IP Verse

Retail Shelving System

Patent No. US12396575 (titled "Retail Shelving System") was filed by Fasteners For Retail Inc on Dec 6, 2024.

What is this patent about?

’575 is related to the field of retail shelving systems, particularly those used in environments like refrigerated cases where customization and ease of cleaning are important. Traditional shelving often involves fixed, welded grid structures that are difficult to ship, install, and customize. Existing shelves are often made of materials that are heavy, prone to corrosion, or do not meet NSF standards for direct contact with food.

The underlying idea behind ’575 is a modular shelving system that addresses the limitations of prior art by using separate, adjustable components. Instead of a large, welded grid, the system employs independently mountable upper and lower rails. Upright supports slide within these rails, allowing for flexible positioning. Shelves are assembled piece by piece onto these supports, using interlocking deck panels and removable support bars, simplifying installation and cleaning.

The claims of ’575 focus on a modular shelf comprising spaced support arms, and support bars extending between them. The shelf includes at least one plastic deck panel with an upper surface for supporting merchandise and a bottom surface opposite the upper surface. The deck panel has wall portions defining channels that receive the support bars, and finger tabs that engage the bottom of the support bars to affix the deck panel to the support bars. Apertures align with catch portions of the finger tabs and extend through the upper and bottom surfaces of the deck panel.

In practice, the system allows for easy adjustment and reconfiguration. The rails are mounted to a support structure, and the uprights are slid into place. The shelf support arms attach to the uprights, and the support bars are then connected to the support arms. Finally, the deck panels are snapped onto the support bars, with adjacent panels interlocking for stability. The use of plastic deck panels allows for NSF compliance and easy removal for cleaning in a dishwasher.

This design differentiates itself from prior solutions by avoiding large, welded structures. The separate rails and slidable uprights allow for greater customization and easier installation, especially in confined spaces like refrigerated cases. The modular shelf design, with its interlocking deck panels and removable support bars, simplifies assembly and maintenance. The use of plastic deck panels provides a lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and NSF-compliant shelving surface, addressing the drawbacks of traditional steel or aluminum shelves.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’575 was filed, retail shelving systems were typically implemented using vertical support structures with integrated mounting rails. At a time when customization options were limited, shelving arrangements commonly relied on fixed gondola uprights rather than adjustable or modular systems. Hardware constraints made it non-trivial to design shelving systems that were lightweight, easy to install, and met NSF certification requirements for direct contact with merchandised products.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The application was a continuation of previously filed applications. Claims 1-25 were pending. Claims 11-13 were rejected as being unpatentable over prior art. Claims 1-25 were also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for failing to comply with the written description requirement. The specification and drawings were also objected to. Claims 1-10 were indicated as allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections.

Claims

This patent contains 22 claims, with independent claims 1 and 11. The independent claims are directed to a modular shelf comprising support arms, support bars, and deck panels with finger tabs and apertures. The dependent claims generally add further details and limitations to the features described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
At least one deck panel
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“Third, the shelf or shelves of the current application utilize plastic deck panels which may be formed of a NSF compliant material. Fifth, due to the size and modular nature of the deck panels, these panels may be easily removed for cleaning in a sink or dishwasher. This is a distinct advantage over prior designs, which require removing the entirety of the shelf as a single unit and washing the same in a cleaning area which accommodates cleaning of relatively large objects.”A panel supported by the first and second support bars, having an upper surface for supporting merchandise and a bottom surface opposite the upper surface.
First support arm
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“Second, the shelving system according to the teachings herein utilizes shelves which may be assembled onto the upright supports once they are installed. This is a distinct advantage over prior designs which require lifting a shelf as a unit onto a grid structure. Instead, according to the teachings herein, the shelf is rapidly assembled piece by piece in place. As a result, relatively light parts are lifted during installation, which are also far less cumbersome.”One of two structural members arranged in opposed, spaced relation to each other, that supports the deck panel.
First support bar
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“Second, the shelving system according to the teachings herein utilizes shelves which may be assembled onto the upright supports once they are installed. This is a distinct advantage over prior designs which require lifting a shelf as a unit onto a grid structure. Instead, according to the teachings herein, the shelf is rapidly assembled piece by piece in place. As a result, relatively light parts are lifted during installation, which are also far less cumbersome.”A structural member extending between the first and second support arms that supports the deck panel.
Second support arm
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“Second, the shelving system according to the teachings herein utilizes shelves which may be assembled onto the upright supports once they are installed. This is a distinct advantage over prior designs which require lifting a shelf as a unit onto a grid structure. Instead, according to the teachings herein, the shelf is rapidly assembled piece by piece in place. As a result, relatively light parts are lifted during installation, which are also far less cumbersome.”One of two structural members arranged in opposed, spaced relation to each other, that supports the deck panel.
Second support bar
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“Second, the shelving system according to the teachings herein utilizes shelves which may be assembled onto the upright supports once they are installed. This is a distinct advantage over prior designs which require lifting a shelf as a unit onto a grid structure. Instead, according to the teachings herein, the shelf is rapidly assembled piece by piece in place. As a result, relatively light parts are lifted during installation, which are also far less cumbersome.”A structural member extending between the first and second support arms that supports the deck panel.

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US12396575

FASTENERS FOR RETAIL INC
Application Number
US18972448
Filing Date
Dec 6, 2024
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Dec 17, 2038
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents