The present invention relates to a device for displaying, storing and transporting products. More particularly an adjustable product presenter which brings forward the remaining products.

Within the retail market attractive, eye-catching presentation of products is the key to successful sales. Displays that appear empty or untidy can often deter customers form making the purchase. Although the product may be packed for optimum display at the suppliers, once placed out on display, during the course of the day it will be shopped down to a point where the products at the front of the display have been removed and others disturbed, so as to render a poor presentation. Many products benefit from being displayed in a near vertical plane to maximise their appearance. Bespoke packaging to optimise the display of the product exists, used as a recyclable single trip unit, they are predominantly manufactured from card or inexpensive thin plastic mouldings. Often these are designed specifically for a particular product or range of similar sized products. At the opposite end of the scale to these are shelf mounted units, intended to be left in situ and re-filled in store. Generally, this second sort of presenters are complex, bulky, specially for their storing when empty and not used, and with complicated mechanism to bring products at the front of the shelves. There is thus a real need for a reusable product presenter, adjustable and adaptable to any shelves or products, easily usable and transportable and with a simple conception without complex mechanism to bring forward the remaining product to optimise the presentation and give rise to the appearance that the display shelf is full and plentiful. In accordance with the invention, one objective is achieved with a product presenter comprising at least a first mobile base, a second mobile base and a backrest, said backrest being connected to said first mobile base said mobile bases comprising a front end, a back end and at least one translational guidance mean perpendicular to the said backrest, said front end having a barrier element, said first mobile base slidably mobile relative to said second base by means of said translational guidance mean. The backrest supports the products in a near vertical position and the barrier element at the front end of the mobile prevents them to fall. As the product is already displayed at a preferred angle it negates the need to use sloping shelves therefore using horizontal shelves, a greater density is realised for a given display area.

The backrest is preferably swivelled around a horizontal axis, the horizontal axis being located at the back end of the first base. The backrest and the first base form an angle that depends of the size of the product presenter. The backrest can be in an open position or in a closed position. The open position corresponds to the backrest in a near vertical position to support the products. This position depends of the size of the presenter and is adjustable to optimise the display and the presenter filling. The closed position corresponds to the backrest being folded down in such a way as to optimise the handing, nesting and storage of the presenters throughout the supply chain when not in use.

According to the invention, the product presenter comprises a third mobile base wherein said third mobile base comprises a front end, a back end and at least one translational guidance mean perpendicular to the said backrest, said first two bases being slidably mobile relative to said third base by means of said translational guidance mean.

In one embodiment, the product presenter comprises a fourth base wherein said fourth base comprises a front end, a back end and at least one translational guidance mean perpendicular to the said backrest, said first three bases being slidably mobile relative to said fourth base by means of said translational guidance mean. The translational guidance mean can be a proper translational guidance mean or a side of the fourth base. The fourth base may form a carrier or a tray itself.

The invention is not limited to any number of bases. It is within the invention to have a number of such bases adapted to the application thereof.

The system of sliding bases allows the remaining products to be brought at the front end of the shelves, optimises the presentation and gives rise to the appearance that the display shelf is full and plentiful. With this system, the product presenter can be extended or shortened in stages, depending of the number of bases and thus adapted to any size of shelves or amount of products. It is not designed for a bespoke product, therefore the device can accommodate many different types of products (pre-packed trays, sealed bags, etc.) and can be used with various sizes of products within a wide range.

In one of the embodiments, the third mobile base is a square and can be placed on said fourth base in two different perpendicular ways. Indeed, if the third base is a square and the fourth base a rectangle, all first bases may be placed in two different positions, the backrest located parallel to the short side or to the long side of the fourth rectangular base. All the first bases can thus slid parallel to the long side of the fourth base, the translational guidance means being the long sides of the fourth base.

In one embodiment, the fourth base comprises at least one removable locking device. Preferably, the product presenter comprises at least two locking devices, they can be located on at least two opposite sides of the fourth base. Theses locking devices allow the first bases to be removably secured to the fourth base and prevent excessive movement when consumers take products. While the first three mobile bases are secured to each other in these embodiments, they also could be removable.

In one embodiment, the product presenter comprises at least one handle. Preferably, the product presenter has at least two handles, one located at the backrest and the other one located at the front end of the last base. These handles allow an easy transport of the presenter from a place to another. The presenter can be easily filled up out of the shelf and then lifted out directly onto the shelf.

In one embodiment, the product presenter comprises at least one fixation means for fastening a packaging element so that the product presenter with said packaging element form together a packaging.

Another object of the invention is a device comprising a product presenter as described previously placed in a tray. Thus, the product presenter can be used as a standalone device or within a tray or similar secondary packaging, with the option to remove and place on the shelf as a standalone unit.

In the case of a tray that is directly placed on a display shelf, the tray has to be shallow and the edges of the tray are low to provide a good visibility of the products.

In the case of a deeper tray such as a produce tray, a carrier tray..., it only serves as a carrier to the store, where upon the product presenter is lifted out directly onto the shelf. In this embodiment, it is easier to move the product presenter if handles are arranged on its sides. Preferably, one handle is located at the backrest and the other one is located at the front end of the last base. In the case of a use of the product presenter with a tray, the backrest is also advantageously folded down in such a way as to allow the carrier trays to still nest together when not in use to optimise storage and reverse logistics.

Another object of the invention is a device comprising a product presenter as described previously used with a packaging element, the packaging element is fixed on the product presenter with at least one fixation means located on the product presenter and/or on the packaging element.

The invention will be explained further in connection with two different embodiment examples illustrated in here enclosed figures in which

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a product presenter with three bases that can accept a maximum of products, the backrest being in an open position.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the product presenter of fig.1 with three bases, the backrest being in a closed position.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the product presenter with four bases, the backrest being perpendicular to the long side of the fourth base and in a position where just a few products are remaining.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the product presenter that can accept a maximum of products with four bases, the backrest being parallel to the long side of the fourth base.

Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment comprising a product presenter with handles with a perspective view of the product presenter that can accept a maximum of products, the backrest being in an open position.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the product presenter of fig. 5, the backrest being in a closed position and consolidated.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the product presenter used with a deeper tray.

Fig. _8a, Fig. 8b and fig. 9 show perspectives views of the product presenter used with two types of packaging elements so as to form a packaging.

In the first embodiment, the product presenter (101 ) comprises a backrest (102) and three mobile bases (103-105). A first mobile base (103) comprises a front end (103a), a back end (103b) and two guide elements (103c) that joint the front end and the back end. These two guide elements (103c) are used as first translational guidance means (103c). The plate shape backrest (102) is connected to said first mobile base (103) at its back end (103b). The front end (103a) forms a barrier element that provides a physical stop to products and prevents them from falling of the base. A second mobile base (104) comprises a front end (104a), and two guide elements (104c) used as second translational guidance means (104c). The front end (104a) forms a barrier element. A third base (105) comprises a front end (105a), a back end (105b) and two guide elements (105c) that joint the front end and the back end. These two guide elements (105c) are used as third translational guidance means (105c). The front end (105a) forms a barrier element. The first three bases (103-105) are linked with each other and can slidably move one relative to the others. The first mobile base (103) is slidably mobile relative to the second base (104), then the first two bases (103 and 104) are slidably mobile relative to the third base (105) by the means of the translational guidance means (103c, 104c and 105c). The first translational guidance means (103c) of the first base (103) can slid along the third translational guidance means (105c) of the third base (105) and the second translational guidance means (104c) of the second base (104) can slid along the third translational guidance means (105c) of the third base (105). Consequently, the backrest (102) is mobile and can be slid in stages, bringing the remaining products at the front end of the shelves. The invention is not limited to this arrangement of translational guidance means. Another arrangement is possible.

The backrest (102) is also swivelled around a horizontal axis and it forms with the first base (103) an angle that depends of the size of the product presenter (101 ) and it is adjustable to optimise the display and the presenter filling. The backrest (102) can be in an open position (Fig. 1 ) or in a closed position (Fig. 2). The open position corresponds to the backrest in a near vertical position to support the products and the closed position corresponds to the backrest being folded down in such a way as to optimise the handing, nesting and storage of the presenters throughout the supply chain when not in use.

The product presenter (101 ) can be used as a standalone unit or with a fourth base (106) such as in the Fig. 3 and 4. The fourth base (106) comprises a front end (106a), a back end (106b) and two sides (106c). These two sides (106c) can act as fourth translational guidance means. In this embodiment, the fourth base (106) forms a carrier, like a shallow tray with low edges to provide a good visibility of the products and is designed to be directly placed on a display shelf.

In this embodiment, the third mobile base (105) forms a square and the fourth base (106) is rectangular. Thus, the first three mobile bases (103-105) can be placed on the fourth base (106) in two different perpendicular ways. In the first position (Fig. 3), the backrest (102) is located on the short side of the fourth base and it can slid perpendicular to the long side. In the second position (Fig. 4), the backrest (102) is located on the long side of the fourth base and it can slid parallel to the long side. The product presenter (101 ) can also slid parallel to the long side of fourth base (106), the two sides (106c) acting as translational guidance means.

The first three bases (103-105) are linked with each other but they are not secured to the fourth base (106). To allow the product presenter (101 ) to be secured to the fourth base and prevent it from moving when consumers take products, the fourth base (106) may comprise two opposite locking devices (107) located on the long side (106c) of the fourth base.

The backrest (102) can also be folded down in such a way as to allow the product presenter to nest together when not in use to optimise storage and reverse logistics. In this condition, it can remain in the 4 ^th base whose nestability remains unaffected.

In the second embodiment, the principle of the slidably bases is the same as the first embodiment. The product presenter (201 ) comprises a backrest (202) and four mobile bases (203-206). The mobile bases could be hollow and shaped like a cup with higher rims at the front end and on the sides.

All the mobile bases (203-206) comprise a front end (203a, 204a, 205a and 206a ) and a back end (203b, 204b, 205b and 206b). The plate shape backrest (202) is connected to the first mobile base (203) at its back end (203b). The higher rim at the frond end corresponds to the barrier element (203a, 204a, 205a and 206a). The second (204), third (205) and fourth (206) mobile bases comprise two guide elements (204c, 205c and 206c) used as translational guidance means in addition to the cupped shape that helps to guide the base during sliding. Consequently, the backrest (202) is mobile and can be slid in stages, bringing the remaining products at the front end of the shelves.

Apart from the fourth mobile base (206) that is larger, all the mobile bases are of similar shape and size. The mobile bases comprise two translational guidance means (204c to 206c) that allow the following base to slide. In this embodiment, the product presenter (201 ) has two handles, one located at the backrest (208) and the other one located at the front end of the fourth base (209). These handles allow an easy transport of the presenter from a place to another. The backrest (202) is also swivelled around a horizontal axis and it can be in an open position (Fig. 5) or in a closed position (Fig. 6). In the closed position; the product presenter is the size of the fourth base (206), all the bases being superimposed and the backrest folded down, in such a way as to optimise the handing, nesting and storage of the presenters throughout the supply chain when not in use.

The product presenter (201 ) can be used as standalone unit or with a tray (210) such as shown in the Fig. 7. In this case, it is a deeper tray such as a produce tray, a carrier tray..., it only serves as a carrier to the store, where upon the product presenter is lifted out directly onto the shelf. In this embodiment, it is easier to move the product presenter if handles are arranged on its sides.

Preferably, the product presenter is manufactured in plastic and is generally reused but not exclusively as it may be manufactured from other materials and used in a one-trip manner if preferred. There is an advantage in reusing the presenter as it negates the waste of one-trip secondary packaging.

In the embodiments shown in Fig. 8a, Fig. 8b and Fig. 9, the product presenter 101 is combined with a packaging element 1 1 1 . The packaging element comprises a shroud 1 12 and eventually at least one flap 1 13 on the top to allow closing the packaging and protect products placed inside in the product presenter, for example. The packaging element is placed on the product presenter along the edges of the lowest base of it or of the base forming a tray or a carrier. It is removable fastened to the base with at least one fixation means located on the packaging element 1 14 and/or on the product presenter 1 15. The packaging permits protecting the products in it. It is also an easy and practical storage and transport device from the supplier to the store. Before placing the product presenter on a shelf, the packaging element is removed and the products are already oriented so that they can be directly placed on the shelves with the presenter without the need of a manipulating thereof. The packaging can be made in any kind of material so as to be recyclable, reusable, multi-trip or one-trip and manufactured in the material suitable for the use.

The invention may be adapted to any sized footprint.