GB2467335A - Shop shelf locatable magnifying aid for reading labels - Google Patents

Abstract

A shelf-locatable magnifier assembly 1 has support means 2 adapted releasably to retain a magnifier member 3 having magnifying means 10. The magnifier member 3 is displaceable with respect to the support means laterally such as by means of a slider rail (6, fig 3) generally within a notional horizontal plane of the support means 1 to facilitate retention and release from the support means. The magnifier is also displaceable downwardly such as by means of ball joint (9c, fig 10) towards a notional vertical plane of the support means to facilitate use of the magnifying means. The magnifier is useful for reading product labels in shops. Finger grip (9a, fig 10) may be provided to pull the magnifier out from the bottom of a shelf and advertising (12, fig 10) may also be provided.

Description

MAGNIFYING AID

Members of the purchasing public will be familiar with the typical product lay-out in shops such as supermarkets. Row after row of shelving forms the basis for product display for purchase. At any given location within a store, such as a supermarket, there can be arrays of multiple shelves, each shelf displaying (and quite often stacked full of) consumer goods such as packets, containers, boxes, bags and similar containers or packaging.

Virtually all products on display on these rows of shelving for selection are required to identify content or properties of the product especially in the case of foodstuffs, drugs and drinks.

For example, in the case of packaged foodstuffs for sale in outlets such as supermarkets, the packet will contain information, and often considerable information in fine print as to the nature of the ingredients and/or other characteristics. For example, information is given as to calorie content, fat content, presence of nut or nut extracts, presence of additives usually designated by E-number, absence of wheat or gluten, and/or sell-by dates.

Consumers are becoming ever more conscious of the ingredients in, e.g. ***.

packaged foodstuff products because of increased awareness of lifestyle or **25 health choices. Accordingly consumers often select products such as :. foodstuffs or beverages depending upon the detailed information already on their respective packaging as to content or other characteristics such as, e.g. fat type and/or content, calorie content, presence or absence of salt, fibre or ingredients that may trigger an allergic reaction.

Such choices for selection can even over-ride the brand of the product, so there is a need for consumers in outlets such as supermarkets to be able easily to read label and other content information provided on the product or more usually its packaging be it box, carton, tin, bag, package or the like.

Unfortunately for consumers, products are labelled in many different ways and whilst there may be standards that facilitate type of information that must be displayed and legible on the product or its packaging, there is a vast variation in the size and/or legibility of that information, and also in the format of presentation. Given such variation, and the fact that supermarket shelves can be stacked with multiple different products in very close proximity and often mutually adjacent, the average consumer is almost expected to have perfect close vision to be able to read all the different layouts and sizes of product information. * * *

Accordingly, consumers often remove products from the shelves for closer *.*.

inspection of labelling information before making a selection and transferring ***S..

the item to basket or trolley. Multiply the number of inspection events' by the *.*.

number of products likely to be viewed during a typical shopping visit and one immediately contemplates potentially large numbers of such inspections.

Multiply such numbers by the numbers of people visiting stores such as supermarkets, and it soon becomes clear there are potentially huge total numbers of such product inspections per shelf location per unit of time in any given shopping day.

As foreshadowed above it is suggested that such product inspections for those blessed with perfect eyesight are perhaps not a significant burden. Equally for those with corrected eyesight and using a current prescription of glasses or contact lenses, such multiple inspections may not represent a significant problem but that may signal a failure to recognise a wider problem.

Very many people with impaired eyesight, e.g. those who are far sighted but rely upon reading glasses for close vision do not bother or forget to take their reading glasses when shopping, e.g. at a supermarket, especially if they do not normally wear correcting glasses. Additionally, those with glasses or contact lenses correcting short sightedness are not always able readily to view the often fine print on packaged foodstuffs or beverages and so would benefit from magnification assistance. This is especially so where the person's prescription has become out of date and the eyesight correction is not as effective as it could be. * * * *, * **** * * S...

In recognition of this problem, which can affect a sizeable proportion of the S.....

consuming public, the present inventor has devised a magnifying aid. The S...

present magnifying aid can be constructed and designed to operate in a *.S.

S... . . . . . manner which can alleviate problems in trying to read small print and/or view images on products or their packaging, by making such labelling or information much clearer to see. The present magnifying aid can assist the purchasing public by facilitating selection of products.

Accordingly the present invention provides, in one aspect, a shelf-locatable magnifier assembly comprising support means adapted releasably to retain a magnifier member having magnifying means, said magnifier member being displaceable with respect to said support means laterally generally within a notional horizontal plane of the support means to facilitate retention by the support means and release therefrom, and displaceable downwardly towards a notional vertical plane of the support means to facilitate use of the magnifying means, and returnable upwardly towards said notional horizontal plane to facilitate retention of the magnifier member by said support means.

Preferably the magnifier member is additionally displaceable upwardly and downwardly within said notional vertical plane and conveniently the magnifier member is additionally at least partly rotatable in or with respect to said notional vertical plane.

The magnifier assembly can be adapted to be shelf-mounted, shelf-supported, shelf spur-mounted or shelf upright-mounted. Ideally attachment means are I...

provided to secure the support means to the shelf, shelf spur or shelf bracket S...

and connected thereto by means of push fit and in such embodiments the S.....

position of the magnifier member with respect to said attachment means is

adjustable. S... * S S... S. *i * . .

* It is preferable for the magnifier assembly to be under-shelf located although other locations and fixtures are possible such as within shelf, although that would entail modifications to the preferred embodiments subsequently described.

Preferably the support means comprise a connector for the magnifier member, which is displaceable laterally within a track of an elongate channel section. In such arrangements it is preferred for the channel section to be associated with mounting brackets securable to said shelf, or to a shelf spur or to a shelf upright. In other preferred arrangements, the support means include a component within which part of the magnifier member is releasably retainable.

In additional preferred embodiments, the magnifier member comprises a holder for the magnifying means, a part adapted for connection to a connector laterally displaceable within said support means, and a flange defining an end of the magnifier member remote from said part adapted for connection.

Moreover it is convenient if the magnifier member is connected to the support means through the intermediary of a connector providing a ball and socket joint as between said connector and said magnifier member.

In order that the invention may be illustrated, more easily appreciated and readily carried into effect by those skilled in the art, embodiments of preferred is..

arrangements will now be described with reference to the accompanying S....

drawings purely by way of non-limiting example only, and wherein: *sSS Figure 1 is an isometric view from above and to one side of a shelf-locatable and mountable magnifying aid in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an isometric view from below and to one side of the magnifying aid of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view from above of the magnifying aid depicted in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a view from underneath of the magnifying aid depicted in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 is an elevation from the front end of the magnifying aid depicted in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 6 is an elevation from the side of the magnifying aid depicted in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 7 is cross-sectional view, in side elevation, of the magnifying aid depicted in Figures 1 to 6 and taken along the index line X-X present in Figure 3; I...

Figure 8 is an isometric view from above and to one side of a * * S...

magnifying means attachable holder sub-assembly forming part of the *5**S* magnifying aid of Figures 1 to 7; S...

Figure 9 is an isometric view from below and to one side of the magnifying means attachable holder sub-assembly of Figure 8; Figure 10 is an isometric view from above and to one side of a magnifying means sub-assembly forming part of the magnifying aid of Figures 1 to 7; Figure 11 is an isometric view from below and to one side of the magnifying means of Figure 10; Figure 12 is an isometric view from above and to one side of a partially assembled typical supermarket shelving arrangement in which the shelf is omitted but wherein the magnifier aid assembly of Figures 1 to 7 has been mounted to a spur of the shelving arrangement; and Figure 13 and 14 are views of a shelving bay in a typical supermarket containing the shelving components of Figure 12, and a magnifying aid according to Figures 1 to 7 mounted upon the Right Hand (Fig 13) and Left Hand (Figl4) shelf spur and shelf-located in the sense of being located immediately underneath the superposed shelf.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figures 1 to 7 there is shown a *S*.

20 magnifying aid which comprises an overall assembly 1, based on an attachable * * holder sub-assembly 2 to which is coupled a moveable magnifying means sub-* ***S.S * assembly 3 as broadly illustrated. With particular reference to Figures 8 and 9 * * **** and dealing specifically with the attachable holder sub-assembly 2, the **** :::: arrangement is based upon a slider rail 6 comprising a series of spaced apart * 25 apertures 6A and wherein two of the apertures 6A are provided with adjustable mounting means 5 connected to mounting brackets 4. The mounting means 5 may conveniently comprise a threaded nut and bolt assembly enabling the height of the slider rail 6 from the bracket 4 to be adjusted and fixed, i.e. locked, in an appropriate position to allow assembly to various thicknesses of shelving. A pair of brackets 4 are provided each of S which comprises a generally horizontal supporting arm and a generally vertically located backing plate 4A. The horizontal arm includes a pair of generally opposed depending flanges 4B which define a gap between the said generally vertical plate 4A and an edge of such flanges as will become apparent hereafter. The gap between the plate and the edge of the depending flanges enables the pair of supporting brackets to be spur-mounted (in this embodiment) merely by means of a frictional push fit as between the said bracket 4 and the shelf spur. The slider rail comprises an elongate member such as an elongate extrusion which includes a track (e.g. see Figure 2) on its underside within which a connector in the form of a ball joint slider socket 8 is locatable and able to reciprocate within the said channel section. The mounting means 5 as between the slider rail 6 and mounting brackets 4 are such that they do not impede or interfere with the free slideable reciprocation of the said ball joint socket slider 8.

20 One end of the slider rail 6 is fitted with a bezel 7 and through which, at least * * **..

in a "rest" condition, a part of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 projects, * *S....

* . namely its front part 9A in the form of a finger grip. The magnifying means sub-assembly 3 is supported and retained by the attachable holder sub-S...

assembly structure 2 comprising the rail and other aforementioned * 25 components. In the condition shown in Figure 1, the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 is pushed fully home and is not in use.

Referring more specifically to Figures 10 and 11, there is shown in more detail the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 which is in the form of a paddle 9 having respectively a front end portion in the form of a finger grip 9A, magnifying means in the form of a magnifying lens 10 located within a generally planar portion of the paddle 9, an optionally present if required space 12 for advertisement within the said generally planar portion of the paddle 9 and immediately adjacent the magnifying lens 10. Thus the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 is a component part of the overall assembly 1 depicted in Figures 1 to 7 but shown in isolation within Figures 10 and 11. Whilst still referring to Figures 10 and 11, the magnifier member further comprises a stem portion 9B at the remote end of which is located a joint member in the form of a ball 9C. The ball 9C is rigidly affixed to the stem 9B of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 and may be an integral moulding thereof. The ball 9C is designed to seat within a corresponding part spherical socket within the interior of the ball joint slider socket 8. The ball joint slider socket 8 has immediately adjacent such part spherical internal socket a slot through which part of the stem 9B can pass and move within a notional vertical plane (not shown) of the overall assembly 1. The limit of S...

* 20 movement of the stem 9B within the ball joint slider socket 8 and hence of the entire magnifying means sub-assembly 3 will be determined by the terminal portion of the slot within the ball joint slider socket 8. In practice it is desired that the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 can be dislodged from its rest position depicted in Figures 1 and 2 and displaced downwardly to rest and/or : 25 be moveable within a notional vertical plane (not shown) normal to the generally horizontal plane (not shown) in which the magnifying means sub- -10 -assembly 3 is depicted within Figures 1 and 2. The capacity of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 to move will be described hereafter.

Referring more specifically to Figure 2 in the underneath view shown, the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 is located in its normal rest, i.e. non-use position wherein a part of the generally planar section of the paddle 9 is retained within co-operating slots 7A located within part of the bezel 7. In particular the dimensions of the said co-operating slots 7A within the bezel 7 are such that a portion of the planar section of the paddle 9 has a greater width than the remainder, [i.e. that portion of the paddle 9 adjacent the magnifying means 10 and adjacent the front finger grip portion 9A of that assembly has a region of greater width than the remainder of the generally planar section of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 which contains the remainder of the magnifying means and also if present advertising or other information within the part 12 of that sub-assembly.] Thus in the condition shown in Figure 2 the co-operating slots 7A within the bezel 7 are retaining that portion of increased width of the magnifier sub-assembly 3. Given a lateral displacement forwards, i.e. when the magnifying aid is to be converted to an in use condition, the finger grip portion 9A can be pulled towards the S..

0 user whereupon the generally planar portion of the paddle 9 is similarly pulled ISIS forward to a position at which the portions of the planar section of greater thickness as previously described no longer rest within the said slots of the .5 bezel, the dimensions of the remainder of the generally planar section being S...

such that the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 can simply fall away downwards, away from the said bezel whilst its remote end having the ball -11 -joint 9C remains securely retained by but moveable within the said ball joint slider socket 8.

Now it will be appreciated that the slider rail 6 permits motion of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 from the notional horizontal plane (not shown) in which it is depicted in Figures 1 and 2 downwardly away from that plane and towards a notional vertical plane (not shown). Such a notional vertical plane would extend through the plane of the overall assembly 1 (which by such downward motion falls within said notional vertical plane), a corresponding vertical plane through the slider rail 6, and a corresponding vertical plane through the adjustable fastening means 5.

Whilst the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 is releasable from the slots 7A within the bezel 7 and thus moveable towards said notional vertical plane and back towards said notional horizontal plane, it is also capable of further movement. Its capacity for such further degrees of movement arise by virtue of the nature of the joint within the part spherical socket of the ball joint slider socket 8, the ball joint 9C of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 and by virtue of the ball joint slider socket 8 being not only displaceable laterally :20 within the track in the slider rail 6 but simultaneously rotatable within said track. This enables the magnifier sub assembly 3 to be swung to and fro, i.e. rotated at least partially, within said notional vertical plane and simultaneously being at least partially rotatable with respect to said notional S...

vertical plane at any stage of its movement from release from the bezel slots * 25 7A to a downwardly depending (not shown) configuration. That is by withdrawing the magnifier finger pull provides multiple degrees of freedom of -12 -movement of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 whilst nonetheless securely retained by the holder sub-assembly 2 since the ball joint portion 9C of the stem 9B is retained within the socket of the said slider 8.

Accordingly the slot within the slider adjacent its part spherical internal socket allows motion of the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 away from the generally horizontal plane in which it is depicted in Figure 1 and 2, i.e. at rest or in "non-use" conditions towards and if needed into a notional vertical plane (not shown) which extends through the adjustable support means 5 and the ball joint slider socket 8. To and fro motion is provided by the freedom of the ball joint slider socket 8 to be rotated (by manipulation of the magnifying means) within the said track within the slider rail 6. The ball joint slider socket 8 is restrained from leaving the said channel section of the slider rail 6 by virtue of corresponding abutments or stop members (not shown) located at either end of the said track.

Referring to Figure 7 there is shown a cross section of the magnifying aid assembly as previously described with reference to Figure 1 to 6. In this arrangement it is possible to ascertain the presence of an access cover 13 .. 20 operable to allow insertion of advertising or other material to be visible within the aforesaid region 12 of the generally planar portion of the magnifier sub-assembly 3. * * **** ****

Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of the magnifier aid assembly 1 including *5 the holder sub-assembly 2 and the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 and depicts constructional features that correspond largely to the features already -13 -described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 3 also incorporates a notional reference line X-X along which Figure 7 described above is a cross-section.

Referring to Figure 4 there is shown an underneath plan view of the arrangement in which the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 is retained by the slots 7A (within the bezel 7) engaging portions of greater thickness of the generally planar portion of the magnifier sub assembly 3 and of the front finger panel portion when that is pushed fully home. The brackets 4 of the presently described embodiment are to be affixed to a shelf spur as described subsequently, although other mounting points are possible.

Figure 5 is an front elevation of the arrangement depicted in Figures 1 and 2.

In this arrangement the bezel 7 predominates with the front finger panel portion 9A of the magnifier paddle 9 projecting there through. The slider rail 6 (not visible) is connected via an adjustable mounting means 5 to the upper arm of a bracket 4. As previously described, the bracket 4 incorporates a pair of oppositely located and downwardly depending flanges 4B which define a gap between the uppermost plate of the bracket extending generally horizontally and its integrally formed downwardly depending shoulder 4A. The flange may have a projecting spring-biased portion to enhance the frictional grip as between the bracket 4 and a shelf spur (not shown).

S * S ****

Referring next to Figure 12 there is shown part only of a typical supermarket ** shelving arrangement. In particular a standard shelf upright 14 incorporates :.25 multiple vertical apertures 14A within which projecting formations of a spur 15 are locatable. The spur 15 comprises an extending arm of the shelving -14 -arrangement and conveniently forms an appropriate mounting location for the mounting brackets 4 of the magnifier aid assembly 1. Thus the pair of brackets 4 have been inserted over the uppermost lip of the spur by simple push fit, the flanges 4B of the bracket 4 providing a frictional fit as between that bracket and the spur which may be further assisted by an additional sprung component as noted above. In alternative arrangements which are not illustrated, the mounting bracket can be affixed to the shelf spur by other means, e.g. simple nut and bolt, although it will be appreciated the precise means of locating the brackets upon the shelf spur are not a critical or significant feature in their own right as this is capable of fixture by various means which will be familiar to the notionally skilled person.

Thus in the Figure 12 arrangement the slider rail 6 is mounted spaced from but generally parallel to the said shelf spur 15. The front portion of the holder sub-assembly 2 is defined by the bezel 7 through which the front finger panel portion 9A of the magnifier paddle 9 projects. Thus in this arrangement the orientation and resting non-use condition of the magnifying aid correspond with that depicted in Figures 1 to 7. In order to actuate the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 for use, the finger front panel 9A can simply be withdrawn o towards the user enabling the magnifying means sub-assembly 3 to release from its rest condition and at least partially drop down so that the magnifier can be used to view product and other information on goods or their packaging (not shown).

S I 0IS*

Upon release from the resting condition mainly depicted, there is considerable freedom of movement of the magnifying aid. Notably there is up and down -15 -movement, lateral displacement within the confines of the track, side to side movement in the sense of swinging' within a notional vertical plane and within any notional plane from said notional vertical to the aforesaid notional horizontal plane. Additionally, by virtue of the ball and socket joint and the ability of the slider itself to rotate at least partially within the track, the magnifying means can be rotated at least partially about the product or packaging to be viewed. All such degrees of freedom of movement assist the user in magnifying product data and facilitating select or reject decisions.

The apparatus can help shoppers make a more informed choice with minimal disruption to the products stacked on a shelf. The apparatus is especially useful to those who do not have ideal close vision, or whose correction of close vision is impaired, or those who are far-sighted but have left their correcting glasses elsewhere.

Given an adequate number of this apparatus installed amongst the shelving of shops, more people can be helped in the proper appreciation of product data and/or characteristics. 4*S* * * . ** I I... * I I...

I

**IS.. * * SI*S * S S... * I S... I. S* * . I * S

Claims (19)

1. -16 -CLAIMS1. A shelf-locatable magnifier assembly comprising support means adapted releasably to retain a magnifier member having magnifying means, said magnifier member being displaceable with respect to said support means laterally generally within a notional horizontal plane of the support means to facilitate retention by the support means and release therefrom, and displaceable downwardly towards a notional vertical plane of the support means to facilitate use of the magnifying means, and returnable upwardly towards said notional horizontal plane to facilitate retention of the magnifier member by said support means.
2. 2. A magnifier assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the magnifier member is additionally displaceable upwardly and downwardly within said notional vertical plane.
3. 3. A magnifier assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the magnifier member is additionally at least partly rotatable in or with respect to said notional vertical plane.

   :
4. 4. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, which is adapted to be shelf-mounted, shelf-supported, shelf spur-mounted or shelf upright-mounted.

   * * .*
5. 5 5. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, which in use is adapted to be under-shelf located.

   -17 -
6. 6. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the support means comprise a connector for the magnifier member, which is displaceable laterally within a track of an elongate channel section.
7. 7. A magnifier assembly as claimed in Claim 6, in which the channel section is associated with mounting brackets securable to said shelf, or to a shelf spur or to a shelf upright.
8. 8. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the support means includes a component within which part of the magnifier member is releasably retainable.
9. 9. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the magnifier member comprises a holder for the magnifying means, a part adapted for connection to a connector laterally displaceable within said support means, and a flange defining an end of the magnifier member remote from said part adapted for connection.
10. 10. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the magnifier member is connected to the support means through the I...intermediary of a connector providing a ball and socket joint as between said connector and said magnifier member. I... **.. * S I... ** ** * * * * *

    -18 -
11. 11. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein attachment means provided to secure the support means to the shelf, shelf spur or shelf bracket connect thereto by means of push fit.
12. 12. a magnifier assembly as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the position of the magnifier member with respect to said attachment means isadjustable.
13. 13. A shelf incorporating a magnifier assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim.
14. 14. An array of shelving including a plurality of magnifier assemblies as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12.
15. 15. A retail premises including an array of shelving as claimed in Claim 14.
16. 16. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12 substantially as herein described.
17. 17. A magnifier assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12 substantially as herein illustrated in any Figure of the accompanying drawings. * * * *
18. 18. A shelf as claimed in Claim 13 or array of shelving as claimed in Claim **.* * * **** 14 substantially as herein described.-19 -
19. 19. A shelf as claimed in Claim 13 or array of shelving as claimed in Claim 14 substantially as herein illustrated in any Figure of the accompany drawings. * * * S. S U... * . *5SSS..... * . S * * . a. ** I. * 0 S 0 S