This invention generally pertains to a sign holder and more particularly to a sign holder adapted to be mounted to a shelf for displaying a planar sign.
Often, to promote certain products, retailers will display planar paper signs on the shelves where such products are located at a retail establishment or retail store. For instance, grocery stores often have numerous signs displayed from various shelves that include information about the associated products such as price or nutrition. To securely hold and display the signs in a conspicuous location, sign holders are often used. The sign holder can be mounted to the shelf and includes a retaining structure that securely holds the sign. Various styles of sign holder retaining structures are known in the art. Desirably, the retaining structure not only secures the sign but allows for easy replacement of the sign so that the sign holder can be readily reused. Furthermore, to facilitate mounting the sign holder to the shelf, the shelf may include mounting features such as perforations disposed through the shelf or a channel extending from a front edge of the shelf.
The invention provides a sign holder for holding and displaying a planar sign from a shelf in a retailer's store or establishment. The planar sign may be made from any planar material, such as paper or cardboard, and may include writing or illustrations thereon. To function as the retaining feature that holds the sign, the sign holder includes a clamp that is formed from a first panel and a second panel. Each of the first and second panels includes a proximate edge and a distal edge, with the first and second panels being pivotally connected together along their proximate edges. Accordingly, one of the panels can be pivotally moved to a position wherein the panels generally overlap one another, thereby providing a clamping action for grasping the planar sign placed between the panels. The sign holder also includes a mounting structure to mount the sign holder to a shelf.
To releasably hold the panels in the clamping position, there is included a holding prong projecting from an inner surface of the first panel. The holding prong can be received in a corresponding aperture disposed into an inner surface of the second panel when the first and second panels are pivoted into the clamping position. The holding prong and aperture engage each other in a snap-like relationship that allows the one panel to be pivoted apart from the other panel under the application of a sufficient force. In one aspect of the invention, to facilitate relative pivoting apart the first and second panels, a gripping tab or wing is included extending from the distal edge of at least one panel. The wing extends at an angled relationship from the panel such that the wing can be easily grasped or manipulated by a clerk's fingers to pry the panels apart.
To prevent the planar sign from slipping between the panels, there is included a piercing prong projecting from the inner surface of the second panel. The first panel includes a corresponding second aperture that can receive the piercing prong when the first and second panels are pivoted into the clamping position. The piercing prong includes a sharp tip that is adapted to pierce through the planar sign. The piercing prong pierces and projects through the planar sign preventing the sign from slipping between the panels. In one aspect of the invention, to appropriately position the planar sign between the panels for piercing, the piercing prong is spaced-apart from the connected proximate edges a greater distance than the holding prong is. Accordingly, when an edge of the planar sign abuts against the holding prong, the planar sign extends over the second aperture and is set to be pierced by the piercing prong.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent form the detailed description and the accompanying figures.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Now referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements, there is illustrated in
Referring to
To facilitate the clamping action that holds the planar sign, the first and second panels 130, 132 are pivotally connected at their proximate edges 142, 144. Preferably, the pivotal connection is accomplished by a living hinge 158 that extends between the first and second panels 130, 132 generally along the proximate edges 142, 144. Living hinges are well known to those of skill in the art and are generally formed as thin walls of flexible material that join and extend between two articles. The flexibility of the material allows the two articles to be repeatedly bent with respect to each other. In working the invention, the second panel 132 can be pivoted relative to the first panel 130 (which can be held stationary) into a clamping position wherein the inner surfaces 134, 136 of the first and second panels generally overlap each other and the distal edges 146, 148 are positioned adjacent to each other. It will be appreciated that any planer sign that is placed between the first and second panels 130, 132 can be clamped between the opposing inner surfaces 134, 136.
To releasably hold the first and second panels 130, 132 in the clamping position wherein they overlay one another, the first panel includes a holding prong 160 projecting generally perpendicularly from its inner surface 134. The holding prong 160 has a rectangular base portion 162 and terminates in a barbed hook 164 that has an inclined surface 166 sloping back toward the inner surface 134, thereby forming an undercut 168. To receive the holding prong 160 when the first and second panels 130, 132 are pivoted into the clamping position, there is disposed through the second panel between the inner and outer surfaces 136, 140 a first aperture 170. To align with each other, the holding prong 160 and the first aperture 170 are each spaced-apart from the proximate edges 142, 144 of their respective first and second panels 130, 132 a corresponding distance. In the illustrated embodiment, the first aperture 170 has a generally rectangular shape to accommodate the rectangular base portion 162 of the holding prong 160. In an embodiment, to facilitate forming the holding prong 160 during a molding process, the first panel 130 may include a molding passage 169 disposed through the first panel and proximate to the holding prong.
As will be appreciated from
Referring to
To align the planar sign for piercing, the first panel 130 preferably includes a stop 178. In the illustrated embodiment, the stop 178 is generally shaped as a rectangular projection and extends from the second edge 154 partially toward the first edge 150 of the first panel 130. The stop 178 corresponds to an exposed portion 180 of the first panel 130 that the second panel 132 does not overlay when the second panel is pivoted into the clamping position. To provide for the exposed portion 180, the distance between the first and second edges 150, 154 of the first panel 130 is greater than the distance between the first and second edges 152, 156 of the second panel 132. Because the panels 130, 132 are connected such that the first edges 150, 152 are aligned, the second edges 154, 156 are offset, thereby creating the exposed portion 180. Accordingly, no aperture is required to accommodate the stop 178 when the second panel is pivoted into the clamping position.
It will be appreciated from
Referring to
In an embodiment, to facilitate releasing the planar sign from the sign holder 100, one or more wings extend from clamp 120. Referring to
To mount the sign holder to a shelf, various types of mounting structures can be included as part of the sign holder. For example, referring to
To hold the planar sign 108 perpendicularly from the front edge 106 of the shelf 102, as illustrated in
In other embodiments, the clamp and the mounting leg can be configured to hold the planar sign flush to the front edge of the shelf. For example, referring to
In other embodiments, the various other mounting structures can be connected to the clamp. For example referring to
To attach the mounting bracket 304 to the channel 312, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art of shelf product display, the channel typically includes opposing first and second rails 314, 316 that are offset from a common curved wall 318. When attached, the first and second anchor feet 330, 332 of the flanges are received between the rails 314, 316 and the curved wall 318 thereby securing the mounting bracket 304 to the shelf 306. Preferably, the offset between the rails 314, 316 and the curved wall 318 provides a clearance fit with the anchor feet 330, 332 so that the mounting bracket 304 can slide with respect to the channel 312.
To hold the planar sign, the clamp 302 includes pivotally connected first and second panels 340, 342. In the embodiment illustrated in
Illustrated in
To hold the planar sign flush, the intermediate member 420, which is rigidly attached to and extends between the first and second flanges 422, 424, also functions as the first panel. The engagement of the flanges 422, 424 and the rails 414, 416 fixes the position of the intermediate member 420 with respect to the channel 412. Pivotally attached to the intermediate member 420 at an edge 426 formed approximately by the intersection of the intermediate member and the first flange 422 is a second panel 442. Accordingly, the second panel 442 can pivot with respect to both the intermediate member 420 and the channel 412. As will be appreciated, any planar sign held between the second panel 442 and the intermediate member 420 will be flush with the front edge 410 of the shelf 406. As shown, the intermediate member 420 and the second panel 442 can include holding prongs and piercing prongs as described above. Additionally, to facilitate pivoting the second panel 442 with respect to the intermediate member 420, a wing 444 extends from the second panel at an angled relationship.
Hence, the invention provides a sign holder for mounting to and displaying from a shelf any of various planar signs. The sign holder includes a clamp having two pivotally-connected panels that can be placed into a clamping position to hold the planar sign. To hold the panels in the clamping position, the first panel includes a holding prong that can be received in a corresponding aperture of the second panel. To prevent the planar sign from slipping between the panels, the second panel includes a piercing prong that can pierce the planar sign and be received in a corresponding aperture of the first panel.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.