Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Check – label – or tag – Holder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-30
2001-07-24
Green, Brian K. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Check, label, or tag
Holder
C040S651000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263603
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to extruded plastic label holders of the general type having a clear front panel joined to a second panel along bottom edges of both and normally disposed such that the front panel is positioned close to or presses against the second panel in a manner to retain paper labels between them. In a well known form of such label holders, typically installed along the front edge of display shelving, a lower portion of the label holder projects below the mounting surface therefor, providing a fulcrum around which the label holder may be flexed rearwardly to separate the panels at the top for placement or removal of the labels.
For many applications where the display shelving has a flat front surface, it is either necessary or desireable to secure the label holder to the front edge of the shelf by adhesive, such as an adhesive strip applied between an upper edge margin of the label holder panel and an upper margin of the front surface of the shelf. In such cases, when label holders of conventional design are allowed to project below the bottom edge of the shelf, the bottom of the label holder may be snagged by product removal from lower shelves, which tends to dislodge the label holder. This problem can be dealt with by using aggressive adhesives, but such adhesives present a clean up problem later on and are best avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a new and improved extruded plastic label holder is provided, which designed preferentially to be confined substantially within the vertical confines of the flat front surface of the shelving. To enable the label holder to be opened in a desired manner for placement and removal of labels, the label holder is provided with an integrally extruded fulcrum rib. The fulcrum rib extends generally at right angles to the panels of the label holder and displaces the lower portion of the label holder outward from the shelf front surface. This enables the label holder to be flexed about the fulcrum rib to open it for label manipulations.
In one of its basic forms the label holder of the invention is formed with two panels, a front panel and a second (back) panel, with the two panels being joined along their bottom edges. An adhesive strip, applied along an upper margin of the second panel, is utilized to mount the label holder to the flat front surface of a shelf. A short fulcrum rib is formed integrally with the second panel and extends toward the front surface of the shelf on which the label holder is mounted. The fulcrum rib is positioned a short distance above the lower edge of the label holder, and at a level to make contact with the shelf, and displaces the second panel a short distance in front of the front surface of the shelf. This enables the label holder to be flexed in the desired manner to accommodate label insertion and removal.
In a basic, two-panel configuration of the new label holder, flexing of the second panel about the fulcrum rib can stress the adhesive bond between the shelf front surface and the upper margin of the label holder. Accordingly, in a further preferred embodiment, the label holder includes a third panel flexibly connected at its top edge to the top edge of the second panel. In this embodiment, the label holder is adhesively bonded to the shelf by an adhesive strip mounted on the third panel. The fulcrum rib is integral with one of the second or third panels and extends between them to space the second panel away and enable it to be flexed for label manipulations.
An additional significant advantage of the three-panel embodiment is that, where the shelving is very narrow and/or it is desirable to use a label of considerable height, such that the bottom portion of the label holder will project below the bottom of the shelf, the label holder can be designed so that only the first and second panels project below the shelf. If these panels are accidentally snagged during product removal from the shelf below, the label holder can easily flex about the upper edge connection between the second and third panels.
In a further embodiment of the invention the panel at the back may be provided with a guide flange, extending rearwardly from the lower edge of the panel. The guide flange can be placed against the bottom of the shelf to facilitate accurate alignment of the label holder during the initial installation thereof.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4295288 (1981-10-01), Westberg
patent: 4745695 (1988-05-01), Hetzer
patent: 5044104 (1991-09-01), Hopperdietzel
patent: 5197215 (1993-03-01), Torsleff
patent: 5263269 (1993-11-01), Tjarnlund
patent: 5473833 (1995-12-01), Ostrovsky
patent: 5488793 (1996-02-01), Gebka et al.
patent: 5515632 (1996-05-01), Gebka et al.
patent: 5899011 (1999-05-01), Brinkman
patent: 6026603 (2000-02-01), Kump et al.
patent: 3346294 (1984-06-01), None
patent: 3900904 (1990-02-01), None
patent: 91/105324 (1991-04-01), None
Green Brian K.
Schweitzer Cornman Gross & Bondell LLP
Trion Industries Inc.
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