manner serving the purpose, for example on shelves of a suitable design. When the product is packed in containers, the containers for example should be disposed in such a manner that the shelves seem well filled.

It is known for the containers to be placed in chute-like bases on the shelf. By providing a forward slope of the shelf, a container placed at the back will slide forwards by means of gravity when a container located in front is removed from the shelf.

The filling-up of shelves of this kind is conditioned on there being, to ensure access, a relatively large distance in height between the shelves. This limits to an unnecessary

degree the amount of containers that may be stored within a given shelf volume.

The invention has as its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

The object is achieved according to the invention through the features specified in the description below and in the Claims that follow.

According to the invention a marketing shelf for containers comprises a rack provided with at least one inclined pull-out shelf.

When the shelf is to be filled up, it is pulled out into its pulled-out position. When the shelf is in this pulled-out position, it is relatively easy to fill up the shelf without overlying shelves impeding the access to the shelf.

Thereby, the shelves can be placed with a vertical distance which is insignificantly larger than the height of the containers .

Half empty and filled shelves can be relatively heavy, and it is essential that the person who is going to fill the shelves may move the shelf of interest in a safe manner.

Therefore, the shelf, or the suspension of the shelf, is preferably provided with a stop device which is arranged to retain the shelf in at least one position between the fully moved-in and fully moved-out positions of the shelf.

Besides, it is advantageous that the shelf is provided with roller guides, for example of the kind used in filing cabinets. Thereby, the force required to move the shelf is

reduced compared to the force that will have to be used if sliding guides are used.

It is advantageous that the shelf is detachable from the rack and that the rack is provided with several positions of attachment for the shelves. Thereby, shelves may be placed in different height positions relative to each other for the shelf spacing to be adjusted to the heights of the containers .

The rack may, with advantage, be provided with a shelf lock or latching which is arranged to prevent more than one shelf from being moved out of their moved-in positions at the same time. Such a shelf lock will secure the rack from tipping over as several shelves cannot be in their pulled-out positions at the same time.

The rack may be provided with wheels to facilitate transport of the rack.

The shelf according to the invention provides a practical solution for a marketing shelf in which the volume of the marketing shelf can be utilized in a satisfactory manner, while, at the same time, filling of the shelf can be carried out relatively easily. Therefore, the shelf is particularly suitable for goods that are placed in a refrigerator.

In what follows there is described a non-limiting example of a preferred embodiment which is visualized in accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a shelf according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, a section I-I of the shelf, in a front view. Sliding chutes for containers are not shown;

Figure 3 shows, on a larger scale, a side view Ha-IIa of Figure 2, a shelf has been pulled out partially;

Figure 4 shows, also on a larger scale, a section Hb-IIb of Figure 2 ; and

Figure 5 shows the same as Figure 4, but here a shelf has been pulled out partially.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes a marketing shelf according to the invention comprising a rack 2 and a number of shelves 4, each self 4 being connected to the rack 2 by means of two guides 6 of an embodiment known in itself, see Figure 2. The guides 6 , and thereby the shelves 4 , are sloping downwards towards the front portions of the shelves 4.

Each shelf 4 comprises two opposite guide mounts 8 which are interconnected by means of intermediate shelf profiles 10. The profiles 10 form, in this preferred exemplary embodiment, mounts for a number of sliding chutes 12, the sliding chutes 12 being arranged to accommodate containers not shown.

Each guide mount 8 is connected to one cheek of its respective guide 6, typically by means of screw connections, not shown. The other cheek of the guide 6 is connected in the same manner to the rack 2. Thus, the shelf 4 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the guide 6 relative to the rack 2. The guide 6 is preferably a telescopic ball guide with at least one set of balls.

At one of the guide 6 of each shelf 4 is arranged a stop rail 14 which is provided, on its downward side, with sawtooth formed recesses 16, see Figure 3.

A catch lever 18 extending substantially parallel to its adjacent guide mount 8, is rotatable about an axle 20 via a mount 22 connected to the guide mount 8. At its end portion facing the rear portion of the marketing shelf 1, the catch lever 18 is provided with a hook 24 arranged to grip in a locking manner into one of the sawtooth formed recesses 16 of stop rail 14, see the lower shelf in Figure 3.

Relative to the hook 24, the catch lever 18 is provided at its opposite end portion with a handle 26. By lifting up the handle 26 somewhat, the catch lever 18 is rotated about the axle 20, so that the hook 24 is disengaged from the sawtooth formed recesses 16, see the upper shelf in Figure 3. Thereby, the shelf 4 may be moved outwards. The sawtooth formed recesses 16 are of such form that the shelf 4 may be pushed inwards without the handle 26 needing to be lifted, the sawtooth formed recesses 16 having been given a shape suitable for the purpose. The details 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 form a stop device for the shelves 4.

In the side of the rack 2 opposite that of the stop rail 14 is placed a vertically standing latch rail 28 movable relative to the rack 2. The latch rail 28 is movably attached to the rack 2.

The latch rail 28 is provided with latching pins 30, the latching pins 30 running in respective grooves 32 in a grooved plate 34. The grooved plate 34 is connected to and extends parallel to the adjacent guide mount 8.

At its front portion towards that of the marketing shelf 1, the groove 32 extending substantially parallel to the guide

mount 8 is provided with a downwards-sloping groove portion 36 merging into a vertical groove portion 38 extending upwards .

When all the selves 4 are in their moved-in positions, see Figure 4, all the latching pins 30 are in the transition between the vertical groove portion 38 and the sloping groove portion 36.

If a shelf 4 is moved outwards, see Figure 5, the corresponding latching pin 30 is moved upwards by being lifted in the sloping groove portion 36 up into the groove ' 32. The latch rail 28 is thereby moved upwards together with the upper latching pins 30. The rest of the latching pins 30 are moved upwards in their respective vertical groove portions 38. The corresponding shelves 4 are thereby prevented from being moved out of their moved-in positions. Thus, the details 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 form a latching between the selves 4.