US3337977A

US3337977A - Label holder

Info

Publication number: US3337977A
Application number: US487373A
Authority: US
Inventors: John C Sobesky
Original assignee: S AND M Manufacturing CO
Current assignee: S AND M Manufacturing CO
Priority date: 1965-09-15
Filing date: 1965-09-15
Publication date: 1967-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-29

Description

Allg 29, 1967 J. c. SOBESKY 3,337,977

LABEL HOLDER Filed Sept. l5, 1965 JNVENTOR. Jol-m C. SQBESKY ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,337,977 LABEL HOLDER John C. Sohesky, Farmington, Mich., assignor to S & M Mfg.'Co., Detroit, Mich., a-corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 487,373 7 Claims. (Cl. 40-10) This invention relatesv to holders -for labels, such as price markers, and particularly to a label holder adapted to be mounted at the front edge of a shelf.

The la'bel holder of the present invention generally comprises along strip in the form of a transparent sheath adapted to Ibe engaged along its longitudinal edges underneath overhanging lips along the opposite longitudinal edges of a concave shaped retainer strip. Along one longitudinal edge the inner and outer portions of the sheath are connected together so that it can be opened in a hinged-like fashion to permit insertion and removal of a label therebetween. The sheath has a transverse dimension slightly less than the transverse arcuate dimension of the concave retainer and slightly greater than the transverse dimension between the overhanging lip portions so that it is retained between the lip portions in a generally con; cave condition.

An object of the invention is to provide a transparent label holder which protects the label and yet allows it to -be seen.

Another object of the invention is to protect shelfmounted price markers or other labels from being accidentally dislodged or shifted.

Another object of the invention is to make a label holder substantially tamper-proof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a label holder which can be opened to facilitate inserting a label therein and which is self-closing.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a label holder in accordance with the invention mounted at the front face of a shelf.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates the manner in which a tool may be employed to pry open a plastic sheath which is part of the holder.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the holder after the sheath has been opened along a portion of its length.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view looking at the -back of the sheath.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a modification of the sheath.

FIG. 7 shows how the sheath of the modified embodiment is snapped into a retainer when initially mounting it.

The holder of the invention comprises a retainer and a folder-like sheath of transparent, flexible, resilient material so dimensioned as to receive price markers or other labels therein and to tit at the front face of a shelf. The sheath includes front and back strips and may have a lip at its top which overlies part of its front strip. In one embodiment the ilip is integral with the 'back strip and in another embodiment it is part of a separate supporting structure. In either case the sheath can only fbe opened in a practical manner by the use of a tool, and this makes the holder substantially tamper-proof. Due to the resiliency of the material, the sheath is self-closing, although when it is mounted on the retainer and opened, it is pushed manually to snap the front strip under the retaining lip. Since the sheath is transparent, labels are visible through the front strip and are protected from being accidentally dislodged or shifted.

Referring to FIGS. `1-5, a holder 10 according to the 3,337,977 Patented* 29, `19157 invention includes a sheath 15 anda retainer 12 which is ailixed to the front face of arshelf on which products 14 are displayed. Holder 10 contains price markers 16, 18, 20 grouped under the particular products to which they apply.

Sheath 15 has a front strip 22, a back strip 24 and a crease-like lbottom edge 26. The sheath is made of a transparent, exi-ble, resilient plastic material, preferably byV extrusion. The front and lblack strips 22 and 24 merge together at the bottom edge 276, and --as may 'be seen in FIG. 2, Ibottom edge 26 is thickened slightly compared to strips 22 and 24 to strengthen the, edge. Front strip 22 has a top edge 28 which is free, but which is retained in closed position by a lip 30. In Vthis embodiment, lip 30 merges with back strip 24 at the crease-like top edge y32 of the sheath. Lip 30 overlies only a narrow width of front strip 22 at and near its top ed-ge 28, thus allowingthesheath to be opened fby prying top edge 28 out from under lip 30. Lip 30 constitutes a semi-rigid ap which can be bent outwardly with most of the 'bending occurring at edge 32.

Sheath 15 is mounted on retainer 12 with its top and bottom edges 26 and 32 inserted under the lips 34 and 36 of the retainer. The back strip 24 of sheath 15 may be bonded with adhesive material to the -face of retainer 12. The -retainer in turn is attached to front face 38 of shelf 40 'by suitable screws 42. The front and |back strips 22 and 24 are concave toward retainer 12 and the face of the retainer is also concave. The sheath lits snugly against the retainer with the front `and back strips of the sheath spaced apart slightly in its closed position.

A price marker 18 is received in the space between front and fback ystrips 22 and 24 and rests on bottom edge 26. Front strip 22 is suiciently stiff to bend price marker 18, thus holding it solidly in place. The normal, unbent condition of price marker 118 is indicated by broken lines n FIG. 2, and since the marker is resilient it will assume this position when front strip 22 is pulled away from back strip 24 to open the sheath. y Y

The sheath is opened by inserting the hooked end 46 of a tool 44 under lip 30 and over top edge 28 of front strip 22 in the manner indicated in FIG. 3. As tool 44 is forced upward, it lbends lip' 30 outward and when its tip 48 clears top edge 28 the tool is pulled down to grip top edge 28. The tool is then turned upward while maintaining downward pressure on top edge 28 with hooked portion 46, so as to pryrpart of top edge 28 'out from under lip 30. The result of this prying action is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 4, where it may be seen that sheath 15 has been opened only along part of its length, allowing two pri-ce markers 1.8 to be removed. Front strip 22 is stilf enough to prevent it from easily being pulled out from under lip'30 except by the use of a tool such as tool 44. On the other hand, front strip 22 is flexible enough to bend easily when it is pried with a tool in the manner just described. Due to the resiliency of the material of sheath 15, front strip 22 tends to return to its closed position and to this extent sheath 15 is self-closing. However, it is necessary to push front strip 22 toward retainer 12 in order to snap top edge 28 under lip 30.

Referring to FIG. 5, the adhesive 50 on back side 24 of the sheath may initially be protected with a cover strip 52. Cover strip 52 is flexible and may be peeled off while leaving a layer of adhesive on the exterior side of back strip 24. This adhesive material is pressure-sensitive.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a modified holder 53 wherein there is no lip integral with the back strip of the folderlike sheath 54. Sheath 54, like sheath 15, consists of a single piece of transparent, exible, resilient material and has a front strip 56 and a back strip 58. The front and back strips merge at a crease-like bottom edge 60. Top edge 62 of front strip 56 is the topmost extremity of 3 sheathV 54, and it :is retained in closed position by the upper lip 3'6 of 'retainer `12. Top edge 62 is beaded to stiffen itiront strip 'S6 'is 'eiible enough lto allow the sheath to be opened by prying beaded edge 62 out from under lip 36 with a tool. The tool may ybe a straight blade, 'and -when its tip 1isfinsertedunderilip36 and over beaded edge 62, it is -hel'ptul to also 'push iront strip 56 toward retainer /lZThis bends vxstrip g5t; and 'pulls beaded edge 62 `dovtfn enough Sto fallow vr'the lla'des tip "to get a puchase on beaded edge 62. Front strip 56 is stili enough so .that fit cannot he pried-ou't ffrotn under lip 36, wholly with the angers, thus making this fenibodi'ntent relatively tainpenproof like fthe embodiment of FIGS. 255. 'It may be noted that back strip '5s has a top -edge 64 `located well below top vedge -`62 of frontst'r'ip $6. Bacrkstrip "58 is affixed :to retainerl-z `with adhesive material 'in the same manner fas described previously. n

7 shows sheath 54u'tside retainer 12 in 'a position 'from Ywhich it c'an be Apushed against the retainer 'to snap edges 60 and L62 between 'lip's 34 a'n'd 36. This 'pressure feauses adhesive :50 on ba'e'l 'strip '5s lto Astick yto retailler '12,"thi1s "bonding the sheath to 'the retainer.

The lprice markers 'to beused with either 'embodiment df 'the 'invention do A=not have to be resilient; they rnay be vm'adeoff paper in-orderito reduce costs. This is jpr'ac'tical becu'se the *price 'markers 'are well proteted by the sheath. I I I Ihe shea-th as initially supplied has a length measured alo'ng Jits vb't'ittoi'n 'edge many 4times greater than its `hfeiglt measured from Sits bottom Iedge to fits top edge. 'This Tallowsla large number 'or labels 'to vbe 'plaeed in "a 'single sheath, either individually for'in groups as illustrated in FIG. 1-. llt A'also allows the sheath jto @be divided into shorter lsections in forder to Ltit the sheath to short lsections of shelving. Ztypical sheath 'inV accordance with the :invention vhas a length of '36 inches and a height of about rl finch.

I claimt A1. In 'cornbintion a 'retainer fa'd'apt'edto be 'secured to a support 'such la's Ythe front eclge 'of 'a shelf, said retainer comprising 'a ilength yfo'f rigidma'terial having a concave front face withoverhanging lip portions extending along the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, 'a sheath formed of a transparent, resilient material, sai'd .sheath comprising a pair for elongated .strips integrally connected :along one longitudinal Yed`gerthe're'cf'f 's'o as 'tobe separable in a hinge-like manner, fsaid'shea'thhaving'a transverse dimension slightly i'les's l'thanithe transverse arcuate dimension of said concave''fr'ont aee 'and slightly greater 'than'the transverse dimension :between the longitudinal lfree edges of saidllip portions, saidjshe'ath having its onposite 'longitudinal -e'd'g'es engaged beneath said A-lip portions -and retained thereby :in a concave rcondition 'generally parallel tulsa-id concave Zface and fa label retained between said strips of said sheath. l A r '2. The -combintionclled .for in claim VLwhereirr the outer strip of said sheath has a greater transverse dimens ion than `the inner strip and the free edge of said outer,VV

y face Aof said sheath at one longitudinal edge thereof., said ange being self-supporting and resilient to enable 4insertion 'of `a prying tool therebeneath -for enabling the free edge portion of the outer strip to be pulled outwardly of said retainer so as to 4permit access to the space between the inner and outer strips for 'insertion and removal of a label therefrom. i

5. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein said last mentioned free edge is formed as a'thic'kened bead. l

6. The combination called for 4in claim 2 wherein the center strip of 4said sheath is spaced from saidconcave fa'ce "such ythat it is adapted to be depressed against said concave face to retract the free 'edge thereof suciently from Abehind rits associated lip portion Ato enable insertion of a 'prying Ytool therebehi'nd.

7. In combina-tion a shelf adapted to support commodities, a retainer secured to the front edge Aof said fshelt and extending lengthwise thereof, said retainer comprising a length of rigid material having a concave `front-face with overhang'ing lip portions extending along the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, a -sheathior'med'of a transparent, resilient material, said sheath comprising la Apair (if elongated strips integrally connected along one longitudinal edge thereof so as to be Iseparable .in a hingelike manner, said sheath having a transverse dimension silglitly less than the transverse arcuate-dimension Vof said concave front face and slightly greater than the Vtransverse ydimension between the :longitudinal free edges ofsaid lip portions, said sheath having Lits opposite -longitudinal edges engaged beneath said lip portions and Iretained thereby in a concave condition fgenerally [parallel tosaid concave face and a @label retained between :said strips of said sheath.

References 'Cited UNITED STATES vPATIItI-TS 1;487-,520 v3/1924- Ringlen 2,331,086 '10/ 1943 Taylor. 2,526,472 1/.1953 stingl 40 =l6 v2,812,600 11/1957 Hopp 401n EUGENE R. cAPozIo, Primary Examine-f.

W, J, CQNTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION A RETAINER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A SUPPORT SUCH AS THE FRONT EDGE OF A SHELF, SAID RETAINER COMPRISING A LENGTH OF RIGID MATERIAL HAVING A CONCAVE FRONT FACE WITH OVERHANGING LIP PORTIONS EXTENDING ALONG THE OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES THEREOF, A SHEATH FORMED OF A TRANSPARENT, RESILIENT MATERIAL, SAID SHEATH COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED STRIPS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED ALONG ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE THEREOF SO AS TO BE SEPARABLE IN A HINGE-LIKE MANNER, SAID SHEATH HAVING A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE TRANSVERSE ARCUATE DIMENSION OF SAID CONCAVE FRONT FACE AND SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION BETWEEN THE LONGITUDINAL FREE EDGES OF SAID LIP PORTIONS, SAID SHEATH HAVING ITS OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES ENGAGED BENEATH SAID LIP PORTIONS AND RETAINED THEREBY IN A CONCAVE CONDITION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID CONCAVE FACE AND A LABEL RETAINED BETWEEN SAID STRIPS OF SAID SHEATH.