Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Signs – Sign support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-24
2002-04-02
Davis, Cassandra H. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Signs
Sign support
C040S642010, C211S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06363643
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to a sign mounting system and graphic for use therewith. More particularly, the invention pertains to an adjustable sign mounting system and a frameless graphic for mounting to the mount system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Consumers will readily recognize hundreds if not more of types of different signs and sign systems used in the retail trades. Signs and their mounting systems are available in a wide array of sizes and types and mounting arrangements. Typically, traditional stationary signs are mounted to structures such as shelving, or from a vertical support element such as a shelf standard at the rear of the shelves, or mounted to vertical standards at the front of the shelves. Such signs provide readily visible signage to, for example, direct a consumers attention to the merchandise stocked on the shelf. Many such signs are exemplified by those that extend outwardly from the shelf or from the shelf support standard into an aisle-way.
While the signs are quite effective in directing a consumers attention to a particular location, item or product, because the signs can extend into an aisle-way they can be readily struck and damaged by for example, a shopping cart or a forklift that may be used for restocking the shelves.
One known type of mounting system for such an aisle-way installation includes one or more rigid support portions that extend from the shelf or shelf standard to the body of the sign. The sign includes a frame that is mounted to the rigid support. As will be readily understood, such rigid support members may not readily absorb the impact of the sign being struck. To this end, the signs or mounts can be broken, damaged or bent when struck.
Another type of sign mount includes hinges that permit the sign to rotate or pivot in the event that the sign is struck. Although such mounts do provide reduced opportunity for damaging the sign or mount, these mounts are mechanical elements that can require maintenance, repair or replacement to maintain the hinge elements operable and the sign in a visually acceptable condition.
Other types of sign mounts include those that are permanently affixed to the shelf or standard and include a coextruded flexible, resilient plastic strip that forms a hinge extending between the flange and the sign. Again, although this system appears to function well for its intended purpose, it requires a co-extrusion process that can be quite complicated and cumbersome resulting in a significant increase in the cost of fabricating such a sign support.
Additionally, such signs typically require a frame to maintain the graphic mounted to the shelf or standard support. Such frames may include extrusion or injection molded portions that require assembly in order to mount the sign. Such additional frame elements increase the overall cost of the sign as well as the labor required to mount the sign.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a sign support that readily withstands the impact of an object striking the sign, without permanently damaging the sign or the support. Most desirably, such a support system and sign is flexible in design and can be used with any of a variety of types of retail display arrangements, (e.g., overstock shelving, pallet rack shelving and the like). Such a sign system most desirably uses a graphic mounted to the mount or support without a frame, which graphic is locked into place on the mounting system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An adjustable sign mount and graphic for mounting to an associated display includes a spine defining an elongated dimension and having a bracket channel and a graphic channel. Each the bracket channel and the graphic channel include a plurality of support walls transverse to the spine elongated dimension and a plurality of locking walls parallel to the spine elongated dimension. The locking walls extend respectively from the support walls to define bracket channel and graphic channel upper and lower locking walls. The bracket channel and graphic channel upper and lower locking walls define bracket and graphic spine openings, respectively, in the bracket and graphic channels.
A mounting bracket has a first end mountable to the associated display and a second end defining a mounting portion. The mounting bracket can be configured for mounting to a variety of displays, such as a shelf standard or upright (positioned at the front of the shelves or at the rear of the shelves). The mounting bracket can also be configured for mounting to a shelf lip or the like.
The mounting portion is configured for insertion into one of the bracket spine openings and lockingly engagable with opposing upper and lower bracket locking walls.
A graphic having a mounting portion and an indicia-containing portion is configured for securing to the spine at the mounting portion. The mounting portion is formed at an edge of the graphic and includes a plurality of hook-like elements. Each hook-like element has a barb at an end thereof. The hook-like elements are configured for insertion into associated graphic spine openings and the graphic is movable for engaging each barb with an associated graphic locking wall to secure the graphic to the spine.
In a preferred embodiment, the graphic channel includes a shoulder at an end thereof and the graphic includes a locking tab configured to secure the graphic, in a direction parallel to the elongated dimension of the spine, when the graphic is engaged with and secured to the spine.
In one embodiment, the bracket channel and the graphic channel are in side-by-side relation to one another. In an alternate embodiment, the bracket channel and the graphic channel are in back-to-back relation to one another. In this alternate embodiment, the bracket and graphic channels can be shared.
The bracket mounting portion preferably includes a head portion that is insertable in to the respective bracket spine opening. Most preferably, the head portion terminates at a shoulder at one end and extends from another end into a camming region. The camming region can terminate at a notch that is configured to engage the respective lower locking wall of the bracket spine opening.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5348385 (1994-09-01), Berg
patent: 5419134 (1995-05-01), Gibson
patent: 5832644 (1998-11-01), Mason
patent: 6086033 (2000-07-01), Calleja
patent: 6112913 (2000-09-01), Rindoks et al.
Evans Paul C.
Padiak Scott
Cormark, Inc.
Davis Cassandra H.
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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