US 6,041,720 · Granted 2000-03-28
The Sliding Display Rack That Powers Store Shelves
Grocery stores use metal shelves called gondolas to display products, but organizing everything neatly is a headache. This patent invented a clever sliding rail system that lets store workers attach display fixtures to the front of shelves without bolts or tools — just sliding pieces together like a puzzle.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a specific mechanical system where a rail is attached to the front of a gondola shelf, and that rail has both a flat surface with a tongue and a groove. A separate display apparatus (like a sign holder or product organizer) slides onto the rail by interlocking its own tongue and groove with the rail's features. What's protected here is this tongue-and-groove sliding engagement system as a whole — the geometry, arrangement, and how the pieces lock together without additional fasteners.
Why it matters
Retail shelf organization is a constant problem: product displays need to be adjustable, removable, and easy to reconfigure as inventory changes or promotions run. This patent created a tool-free attachment system that saves store staff time and lets retailers swap out displays without disassembling the entire shelf unit. It became a standard in retail fixture design because it's simple, reusable, and cost-effective compared to bolted or welded alternatives.
Real-world use
Next time you're in a supermarket and notice a small sign, price label holder, or product organizer clipped to the front edge of a shelf, it's likely using this tongue-and-groove sliding system to stay in place.
Original USPTO abstract
A system for organizing and displaying items on a gondola shelf system comprising a gondola shelf connected to at least one vertical upright, the shelf including a front and a rear portion, a rail extending along and affixed to the front portion of the shelf, the rail comprising, a rail shelf surface extending longitudinally along the front portion of the shelf, the rail shelf surface including a first tongue extending from the rail shelf surface; a rail groove surface extending substantially perpendicular from the rail shelf surface, the rail groove surface including a first groove extending along the groove surface; and a display apparatus slidably engaged with the front rail, the display apparatus comprising a second tongue and a second groove, the first tongue engaging the first groove and the second tongue engaging the second groove.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 6,041,720
- Filing date
- 1997-11-13
- Grant date
- 2000-03-28
- Assignee
- Rtc Industries, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- HARDY; STEPHEN N.
- CPC class
- A47F1/126
Want to file your own patent?
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