DE102022103432B3 - Price tag for a commodity, such as a piece of clothing - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic price tag (10, 10') for attachment to a product, for example a piece of clothing, with a base body (20) with an electronic display field (40), a fastening element (30, 30') and a power supply (60). , the base body (20) being flexible and having printed electronics (50), the electronics (50) having an interface (52) for receiving data and being designed to display data on the display panel (40), the Price label (10, 10') comprises a motion sensor (70) and the energization of the display field (40) depending on the detection of a movement of the price label (10, 10') by the motion sensor (70) can be activated.

Description

The invention relates to a price tag for a product, for example a piece of clothing, having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

It is known to provide retail goods, in particular items of clothing, with a price tag. The well-known price labels are made of cardboard, for example, and are attached to the goods with a cord. In addition to the price, the price tag often also contains other information such as the size of the garment or similar, as well as a barcode for scanning at the checkout.

If the goods are to be sold at a different price after the original price tag has been mistaken, for example as part of a sale at a reduced price, it is laborious to provide each individual price tag with a new price, for example by changing the price by hand or a sticker with new price information is affixed to the original price label.

The DE 20 2015 009 876 U1 discloses an autonomous electronic price tag with a display for showing product-related data and an energy store, a storage unit and a data transmission device. The price tag is intended to be attached in a vehicle, for example, by means of fastening means designed as suction cups. The price tag has a large-volume plastic housing and is therefore heavy and unwieldy and expensive to produce. Such a price tag is unsuitable for retail goods such as clothing in particular.

Other electronic price labels are from the US 2015/0035674 A1 , the US 2018/0004472 A1 and the US 2017/0293968 A1 known. In particular, the US 2015/0035674 A1 the features of the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention is to provide an electronic price tag that allows a design with the smallest possible size and weight.

The object is achieved according to the invention by an electronic price label for a product, for example a piece of clothing, with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The electronic price label according to the invention for attachment to a product, for example a piece of clothing, with a base body with an electronic display field, with a fastening element and with a power supply is characterized in that the base body is flexible and has printed electronics, the electronics having a in particular has a wireless interface for receiving data and is designed to display data on the display panel. A base body is referred to as being flexible, the thickness of which is designed in such a way that it can be bent slightly. Printed electronics is understood to mean an electronic assembly or an electronic component which has been produced entirely or at least partially by means of a printing process. The use of printed electronics on a flexible base body enables a price label to be designed with a low height and weight, which is therefore particularly suitable for attachment to retail goods such as items of clothing.

The interface enables the price label to communicate, in particular wirelessly, with an external communication unit, so that, for example, changed prices can be sent from the external communication unit to the different goods in a simple manner and the price displayed in the display field of the price label can be updated in a simple manner without manually changing all price tags. For this purpose, the interface can be in the form of a radio interface, for example.

The electronics preferably include an RFID chip. Such an RFID chip can simplify the detection of the goods during the payment process at a checkout.

According to the invention, the price tag includes a motion sensor and the energization of the display field can be activated depending on the detection of a movement of the price tag by the motion sensor. In the case of retail goods, the price tags are usually attached to the goods for several days or weeks. In order to keep the information to be displayed in the display field of the price label continuously available, a correspondingly large power supply would be required. As a rule, however, it is not necessary to display the information continuously since, particularly in the case of retail goods such as clothing items, these are often only picked up, viewed and possibly tried on by customers for a few minutes throughout the day. It is therefore sufficient to make the information to be displayed available only when a customer needs it. means A motion sensor can be used to detect movement of the price tag. Preferably, when a movement is detected, the display field is energized in order to make the information to be displayed available. If the goods are put away by the customer, the information does not need to be displayed and the display panel does not need to be energized.

The display panel can be designed, for example, as a bistable display, in which the display goes out after a certain time without power.

Advantageously, the motion sensor is part of the printed electronics. This enables the movement sensor to be manufactured in a simple and cost-effective manner. Particularly preferably, the movement sensor can be formed by two comb-like structures which interlock and which can be produced particularly easily by a printing process.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the base body is made of paper, cardboard or plastic. Materials of this type enable a flexible, low-weight base body to be produced simply and inexpensively. The printed electronics are preferably arranged at least in sections between two layers of the base body in order to be protected from damage.

The base body advantageously has a thickness of less than 5 mm, preferably a thickness of less than 3 mm, particularly preferably a thickness of less than 2 mm.

According to a first alternative embodiment of the invention, the fastening element is designed as a cord, tape or wire and is preferably made of paper, plastic, fabric, leather, cotton, hemp or metal. Such a fastening element can be produced inexpensively and enables the price tag to be fastened to the goods in a simple manner. In this case, for example, the power supply can also be printed. For example, the price tag, in particular the electronics and the display panel, can be supplied with power by a printed battery.

According to a second alternative embodiment of the invention, the fastening element comprises a first partial element and a second partial element, with a pin being detachably arranged on the first partial element, which pin is arranged non-detachably on the second partial element. In order to attach the base body of the price label to the goods with such a fastening element, the pin is passed through an opening in the base body and also through the goods. If the product is a piece of clothing, the pin can be passed through a buttonhole or through the fabric, for example. In order to facilitate this, the pin can be designed in the manner of a needle. One of the two partial elements can then be arranged on the front and the other of the two partial elements on the back of the base body and the goods, in particular the item of clothing.

Such a fastening element can form a security label, which is also known as a “hard tag” in specialist circles. Security tags are attached to the goods to protect them from shoplifting. If goods are moved past a security unit set up at the exit of the store without the security label having been removed, an alarm is triggered. The security tags are removed at the checkout by releasing the connection between the pin and the first sub-element, with releasing the connection usually requiring a special device, for example a strong magnet or some type of key. In particular, the fastening element can simultaneously form the security label. For this purpose, a means for triggering an alarm, for example a passive coil, can be arranged in one of the two sub-elements, which triggers a visual and/or acoustic alarm when passing the security unit arranged at the exit of the shop.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first partial element or the second partial element has the energy supply, preferably a battery or an accumulator, for the printed electronics. Typically, the first sub-element and the second sub-element have a plastic housing in which there is sufficient space for arranging a power supply.

The power supply can preferably be connected in an electrically conductive manner to the printed electronics via the pin, which can result in a particularly compact design of the price label.

• 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen elektronischen Preisetiketts für eine Ware, beispielsweise ein Kleidungsstück,
• 2 eine weitere perspektivische Ansicht des Preisetiketts gemäß 1,
• 3 einen Längsschnitt durch das Preisetikett gemäß 1,
• 4 einen Schnitt durch das Preisetikett gemäß 1 entlang der Linie A-A in 3 und
• 5 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen elektronischen Preisetiketts für eine Ware, beispielsweise ein Kleidungsstück.

The invention is explained in detail using the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the following figures. Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of an electronic price tag according to the invention for a product, for example a piece of clothing,
• 2 another perspective view of the price tag according to FIG 1 ,
• 3 according to a longitudinal section through the price label 1 ,
• 4 a cut through the price tag according to 1 along line AA in 3 and
• 5 a perspective view of a second embodiment of an electronic price tag according to the invention for a product, such as a piece of clothing.

The 1 until 4 show different views of a first exemplary embodiment of an electronic price tag 10 according to the invention for a product, for example a piece of clothing, with not all reference numbers being shown in all figures for a better overview.

The price tag 10 for attachment to a product, for example a piece of clothing, has a flexible base body 20, which is in particular designed as a flat element. The base body 20 is flat if the length l and the width b are each significantly greater than the thickness d of the base body 20. The base body 20 has in particular a thickness d of less than 5 mm, preferably a thickness d of less than 3 mm, particularly preferably a thickness d of less than 2 mm. The base body 20 can be made of paper, cardboard or plastic, for example.

The base body 20 has an electronic display panel 40 for displaying data relating to the goods, for example the price of the goods. The display panel 40 can be designed as a bistable display, for example.
Furthermore, the base body 20 has printed electronics 50 . The electronics 50 are produced by means of a printing process and are arranged in particular between two layers of the base body 20 . The electronics 50 include an interface 52 for receiving data, in particular from an external communication unit. Electronics 50 are designed to control display panel 40 in such a way as to display the desired data on display panel 40 . The electronics 50 can include an RFID chip on which data, in particular product-specific information, can be stored, which can be displayed on the display panel and/or read out, which means that the product can be scanned during the payment process or an inventory of the goods or location the goods can be made possible.

The price tag 10 may include a motion sensor 70 to detect movement of the price tag. The movement sensor 70 can in particular be part of the printed electronics 50 . Particularly preferably, the movement sensor 70 can be formed by two comb-like structures 71, 72 which engage in one another and are interlocked and which can be produced particularly easily by a printing process. The two comb-like structures 71, 72 form a type of capacitor. When the price tag 10 moves, the flexible base body 20 is generally slightly bent, which leads to a change in the capacitance of the capacitor, so that the movement can be detected. According to an alternative embodiment that is not shown, the motion sensor 70 can also be in the form of discrete, in particular finished, motion sensors 70 in the form of electronic ICs.

The base body 20 is fastened to the goods, for example the item of clothing, by means of a fastening element 30 . For this purpose, the base body 20 can in particular have an opening 22 through which the fastening element 30 can be guided.

At the in the 1 until 4 illustrated first embodiment, the fastening element 30 comprises a first partial element 31 and a second partial element 32, wherein a pin 34 is arranged detachably on the first partial element 31, which is arranged non-detachably on the second partial element 32. To attach the price tag 10 to the goods, the connection between the two partial elements 31, 32 can be released, the pin 34 can be passed through the opening 22 of the base body 20 and the goods, for example directly through the fabric in the case of a piece of clothing, and the pin 34 with the first sub-element 32 are reconnected. Such a fastening element 30 can simultaneously form a security tag with the two partial elements 31, 32, as described above.

The printed electronics 50 require a power supply 60, which can be designed as a battery or accumulator, for example. The energy supply 60 can be arranged in the first sub-element 31 or the second sub-element 32, in the present exemplary embodiment in the second sub-element 32. In the present exemplary embodiment, the power supply 60 can be electrically connected to the printed electronics 50 via the pin 34 . For this purpose, for example, the printed electronics 50 can have a contact field 56 adjacent to the opening 22 of the base body 10, which the pin 34 makes electrically conductive contact with when it is guided through the opening 22. Alternatively, the energy supply 60 can also be printed on and, for example, can be in the form of a printed battery.

The power supply 60 can continuously power the printed electronics 50 . However, the energization of the display field 40 can preferably be activated as a function of the detection of a movement of the price label 10 by the movement sensor 70 . This makes possible, that the display panel 40 is only energized when a customer actually wants to view the information to be displayed in the display panel 40 .

This in 5 illustrated embodiment of a price label 10 'differs from that in the 1 until 4 The price tag 10 shown is essentially due to the design of the fastening element 30. The fastening element 30' of the price tag 10' is designed as a cord, ribbon or wire and can be passed through the opening 22 of the base body 20 in order to attach the base body 20 to the goods. The fastening element 30' can be made of paper, plastic, fabric, leather, cotton, hemp or metal.

Reference List

10

price tag

10'

price label

20

body

22

opening

30

fastener

30'

fastener

31

first sub-element

32

second sub-element

34

Pen

40

display panel

50

printed electronics

52

interface

54

RFID chip

56

contact field

60

power supply

70

motion sensor

71

comb-like structure

72

comb-like structure

1

length

b

Broad

i.e

thickness

Claims (9)

Electronic price label (10, 10') for attachment to a product, for example a piece of clothing, with a base body (20) with an electronic display field (40), a fastening element (30, 30') and a power supply (60), the base body (20) is flexible and has printed electronics (50), the electronics (50) having an interface (52) for receiving data and being designed to display data on the display panel (40), characterized in that the price label (10, 10`) comprises a motion sensor (70) and the energization of the display field (40) can be activated depending on the detection of a movement of the price label (10, 10`) by the motion sensor (70). Price label after claim 1 , characterized in that the electronics (50) comprises an RFID chip (54). Price label after claim 1 , characterized in that the motion sensor (70) is part of the printed electronics (50). Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (20) is made of paper, cardboard or plastic. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (20) has a thickness (d) of less than 5 mm, preferably a thickness (d) of less than 3 mm, particularly preferably a thickness (d) of less than 2 mm. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (30`) is designed as a cord, ribbon or wire and is preferably made of paper, plastic, fabric, leather, cotton, hemp or metal. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (30) comprises a first partial element (31) and a second partial element (32), a pin (34) being detachably arranged on the first partial element (31), which pin (34) is non-detachable is arranged on the second partial element (32). Price label after claim 7 , characterized in that the first partial element (31) or the second partial element (32) has the energy supply (60), preferably a battery or an accumulator, for the printed electronics (50). Price label after claim 8 , characterized in that the power supply (60) with the printed electronics (50) via the pin (34) is electrically conductively connected.

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