WO1992009225A1

WO1992009225A1 - Mounting bracket for holding a text and/or image carrier e.g. a merchandise pallet

Info

Publication number: WO1992009225A1
Application number: PCT/DK1991/000349
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claus Tjerrild-Hansen; Johannes Nielsen
Original assignee: Egeberg Reklamebureau A/S
Priority date: 1990-11-26
Filing date: 1991-11-22
Publication date: 1992-06-11
Also published as: DK280690A; AU8938591A; DK280690D0; DK169006B1

Abstract

Lowermost in its U-legs (3a, 3b) a bracket (1) in the form of an inverted U has gripper claws (4a, 4b) gripping around the edges of the supporting top (9) on a pallet (10), on which merchandise (not shown) may be stacked, said merchandise being described on a text and/or image carrier (11) placed on the mounting bracket (1), in the example shown in the form of a bag in the operational position (not shown) having its bottom uppermost (the drawing shows the bag (11) in the process of being place on the bracket). The gripper claws (4a, 4b) may be held in place, either by tight fit about the edge of the support top (9), by means of the inwardly-elastic force of the bracket (1), and/or by using separate means (not shown) e.g. in the form of a strap or a more tight-fitting bag than the one shown, holding the U-legs (3a, 3b) together.

Description

MOUNTING BRACKET FOR HOLDING A TEXT AND/OR IMAGE CARRIER E.G. A MERCHANDISE PALLET

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a mounting bracket of the kind set forth in the preamble of claim 1.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a mounting bracket of the kind referred to initially that is cheap to produce and easy to place upon or remove from a pallet or similar support carrying the merchandise, to which the text and/or images on the text and/or image carrier refers, and this is achieved with a mounting bracket, according to the present invention being constructed as indicated in the characterizing clause of claim 1. With this construction, it is achieved, partly that the mounting bracket is extremely simple and hence cheap to produce, partly that it causes practically no obstruction for the stacked merchandise, and partly that it can easily be placed on and removed from the support without the use of tools.

Advantageous embodiments of the mounting bracket according to the present invention, the effects of which are explained in more detail in the following detailed portion of the present specification, are set forth in claims 2-6.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed portion of the present specification, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment of a mounting bracket according to the invention shown on the drawing, in which

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket itself. Figure 2 in a corresponding perspective and on a highly enlarged scale shows a part of the mounting bracket shown in Figure 1, while

Figure 3 shows the mounting bracket in a situation in which it is placed on a pallet, and in which a text and/or image carrier in the form of a bag is in the process of being placed in the operating position on the mounting bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The mounting bracket 1 shown in Figure 1, preferably consisting of stiff springy wire or rod stock material, e.g. steel, is shaped like an inverted U, the bottom part of which hence faces upwardly and constitutes a bridge portion 2, from which two substantially straight U-legs 3a and 3b extend, each at its lower end constituting a gripper claw 4a, 4b repeσtively.

As will be evident from Figure 2, which only shows the lowermost part of the U-leg 3a with its gripper claw 4a, the gripper claw 4a consists of an upper horizontal portion 5, in the exemplary embodiment shown constituting an end portion of the U-leg 3a bent outwardly at a right angle, a brace portion 6, at its middle part being secured to the lower sides of the free end of the upper horizontal portion 5 by means of a welded joint 7, the brace portion 6 from its middle part extending obliquely downward towards both sides in a plane at right angles to the plane through the two U-legs 3a and 3b, so as to end in a lower horizontal portion in the form of two holding fingers 8, extending substantially parallel to the upper horizontal portion 5 towards the opposite gripper claw 4b.

Figure 3 shows the mounting bracket 1 after having been placed with the gripper claws 4a and 4b gripping about the edge of the table-top-like top 9 on a diagrammatically shown pallet 10, intended to support one or a number of stacks of merchandise (not shown). The merchandise is described by means of pictures and/or text on a text and/or image carrier, in the exemplary embodiment shown in the form of a bag 11 of paper or plastic foil, in Figure 3 being shown half-way in the process of being placed around the mounting bracket 1.

As will be evident when looking at Figures 2 and 3 simultaneously, the upper horizontal portion 5 of each gripper claw 4a and 4b rests on top of the top 9 of the pallet 10, whilst the holding fingers 8 rests against the lower side of this top. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a "three-point connection" is formed, the three-points - or rather lines - being formed at the contact between on the one side the top portion 9 and on the other side the upper horizontal portions 5 and their holding fingers 8 respectively of the gripper claws.

It will be understood that it is possible to construct the gripper claws 4a and 4b in other ways than shown on the drawing, e.g. in the form of short lengths of channel iron or the like, but the embodiment shown is preferred, partly because it is easy to manufacture, partly because forming the upper horizontal portion 5 as an outwardly bent continuation of the U-leg 3a or 3b in question causes the least possible interference to the merchandise to be stacked on top of the top portion 9, whilst the placing of the two holding fingers 8 as separate members spaced from its other gives the mounting bracket 1 the requisite stability, at the same time making it possible to place the mounting bracket above a possible middle leg (not shown) on the pallet 10, as in that case, the holding fingers 8 may be placed with one on each side of the middle leg.

The gripper claws 4a and 4b may be held in engagement with the top portion 9 of the pallet 10 in different ways. One way is to dimension the gripper claws relative to the thickness of the top portion 9 in such a manner, that they grip about it with a tight fit. In this way, however, the grip is solely based on friction, which is not always sufficiently reliable, when the pallet 10 with the merchandise (not shown) and the mounting bracket 1 are placed in e.g. a much frequented self-service shop. Apart from constructing the gripper claws 4a and 4b with a tight fit about the top portion 9, the mounting bracket itself may be made springy in a manner urging the two U-legs 3a and 3b towards each other; in many cases, this can ^' give a more reliable grip. It is, however, preferred to use separate means to hold the gripper claws 4a and 4b positively in the position shown in Figure 3. This may e.g. be achieved by placing a strap (not shown) around the mounting bracket 1 close to the pallet 10, or else by using a text and/or image carrier in the form of a bag or one or a number of endless foil webs, differing from the bag 11 shown in being so narrow, that the two U-legs 3a and 3b are unable to move away from each other in the position shown in Figure 3. A further possibility consists in using a text and/or image carrier in the form of a flat box or a stiff pocket with such an internal width dimension, that the box or pocket will hold the two U-legs 3a and 3b in their operating position, when the box or pocket has been pulled down about the mounting bracket 1.

LIST OF PARTS

1 mounting bracket

2 bridge portion 3a U-leg

3b U-leg 4a gripper claw 4b gripper claw 5 upper horizontal portion 6 brace portion

7 welded joint

8 lower horizontal portion/holding finger

9 top portion 10 pallet 11 text and/or image carrier/bag

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Mounting bracket (1) for at least one text and/or image carrier (11) and for placing on a table-like support, e.g. a pallet (10), with a table-top-like top portion (9) for supporting merchandise referred to in the text and/or images on said text and/or image carrier (11), characterized in that the mounting bracket is shaped substantially as an inverted U, the two legs (3a,3b) of which are substantially straight and lie in the same plane and at the free ends each comprise or constitute a gripper claw (4a,4b) adapted to grip about the edges of the top portion (9) of said support in such a manner, that the mounting bracket (1) is maintained standing on said support (10).

2. Mounting bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that each gripper claw (4a,4b), taken from the transition from the U-leg (3a,3b) in question, comprises a) a first horizontal portion (5) extending outwardly to b) a vertical portion (6), from the transition from said first horizontal portion extending downwardly to c) a second horizontal portion (8), whereas said first (5) and/or said second (8) horizontal portion to a not insignificant degree extend(s) in a horizontal direction at right angles to a straight line between the two gripper claws (4a,4b).

3. Mounting bracket according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in a) that said first horizontal portion (5) is constituted by an outwardly bent portion of the

U-leg (3a,3b) in question, b) that the vertical portion (6) is constituted by a brace, the central part of which is secured to the outermost end of said first horizontal portion (4), and which comprises two arms extending downward and obliquely in opposite directions from the central portion and each ending in c) a horizontal finger (8) directed towards the gripper claw on the other U-leg.

4. Mounting bracket according to any one or any of the claims 1-3, characterized in that the vertical distance between the first (5) and the second (8) horizontal portion of each gripper claw (4a,4b) is such, that the gripper claws may be held with a tight f t on the edge portion of said top portion (9).

5. Mounting bracket according to any one or any of the claims 1-4, characterized in being adapted to urge the gripper claws (4a,4b) in a direction towards each other, or to prevent their mutual distance from increasing, e.g. by means of its own elastic force and/or by means of suitably adapted separate means, such as at least one strap or the like connecting the two U-legs (3a,3b) of the mounting bracket with each other.

6. Mounting bracket according to claim 5, characterized in that said separate means comprise or are constituted by a text and/or image carrier in the form of a bag and/or at least one endless piece of web material stretched on the mounting bracket, and/or a flat pocket or box of rigid material embracing the mounting bracket.