A major problem with any shelf system used to retail merchandise is that the product available for sale becomes less and less visible as more product is sold and removed from the front of the shelf. This means that the shelves have to be constantly restocked by moving the older product from the rear to the front of the shelves. This is very labouring intensive and furthermore, the product is not offered for sale in the most appealing way as the customer has to look under the shelf to see what product is available if the shelf is not fully stocked.

This problem has been overcome in the prior art by using spring biasing mechanisms to urge the product forward on the shelf. However, to load the shelf with products, the merchandiser has to slide the spring loaded pusher to the back of the shelf and hold it there against the action of the biasing spring while the product on the shelf is restocked. Once the shelf is refilled. then the merchandiser can release his or her hold on the pusher which can then move forwardly into engagement with the product array to bias it towards the front of the shelf.

British Patent No. 2290077 describes a product pusher assembly which comprises; an assembly for fitting to the shelf of a display stand and comprising; a base or track in which the product pusher is slidably mounted and moveable against action of a resilient biasing means; a product pusher and base also incorporating latching means to retain the product pusher adjacent to the rear of the base; and

the latch means being automatically releasable when pressure is applied to the product pusher in a direction against the action of the resilient biasing means.

However, a disadvantage of the prior art product pusher assembly is hat when even slight pressure is applied to the product pusher assembly the mechanism will retract with significant speed and force, thus for example if the shelf is only half full, in some instances catching the fingers of operators. Furthermore, the restocking of the lower shelves of a display stand remains difficult.

We have now surprisingly found a novel mechanism which allows'one handed' filling of a merchandising display system and which overcomes or mitigates the disadvantages of the prior art assembly and is easier to fill than conventional assemblies.

Thus according to the invention we provide an assembly for fitting to a merchandising display stand comprising a longitudinal arm provided with means for attaching the arm to the display stand, the longitudinal arm comprising an at least one groove in which a merchandising holding tray is slidably mounted and moveable from a retracted to an extended position, the tray being provided with a slidably mounted product pusher which is resiliently biased towards the front of the tray and the arm is provided with means for engaging with the product pusher.

The means for attaching arm to the display stand will vary depending, inter alia, upon the form of the stand. Conventionally, the stand will be provided with a plurality of slots which may be vertical or horizontal. In connection with the present invention horizontal slots are preferred. In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal arm is provided with a hook which is adapted to engage with one or more slots. A single hook may be used, however, a more stable merchandise support is achieved if a pair of hooks are used to engage with one or more slots. In an especially preferred embodiment an upper and a lower pair of hooks are provided.

The merchandise holding tray is provided with a longitudinal aperture to facilitate the sliding of the product pusher. The base of the tray may preferably be provided with means for engaging with the longitudinal arm. This engaging means should be such that the tray is capable of sliding freely in the arm. However, preferentially, the engaging means should restrict the vertical movement of the tray. Thus, the arm is preferably provided with one or more longitudinal grooves which engage with a hook member in the base of the tray. The hook member may be a conventionally known 'L'shaped hook, or an inverted T-shaped hook. In the most preferred embodiment, the base of the tray is provided with a pair of L-shaped hooks e. g. opposite facing hooks. In such a case the arm is provided with a pair of longitudinal grooves e. g. a groove at either side of the arm.

The resilient biasing means preferably comprises a spring. The spring means can take any convenient form such as a coil or leaf spring. The biasing means for the product pusher conveniently comprises a coiled flat spring, the free end of which is attached to the tray, e. g. adjacent the front of the tray and the remainder of the spring is coiled and mounted on the rear face of the product pusher.

The longitudinal arm is provided with means for engaging the product pusher.

Preferentially, this engaging means is also adapted to engage the merchandise tray e. g. the base of the tray. The engaging means is preferably a lip which engages with the base of the product pusher. Thus, when the base of the product pusher engages with the lip of the arm, the product pusher cannot be drawn further towards the front of the merchandise tray. Furthermore, when the merchandise tray is withdrawn from the arm to enable it to be restocked, the product pusher remains stationary. thus, effectively moving it adjacent the rear of the merchandise tray. In one embodiment, the product pusher is simply prevented from sliding out of the tray by the rear part of the tray.

Furthermore, the"underneath"of the merchandise tray may be provided with a ridge which is also capable of engaging with the lip of the arm. Thus, the ridge acts to

prevent the merchandise tray from easily sliding back in to the arm of the assembly.

In use, an operator must therefore lift the merchandise tray, allowing the ridge to pass back over the lip, before the merchandise tray can slide back into its position in the arm assembly. In a preferred embodiment the ridge is provided with a sloping surface to facilitate the outward sliding of the ridge over the lip of the arm assembly.

The product pusher may comprise a conventionally known assembly. Preferably, the product pusher is an L-shaped piece of plastics material which is provided with a hook in its base as hereinbefore described.

The merchandise tray may also be provided with means for holding the tray in the withdrawn (i. e. non-extended) position. Any conventional means may be used, but the preferred means is a magnet which corresponds to a magnet positioned in the display stand.

The assembly of the invention may comprise an individual unit which may be attached to a display stand. As previously mentioned, such display stands are already known.

In one embodiment the merchandise tray, the product pusher and the arm comprise a single assembly. Thus, we have now also found an assembly which may be used to join together two or more merchandise trays allowing them to be withdrawn from their respective arm assemblies together. The assembly comprises a resilient clip.

The dimensions of the clip are such that the clip may hold together a pair of merchandise trays.

In one embodiment the clip holds together two merchandise trays by way of the side walls of the respective trays. Thus, the clip comprises a pair of arms biased together, the width of space between the arms is less than the width of two side walls combine.

The clip may attach to the merchandise tray along any part of their length. However, preferably, the clip attaches to the rear of the merchandise tray. In an especially

preferred embodiment the buffer in the merchandise tray comprises a pair of closely associated buffer plates such that an arm of the clip can form a snug fit between the plates preventing the clip from sliding along the length of the merchandise tray. The plates may comprise a single pair of plates along the whole width of the merchandise tray, but in a preferred embodiment each side wall of the tray is provided with its own pair of buffer plates.

Thus according to the invention we further provide the use of a resilient clip in joining together two merchandise trays. We also provide a method of releasably joining two merchandise trays by the use of a clip as hereinbefore described.

We also provide a kit comprising at least one, or a pair of merchandise display assemblies as hereinbefore described in combination with a resilient clip.

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the merchandise display assembly in its extended position; Figure 2 is a cross-section of the merchandise display assembly in its retracted position; Figure 3 is an end cross-sectional view of the merchandise display assembly; and Figure 4 is a perspective view a plurality of the merchandise display assemblies with connecting clips shown.

Referring to Figure 1, a merchandise display assembly (1) comprises a longitudinal tray support (2), a merchandise tray (3) and a product pusher (4). The tray support (2) comprises a longitudinal L-shaped arm (5), provided with two pairs of hooks (6) adapted to engage with the slots of a display stand (not shown). An arm (5) of the

tray support (2) is provided with longitudinal grooves (7 and 8) at either side (9 and 10) of the longitudinal position. In the example shown, the grooves (7 and 8) are cut away in places for ease of manufacturing/moulding only.

The merchandise tray (3) comprises a base (11), longitudinal side walls (12 and 13), front end wall (14) and rear end wall (15). Each side wall (12 and 13) is provided with a pair of stop members (16/17 and 18/19). The base (11) is also provided with a longitudinal aperture (20) in which the product pusher (4) is slidably mounted.

The product pusher (4) comprises a substantially L-shaped piece of plastics material with a vertical portion (21) and a horizontal base portion (22). The structure of the product pusher (4) is supported by a pair of brackets (23). In between the pair of brackets (23) is housed a coiled spring (24). The distal end (25) of the spring (24) is connected to the front portion (26) of the merchandise tray (3) such that the product pusher (4) is resiliently biased towards the front end wall (14) of the tray assembly (3).

Referring to the inset 1 a, the base portion (22) of the product pusher (4) is provided with a hook member (27) which engages with the lip (28) at the end (29) of the arm (5) distal from the display stand. The base (11) of the merchandise tray (3) is provided with a sloping ridge (30). The ridge (30) is such that it decreases in size towards the front end (14) of the tray (3).

Referring to Figure 2and 3, when the merchandise tray (3) is in its retracted position, the product pusher (4) is urged by the coiled spring (24) towards the front end (14) of the merchandise tray (3). The arm (5) of the tray support is provided at each side (9 and 10) with longitudinal grooves (7 and 8). The base (11) of the merchandise tray (3) is provided with a pair of hooks (31 and 32) which engage with the grooves (7 and 8). The merchandise tray (3) is provided with a central aperture (20) through which protrudes a T-shaped hook member (27) of the product pusher (4).

In use, when product, for example, cigarette packets, is placed in the merchandise tray (3), the product pusher (4) urges the product towards the front end wall (14).

Thus, when an item is removed, the next item behind it is urged towards the front end wall (14).

When the merchandise tray (3) is empty, the product pusher (4) will be positioned adjacent the front end wall (14) and will reach the rest position as the T-shaped hook (27) in the base (22) of the product pusher rests against the lip (28) of the arm (5).

To refill the merchandise tray (3), the tray (3) is slidably withdrawn from the arm (5).

As the product pusher (4) is unable to move further forward, the rear end wall (15) will be drawn nearer to the product pusher (4) as the merchandise tray (3) is withdrawn. The merchandise tray (3) will reach the fully extended position when the rear of one tray (15a) abuts the base (22) of the product pusher (4). The merchandise tray (3) may then be refilled or partially filled without risk of movement of the product pusher (4). When the merchandise tray (3) is then slid back into the arm (s) of the tray support (2), the product pusher (4) will remain in the stop position until the vertical plate (21) rests against the merchandise and is again urged towards the front end wall (14).

Referring to Figure 4, a plurality of merchandise trays (3) are clipped together by use of a clip (33) which overlies adjacent side walls (34 and 35) of adjacent merchandise trays (3a and 3b). The clip (33) comprises a tab (36) and spaced apart arms (37 and 38). In the clip is positioned between the buffers (39 and 40).