EP0891613B1

EP0891613B1 - Holder for identification tag

Info

Publication number: EP0891613B1
Application number: EP97915799A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kjell HAGSTRÖM
Original assignee: FLEXIMARK AB
Current assignee: FLEXIMARK AB
Priority date: 1996-03-19
Filing date: 1997-03-19
Publication date: 2001-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-19
Also published as: WO1997035289A1; SE509943C2; DE69707850D1; SE9601056L; AU2313197A; ATE208079T1; NO984364D0; SE9601056D0; EP0891613A1; NO984364L

Abstract

Holder for marking labels, particularly for marking of electrical components. The holder comprises a coupling element (11) provided with at least two, and preferably three mounting surfaces (14, 16, 18) situated in different planes, a first one (14) of which is designed with an attachment part (15) for connection of a label ledger (13) to which said marking labels (31) are attachable, and at least a second mounting surface (16) for affixing the coupling element (11) via attachment means (12) to a base (33). The coupling element (11) is constituted by a L- or U-shaped profile, the shanks of which are designed to form said mounting surfaces (14, 16, 18). The end of one free shank (14) of the profile is designed with an attachment part (15) for attachment of the label ledger (13). At least one shank or the other shanks (16, 18) is/are provided with means for arresting the coupling element (11) to the base (33), which means are constituted by at least one, preferably non-round hole (17, 19) and a locking tab (20) designed for cooperation with the hole and having a corresponding cross section.

Description

The present invention refers to a holder for marking labels, particularly for marking of electrical components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Marking of electrical components, such as circuit-breakers, which are often built into cupboards and are retained by a mounting rail, may be problematic, as the space and also the accessibility are limited. Furthermore it is necessary that the marking is carried out so that it can not be easily removed.
From EP-A1 0 205 780 is known a holder for information carriers, such as price tags, and which can be mounted on a base plate provided with a circular hole and radial recesses. The holder is equipped with a connecting portion having a round shaft, which is insertable in said circular hole. The shaft also has a radial lip, which can be inserted in anyone of the radial recesses in the base plate. The holder can be mounted in different angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in correspondence with the orientation of the recesses. A label holder can be snapped onto the connecting portion in two different angular positions. A drawback with this known holder is that it requires a specially designed hole and trunnion, that the label holder can be turned about the axis of the trunnion only, and be moved angularly somewhat, but it is not adjustable thus that the label can be red from the front as well as from below and from above. It furthermore can be easily removed.

PURPOSE AND MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to provide a holder for marking labels, which is easy to apply, also in narrow spaces where tool can not be used, in a safe, durable and non-turnable manner, and in different angular reading positions if so desired. Furthermore it shall be possible to arrange it so that it, also at long or several informations - labels - is situated substantially at the same level. The marking labels shall be easy to mount, but shall simultaneously be efficiently retained, thus that they are not displaced. The mounting of the holder shall be possible to effect manually, without tools and with a minimum of work. These tasks have been solved by the features defined in the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter the invention will be further described as an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shows in a side view the holder according to the invention mounted to a mounting rail.
Fig. 2 shows in bigger scale a section along line II-II in fig.1.
Fig. 3 and 4 show the locking member in perspective as seen from the front and from the rear thereof.
Fig. 5 and 6 show also in perspective the coupling elementin views from above and from below.
Fig. 7 shows the label ledger in perspective in a side view obliquely from above.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The holder according to the invention consists of three parts, a coupling element 11, an attachment member 12 and a label ledger 13. The coupling element 11 is made from a cross sectionally U-shaped profile, the first one shank 14 of which at its free end is formed with an arc-shaped attachment part 15. The other shank 16 of the coupling elementhas a non-round, preferably square hole 17 for inserting the attachment member 12. If it can be expected that the holder will be mounted at different reading levels, e.g. horizontally or vertically, also the intermediate portion 18 between the shanks 14 and 16 can be equipped with corresponding square hole 19, which provides two different mounting positions. The coupling element may even have a L-shaped cross section or may even be quadrangular or polygonal in other manner, whereby every side provides a mounting plane.
The attachment member 12 incorporates a locking tab 20 having substantially the same cross sectional shape as the hole 17 and 19, resp., which locking tab on at least one side or on some sides has a friction increasing surface 21, e.g. in form of serrations 22 in the hole 17, 19. At one end of the locking tab 20 there is provided a stop 23, which in the embodiment shown has the shape of two curved wings, situated laterally to the locking tab, whereby the convex part of the wings is facing the locking tab. The stop may of course have another suitable shape, which has a resilient effect. At the same side as the stop, there is also provided a spacing member 24, substantially perpendicularly to the locking tab. The spacing member is equipped with a number of spaced apart notches 25, which form cutting indications.
The label ledger 13 is made from a mainly H-shaped profile, one pair of shanks 26 of which at the end portions are obliquely bent inwards, for facilitating the insertion of the attachment part 15 into the open gutter 27 formed by the shanks 26. The shanks thus form a resilient seat for the attachment part 15, which is limited in height by two stop flanges 32. The second pair of shanks 28 of the H-shaped profile form together with the intermediate portion 29 of the H a U-shaped gutter 30 for receiving and retaining marking labels 31. These may be strip-formed, but they also can consist of separate letter or digit marks, which are combined to a code, reference or the like. The width of the marking labels is somewhat bigger than the width of the gutter 30, thus that they are clamped between the shanks 28. By urging the shanks 26 somewhat against each other the shanks 28 will open, which facilitates the insertion and removal of the labels 31.
The mounting is effected in the following manner.
A holder attached to the mounting rail 33 is shown in fig. 1 and 2. The mounting rail 33 has a large number of adjacent slots 34, the width of which is somewhat bigger than the width of the locking tab 20. The attachment member 12 is applied from the internal side of the mounting rail 33, in that the locking tab 20 is introduced through one of the slots 34. Dependent on the level at which the holder shall be applied to the mounting rail 33, the spacing member 24 of the attachment member 12, can be given a desired height by being cut along the cutting indications. The shank 16 of the coupling element 11 provided with a hole 17 is urged up on the locking tab projecting through the slot, the serrations 21 of which by cooperation with corresponding serrations 22 or the like in the hole 17 create a very efficient retainment between the members. As the resilient stop 23 at the attachment member 12 exercises a pulling force against the locking tab 20 the retainment is further increased. With the connecting element in position and fixedly connected to the mounting rail 33 the label ledger 13 can be snapped to the attachment part 15 of the interconnecting part. The very label 31 can be applied upon the label ledger either before or after the snapping in operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

11: coupling element
12: attachment member
13: mounting ledger
14: first shank
15: attachment part
16: second shank
17: non-round hole
18: intermediate portion
19: non-round hole
20: locking tab
21: friction increasing surface, e.g. serrations
22: serrations
23: stop
24: spacing member
25: cutting indications
26: shanks
27: open gutter
28: shanks
29: intermediate portion
30: gutter
31: label
32: stop flange
33: mounting rail
34: slots

Claims

Holder for marking labels, particularly for marking of slot-provided components in electrical equipment, said holder comprises a coupling element (11) with a label ledge (13), to which sade marking label (31) is attachable, and said coupling element (11) via locking means (12) is affixable to the component (33),
characterized in,

that the coupling element (11) comprises a L- or U-shaped profile, the shanks (14,16,18) of which are designed to form mounting surfaces located in at least two different planes, for alternative attachment at said component (33) by means of said locking means (12),

that one of said shanks (14) at its free end is designed with an attachment part (15) for connection of said label ledge (13),

that said locking means (12) is provided with a locking tab (20), which on one hand is designed for locking cooperation with a hole (17;19) in one shank (16;18) of the coupling element (11) and on the other hand is arranged to extend through said said slot (34) in the component (33),

that the locking means (12) at its end facing away from the locking tab is provided with a distance member (24) for levelling the locking tab in the slot.
Holder as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in, that the locking tab (20) and/or the hole (17, 19) is/are designed with friction surfaces (21, 22) for locking these relative to each other.
Holder as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in, that the label ledge (13) comprises a connection part (26, 27), which is designed to be brought into locking engagement with said attachment part (15) of the coupling element by snap action.
Holder as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in, that the width of the locking tab (20) substantially corresponds to the width of the slots (34) of the component, and that the locking tab (20) of the locking means (12) at one end is provided with a stop (23) and a distance member (24) extending therefrom and arranged across with respect to the locking tab, said distance member is arranged for adjusting the height position of the locking tab in the slot (34).
Holder as claimed in claim 4,
characterized in, that the stop (23) is constituted by resilient supporting members, which are designed to exert an axial pull on the mounting shank (16; 18) cooperating with the locking tab.
Holder as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in,

that the label ledge (13) is made from a cross sectionally substantially H-shaped profile,

that the ends of one pair of shanks (26) of the H are bent obliquely inwards forming a resilient seat for the attachment part (15) of the coupling element (11), and

that the second pair (28) of shanks and the intermediate portion (29) of the H are designed to form a U-shaped gutter (30) for application of the marking label (31).
Holder as claimed in claim 3,
characterized in, that the distance means (24) is provided with a number of spaced apart notches (25) serving as cutting indications.