Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Check – label – or tag – Attachment opening
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-15
2001-01-30
Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Check, label, or tag
Attachment opening
C040S662000, C174S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178681
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tags for merchandising displays, and more particularly to a tag having a hole and attached to an electrical device by an existing screw on the device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Labels have been used in the prior art most frequently to convey the price of an object to a consumer, but may also contain other information including inventory control numbers and/or the retailer's name. The labels may additionally relate information by their color (for example, a “red tag” sale). Labels of this type include adhesion labels, tag labels, and dumbbell labels.
Adhesion labels are useful for labeling flat items, but are not desirable if the label must be placed on the end product and then be scraped off the product by the purchaser. In addition, it is difficult to use an adhesion label for a merchandising display to effectively gain the attention of a potential customer because the adhesion label can only be supported by the product itself. An adhesion label is typically not stiff enough to extend above or below the product, and even if it is, the exposed sticky backside would become a magnet for dust and debris, ruining the aesthetic value of the display.
Conventional tag labels include a hole, usually punched near one edge, through which a string is threaded and knotted to form a continuous loop. Tag labels are typically attached to objects having an appendage or some other type of hole through which the string can pass. While conventional tag labels are typically stiffer than the above-described adhesion labels, the method for connecting them to objects has prohibited them from being extremely useful in merchandising displays, since the tag is allowed to flop around with the slightest breeze, making the tag difficult to read in a display.
Dumbbell labels are adhesive-backed dumbbell shaped labels which can be attached to an item and secured thereto by folding upon itself. These labels are difficult to properly align, and there is no opportunity for a second try. In addition, a hole or appendage is required on the device being displayed for the dumbbell label to be properly used.
Thus, the above known labels are not adequately suited for merchandising displays. In addition, they do not take into account the special needs of merchandising electrical devices.
The prior art has shown some attempts at solving the above-described problems where electric wires are concerned, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. D336,930, D338,688, and D344,980, show identification tags for electric wires. These tags, however, are limited in use to electrical wires, and they are designed for installer/electrician use rather than for merchandising and for gaining the attention of potential customers.
Thus, there is a need for a merchandising tag which is specifically designed for use on an electrical device, and which solves the above-described problems of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tag having an aperture which is stiff enough to be self-supporting above a displayed product.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tag having a shape enabling it to be used in many locations and angles relative to a displayed product.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tag attractive to consumers, including bright colors and relevant information about the displayed product.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electrical device which secures the tag of the present invention to the device by passing an existing screw of the device through the aperture of the tag.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method for merchandising an electrical device using the tag of the present invention.
Other objects will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electrical display preferably would include an electrical device, a screw passing through a portion of the electrical device, and a tag having a hole, wherein the tag is secured to the electrical device by passing the screw through the hole and back into said portion of the electrical device. In one embodiment, the electrical device may be a light switch with the tag being light bulb shaped and the screw passing through the yoke of the switch. In another embodiment, the screw may pass through a backbody of the electrical device.
The tag preferably includes identifying indicia about the electrical device, and may include two layers, a first layer being a fluorescent-colored non-glossy material bearing the indicia and a second layer being a stiff self-supporting plastic material. The tag may also have an upper bulbous section where the indicia is imprinted and a lower section where the hole is located, the upper section tapering towards the lower section, so that the tag may be pivotal about the screw and relative to the electrical device.
The display may further comprise a stiff self-supporting display panel to which the electrical device is attached, the panel having an attachment area having a plurality of apertures for attaching the electrical device to the attachment area, and an informational area for receiving indicia.
The present invention also encompasses a method for displaying an electrical device comprising the steps of selecting an electrical device to display, providing identifying indicia on a tag which relates to the electrical device, providing a preformed aperture on the tag, backing out an existing screw in the electrical device, pushing a shaft of the screw through the preformed aperture on the tag, screwing the screw into place on the electrical device and, securing the tag on the electrical device between a head of the screw and the electrical device.
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Caloia Lisa Cookie
Kandel Frederick
Kiggins Timothy
Melius Terry Lee
Miller William L.
Pass & Seymour, Inc.
Wall Marjama & Bilinski
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