Technical Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a storage and display system for use in a freezer.

Background to Invention

When ice cream products such as cones, lollies, and push-up pops are manufactured in the factory they are normally packaged up in bulk cartons prior to distribution to the sales outlets. These bulk cartons contain a large number of the individual products and are used to distribute products through the cold supply chain to the point of sale in out of home outlets such as shops and kiosks.

When the bulk cartons arrive in the sales outlets the individual products must be removed from the bulk storage and placed in display freezers. The display freezers are usually top-opening or chest-type freezers and typically have baskets that the products are placed into. However, this can be a labour intensive exercise for the operators of the sales outlets. In addition, the products can be damaged as they are moved from the bulk container into the freezer. Nevertheless, the products have to be removed from the bulk containers and placed into the baskets of the display freezers in order to display them to the consumer in an attractive and accessible way.

Unfortunately, some operators of the sales outlets do not use the baskets in the display freezers. In order to avoid having to transfer the products into the baskets they simply place the bulk container directly into the freezer and require consumers to take products from the bulk containers themselves. This approach is not desirable because the products are not presented to the consumer in an attractive way. Nor are the products accessible because they are placed on the floor of the freezer. Furthermore simply placing bulk containers into the freezer is not an efficient use of space and can even prevent the freezer from operating efficiently and/or cause damage to the containers. EP0839482 discloses a display system for freezer cabinets having a number of open topped plastic display bins arranged within a freezer cabinet subdividing the freezer cabinet into a number of smaller display compartments each containing products for sale. However, these bins still require refilling by the operator so do not provide a rapid or efficient means for restocking the freezer. In addition, they also sit on the base of the freezer and therefore do not address the issue of presenting the products to the consumer in an accessible manner.

There therefore remains a need for an improved storage system for ice cream display freezers. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which benefits the consumer by improving the visibility and accessibility of the products in the freezer.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an orderly and easily navigable presentation of the products enabling consumers to view and select their desired product.

Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide a system that allows point of sale operators to simplify the process of restocking and re-merchandising the freezer. A further object is to reduce damage to stock.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an intuitive system that requires little or no training meaning such that non-skilled operatives can manage stock levels.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a system that allows efficient operation of the freezer.

Summary of Invention

It has now been found that the foregoing objects are achieved by a specific storage solution. Therefore, in a first aspect the present invention provides a storage and display system for use in a freezer, the system comprising one or more rails and one or more containers wherein the one or more containers are hung from a rail by means of a support member.

Preferably the one or more rails partially span the freezer, more preferably the one or more rails span the freezer from one freezer wall to the opposite wall.

Preferably the one or more rails span the freezer laterally from one freezer side wall towards the next. In an alternative embodiment, the one or more rails span the freezer from front to back.

Preferably the rails are attached directly to the interior of the freezer, more preferably the rails are provided as part of a frame within the freezer.

In an alternative embodiment the rails are integral to the freezer.

Preferably the rails have a vertical rectangular cross section. More preferably the rails have an upper portion and a lower portion arranged along the same axis which are joined by a central portion which is axially offset from but substantially parallel to the upper and lower potions.

Preferably the support member is separate from and connectable with the rail.

In one embodiment the support member is connectable with the rail my means of an arm protruding from the support member.

In a preferred embodiment the support member comprises at least one hanger from which a container may hang.

Preferably the at least one hanger is a hook. Preferably the support member comprises two hooks on the same horizontal plane and equally spaced from the vertical axis of symmetry. Preferably the support member also comprises a lip positioned above the hanger and protruding downwards towards the hanger.

Preferably the support member also comprises a spine protruding downwards from the support member.

The container is hung from the rail by means of the support member.

Where the support member comprises at least one hanger from which a container may hang, the container preferably comprises at least one aperture connectable with the at least one hanger.

Preferably the distance from the aperture to the top of the container is no more than the distance from the hanger to the top of the support member. In a second aspect the invention provides a support member specially adapted for the system comprising:

- a substantially flat body;

- an arm protruding from the upper part of one side of the body connectable with the rail of the system;

- at least one hanger protruding from the lower part of the other side of the body; and

- a lip positioned on the upper part of the other side of the body and protruding downwards towards the at least one hanger.

Preferably the at least one hanger is in the form of a hook. In a third aspect the invention provides a container specially adapted for interaction with the support member of the second aspect the container being openable at the top and comprising:

- at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one hanger

wherein the distance from the at least one aperture to the upper edge of the open container is approximately equal to the distance from the at least one hanger to the lip of the support member.

Detailed Description of Invention

The present invention will now be further described by reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a freezer containing a system according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows rails according to the system of the invention;

Figure 3 shows means for providing rails within a freezer;

Figure 4 shows another means for providing rails within a freezer;

Figure 5 shows a variety of shapes for the rail;

Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the support member;

Figure 7 shows embodiments of the support member;

Figure 8 shows embodiments of the support member;

Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the support member;

Figure 10 shows an embodiment of the container;

Figure 1 1 shows the interface between the support member and the container; Figure 12 shows further preferred embodiments of the support member and the container.

Frozen products are typically stored in top-opening freezers, also referred to as chest freezers or display freezers. At the point of sale it is important that the products are neatly arranged in the freezer to give a positive impression to the potential purchaser and to ensure that products are easy to find. Freezers, in particular ice cream cabinets, are often provided with a plurality of baskets into which products are placed. However basket-based systems must be manually restocked by operatives in a process that is time consuming, laborious and potentially damaging to the products.

The storage and display system of the present invention overcomes these issues. The system utilises containers which are suspended from rails by means of support members. An embodiment of the system is shown in figure 1 which shows a freezer cabinet 1 having rails 2 and a container 3 hanging from one of the rails by means of a support member 4. The benefits of this system are set out below. The rails 2 serve to provide a structure for a support member 4 which in turn is used to hang containers 3 from the rails 2. A typical system for a standard sized freezer may consist of three rails. Two rails would be positioned on or proximal to opposing walls of the freezer, the remaining 2 rails would be parallel to the first two rails and approximately equidistant from them. For example in figure 1 , one of the first two rails is shown on the back wall of the cabinet and the remaining rail can be seen spanning the centre of the freezer. In another embodiment, the rails may run from front to back on the freezer, rather than side to side. In a preferred embodiment the rail spanning the centre of the freezer is replaced with 2 rails. Such an embodiment allows 4 rows of containers to be displayed: 2 from the central pair of rails and 2 more from the rails on the opposing walls.

The embodiment of figure 1 shows the rails 2 spanning the entire width of the freezer. However in preferred embodiments, the rails need not span the entire width of the freezer and therefore freezers may employ the system of the invention in one part while other products that are not provided in a container 3 according to the invention can also be stored in the remaining part of the freezer. The system therefore need not prevent the freezer from being used for a multiplicity of products from different suppliers. Where the rails are positioned upon a wall of the freezer then they may be of various forms as shown in figure 2. Figure 2 a) shows a rail 2 which has been attached to the wall 5 of an existing freezer using suitable means such as plastic coated screws. Alternatively the rail 2 may be integral to the freezer wall 5 as shown in figure 2 b). In the embodiment of figure 2 b) the rail protrudes from the freezer wall 5 but in a further embodiment shown in figure 2 c) the rail 2 may be recessed into the wall 5.

The rails of the system are not reliant on particular shape or size of freezer cabinet and may be adjustable so that they fit various sizes of freezers. For example, they can be lengthened or shortened to fit the area of the freezer the system is intended for. While the examples of figure 1 and 2 show the rails as attached to or integral to the freezer, alternative embodiments may provide the rails separately from the freezer. For example, figure 3 a) shows a frame 6 which can be placed onto the floor of a freezer 1 (shown in part as dotted lines) wherein the rails 2 are supported by the frame 6. Figure 3 b) shows another solution in which a horizontal frame 7 sits on top of the walls 5 of a freezer 1 and the rails 2 are attached to this frame 7. A preferred embodiment is shown in figure 3 c) wherein rails 2 may be attached to a frame 7.1 and the frame 7.1 may be suspended from brackets 8.1 . The frame 7.1 and rails 2 would correspond to the dimensions of the freezer such that when placed into the interior of a freezer the arms of brackets 8.1 rest upon the walls of the freezer thereby supporting frame 7.1 and rails 2 which will hang from the brackets 8.1 within the interior of the freezer. The brackets 8.1 may optionally be secured in place by suitable fixing means such as plastic coated screws. Such an embodiment is advantageous in that it has minimal interaction with the opening of the freezer and may therefore be readily fitted as an insert in existing freezers.

A further approach is shown in figure 4 which utilises brackets 8.2 which may rest upon or be attached to the freezer walls 5 and the rail 2 is mounted on the brackets. Such solutions also allow the system of the invention to be used on existing freezers without the need for any expensive retro-fitting to be carried out and they ensure that there are few, preferably no, physical connections between the rails and the freezer which could otherwise cause damage to the freezer by puncturing the insulation or by rupturing the cooling systems which run throughout the walls of freezers. The system of the invention may therefore be used on existing freezers or may be incorporated in the design and manufacture of new freezers. The rail may be of various shapes as shown in figure 5. In a preferred embodiment the rail has a vertical rectangular cross section as shown in figure 5 c). This shape takes up relatively little space within the freezer and provides structural rigidity in the vertical axis. In addition, this shape provides a structure which is capable of ensuring that the containers are hung in an upright position and can therefore be efficiently packed within the freezer and are readily accessible by consumers. A particularly preferred embodiment is shown in figure 5 d) wherein the rail has an upper 2.1 and lower 2.2 portion arranged along the same axis. These portions are joined by a central portion 2.3 which is axially offset from but substantially parallel to the upper and lower potions. Such an embodiment has been found to take up far less space in a freezer than conventional rails. It also provides strength along the length of the rail and is resistant to torsional twisting around the horizontal axis of the rail. Furthermore, as can be seen in figure 5 e) this embodiment can be easily located against the wall of a freezer. Such an embodiment can also be positioned back-to back against a similarly shaped rail as shown in figure 5 f). In this configuration, support members can still be easily connected with either rail yet the space taken up by the two rails is greatly reduced.

Support members that are connectable with the rail allow containers to be hung from the rail. The provision of hanging containers has many advantages. The products are kept organised in a simple layout. Since the products are elevated they are therefore in the eye-line of consumers rather than at the bottom of the freezer. They are also closer to the opening of the freezer and are therefore reachable by consumers. The hanging of the containers means that the bottom of the freezer is kept clear. This can be beneficial for air flow and may also allow spare, full containers to be stored in the base of the freezer which may then be used to replace empty containers. Hanging the containers also allows operators to easily reach, remove and replace containers.

The support member may be integral to the rail but in a preferred embodiment it is separate. This preferred embodiment allows the support member to be fitted to the container outside the freezer and the container and support member combination can then be simply slotted into the freezer and hung from a rail. A separate support member therefore has an arm which protrudes from one side of the support member and fits over the rail. The shape of the arm therefore corresponds to the shape of the rail. For example in the embodiment shown in figure 2 the rail 2 has a vertical rectangular cross section and the arm of the support member 2 is shaped to slot over that rail.

The support member serves to hang the container 3 from the rail 2. In one embodiment shown in figure 6, the support member 4 therefore comprises a protrusion 9 upon which a container 3 may sit. This figure again shows how the arm 10 fits over the rail 2. In this embodiment the container 3 rests on the protrusion 9 and is therefore elevated above the base of the freezer. Another preferred embodiment is shown in figure 7 a) in which the support member has a hanger, preferably an upwardly curved hanger, i.e. a hook, 1 1 which interfaces with an aperture on the container in order hang the container from the support member. A further improvement to this support member is shown in figure 7 b) which also has a lip 12. In these embodiments the arm 10 is on one side and the hook 1 1 and lip 12 are on the other side, therefore allowing the container to be fitted to the hook 1 1 and lip 12 and the combined container and support means are then fitted to the rail by the arm 10 which is on the other side. In a further preferred embodiment the support member also has a spine 13 as shown in figure 7 b). In another preferred embodiment the support member may have a panel 14 as shown in figures 8 a) and 8 b) upon which product information may be placed. It is envisaged that the product information will relate to the products in the container that is hung from that particular support member. All these features are shown in combination in figure 9.

The support member is used to support a container, an embodiment of which is shown in figure 10. The container may be used to bulk store products and may be advantageously filled at the point of manufacture. The container is opened at the point of sale in order for consumers to access the products. When a support member having hangers (e.g. hooks) is used the container has apertures 15 into which the hooks engage.

When the container such as that shown in figure 10 is mounted on a support member such as that shown in figure 9, the upper edge of the container is seated under the lip 12, and the container hangs from the hooks 1 1 which interface with corresponding apertures 15 in the container. The container is also further supported by the spine 13. This support member therefore provides a very stable platform for a container. Furthermore it is easy for operatives to rapidly fit the containers to the support member. As shown in figure 1 1 the support member and the container are connected as follows. The upper edge 16 of an open container 3 is slipped into the lip 12 of the support member 4 (see figure 1 1 b)). The container is configured such that the distance from the aperture 15 to the top of the container 16 is no more than the distance from the hanger 1 1 to the top of the lip 12. This ensures that when the top of the container 16 is seated in lip 12 the hooks 1 1 will be exactly aligned with the corresponding apertures 15 on the container 3. The lower part of the support member is then pushed towards the container to engage the hooks 1 1 in the apertures 15 and hence the container is supported (see figure 1 1 c)).

When full, the weight of the products will have a tendency to cause the container to rotate around the hangers and may cause the bottom of the container to move in the direction of arrow A. However, under these circumstances the downward protruding part of lip 12 and the spine 13 act to reciprocate against this movement and the container is therefore maintained in an upright position. Should the products in the container be unevenly distributed to one side or another of the container then it would have a tendency to rotate either clockwise or anticlockwise around the vertical axis. However the wide spacing of the hooks 1 1 overcomes this. In addition the upper edge of the container 15 abuts the internal surface of the lip 12 and this rotation is further prevented.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the support member may have one or more further protrusions that interact with one or more further apertures on the container. These protrusions and apertures can be of a unique shape that ensures that the correct container is mounted on the correct support member. This is particularly important when the support member carries information indicating the products contained in the container it is attached to. By providing a "lock and key" type interaction between support member and container it can be ensured that the operative will restock the relevant parts of the freezer with the correct products. Such an embodiment is shown in figure 12 in which the triangular protrusions 17 (shown as dotted lines) beneath the lip of the support member may engage with the corresponding triangular recesses 18 in the upper edge of the container. In addition to ensuring the correct container is fitted to a support member, such features also serve to further stabilise the container on the support member.

The various features and embodiments of the present invention, referred to in individual sections above apply, as appropriate, to other sections, mutatis mutandis. Consequently features specified in one section may be combined with features specified in other sections, as appropriate.