FR2872615A1 - Fixing device for use in e.g. supermarket, has channel defining passage to receive crosspiece of T-shaped bar pin and having opening delimited by ribs that have grooves to receive end of arm, of pin, that is in contact with crosspiece - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (10) has a channel (1) defining an inner passage conformed for receiving a crosspiece of a T-shaped bar pin and presenting a longitudinal opening delimited by a lower rib (3) and an upper rib that are arranged opposite to each other. The ribs present respective transversal grooves conformed for receiving the end of an arm, of the pin, that is in contact with the crosspiece.

Description

The invention relates generally to equipment and accessories

  for sales areas such as supermarkets and hypermarkets. The invention more particularly relates to a fastening system for securing a communication support to a spindle

  Many products are presented for sale in supermarkets on metal pins. These include small items and low weight that comes to hang on such metal pins.

  It is generally associated with these presentation pins a labeling pin consisting of an arm, parallel to the presentation pin, and located generally above it, and a termination provided to carry a communication support device adapted especially to present the type and price of the article.

  The termination of these labeling pins comprises an elongated cross member, obtained for example by welding at the free end of the arm, comprising transverse branches extending symmetrically on either side of the free end of the arm and perpendicular to this one. The general form of such labeling pins is that of a T-pin. The communication media can be of different types. It may in fact be just as well a support for posters or signs as electronic label holders with liquid crystal display (LCD).

  A fastener is commonly used as an intermediate piece for mounting a communication medium on a T-pin. However, the commonly used fasteners are generally arranged astride the T-pin arm. and require locking means to ensure the rigid mounting of the fastening device on the T-pin. It results from the presence of the locking means complexity and cost of realization of the fastening device may be important.

  In addition, securing the fastening device (and therefore that of the communication medium) to the pin requires actuating the locking means, which complicates the installation. The installation time being multiplied by the number of devices to install, it is understood that such complexity can be critical when it comes to equipping a supermarket or hypermarket type of sales area.

  Moreover, once such a fixing device installed, disassembly can be relatively easily performed, and the communication medium removed from the T-pin, by accidentally or deliberately actuating the locking means. Such a fastener therefore provides in particular that little guarantee against a possible shock or theft. The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages of the state of the art.

  It proposes for this purpose, according to a first aspect, a fixing device intended to be mounted on a T-pin for the establishment thereon of a communication medium, in particular for the display of prices in a surface of sale, the T-pin comprising an arm and a cross member extending on either side of the end of the arm perpendicular thereto, the device being characterized in that it comprises a channel defining an interior passageway shaped to receive the crosspiece of the T-shaped spindle and having a longitudinal opening delimited by upper and lower ribs arranged facing one another, at least one of the ribs having a transverse notch shaped to receive the end arm in contact with the cross.

  Some preferred, but not limiting, aspects of this device are as follows: the ribs may each have a transverse notch, said notches being arranged facing one another; - The ribs are shaped to define the opening of the channel so that said opening is at least a portion smaller than the dimension of the cross, the withdrawal of the cross member through the opening thus being prevented; - Each rib having a notch extends along the channel in a profile gradually decreasing thickness as one moves away from the transverse notch - the ribs comprise successive portions of different slopes; - Each rib having a notch has on both sides of the notch different slope profiles so that one edge of the notch is steeper than the other, thus defining a surface on which the end of the arm in contact with the cross member abuts to oppose the withdrawal of the fastener by sliding along the cross; - The notch of the lower rib has an abutment flange against sliding of the device in a first direction, and the notch of the upper rib has an abutment flange against the sliding of the device in one direction. opposite said first direction, so that the arm of the cross member can not be easily dislodged from the region formed by the notches in which it is normally received; the device further comprises a hook formed outwardly from the channel, adapted to snap-fit a rod of a communication medium so as to ensure the articulated mounting of said communication medium on the fixing device; the device comprises bearing zones formed below the hook so as to define a plurality of angular positions between the communication medium and the fixing device.

  According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for displaying and presenting information for the cladding of retail outlets, characterized in that it comprises a fixing device according to the first aspect of the invention capable of being mounted on a T-pin, and a communication medium assembled to said fixing device.

  Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Figures 1, 2 and 4 are perspective profile views of the fixing device according to a possible embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; - Figure 3 is a side view and Figure 5 is a front view of the fixing device according to a possible embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; FIG. 6 is a profile view of an information display and presentation device according to a possible embodiment of the second aspect of the invention.

  Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a fixing device 10 to be mounted on a T-pin for the establishment thereon of a communication medium, in particular for the display of prices in a surface of sale. The T-pin comprises as mentioned above an arm and a cross member extending on either side of the end of the arm, perpendicularly thereto.

  The fixing device according to the invention is monobloc. In particular, it has neither moving part nor hinge, and does not require locking means to ensure its rigid mounting on a T-pin. The fixing device is made of plastic material, preferably injected plastic, and so in an economical way.

  The fixing device is advantageously made of plastic having good strength properties, for example polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyamide (PA).

  The fixing device comprises a channel defining an internal passage shaped to receive the crossbar of a T-pin. The cross member being generally cylindrical, provision has been made, in the possible embodiment of the fixing device 10 according to the invention shown in FIG. the drawings, a channel 1 defining a cylindrical passage 2 having substantially the shape of a U. The channel 1 has a longitudinal opening delimited by lower ribs 3 and upper 4 arranged facing one another. These ribs are thus arranged in the case here represented on the lateral branches of the U. The longitudinal opening of the channel, delimited by the ribs is, in at least a portion, smaller than the dimension of the crossbar. In this way, and as will be explained in more detail later, once the fixing device is mounted on the T-pin, the cross-member then being accommodated in the passage formed by the channel, the withdrawal of the fixing device can difficult to operate by passing the crosspiece through the opening of the channel.

  At least one of the ribs has a transverse notch shaped to receive the end of the arm of the T-pin on the side which is in contact with the cross member.

  In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the ribs 3, 4 each have a transverse notch 5, 6; said notches being arranged facing one another and shaped to receive the end of the arm of the T-pin on the side which is in contact with the cross member.

  Since the T-pin arm is also generally cylindrical, transverse notches each having a semicircle profile for receiving said end of the arm are provided in the embodiment shown in the drawings.

  Of course, according to a preferred embodiment, the notches 5, 6 are arranged substantially in the center of the longitudinal opening of the channel, portions of the cross member of substantially equal dimension on either side of the end of the arm being thus received in the channel.

  The channel has lateral ends 7, 8 (see FIG. 3) preferentially open.

  In such a way, it is first possible to have a channel whose length may be less than that of the crossbar of the T-pin. The cross-member may in such a configuration exceed the channel by extending through the open lateral ends of the canal.

  Such a configuration also makes it possible to insert the cross member into the passage formed by the channel by sliding the cross member through an open lateral end of the channel.

  When moving the fixing device to slide the cross member inside the channel, it is of course necessary for the arm of the pin to extend through the longitudinal opening of the channel.

  Due to the elasticity of the plastic material in which the fastening device is made, the crosspiece can deform the channel during its sliding in it and thus allow its housing therein. The end of the arm of the spindle in contact with the cross member comes for its part, during the sliding of the cross member, remove when necessary the lower and upper ribs defining the longitudinal opening of the channel.

  As soon as the end of the arm in contact with the cross member is received in the notches provided in the ribs limiting the opening of the channel, the fixing device according to the invention is then firmly mounted on the T-pin. , the opening of the channel being delimited by the ribs, it is understood that it is then difficult to remove the crosspiece of the passage formed by the channel through said opening. The crossbar is actually abut on the ribs defining the longitudinal opening of the cross.

  Furthermore, the reception of the end of the arm in the notch or notches formed in the rib or ribs also makes it difficult to separate the fixing device of the pin on which it is mounted, in particular by sliding the fastening device along the crossing. The end of the arm is effectively retained in the region formed by the slot or notches in which it is received.

  In addition, particularly because of the elasticity of the plastic material, once the fixing device is in place, the channel comes to grip the crosspiece, so that the fixing device is rigidly mounted on the spindle and in particular, does not do not turn around the axis defined by the cross.

  According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each rib having a notch extends along the passage, on either side of the notch, according to a gradually decreasing thickness profile as and when the one deviates from said notch.

  The opening of the channel is thus maximum at the lateral ends of the channel and narrows as one approaches the transverse notch or notches.

  Such a configuration of the ribs facilitates the sliding and mounting of the fastening device on a crossbar, from a lateral end, the arm gradually coming apart the ribs until being housed in the transverse notch or notches.

  Such a configuration makes the installation of the device easier, while its removal remains difficult.

  Starting from a lateral end of the channel, the thickness of the profile of a rib can increase gradually in the direction of the transverse notch, either linearly or in successive portions having different slopes.

  Furthermore, the profile of a rib may not be symmetrical on either side of the notch, and the ribs facing each other may not be identical.

  The advantageous embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings exploits these possibilities.

  The lower rib 3 shown in the front view of FIG. 3 thus has, starting from the straight lateral end 7 of the channel 1 in the direction of the notch 5, a first portion 3a having a profile of thickness increasing linearly according to a first slope, a second portion 3b having a thickness profile increasing linearly along a second slope, here less than the first slope, and a third portion 3c having a thickness profile increasing linearly along a third slope, here substantially greater than the first slope.

  Starting from the left lateral end 8 of the channel 1 in the direction of the notch 5, the lower rib 3 also has portions of different slopes, namely a first portion 3d having a profile of thickness increasing linearly along said first slope and a second portion 3e having a thickness profile increasing linearly along said second slope.

  The portions of the rib located on either side of the notch are such that the profile of the rib is not symmetrical on either side of the notch.

  Furthermore, on both sides of the notch, in the direct vicinity thereof, the rib has different profiles. The edges of the notch are thus different, one 5a being steeper than the other 5b and acting as a surface against which the end of the arm of the spindle can be caused to abut to oppose the removal of the device sliding fastening along the sleeper.

  The upper rib 4 has on the side of the right lateral end 7 of the channel 1 a portion identical to the portion of the lower rib 3 located on the side of the left lateral end 8 of the channel, and, on the side of the left side end 8 of the channel, a portion identical to the portion of the lower rib 3 on the side of the right lateral end 7 of the channel.

  In such a way, and as it appears more particularly in FIG. 3, the lower rib 3 defines a straight stop flange 5a and the upper rib 4 defines a left abutment flange 6a, said abutment flanges being both adapted to prevent that the end of the arm is dislodged from the notches 5, 6, thus preventing the removal of the fixing device by sliding along the crosspiece.

  It is mentioned here that the attachment of the device according to the invention can also be carried out by introducing force the cross member through the longitudinal opening of the channel. In order to facilitate this introduction, the ribs may be shaped, as shown in the profile view of FIG. 4, with external faces inclined towards the inside of the channel.

  It should also be noted that the T-pins generally have, in particular according to the weight of the articles they must wear, different diameters. Thus known T-pins for which the arm and the cross member have a diameter of 5, 6, 8 or 10 mm.

  Due to the elasticity of the plastic material used, the fixing device can be mounted on pins of different diameters. A single fastening device can thus be used on pins having for example diameters different from one or two millimeters, a fixing device can thus be adapted to the pins of 5 and 6 mm, and another device to the pins of 8 and 10 mm.

  As will be seen in more detail below with regard to the exemplary display device shown in FIG. 6, the fixing device 10 can comprise, in order to ensure the articulated assembly of a support of communication, a hook 14 defining an interior passage.

  Furthermore, the fixing device may further comprise support zones 41, 42, 43 formed below the hook 14 so as to define a plurality of angular positions between the communication medium and the fixing device.

  According to a second aspect, the invention furthermore relates to an information display and presentation device for the cladding of sales outlets comprising a fixing device according to the first aspect of the invention that can be mounted on a spindle. T, and a communication medium assembled to said fixing device.

  In general, the communication medium may be fixed or mobile relative to the fixing device.

  According to a particular embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the communication medium may for example be hingedly mounted about a longitudinal axis on the fixing device.

  As an example of such a display device and information presentation, there is shown in Figure 6, a display device comprising a communication medium 20 adapted to carry an electronic tag (not shown) d price display.

  The communication support 20 comprises a label receiving portion 12 having a cradle 11 adapted to receive the generally parallelepipedal case of an electronic tag. This cradle 11 is delimited by upper and lower walls 13, 13 ', and arrangements not detailed because out of the scope of the invention are provided for fixing the electronic tag in its cradle.

  The fixing device 10 comprises, outwardly from the channel 1, and in one piece with it, a hook 14 defining a generally cylindrical horizontal interior passage, open upwards. Correspondingly, the portion 12 of the communication support comprises a rod 15 defining a pivot axis A, extending rearwardly relative to the bottom wall of the cradle 11 and secured to this cradle via two lateral supports 16. The width of the hook 14 is slightly less than the distance between the supports 16, so that the rod 15 can be introduced into the hook by snapping from the top, so as to achieve an articulated assembly between the parts 10 and 20 of the device, and therefore between the electronic tag and the T-pin. The device may also comprise a sliding slider 30 comprising a head 31 mounted to slide horizontally in a rectangular opening 17, horizontally elongated, formed in the central region. from the bottom of the cradle of the part 12. This head 31, immediately behind this bottom wall, is extended by an upright 32 directed upwards, it -even extended backwards by a supporting part 33.

  Correspondingly, the fixing device 10 comprises, immediately below the hook 14 participating in the pivot connection described above, support arrangements comprising three zones 41, 42 and 43 which succeed one another horizontally below the hook 14 , the zone 41 being the most protruding with respect to the outer face of the channel 1, while the zone 43 extends flush with this outer face and that the intermediate zone 42 extends only slightly projecting.

  By varying the position of the slider, the support portion 33 of the slider is made to bear against one or the other support arrangements 41, 42, 43. The orientation of the electronic tag can thus easily adapted to its situation with respect to the consumer's eyes and / or to the particular orientation of the shelves exposing the articles.

  Of course, the communication medium of the display device according to the second aspect of the invention is not limited to an electronic tag carrier, but extends to any type of communication medium for use in sales areas such as a support including arrangements for mounting a placard or sign.

  Furthermore, the assembly of the communication support to the fixing device is not limited to an articulated assembly of the type mentioned above by snap-fitting of a rod of the communication support in a hook towards the outside of the fixing device and in one piece with it, but extends to any variant for ensuring the fixed or movable mounting of the support to the fixing device.

Claims (16)

  1. Fastening device (10) intended to be mounted on a T-pin for placing thereon a communication support, in particular for displaying prices in a sales area, the T-pin comprising an arm and a cross member extending on either side of the end of the arm perpendicularly thereto, the device being characterized in that it comprises: - a channel (1) defining an internal passage (2 ) shaped to receive the crosspiece of the T-pin and having a longitudinal opening defined by lower ribs (3) and upper (4) arranged opposite one another, at least one of the ribs (3, 4) having a transverse notch shaped to receive the end of the arm in contact with the cross. 15 2. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the ribs (3, 4) are shaped to define the opening of the channel (1) so that said opening is at least a portion smaller than the dimension of the cross member , the withdrawal of the crosspiece through the opening is thus prevented.   3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each rib has a transverse notch, said notches being arranged opposite one another and shaped to receive the end of the arm in contact with the cross.   4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each rib having a transverse notch extends along the channel in a profile of gradually decreasing thickness as one deviates from the notch.   5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ribs comprise successive portions of different slopes.   6. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each rib having a transverse notch has on each side of the notch different slope profiles so that one of the flanges (5a, 6a) of the notch is steeper than the other (5b), thus defining a surface on which the end of the arm in contact with the crosspiece abuts to oppose the withdrawal of the fastener by sliding along the cross.   7. Device according to the preceding claim wherein each of the ribs has a transverse notch, characterized in that the notch (5) of the lower rib (3) defines a stop flange (5a) against the sliding of the device. in a first direction, and in that the notch (6) of the upper rib (4) defines an abutment flange (6a) against sliding in a direction opposite to said first direction, so that the arm of the cross member can not be easily dislodged from the region formed by the notches in which it is normally received.   8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a hook (14) formed outwardly from the channel (1), on the opposite side to the longitudinal opening, and adapted to receive by snapping a rod of a communication medium to articulately mount said communication medium on the fastener.   9. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that bearing zones (41, 42, 43) are formed below the hook (14) so as to define a plurality of angular positions between the communication medium and the fixing device.   2872615 14 10. Apparatus for displaying and presenting information for the cladding of retail outlets characterized in that it comprises a device (10) for fixing according to one of the preceding claims adapted to be mounted on a T-pin , and a communication medium (20) assembled to said fixing device.   11. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the communication support device is mounted articulated about a generally longitudinal axis (A) on the fixing device.   12. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises a variable angular wedge (30) for determining one of a plurality of angular positions between the fixing device and the communication medium under the effect of the force of gravity exerted on them.   13. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the variable angular wedge is formed by a slider slidably mounted on the communication medium.   14. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the slider comprises a bearing portion (33) adapted to be supported on one of a plurality of bearing zones (41, 42, 43) formed on the device. fastener according to claim 7.   15. Device according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the communication support device has arrangements (11, 13, 13 ') for mounting an electronic tag.   16. Device according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the communication medium has-facilities for mounting a placard or a sign.