EP0531034A2

EP0531034A2 - Label holders

Info

Publication number: EP0531034A2
Application number: EP92307740A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sydney James Harris
Original assignee: EML Ltd
Current assignee: EML Ltd
Priority date: 1991-08-31
Filing date: 1992-08-25
Publication date: 1993-03-10
Also published as: EP0531034A3; GB9118690D0

Abstract

A label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member (16), the label holder comprising an arm (1) provided with mounting means (4) at one end and label-receiving means (23) at the other end, the mounting means (4) comprising a plurality of means (6;8;11) for receiving, respectively, different types of display member (16).

Description

This invention relates to a label holder and more particularly to a label holder for a member adapted to hold goods for display at the point of sale.
It is known to employ display members or arms from which goods are suspended one behind the other. It is common to use the so-called "Euro-hook" type of display arm which is an arm having a mounting end of a fixed diameter even though the main body of the arm may have a different, and normally larger, diameter consistent with the weight of the goods to be displayed. The main body of a Euro-hook may be in the form of a single rod, or a pair of rods, and the or each rod may be straight, curved or crimped, for example.
It is also known, for example for GB-a-2,205,674 and 2,149,179, for the end of the Euro-hook or other display member opposite the mounting end to be provided with a label holder which is usually pivotally mounted on the arm so as to be movable to a position generally planar with the adjacent end of the arm so that goods can be removed from, or loaded onto, the arm if the packaging is slotted, requiring it to be threaded on to the arm, as opposed to being provided with hooks which enable removal or loading without disturbing the label holder. In order to accommodate slotted packages, the label holder has to be limited in both width and thickness and this is not acceptable when relatively large labels are required which is becoming increasingly necessary with the advent of EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) labels, for example. Thus, a different labelling system is required from that discussed above.
It has been proposed to provide a separate arm for use in conjunction with a Euro-hook, for example, which separate arm carries a label the area of which is not restricted by the nature of the goods being displayed. However, this separate arm is designed to fit only a specific form of display arm so that it is necessary to purchase a complete system, ie a display arm, such as a Euro-hook, and a label-holder arm designed specifically therefor, whereby stores, shops and the like are forced to replace their old display arms with the new system which is not always acceptable.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member, the label holder comprising an arm provided with mounting means at one end and label-receiving means at the other end, the mounting means comprising a plurality of means for receiving, respectively, different types of display member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member, the label holder comprising an arm provided with mounting means at one end and label-receiving means at the other end, the mounting means having means for receiving the separate display member, the label holder further comprising stock limiter means selectively positionable on the arm and co-operable with the separate display member to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable thereon.
As in the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting means of the second aspect may be provided with a plurality of means for receiving, respectively, different types of separate display member. The mounting means may comprise, for example, first receiving means in the form of a pair of apertures dimensioned to receive the respective mounting ends of a display member in the form of a pair of arms. Second receiving means may be in the form of a pair of tapered slots formed from one edge of the mounting means and adapted to receive the arms of a display member of differing cross-sectional area. The mounting means may also be provided with further receiving means additional to one or other of the aperture and tapered slot receiving means, the further receiving means being in the form of a single slot capable of receiving a display member in the form of a single arm or in the form of an aperture, with or without an accompanying tapered slot, as above. The single slot may be tapered so as to accommodate display arms of varying cross-sectional areas or maybe parallel sided and dimensioned so as to accommodate a range of sizes of such display members.
A label holder in accordance with the first aspect of the invention may, like the second aspect, be provided with stock limiter means selectively positionable on the arm and co-operable with the separate display member to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable thereon. Preferably, the stock limiter of both aspects of the invention is provided with means for engaging the display member so as to offer a support therefor at a point thereon spaced from the mounting means, whereby the display member is better stabilised. The stock limiter may be provided with a central slot to receive a single display member, the slot being tapered or parallel sided as discussed in relation to the single slot of the mounting means, when provided. In addition, or alternatively, the stock limiter may be provided with a pair of indentations adapted to receive respective arms of a double-armed display member.
The stock limiter is preferably selectively positionable along the arm by being provided with neck and head portions co-operable with a slot provided in the arm, one dimension of the neck and head portions being less than the width of the slot, whereby the stock limiter is engagable therein, and another dimension of the neck portion only being substantially equal to the width of the slot so that when the stock limiter is turned to engage that dimensioned portion of the neck with the slot, the stock limiter is retained in position on the arm. Alternatively, or in addition, the depth of the neck portion of the stock limiter can be such that the arm is gripped between the head and shoulder portions of the stock limiter, again to retain the stock limiter in a selected position on the arm. In either of these two arrangements, the stock limiter may be slidable relative to the slot in order to alter the position of the stock limiter without first having to turn it, move the stock limiter to the selected new position and then turn it again back to its operative position. However, in order to prevent inadvertent movement of the stock limiter relative to the arm, it is preferable to provide opposed pairs of recesses at intervals along the slot in the arm, the width (one dimension) of the neck portion of the stock limiter being generally equal to the maximum distance between a pair of opposed recesses, whereby when the stock limiter is turned to engage the neck portion within a pair of recesses, the stock limiter is prevented from sliding movement along the slot.
The opposed pairs of recesses may be numbered for the convenience of a stock controller in ordering replacement display stock.
The label-receiving means provided on the end of the arm opposite to the mounting means may be of conventional form and is preferably releasably attachable to the arm so that different shapes and/or sizes or label-receiving means may be employed without having to change the arm. Means may also be provided for mounting an auxiliary label-receiving means on the arm which can be arranged to overlay or be positioned adjacent the main label-receiving means, to flag a special offer, for example, in relation to the goods displayed on the display member associated with that arm.
Label holders constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-

Figure 1 is a perspective and exploded view of the label holder, a mounting bracket therefor, and an associated display member;
Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 1;
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sections on the lines A-A, B-B and C-C of the label holder, respectively, of Figure 3;
Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of an alternative label holder fitted, respectively, on different types of display arms;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view from the left-hand side of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a further alternative label holder;
Figure 11 is a partially cross-sectional view of the label holder of Figure 10 fitted to a support; and
Figures 12 to 14 are respective fragmentary perspective views from one end of still further label holders.

Referring to the drawings, the label holder constructed in accordance with the present invention is manufactured from synthetic plastics material but may be composed of other materials. The label holder comprises an arm 1 in the form of a flat strip and provided with an elongated slot 2 along its longitudinal axis, the slot terminating short of each end of the arm. Circular apertures 3 are provided at the two opposed ends of the slot 2 and at spaced intervals therealong, the intermediate apertures appearing, in effect, as opposed pairs of recesses 3' in view of the intervention of the slot 2.
The arm 1 is provided at its rear end with mounting means in the form of an L-shaped bracket 4 having a recess 5 within which the end of the arm 1 is located and secured, for example by bonding. The bracket 4 is provided with a central, parallel-sided slot 6 from the edge opposite that to which the arm 1 is attached, together with a pair of recess means indicated generally at 7 and each comprising second receiving means in the form of a tapered first portion 8 which tapers towards first receiving means in the form of an aperture 9 which is separated by a slot 11 from a further aperture 12. Thus, each recess means 7 defines, in effect, a pair of legs 13,14 leading to the aperture 9, the slots 11 and apertures 12 serving merely to allow the legs 13,14 to be splayed apart, without splitting the bracket 4, when the latter is forced over a pair of arms 15 of a Euro-hook 16, the arms thus being a snap fit into the respective apertures 9. If the diameter of the arms 15 at the position where the bracket 4 is to be mounted on the Euro-hook 16 is greater than that of the apertures 9, then the arms are received in the tapered recess or slot 8. The mounting end of the Euro-hook 16 maybe engaged with a pegboard or other wall member from which the hook extends to receive goods to be displayed thereon in a conventional manner. If the mounting wall member is a slatted wall, then a mounting bracket indicated at 17 may be employed. The bracket 17 has a cranked upper portion 18 which is enagagable with a selected slot in the slatted wall panel (not shown) and its lower portion 19 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart studs the stems of which are dimensioned so as to be a snap fit in the apertures 11, whereby the arm can be securely mounted on the bracket 17. When using the bracket 17, a Euro-hook such as that indicated at 16, may still be employed and the arms 15 thereof will engage the respective recesses 8. Alternatively, a single-armed Euro-hook or other display member may be employed, this single arm passing through the central slot 6 in the arm mounting means 4, as well as a similar central slot 22 in the lower portion 19 of the bracket 17.
The label holder is provided at the end remote from the mounting means 4 with label-receiving means 21 which may be of generally conventional construction and having a rear panel 24, which may be opaque, and a transparent front panel 25 spaced therefrom, the two panels 24,25 accommodating an EPOS or other label therebetween, which label may not only carry a bar code but other information for the direct benefit of a customer, such as price and a definition of the goods being displayed. The label-receiving means 23 is preferably releasably mounted on the arm 1 such as by a stud and aperture connecting means (not shown), the studs being provided on the arm and the apertures in a rear flange 26 of the label-receiving means, or vice-versa, or at least one stud and one aperture on the arm and a corresponding aperture and stud on the flange 26. A slot 27 may be provided in the arm 1 towards the end of which the label-receiving means is mounted, this slot receiving an auxiliary label-receiving member 28 which may carry, for example, a special promotional offer and which may be arranged to overlay part of the main label-receiving means 23 or be arranged so as to be adjacent thereto.
The label holder also comprises a stock limiter 31 which comprises a pair of legs 32, a pair of opposed recesses or indentations 33 providing, in effect, a waist portion for the stock limiter, a body portion 34, two shoulder portions 35, a neck portion 36 and a head 37. The stock limiter 31 is selectively positionable along the arm 1 within the slot 2 therein and is releasably attached thereto. As seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the depth or front-to-rear dimension of the stock limiter is less than the width of the slot 2 but the width of the neck portion 36 is greater than the width of the slot 2 and generally equal to the diameter of the apertures 3 formed along the slot 2. Thus, to position the stock limiter 31 within the slot 2, it is first turned so that it is at right angles to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, whereby the stock limiter can be inserted through the slot 2, it then being moved to the desired aperture 3 in which it is to be located, these apertures being numbered 1 to 8 in the illustrated embodiment. When stock limiter 31 has been positioned at the selected aperture 3, it is then turned back through 90 degrees so that the neck portion 36 is rotated within the selected aperture 3 and the head portion overlies the upper surface of the arm 1 and the shoulders 35 overlie the under surface of the arm 1. The height of the neck portion 36 is preferably arranged so that the head and shoulders 37 and 35 frictionally engage the respective surfaces of the arm 1 in order to help retain the stock limiter in position although it will be appreciated that once an aperture 3 has been engaged by the neck portion 36, the stock limiter 31 cannot be slid along the slot 2 without first turning it through 90 degrees.
When a double-armed Euro-hook 16 or a single-armed Euro-hook, for example, is employed as the display member with which the arm 1 is to be used, the two arms 15 of a double-armed Euro-hook 16 will engage the indentations 33 and thus be retained and supported thereby, making the Euro-hook more stable, especially if the bracket 17 is employed. If a single-armed Euro-hook is employed, then this will pass through the central slot 38 provided between the legs 32 of the stock limiter 31, again to lend support to the Euro-hook and make the latter more stable.
Referring now to Figure 7, this illustrates a slightly modified label holder compared to that shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Like parts have been allocated the same reference numerals and it will be seen that the main differences between the embodiment of Figure 7 and that of Figure 1 is in respect of each end of the label holder. Looking first at the rear or mounting end, the bracket 41 is moulded integrally with the arm 1 and is of a slightly different form to the bracket 4 of Figure 1. The difference is that the central, parallel-sided slot 6 is replaced by first and second receiving means 9 and 8 similar to that provided on each side thereof. In addition, two spaced holes 42 are provided above the receiving means for a purpose to be described.
Looking now at the front, label-holding end of the arm 1, there is integrally moulded with the arm an inclined panel 43 which extends mainly below the arm 1 but also slightly above. The upper rear edge of the panel 43 is provided with two pips 44 for a purpose to be described. It will be seen that the label holder of Figure 7 is shown mounted on a single Euro-arm 45 which is dimensioned so as to be received in the aperture 9 of the central receiving means of the bracket 41, as well as being received at the upper end of the slot 38 in the stock limiter 31. The actual label holder is indicated at 46 and is shown exploded with respect to the panel 43. The label holder 46 is conveniently extruded in a continuous strip and cut to the required size. The label holder comprises a body portion 47 from which extend rearwardly to L-shaped members 48 which, together with the body portion, form two channel members which are arranged facing each other. The channel members are dimensioned so as to be a sliding fit over the upper and lower edges of the panel 43 and the pips 44 ensure a friction fit between the upper channel 48 and the upper edge of the panel 43 so as to retain the label holder 46 in position. The body portion 47 has an upwardly extending flap 49 of a transparent material, behind which a label can be placed so it can lie between that portion and the main body portion. It will be appreciated that it is a simple matter to remove a given label holder 46 and to replace it by a differently sized label holder if required and/or to replace a label if it is not convenient to do this with a label holder in situ on the arm 1.
Another difference between the embodiments of Figures 1 and 7 is that the head and shoulders 37 and 35 of the stock limiter 31 are generally oval as seen in plan view, whereby there is an oval annular space between the two which means the stock limiter 31 is always retained on the arm 1 even when being slid along the slot 2 which is not the case in the embodiment of Figure 1.
A still further difference is that the tapered slots 8 has an arcuate cut-out 50 which can accommodate a component as will be described hereinafter.
With this modified stock limiter 31, the assembly thereof on the arm 1 is slightly different, whereby to position the stock limiter 31 within the slot 2, it is first turned so that it is at right angles to the position shown in Figure 7 of the drawings, the side edges of the arm 1 adjacent the slot 2 are then displaced oppositely out of the plane of the arm so as to allow the insertion of the enlarged oval head 37 into the slot, and the stock limiter is then moved to the desired aperture 3 in which it is to be located, these apertures being numbered 1 to 8 in the illustrated embodiment. When the stock limiter 31 has been positioned at the selected aperture 3, it is then turned back through 90 degrees so that the neck portion 36 is rotated within the selected aperture 3 and the head portion overlies the upper surface of the arm 1 and the shoulders 35 overlie the under surface of the arm 1 as before.
Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7 in that it has the same modifications to the rear and front ends of the arm 1 and to the stock limiter 31 but is shown fitted to a double Euro-arm 16, similar to that depicted in Figure 1. The apertures 42 provided in the bracket 41 of the label holders of both Figure 7 and 8 are to receive studs provided on a mounting accessory which will be discussed later in respect of other embodiments.
Turning now to Figure 9, this illustrates a label holder similar to that of Figure 7 or 8 but showing its use with a double-armed Euro-bar 16, the rear ends of which are inwardly and then downwardly turned as indicated at 51 and 52, respectively. The label holder is adapted for mounting on a peg board as a support member, the peg board not being shown but being of conventional form, i.e. a panel provided with a series of regularly spaced holes. In the arrangement of Figure 9, a mounting clip 53 is provided which us U-shaped with the outer ends of the limbs 54 being upwardly turned at 55. The limbs 54 of the clip 53 are received in the apertures 50 associated with the tapered slots 8 of the first and second receiving means. The label holder is mounted on a peg board by first inclining the holder upwardly, engaging the upturned ends 55 of the clip 53 in respective holes in the peg board, and then lowering the label holder to a generally horizontal position.
Turning now to Figures 10 and 11, this shows a further embodiment of the invention which is similar to that of Figure 7 but provided with an auxiliary mounting member or accessory 56 in order to permit mounting of the label holder in a so-called slatwall mounting panel 57 which is shown in cross-section in Figure 11. The panel 57 has a number of vertically spaced T-shaped slots, the cross piece 58 of which is disposed generally centrally of the panel and extends generally parallel to the faces thereof. The accessory 56 is in the form of a plate having two angled limbs 60' and 60", the limb 60" being provided with two spaced studs which fit into the apertures 42 in the bracket 41 of the label holder. The studs may be a push fit into the holes 42 and/or may be secured therein by adhesive. The single Euro-arm 46 is attached to a mounting plate 59 having a channel-section upper edge 61. The free limb of the channel 61 is passed through the stem 62 of the T-shaped slot in the slatwall panel 57 and hooks over the edge thereof as illustrated in Figure 11. The label holder 1 is mounted by inclining it upwardly, inserting the angled limb 60' through the stem 62 of the T-shaped slot and then moving the label holder to the generally horizontal position, at the same time engaging the Euro-arm 46 in the aperture 9 of the central receiving means.
Turning now to Figure 12, a still further embodiment of label holder is illustrated and this also takes the general form of the embodiment of Figure 7 but is shown fitted with a different mounting accessory to that of the embodiment of Figure 10. The accessory 56 in this instance is in the form of an L-shaped member, the generally horizontal (as seen in Figure 12) limb 70 of which has a pair of studs on its edge which are received in the apertures 42 in the bracket 41 in a manner similar to the accessory 56 of the embodiment of Figure 10. The inner surface of the limb 70 is provide with two spaced extensions 63 to provide abutments. The L-shaped accessory 56 forms a channel with the body of the bracket 41 and this channel receives the upper edge of a U-shaped mounting member 64 which engages the abutments 63 and which itself receives a so-called pin bar which may be attached to a peg board or other support means (not shown).
The embodiment of Figure 13 is similar to that of Figure 8 in that the label holder is mounted on a double-armed Euro-hook 16, the rear ends of which are turned downwardly through 90° and are received in respective sockets 65 provided in a mounting plate 66 which is otherwise generally similar to the mounting plate of Figure 10. The sockets 65 are formed by displacing portions of the body of the plate at 66 and there are three pairs of such sockets formed so as to provide three different mounting positions for the Euro-hook and hence the label holder 1.
The embodiment of Figure 14 is slightly different from that described in relation to Figure 7 to 13 inasmuch as the mounting bracket 41 does not have first and second receiving means but does have receiving mens in the form of a central parallel-sided slot 6 as in the embodiment of Figure 1. The rear face of the bracket 41 is provided with integral abutment studs 67 for engagement with a mounting plate 68 which has a turned upper edge 69 for engagement with a so-called bar hook and a lower rearwardly extending flange 71 which acts as a bearing support against the panel or other support on which the bar hook is provided, neither the bar hook nor the support panel being shown. The embodiment of Figure 14 is for use with a single arm Euro-hook 16, the rear, down-turned end of which is secured to the mounting plate 68.
The arm 1 is conveniently made in two sizes to accommodate differing thicknesses of Euro-hooks or other display means and it will be seen from the embodiments of Figures 7 to 13 that any size of arm can be adapted to different mounting means either by way of the plurality of receiving means provided on the mounting bracket 41, and/or by way of the mounting accessories 56 which may be attached using, for example, the stud and aperture 42 arrangement described above. Thus, there is provided a virtually universal arm which is readily adapted to different types of mounting means and display members, whereby it is not necessary for users to purchase a complete system just because the label holder is required for use with a different type of display member and/or mounting means.
It will also be seen that a label holder in accordance with the present invention not only provides a facility for accommodating a label of any required size since the arm is separate from the display member on which the actual goods for sale are mounted, but may also provide a stock limiting facility which in turn can be used to locate and support the Euro-hook, or other display member which is employed.

Claims

A label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member (16;45), characterised in that the label holder comprising an arm (1) provided with mounting means (4;41) at one end and label-receiving means (23;46) at the other end, the mounting means comprising a plurality of means (6,8,9) for receiving, respectively, different types of display member.
A label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member (16;45), characterised in that the label holder comprising an arm (1) provided with mounting means (4;41) at one end and label-receiving means (23;46) at the other end, the mounting means having means (6,8,9) for receiving the separate display member, the label holder further comprising stock limiter means (31) selectively positionable on the arm and co-operable with the separate display member to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable.
A label holder according to claim 2, wherein the mounting means (4;41) is provided with a plurality of means (6,8,9) for receiving, respectively, different types of separate display member.
A label holder according to any of the preceding claims wherein the receiving means of the mounting means comprise a pair of apertures (9) dimensioned to receive the respective mounting ends of a display member (16) in the form of a pair of arms (15).
A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving means comprise, or further comprise, a pair of tapered slots (8) formed from one edge of the mounting means (4;41) and adapted to receive the arms (15) of display members (16) of differing cross-sectional area.
A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving means comprise a single slot (6) capable of receiving a display member in the form of a single arm, the slot being parallel-sided or tapered so as to accommodate display arms of varying cross-sectional areas.
A label holder according to claim 1 and further comprising stock limiter means (31) selectively positionable on the arm (1) and co-operable with the separate display member (16;45) to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable thereon.
A label holder according to claim 2, or any of claims 3 to 6 when appended thereto, or claim 7, wherein the stock limiter (31) is provided with means (33;38) for engaging the display member (16;45) so as to offer a support therefor at a point thereon spaced from the mounting means (4;41), whereby the display member is better stabilised.
A label holder according to claim 8, wherein said means for engaging the display member comprise a central slot (38) to receive a single display member (45), the slot being tapered or parallel sided, and/or a pair of indentations (33) adapted to receive respective arms (16) of a double-armed display member (15).
A label holder according to claim 2, or any of claims 3 to 7 when appended thereto, or to claim 8 or 9, wherein the stock limiter (31) is selectively positionable along the arm (1) by being provided with neck and head portions (36;37) co-operable with a slot (2) provided in the arm, one dimension of the neck and head portions being less than the width of the slot, whereby the stock limiter is engagable therein, and another dimension of the neck portion being substantially equal to the width of the slot so that when the stock limiter is turned to engage that dimensioned portion of the neck with the slot, the stock limiter is retained in position on the arm.
A label holder according to claim 10, wherein the depth of the neck portion (36) of the stock limiter (31) is such that the arm is gripped between the head (37) and shoulder portions (35) of the stock limiter.
A label holder according to claim 10 or 11, wherein opposed pairs of recesses (3') are provided at intervals along the slot in the arm, the width of the neck portion of the stock limiter being generally equal to the maximum distance between a pair of opposed recesses, whereby when the stock limiter is turned to engage the neck portion within a pair of recesses, the stock limiter is prevented from sliding movement along the slot.
A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the label-receiving means (23;46) provided on the end of the arm (1) opposite to the mounting means (4:41) is releasably attachable to the arm so that different shapes and/or sizes or label-receiving means may be employed without having to change the arm.
A label holder according to any of the preceding claims and further comprising auxiliary label-receiving means (28) mounted on the arm (1) which may be releasably and/or slidably mounted on the arm (1).
A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means is adapted to receive auxiliary mounting means (56).