EP1812921B1 - Tag for displaying food product prices - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a tag for displaying the prices of food products, comprising: a rear panel (1), and a front panel (8) which is equipped with display windows (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e and 8f) and a plurality of rotary disks (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) which are supported by shafts and which are disposed between the rear panel (1) and the front panel (8). The aforementioned rotary disks are preferably accessed by means of at least one of the edges of the tag and comprise inscriptions which can be read selectively through the respective display windows. The invention is characterised in that the shafts of the rotary disks (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) are essentially supported by the rear panel (1) of the tag and are independent of the front panel (8) thereof.

Description

The present invention relates to a label for the display of the price (and / or other information such as the quantity or provenance) of food products and, more particularly, a variable display label, the selection of the price to be displayed being carried out. by the rotation of disks containing the inscriptions (numbers, letters, symbols or others) likely to be brought next to windows of reading.

Many labels of this type are known and widely used in the field of the food trade and particularly in the field of sausages, butchery or fishmongers. These labels generally comprise a rigid plastic plate provided with windows and whose back is equipped with disks bearing inscriptions, for example the numbers from 0 to 9. These disks respectively pivot about axes generally constituted by rivets holding said disks against the posterior surface of the label.

Finally, these labels sometimes include a foot supporting said wafer. This foot is either constituted by a peak for planting the label in the food product that corresponds to it, or constituted by a base through which the label can be placed on a more or less flat surface.

Several disadvantages are inherent in this type of labels. First, access to the rotary disks for price selection (and / or other information such as quantity or provenance) to display is not convenient.

In addition, hygiene is poorly assured, waste and detritus can easily slip and become embedded in the back of the label, between it and the rotating discs.

Then, not only the axes of the rotating disks, generally constituted by rivets, appear on the front of the labels, which affects the aesthetics of the label, but in addition, said facade is not removable, so that the labels are not adaptable according to the proposed products.

In documents US 5887370 and FR-1589636 , there are described signaling devices other than food price display labels, consisting of rotating disks arranged between a rear plate and a front plate provided with reading windows revealing a portion of the front face of said disks which are accessible on two opposite sides of the device (document US 5887370 ) with a portion protruding laterally from said plates or at notches in one or the other of the plates (document FR-1589636 ).

According to these two documents, the axes of the rotating disks are connected both to the posterior plate and to the anterior plate between which they are placed, so that said anterior plate is not removable and interchangeable and that the axes of the disks appear. on the front face of the latter, which makes labels unattractive despite the care taken in their visual illustration and constituting a source of retention of waste and debris and therefore fouling.

Finally, it is also regrettable that the foot of these labels is not removable, in order to adapt the type of foot (peak or pedestal) most appropriate for the various uses of the label.

The label of the invention proposes to solve these problems, for better hygiene and greater ease of use, while providing improved aesthetics and increased modularity.

These objectives are achieved, according to the invention, with a label comprising a rear plate and a front plate provided with reading windows and a plurality of rotary disks supported by axes and arranged between said rear plate and said front plate, these rotary disks. having selectably readable inscriptions, through said read windows, and preferably being accessible at at least one edges of the label, which is particularly notable in that the axes of said rotary discs are substantially supported by the rear plate and the label and independent of the front plate thereof.

• la présentation ou esthétique de la face de la plaque frontale de l'étiquette tournée vers les clients se trouve améliorée par l'absence d'une pluralité de rivets (lesquels sont peu esthétiques, retiennent les déchets et les salissures et compliquent le nettoyage) ;
• la plaque frontale indépendante des disques rotatifs offre, par la même occasion, la possibilité de rendre celle-ci amovible, de sorte que des plaques frontales arborant des présentations différentes peuvent être ainsi adaptées à l'étiquette pour s'accorder au mieux avec le produit alimentaire auquel cette dernière fait référence.

With this provision:

• the presentation or aesthetics of the face of the front plate of the customer-facing label is improved by the absence of a plurality of rivets (which are unsightly, retain waste and dirt and complicate cleaning);
• the independent front plate of the rotating discs, at the same time, the possibility of making it removable, so that front plates with different presentations can be adapted to the label to best match the product food industry to which it refers.

In addition, the handling of the rotating discs is facilitated by the fact that they are conveniently accessible at one or more edges of the label.

According to another characteristic feature of the invention, the label comprises a removable foot. Thus, different types of feet can be associated with the label according to the invention, so that it has the ideal means (peak, base, clamp or other) to be displayed with the food product to which it refers.

• la figure 1 est la vue de face d'une étiquette selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est la vue de face de la plaque postérieure nue ;
• la figure 3 est la vue de dessus de la plaque postérieure nue ;
• la figure 4 est la vue de gauche de la plaque postérieure nue ;
• la figure 5 montre une coupe latérale de la plaque postérieure nue suivant la ligne 5-5 de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 6 est la vue de face, avec arrachements partiels de la plaque frontale, d'un mode d'exécution de l'étiquette ;
• la figure 7 est la vue de droite d'un pic de section circulaire ;
• la figure 8 est la vue de face du même pic ;
• la figure 9 est la vue de droite d'un pic de section plate ;
• la figure 10 est la vue de face du même pic ;
• la figure 11 est la vue de droite d'une patte de petite taille ;
• la figure 12 est la vue de face de la même patte ;
• la figure 13 est la vue de droite d'une patte de grande taille ;
• la figure 14 est la vue de face de la même patte ;
• la figure 15 est la vue de dessus d'une base composant le socle ;
• la figure 16 est la vue de face d'un socle composé de la même base et de la petite patte.

The above and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is the front view of a label according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is the front view of the bare posterior plate;
• the figure 3 is the top view of the bare posterior plate;
• the figure 4 is the left view of the bare posterior plate;
• the figure 5 shows a lateral section of the posterior posterior plate along line 5-5 of the figure 3 ;
• the figure 6 is the front view, with partial cutouts of the front plate, of an embodiment of the label;
• the figure 7 is the right view of a circular section peak;
• the figure 8 is the front view of the same peak;
• the figure 9 is the right view of a flat section peak;
• the figure 10 is the front view of the same peak;
• the figure 11 is the right view of a small paw;
• the figure 12 is the front view of the same paw;
• the figure 13 is the right view of a large paw;
• the figure 14 is the front view of the same paw;
• the figure 15 is the top view of a base composing the base;
• the figure 16 is the front view of a base composed of the same base and the small paw.

These drawings are described to describe interesting examples, although in no way limiting, of implementation of the label according to the invention.

The label shown as an example of application of the invention comprises a rear plate 1, six rotating discs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, a front plate 8, and a foot that can have different conformations, as shown below.

The posterior plate 1, preferably rectangular and executed in a rigid plastic, is designed to receive the various constituent elements of the label. It comprises, in its front face, housings 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e and 1f (six in number as shown in the example) constituted by recesses formed in the thickness of said plate and intended to accommodate respectively the six rotary discs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, as well as six holes 1a ', 1b', 1c ', 1d', 1 'and 1f in which are respectively mounted the axes of said discs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

The faceplate 8 may be made of any suitable flexible plastic material, and its front face may be ornamented with illustrations reminiscent of the product sold and applied to said face by any suitable method.

The angles of the posterior plate 1 are arranged to allow the insertion, removably, angles of the front plate 8.

According to the embodiment illustrated, the posterior plate 1 comprises, in front of its four corners or angles, four rails or slots 1g, 1h, 1i and 1j provided to receive, respectively, the four corners of the front plate 8 and maintain the latter against said posterior plate. The rails or lower slots 1i and 1j are oriented upwards for the vertical support of the front plate 8, while the rails or upper slots 1g and 1h are oriented downwards. At least one of these rails or slots (the upper rails 1g, 1h, according to the example shown in FIGS. Figures 1 to 6 ) is equipped with a lateral abutment 1g 'and / or 1h' for locking in translation of said front plate 8.

A split lug 1n, located in the upper and central part of the rear plate 1, and integral with the latter, is oriented towards the rear, so as to have two flexible locking tabs for the maintenance of a possible additional sign, by example intended to display a promotion relating to the product designated by the label claimed.

The posterior plate 1 finally has means for receiving, preferably removably, a foot whose advantageous embodiments are described in the remainder of this presentation. The means for this removable assembly are constituted by a slot 1k and two bevels 1l and 1m.

The rotating discs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 each comprise an axis (for example axes 6a and 7a of the discs 6 and 7, respectively, visible on the figure 6 ), intended to be mounted on the rear plate 1 in the holes 1a ', 1b', 1c ', 1d', 1 'and 1f', so that they pivot about their respective axis, within their respective housing 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f. The axes of the rotating discs have no connection with the front plate 8.

• le disque 2 comprend les inscriptions relatives à la quantité du produit pour laquelle est affiché le prix (par exemple "1Kg", "1", "12", "500g", "100g", ou "1L") ;
• le disque 3 comprend les chiffres de 0 à 9 pour l'affichage de la dizaine de la monnaie (par exemple : euros) dans laquelle est établi le prix ;
• le disque 4 comprend les chiffres de 0 à 9 pour l'affichage de l'unité de ladite monnaie ;
• le disque 5 comprend les chiffres de 0 à 9 pour l'affichage de la dizaine de cents du prix ;
• le disque 6 comprend les chiffres de 0 à 9 pour l'affichage de l'unité de cents du prix ;
• le disque 7 comprend les inscriptions pour l'affichage d'indications supplémentaires respectant certaines obligations légales ou réglementaires, telles que la provenance du produit (par exemple, dans le cadre de la poissonnerie, on peut afficher des indications telles que "élevé", "pêché" ou "pêché en eau douce").

Each of these rotating discs has the inscriptions intended, by their combination, to display the price and other information relating to the product to which the label refers. For example :

• disc 2 includes the inscriptions relating to the quantity of the product for which the price is displayed (for example "1Kg", "1", "12", "500g", "100g", or "1L");
• disk 3 includes the digits from 0 to 9 for the display of the ten of the currency (for example: euros) in which the price is established;
• the disk 4 comprises the digits from 0 to 9 for displaying the unit of said currency;
• the disc 5 includes the numbers from 0 to 9 for displaying the ten cents of the price;
• disk 6 includes the digits 0 to 9 for the display of the cents unit of the price;
• the disc 7 includes the inscriptions for the display of supplementary indications respecting certain legal or regulatory obligations, such as the origin of the product (for example, in the context of the fish shop, indications such as "high", " caught "or" caught in fresh water ").

Of course, the front face of the rotating discs could have other display elements.

The front plate 8, preferably rectangular, is installed in front of these disks and fixed to the rear plate 1 via the four rails 1g, 1h, 1i and 1j already described and in which the angles of said front plate are engaged by removable way.

This front plate 8 comprises six reading windows 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e and 8f, preferably constituted by transparent zones of the material in which said front plate 8 is executed: this arrangement makes it possible to keep a full front plate, devoid of openings, thereby contributing to the hygiene of the label, unlike the case where the reading windows are obtained by a cutout of said front plate. These six reading windows are dimensioned for the selective reading of the inscriptions of the respective disks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7: these inscriptions are likely to be brought opposite said windows to form, by their combination, the price to display as well as to display any additional information.

The front plate 8 preferably sports a pleasant decoration in accordance with the product to which the label refers: this front plate is removable, which allows, by its simple exchange, to adapt the decoration to the product to which refers 'label.

The label claimed is designed to receive a removable foot. In this way, it is possible to adapt, for example, either a circular section peak 9 (for example to plant it in a meat), a flat section peak 10 (effective for planting it in the ice), or a base ( for a simple removal on a bearing surface) composed of a base 13 capable of removably receiving lugs 11 or 12 of different sizes.

• une languette centrale 9a, 10a, 11a ou 12a destinée, lors de l'assemblage du pied avec la plaque postérieure 1, à s'insérer dans la fente 1k; cette languette centrale 9a, 10a, 11a ou 12a est légèrement inclinée vers l'arrière afin que l'étiquette se trouve légèrement orientée vers le haut pour une lecture aisée ;
• deux languettes latérales 9b et 9c, 10b et 10c, 11b et 11c, ou 12b et 12c relativement souples, de sorte qu'elles fléchissent en épousant la forme des biseaux respectifs 1l et 1m lors de l'assemblage du pied avec la plaque postérieure 1 ; ces languettes latérales sont respectivement dotées d'ergots 9b' et 9c', 10b' et 10c', 11b' et 11c', ou 12b' et 12c' qui sont amenés à se positionner au niveau de l'extrémité supérieure des biseaux respectifs 1l et 1 m pour bloquer l'assemblage du pied avec la plaque postérieure 1.

Each of these types of foot is equipped with fixing means consisting of three tongues:

• a central tongue 9a, 10a, 11a or 12a intended, during assembly of the foot with the posterior plate 1, to be inserted in the slot 1k; this central tongue 9a, 10a, 11a or 12a is slightly inclined rearward so that the label is slightly upwards for easy reading;
• two lateral tabs 9b and 9c, 10b and 10c, 11b and 11c, or 12b and 12c relatively flexible, so that they flex in accordance with the shape of the respective bevels 11 and 1m during assembly of the foot with the posterior plate 1 ; these lateral tongues are respectively provided with lugs 9b 'and 9c', 10b 'and 10c', 11b 'and 11c', or 12b 'and 12c' which are brought to be positioned at the upper end of the respective bevels 11 and 1 m to block the assembly of the foot with the posterior plate 1.

Finally, the foot can be made of different materials, but preferably in a rigid plastic. In addition, the part of the peak 9 intended to be planted in the product designated by the label may be metallic, preferably stainless steel, to be suitable for food contact and in order to ensure an effective "planted" without risk of breaks, regardless of the strength of the product.

Claims (11)

1. A label for displaying the price of food products comprising a rear panel (1), a front panel (8) provided with reading windows (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e and 8f) and a plurality of rotatable discs (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) which are supported by shafts and which are disposed between said rear panel (1) and said front panel (8), the rotatable discs comprising inscriptions which are selectively readable through said respective reading windows and preferably being accessible at at least one of the edges of the label, characterised in that the shafts (5a, 6a, 7a) of the rotatable discs (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) are essentially supported by the rear panel (1) of the label and are independent of the front panel (8) thereof.
2. A label for displaying the price of food products according to claim 1 characterised in that the front panel (8) is removable.
3. A label for displaying the price of food products according to one of claims 1 and 2 characterised in that the rear panel (1) comprises housings (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e and 1f) formed by reinforcements provided in the thickness of said rear panel (1), said housings being intended to respectively receive the rotatable discs (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7).
4. A label for displaying the price of food products according to claim 3 characterised in that the rear panel (1) is equipped with means for receiving and holding the front panel (8) in the position of assembly to said rear panel.
5. A label for displaying the price of food products according to claim 4 characterised in that the means for holding the front panel (8) against the rear panel (1) are formed by four rails or slots (1g, 1h, 1i, 1j) that said rear panel (1) has in front of its four corners.
6. A label for displaying the price of food products according to claim 5 characterised in that the front panel (8) is locked in respect of translation for example by means of a lateral abutment (1g', 1h') disposed at the end of at least one of the rails or slots (1g, 1h, 1i or 1j).
7. A label for displaying the price of food products according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that it comprises a foot fixed removably to the rear panel (1), the foot being preferably formed by a spike (9 or 10) or by a stand formed by a leg (11 or 12) and a base (13).
8. A label for displaying the price of food products according to claim 7 characterised in that a single base (13) is arranged to receive legs (11 and 12) of different sizes.
9. A label for displaying the price of food products according to one of claims 7 and 8 characterised in that the rear panel (1) comprises a slot (1k) and two bevels (11 and 1m) and that the foot comprises a central tongue portion (9a, 10a, 11a or 12a) and two lateral tongue portions (9b and 9c, 10b and 10c, 11b and 11c or 12b and 12c) which are relatively flexible and respectively equipped with lug portions (9b' and 9c', 10b' and 10c', 11b' and 11c' or 12b' and 12c') in such a way that assembly of the foot to the rear panel (1) is effected by inserting said central tongue portion into said slot while said lateral tongue portions bend to adopt the shape of said respective bevels and that said lug portions are positioned at the location of the upper end of said respective bevels to lock the assembly.
10. A label for displaying the price of food products according to claim 9 characterised in that the central tongue portion (9a, 10a, 11a or 12a) of the foot is inclined slightly rearwardly.
11. A label for displaying the price of food products according to any one of claims 1 to 10 characterised in that the rear plate is adapted to receive and hold an additional label, preferably in the upper part, for example by means of a slit lug portion (1n) comprising two flexible locking tongue portions.

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