Disclosed herein is an electronic shelving system including, in some embodiments, a shelving unit and one or more coupling brackets. Each coupling bracket includes a bracket-coupling body, one or more power couplers disposed in the bracket-coupling body, one or more data couplers disposed in the bracket-coupling body, and one or more integral fasteners such as a tongue extending from the bracket-coupling body configured for fastening the coupling bracket to the shelving unit. Also disclosed herein is a method for the electronic shelving system including, in some embodiments, installing n coupling brackets in the shelving unit, running at least n+1 power cables or data cables through a slotted cable raceway of the shelving unit, and coupling at least two power cables or data cables to each other by way of the coupling bracket.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a composite plastic component having a first section surrounded by a second section. The method includes positioning a first section on a mold, the mold having a curved top surface. The method includes heating a second section in the form of a frame, and positioning the second section about the first section on the mold. The method includes pressing the first and second sections on the curved mold to curve the first and second sections in conformance with the curve of the mold, and to attach the frame to the first section. The method includes removing the curved first section and frame from the mold, cooling the curved first section and frame, and allowing the first section to return from a curved shape to a planar shape.

A method and a device for detecting an object stacking state, and an intelligent shelf are disclosed. The method comprises capturing a color image and a depth image that are aligned with each other above a reference plane in which the object is located, identifying the object and an area occupied by the object in the color image, converting the depth image into a height map relative to the reference plane, determining a reference height of the object based on the height map and the area occupied by the object, acquiring an actual height of the object based on the identified object, and comparing the reference height of the object with the actual height of the object and judging a stacking state of the object based on a result of the comparing.

A roller rack assembly for storing and displaying one or more products, the roller rack assembly including a support tray and a roller track assembly disposed on the support tray. The roller track assembly includes at least one roller track, a front end cap attached to a front end of the roller track, and a rear end cap attached to a rear end of the roller track. A plurality of cylindrical rollers are mounted to the roller track and arranged parallel to one another, with lateral sides perpendicular to a rotational axis. Each roller has an axle extending out of each lateral side. Each axle is mounted to a side wall of the roller track. A pusher mechanism is provided that includes a pusher back located above the roller track and a spring mechanism biasing the pusher back toward the front end of the roller track.

Disclosed herein is an electronic shelving system including, in some embodiments, a shelving unit and one or more coupling brackets. Each coupling bracket includes a bracket-coupling body, one or more power couplers disposed in the bracket-coupling body, one or more data couplers disposed in the bracket-coupling body, and one or more integral fasteners such as a tongue extending from the bracket-coupling body configured for fastening the coupling bracket to the shelving unit. Also disclosed herein is a method for the electronic shelving system including, in some embodiments, installing n coupling brackets in the shelving unit, running at least n+1 power cables or data cables through a slotted cable raceway of the shelving unit, and coupling at least two power cables or data cables to each other by way of the coupling bracket.

Apparatus and method facilitate placement of shelves at selected levels in a merchandise display and dispensing unit. At least one shelf is secured in place in a horizontal, level orientation at a selected level to locate a point-of-purchase at a selected height within the unit. A locking mechanism located adjacent a distal edge of the shelf locks the shelf at the selected level and is operated by an actuator extending essentially from adjacent one to adjacent the other end of the shelf, beneath the shelf, conveniently accessible by an operator from a proximal edge of the shelf while supporting the shelf in an essentially balanced manner so as to enable manual movement for relocating the shelf to the selected level without disturbing items placed on the shelf. A leveling system is coupled to the shelf to maintain the shelf in the horizontal, level orientation during movement, and a damper mechanism impedes accelerated downward movement of the shelf when unlocked for selected relocation.

A self-sustaining shelf system is provided that comprises a board, with two faces and one thickness, at least two mounting hardware and two anchoring elements and fixing elements to a supporting wall. Each mounting hardware comprises two side walls, with a separation space between them, and a bottom wall. The side walls of each support element define a substantially rectangular groove with dimensions substantially equal to the thickness of the board to embrace it in a substantially perpendicular direction, with a deviation of between 0° and 5°, extending over the faces of said board. In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one of the mounting hardware of the self-supporting shelf system includes an insertion-mounting and ratchet mechanism made up of four elements that, on the one hand, allow the board to be inserted into the groove of each hardware, up to the back wall, and, on the other hand, they make it possible to anchor and immobilize the board to prevent its unwanted detachment.

A retail merchandise tray may have a load bearing member formed from a rail attached to a mounting plate. The mounting plate and rail forming a downward opening notch for mounting to a tray support structure. The tray may have a locating flange that carries a locating pin that engages a tray support structure. The locating pin locating the tray along the tray support structure. The tray may have at least one divider assembly. The divider assembly includes outward extending offset projections that can prevent an adjacent tray from contacting the divider wall.

A refrigerator appliance with sensing for load determination including a shelf and shelf support with a resilient member positioned so as to be compressed by the weight of food items placed on the shelf. Changes in pressure or flowrate of a fluid in the resilient member are used to detect changes in the weight of food items. The appliance can be configured to execute one or more events based on the detected changes.

A shelving system is provided. The shelving system includes an upper rail, and optionally a lower rail, from which one or more upright supports extend. The upright supports are slidable within the upper and lower rails so that a user may vary their location. A shelf mounts to the upright supports. The shelf includes interlocking deck panels and selectively removable support bars so that it may be assembled onto the upright supports.