Supports – Brackets – Specially mounted or attached
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2002-03-12
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Specially mounted or attached
C248S220410, C248S479000, C040S649000, C040S642010, C040S642020, C040S657000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06354546
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to point of purchase sign holders which display signs in a flag-like orientation. These are known in the industry as flag holders. More particularly, it relates to improved flag holders for use with display racks, shelves and other product carrying structures employed in retail stores for displaying merchandise. The holders enable signs or labels with prices and other information to be prominently displayed adjacent the merchandise held on product carrying structures such as shelves or peg hooks.
Businesses use a wide variety of devices to display products and sale prices to consumers. One of the known ways to display products in a retail environment involves the use of horizontally oriented display shelves. Another known way of displaying products is by mounting packages from hooks secured on a pegboard. Often in displaying products on shelves, it is difficult to prominently display sale tags or price signs due to a lack of space at the front edge of a shelf or display rack. This problem is exacerbated in the case of peg hooks where a small label holder is the only display surface available. As a result, it is desirable to provide a flag holder which is mounted on a shelf or display rack or on a peg hook for easy visibility of a sign by a consumer and which allows the sign to be readily attached to or removed from the shelf or display rack, or from a peg hook.
Price tag display hangers and label holders used in merchandising displays have been common for some time. One known device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,003. This device is a label holder with a transparent label cover which enables the label holder to carry adhesive or non-adhesive labels. The device further includes a foot and post mounting to provide cantilever support for the device. A disadvantage of this device is that the label is not easily removable. The label cover must be removed in order to allow removal of a label. Another disadvantage of this device is that the size of labels to be displayed is limited by the size of the label cover. Also, the foot and post mounting arrangement is disadvantageous from the standpoint that it allows the front end of the device to be tipped up, making possible an inadvertent disengagement of the device from the shelf it is attached to.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop new and improved sign holders, such as flag holders and label holders which would overcome the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sign holder for use with a product carrying structure for displaying retail products and merchandise. The sign holder can display prices, etc. to consumers.
More specifically, the sign holder may be attached to a display rack, a shelf or a peg hook and used to display signs. The signs may list prices, product information, the existence of a sale on the product, etc. The signs are preferably displayed in a flag orientation for viewing from the side.
In one preferred embodiment, a sign holder assembly comprises a base, a support member, and a holder. The base is comprised of a top surface, a bottom surface, and first and second ends. The support member comprises a planar body having a first end connected to the base and a second end connected to the holder. The holder includes a bottom wall, and first and second side walls which are spaced apart and extend from the bottom wall.
If desired, the holder can be pivotable in relation to the base via a hinge located on the support member. The base, the support member and the holder can be of one piece and made of a plastic material.
The base can further include a resilient fastener which is secured to the bottom surface of the base. The resilient fastener engages a wall surface adjacent a hole in a display rack or shelf.
The base can further include a finger which extends from the bottom surface of the base. The finger also engages a wall surface adjacent a hole in a display rack or shelf. The finger is spaced from the resilient fastener. Preferably, the finger and the resilient fastener are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the base.
If desired, the holder can further include a slotted top wall which is connected to the first and second side walls. The slot in the top wall accommodates a sign which can be selectively mounted in the holder.
One advantage of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved sign holder assembly having a base, a support member and a holder body. The holder selectively accommodates a sign.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a sign holder assembly having a variety of bases, a common support member, which includes a hinge, and a common holder body which forms a socket for selectively accommodating a sign.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a sign holder assembly in which a sign holder body is pivotable in a vertical plane via a hinge between a first orientation, approximately normal to a shelf front surface and a second orientation approximately parallel to the shelf front surface.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a sign holder assembly with a base which includes a resilient fastener and a finger, secured to the bottom surface of the base and spaced from each other. These two elements engage a wall surface adjacent a pair of spaced holes in a display rack to resist a removal of the base from the display rack by jostling.
Still yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a sign holder assembly which is of unitary construction and includes a base and a holder body which extends approximately normal to the base. The holder body is frame-like and includes pairs of spaced walls which define between them slots for selectively accommodating the edges of a sign.
A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of sign holder assembly including a frame-like holder having a slotted top wall through which a sign can be installed and removed.
A still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a sign holder assembly of unitary construction including a base, a support member and a frame-like sign holder. The base is adapted for mounting on a peg hook by cooperating with both a support leg for the label plate of the peg hook and the label plate itself.
Still other benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
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Fasteners For Retail 1997 Buyers Guide—Our Experience Is On Display, Cover Page, pp. 8, 9, 11, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 28.
Fasteners For Retail, Inc.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
King Anita
Marsh Steven M.
LandOfFree
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