WO2009029034A1

WO2009029034A1 - Shelf accessory

Info

Publication number: WO2009029034A1
Application number: PCT/SE2008/050961
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mårten SJÖBERG
Original assignee: Hl Display Ab
Priority date: 2007-08-27
Filing date: 2008-08-26
Publication date: 2009-03-05
Also published as: EP2186080A1; SE0701922L; SE530369C2; EP2186080A4

Abstract

A shelf accessory intended for fixing to a shelf (50), which shelf accessory comprises a base plate (10) having a substantially flat underside, which is intended to be supported by the top side of a shelf, and a functional accessory part (20), which is arranged on the base plate. A hinge joint (13) is arranged on the base plate (10) and is configured to allow a first portion (14) of the base plate to be rotated about the hinge joint in relation to a second portion (15) of the base plate.

Description

SHELF ACCESSORY

Field of the invention The invention relates to a shelf accessory intended for fixing to a shelf.

Background of the invention

In general stores, for example, goods are displayed on shelves. The shelves can be provided with data strips, which are arranged on the front edge of the shelves for the holding of certain product information, such as price and quantity of goods per pack. It is sometimes desirable to fix additional shelf accessories to the shelves. For example, it may be desirable to present further information about a certain product for a certain time. This can be to do with campaign offers or the introduction of a new product. At such occasions, larger signs, flags, coupons, etc. are often used, which are fastened in the immediate vicinity of the product to attract attention and convey a message about the product. Such larger information carriers can often not be fastened directly to the data strips. Instead, special so-called shelf talkers are used, for example holders for advertisements, flags, coupons or product samples .

Such and other accessories can be fixed to the shelf, for example, with the aid of tape, magnets, suction cups or engagement members which interact with a data strip that is fixed to the shelf. Where the shelf is a so-called wire shelf, which is configured as a lattice work of rigid wires, the accessories can be fixed to the shelf with the aid of wire clips.

Prior Art

One specific type of shelf accessory comprises a flat base plate which is placed on top of the shelf and is supported by the latter. The base plate is usually rectangular and a functional accessory part, for example a flag holder, is arranged protruding up from one short side of the base plate. During use, the shelf accessory is placed such that this short side is arranged parallel with and close to the front edge of the shelf, so that the functional accessory part protrudes up from the shelf at its front edge. The functional accessory part can be constituted, for example, by a shelf talker. In certain cases, no special means are used to fix the base plate to the shelf, but rather the shelf accessory is held in place by the friction between the top side of the shelf and the base plate. The base plate is often relatively thin, so that goods can be placed on top of the base plate without significantly jutting up above adjacent goods which are placed directly on the shelf. The weight of the goods placed on top of the base plate here help to hold the shelf accessory in place.

In other cases, the base plate comprises some type of special means for fixing the shelf accessory to the shelf. Where the shelf is formed of a paramagnetic material, such as steel, a magnetic layer, for example in the form a thin magnetic strip, can be arranged on the underside of the base plate. The base plate can also be fixed to the shelf by means of an adhesive layer, for example a double-adhesive tape, which is fastened to the underside of the base plate. Where the shelf is a wire shelf, clips, which are snapped tight so that they mechanically grip around the wires in the shelf, can be arranged on the base plate. In the case of glass shelves, for example, suction cups which are fixed to the base plate can be used to secure the base plate by vacuum action with the flat glass surface.

Brief description of the invention

One object of the invention is to provide an improved shelf accessory which can be fixed on top of a shelf. Another object is to achieve with simple means an improved fixing of the shelf accessory to the shelf. Yet another object is to provide a shelf accessory of the kind which allows the base plate to be formed as a relatively thin plate from a cheap material.

These and other objects are achieved with a shelf accessory of the kind which is defined in the preamble of patent claim 1 and which has the special technical features defined in the characterizing part of the claim. The shelf accessory is intended for fixing to a shelf. It comprises a base plate having a substantially flat underside, which is intended to be supported by the top side of a shelf, and a functional accessory part, which is arranged on the base plate. According to the invention, a hinge joint is arranged on the base plate and is configured to allow a first portion of the base plate to be rotated about the hinge joint in relation to a second portion of the base plate. This configuration of the base plate yields a number of advantages compared with previously known shelf accessories in which the base plate is configured as a homogeneous plate, with no hinge joint.

Since the base plate according to the invention is configured with two portions which are articulately arranged one beside the other, the two portions are allowed to move in relation to each other. If one, for example the front portion which can be provided with a function accessory part projecting in front of the shelf, is subjected to an upwardly directed shock such that it comes free from the shelf, this portion is allowed to swing upward. Owing to the hinge joint, the rear portion is not affected by the upwardly directed shock, but instead this portion maintains its fixation to the shelf, with the result that the front part can fall back down and regain its original position on the shelf. If the functional accessory part and the front portion are instead subjected to a downwardly directed force, the front portion is allowed to be bent such that it assumes an upwardly curved arc shape. Owing to the hinge joint, nor will such a deformation of the front portion affect the rear portion, which can thus remain fixed to the shelf. Once the downwardly directed force ceases, the front portion will therefore regain its original position. It has been shown in experiments that it is possible to subject a functional accessory part arranged on the front part of the accessory to about 100% larger downwardly directed forces, compared with previously known corresponding accessories, without the base plate coming free from the shelf.

Owing to the hinge joint which is arranged between the first and the second portion, it is possible to reduce the rigidity of the base plate while maintaining and even improving the fixability to the shelf. This allows a thinner base plate to be used, which makes it easier for goods to be placed on top of the base plate . The reduced rigidity requirement also increases the freedom of choice as regards the material which is used for the base plate. There is therefore freedom to choose a cheaper material or a material which has other desirable properties, for example transparency or the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the first portion is substantially larger than the second portion and the functional accessory part is arranged on the first portion. As a result, the first, front portion is allowed to be substantially bent when the functional accessory part is subjected to downwardly directed forces. Large downwardly directed forces can hence be brought to bear without the rear portion and hence the accessory coming free from the shelf. At least the second portion expediently comprises means for fixing the base plate to the shelf. The assurance that the accessory will maintain the intended position on the shelf, even when there are no goods placed on the base plate, is thereby improved. In those cases also where goods are placed on the base plate, such means help to maintain the position of the accessory on the shelf, for example if a passerby happens to knock sideways against the functional accessory part projecting from the shelf. The means for fixing the base plate to the shelf expediently comprise a magnetic layer, an adhesive layer, a suction cup, a mechanical clip or a combination of one or more of these means.

In order further to reduce the risk of the accessory being displaced from its position on the shelf, the functional accessory part is expediently articulately arranged on the base plate. This allows the functional accessory part to be knocked against by passersby without the force being transmitted to the base plate. The articulately arranged functional accessory part also correspondingly reduces the risk of it being broken loose from the base plate when the latter is fixed with great force to the shelf and when the functional accessory part is subjected to large forces.

The functional accessory part is expediently articulately arranged on the base plate, about two pivot axes arranged substantially at right angles to each other. The functional accessory part can hence be subjected to both horizontal and vertical forces, for example, without the risk of the shelf accessory coming free from the shelf or being broken in two.

The invention offers great freedom of choice when choosing the material in which the base plate is formed. It has proved expedient to form the base plate in any one of the materials PP, PA or PE. The functional accessory part can expediently be constituted by a flag holder, and the first and second portions of the base plate, on their respective shelf- facing sides, each have a layer of a magnetic material.

Further advantages and characteristics of the shelf accessory according to the invention emerge from the following detailed description of illustrative examples and of the patent claims.

Detailed description of an embodiment

Illustrative embodiments of the shelf accessory according to the invention are described below with reference to the figures, of which:

fig. Ia is a perspective view of one embodiment of the shelf accessory according to the invention,

fig. Ib is a partial enlargement of the shelf accessory shown in fig. Ia,

fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shelf accessory shown in fig. 1, in which a sheet- like flag is held in place by means of the functional accessory part of the accessory,

fig. 3a is a bottom view of a second embodiment of a shelf accessory according to the invention,

fig. 3b-c are side views which show the shelf accessory shown in fig. 3a following the adoption of various positions on a shelf,

fig. 4a is a bottom view of a third embodiment of a shelf accessory according to the invention,

fig. 4b-c are side views which show the shelf accessory shown in fig. 4a following the adoption of various positions on a shelf . Detailed description of embodiments

The shelf accessory shown in figure 1 comprises a base plate 10 and a functional accessory part 20.

The base plate 10 is configured as a relatively thin rectangular plate having a flat underside (not shown in fig. 1) . In the base plate 10 there are arranged four break-off tabs 11. When the shelf accessory is fixed onto a wire shelf or the like, one or more tabs can be broken off to allow wire clips to be introduced into the through holes which are formed in the base plate when the tabs are broken off. The wire clips can subsequently be snapped tight around the rigid wires in the wire shelf and can in this way fix the shelf accessory to the wire shelf. It will be appreciated that the holes through the base plate which are formed when the tabs are broken off can also be used to fix the shelf accessory with the aid of other clips, suction cups or similar mechanical arrangements in shelves of corresponding configuration.

The functional accessory part 20 shown in the figures is constituted by a so-called flag holder. Fig. 2 shows how a sheet-like flag 40 has been fixed between oppositely directed clamping members 21 provided on the flag holder 20. The flag holder 20 is arranged on a front short side 12 of the base plate 10 and is formed in one piece with the base plate by injection molding. When the shelf accessory is placed on a shelf, the front short side of the base plate is intended to be arranged parallel with and close to the front edge of the shelf. The flag holder 20 comprises a distancing part 22, which projects forward and upward from the front short side 12 of the base plate. The distancing part 22 comprises a first, elevated portion 23, which is intended to be arranged over, for example, a fixing strip (not shown) , which may be placed on the front edge of the shelf, for the securement of shelf dividers, feed devices and the like. The distancing part 22 also comprises a second portion 24, which is arranged on the first portion and has the shape of an inverted U. This second portion is configured to be able to receive for example, between its legs 24a, 24b, a data strip (not shown) arranged on the front edge of the shelf and jutting up above the shelf plane, and/or a so-called front edge stop (not shown) , which juts up from the shelf plane and prevents goods from sliding or falling down from the front edge of the shelf. The distancing part 22 of the shelf accessory thus allows simple placement of the shelf accessory on a shelf, even if this shelf is equipped on its front edge with ordinary, commercially available strips and other similar accessories.

With reference to fig. Ia and Ib, the functional accessory part 20, i.e. the flag holder, comprises a holder part 25 articulately arranged on the second portion 24 of the distancing part. The holder part 25 comprises the mutually opposing clamping members 21 and a hinge plate 26. The hinge plate 26 is connected by means of a horizontally arranged first joint 27 to the front leg 24a of the second portion 24 of the distancing part 22. The first joint 27 is configured by a thin material bridge. A pair of interacting stops 28 is provided, one on each side of the first joint 27, to prevent the hinge plate 26 and the holder plate 25 from being swiveled up around the joint 27 beyond the point where the holder part 25, from a maximally swiveled-up position, falls back into the normal position under its own weight. The holder part 25 also comprises a vertical clamping plate 29, on which the clamping members 21 are arranged. The clamping plate 29 is articulately fastened to the hinge plate 26 by means of two thin material bridges 30, which form a vertical joint fixed to the hinge plate 26. On the lower end of the clamping plate 29 there is arranged a rearward- projecting, horizontal, substantially triangular return plate 31. The rearward-facing surface of the return plate 31 bears in the normal position against a support surface 32, which is disposed on the front leg 24a of the second portion 24 of the distancing part 22. For increased clarity, figures Ia, Ib and 2 show the shelf accessory when the clamping plate 29 and the hinge plate 26 has been somewhat swiveled-up about the first joint 27 from this normal position. When the clamping plate 29 is rotated from the normal position about the vertical joint, one end of the rear- facing surface of the return plate 31, in bearing contact against the support surface 32, will be displaced along the support surface 32 and will at the same time force the clamping plate 29 and the hinge plate 26 to be rotated forward and upward about the first joint 27. Once the force rotating about the vertical joint ceases, gravity acts upon the flag 40, the clamping plate 29 and the hinge plate 26. The rear-facing surface of the return plate 31 is thereby forced, in bearing contact against the support surface, back into its starting position parallel with the support surface 32, whereupon the hinge plate 26, the clamping plate 29 and the flag 40 also regain their normal position.

Owing to the horizontal and vertical joints, the clamping plate 29, and a flag 40 fastened thereto by means of the clamping members 21, can be tilted both up and to either side from the normal position shown in fig. 2. The risk of the shelf accessory snapping, coming free from the shelf or being displaced from its intended position on the shelf, if, for example, a passerby happens to knock against the flag 40 jutting up from the shelf, or the holder part 25, is thereby reduced. If the flag 40 and the clamping part 29 are rotated from their normal position, about one or both of the axes, they will regain the normal position under the influence of gravity, as has been described above, once the rotary force ceases . With reference to fig. 3a-d, the base plate 10 comprises a hinge joint 13, which is constituted by a material thinning forming a thin, flexible material bridge. The hinge joint 13 extends at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the rectangular base plate 10, from one to the other long side thereof. The hinge joint thereby delimits the base plate in a first, front portion 14 and a second, rear portion 15. The hinge joint 13 is arranged closer to the rear end of the base plate 10, so that the front portion 14 is substantially larger than the rear portion.

On the underside of the base plate 10 there are arranged three magnets 16a, 16b and 17. The magnets are configured as relatively thin layers of a magnetized material, which layers are glued tight to the underside of the base plate 10. As can most clearly be seen from fig. 3a, two rectangular, larger magnets 16a, 16b are arranged side by side on the larger portion 14 of the base plate 10, in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the base plate. A rectangular, smaller magnet 17 is arranged on the smaller portion 15 of the base plate 10, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base plate. Fig. 3b shows how that embodiment of the shelf accessory which is shown in fig. 3a-d is fixed to a shelf 50. The shelf is made of a paramagnetic material such as steel. The shelf accessory is quite simply placed on top of the shelf in the intended position and fixed in this position by means of the interaction of the magnets 16a, 16b, 17 with the material in the shelf.

As can most clearly be seen from fig. 3c and 3d, the hinge joint 13 helps to detain the shelf accessory in the intended position on the shelf, even if the shelf accessory is subjected to powerful shocks and large forces in the vertical direction, both upward and downward . Fig. 3c shows how the flag holder 20 projecting in front of the shelf has been subjected to a powerful, upwardly directed shock. As can be seen from the figure, the shelf accessory will remain fixed to the shelf by means of the smaller magnet 17, even if the upwardly directed shock is so strong that the two larger magnets 16a, 16b come off from the shelf. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that the hinge joint 13 allows the front portion 14 of the base plate 10 to be given liberty to rotate about the hinge joint 13 in relation to the rear portion 15 of the base plate 10, which hence will not be subjected to any significant force from the shock. After the front portion 14 of the base plate 10 has swung upward, it will fall back down onto the shelf under the influence of gravity, whereupon the front portion and thus the whole of the shelf accessory regains its original intended position on the shelf.

In fig. 3d it is shown, in a corresponding manner, how the hinge joint 13 helps to retain the position of the shelf accessory on the shelf, also when the flag holder 20 is subjected to large downwardly directed forces. Fig. 3d shows how the flag holder 20 projecting forward from the shelf is subjected to such a strong, downwardly directed force that the base plate 10 is bent or bows upward. Owing to the hinge joint 13, which allows the front portion to be able to rotate about the hinge joint, this bending of the base plate is limited to its front portion 14. The rear portion 15 of the base plate therefore retains its position and its fixing to the shelf by means of the magnet 17, while the front portion is allowed to be bent, so that middle portions of the magnets 16a, 16b come free from the shelf 50. Once the downwardly directed force upon the flag holder 20 ceases, the elasticity of the base plate 10 causes the front portion to be straightened out and regain its original position, whereupon the whole of the shelf accessory also regains its original position. Fig. 4a-4d show an embodiment of the shelf accessory which differs from the embodiment shown in fig. 3a-3d only in that the two larger, front magnets 16a, 16b have been replaced by a smaller magnet 18, which is fixed to the underside of the base plate, close to the front short side 12. As can be seen from fig. 4a-4d, the accessory shown in these figures works in a corresponding manner to the accessory shown in fig. 3a- 3d when the flag holder is subjected to upwardly and downwardly directed shocks and forces . The embodiment shown in fig. 4a-4d has the advantage, inter alia, that it requires less permanent-magnetic material, and that the two magnets 17 and 18 can be identically configured, which means cost savings.

As an alternative not shown in the figures, the magnets 16a, 16b, 17 and 18 can be replaced by or supplemented by other means for fixing the shelf accessory to the shelf. For example, double-adhesive tape or glue can be applied to the underside of the base plate 10. Such adhesives can be applied in the positions in which the magnets 16a, 16b, 17 and 18 are placed in the above- described examples, or in other positions. The magnets can also be replaced by or supplemented by mechanical means for fixing the base plate 10 to the shelf. Examples of such mechanical means are clips, which are threaded through the holes formed when the tabs 11 are broken off and which are detachably snapped tight around rigid wires in a wire shelf. Another example is suction cups, which are fixed to the base plate with the aid of the aforesaid holes and which, by vacuum action with, for example, the flat top side of a glass or plastics shelf, secures the base plate to the shelf.

In the above-described embodiments, the functional accessory part is constituted by a flag holder. It will be appreciated, however, that the functional accessory part can be constituted by any other type of accessory part whatsoever. Examples of such other functional accessory parts are holders for coupons, advertising strips, brochures, product guides, aisle signs, or so- called hangstrips .

It will also be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the above-described examples, but that it can be freely varied within the scope of the subsequent patent claims.

Claims

Patent claims

1. A shelf accessory intended for fixing to a shelf (50) , which shelf accessory comprises a base plate (10) having a substantially flat underside, which is intended to be supported by the top side of a shelf, and a functional accessory part (20) , which is arranged on the base plate, characterized by a hinge joint (13) , which is arranged on the base plate (10) and is configured to allow a first portion (14) of the base plate to be rotated about the hinge joint in relation to a second portion (15) of the base plate.

2. The shelf accessory as claimed in claim I₁ in which the first portion (14) is substantially larger than the second portion (15) and the functional accessory part (20) is arranged on the first portion.

3. The shelf accessory as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 , in which at least the second portion (15) comprises means (17) for fixing the base plate (10) to the shelf (50) .

4. The shelf accessory as claimed in claim 3, in which the means for fixing the base plate to the shelf comprise at least one of a magnet (16a, 16b, 17, 18), an adhesive layer, a suction cup, or a mechanical clip.

5. The shelf accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, comprising break-off material tabs (11) for allowing the securement of means for fixing the base plate (10) to the shelf.

6. The shelf accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, in which the functional accessory part (20) is articulately arranged on the base plate (10) .

7. The shelf accessory as claimed in claim 6, in which the functional accessory part (20) is articulately arranged on the base plate (10) , about two pivot axes arranged substantially at right angles to each other.

8. The shelf accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1-7, in which the base plate (10) is formed in any one of the materials PP, PA or PE.

9. The shelf accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, in which the functional accessory part (20) is constituted by a flag holder, and the first (14) and second portions (15) of the base plate (10) , on their respective shelf-facing sides, each have a layer (16a, 16b, 17, 18) of a permanent-magnetic material.