EP0531034A2 - Label holders - Google Patents

Abstract

A label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member (16), the label holder comprising an arm (1) provided with mounting means (4) at one end and label-receiving means (23) at the other end, the mounting means (4) comprising a plurality of means (6;8;11) for receiving, respectively, different types of display member (16).

Description

• This invention relates to a label holder and more particularly to a label holder for a member adapted to hold goods for display at the point of sale.
• It is known to employ display members or arms from which goods are suspended one behind the other. It is common to use the so-called "Euro-hook" type of display arm which is an arm having a mounting end of a fixed diameter even though the main body of the arm may have a different, and normally larger, diameter consistent with the weight of the goods to be displayed. The main body of a Euro-hook may be in the form of a single rod, or a pair of rods, and the or each rod may be straight, curved or crimped, for example.
• It is also known, for example for GB-a-2,205,674 and 2,149,179, for the end of the Euro-hook or other display member opposite the mounting end to be provided with a label holder which is usually pivotally mounted on the arm so as to be movable to a position generally planar with the adjacent end of the arm so that goods can be removed from, or loaded onto, the arm if the packaging is slotted, requiring it to be threaded on to the arm, as opposed to being provided with hooks which enable removal or loading without disturbing the label holder. In order to accommodate slotted packages, the label holder has to be limited in both width and thickness and this is not acceptable when relatively large labels are required which is becoming increasingly necessary with the advent of EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) labels, for example. Thus, a different labelling system is required from that discussed above.
• It has been proposed to provide a separate arm for use in conjunction with a Euro-hook, for example, which separate arm carries a label the area of which is not restricted by the nature of the goods being displayed. However, this separate arm is designed to fit only a specific form of display arm so that it is necessary to purchase a complete system, ie a display arm, such as a Euro-hook, and a label-holder arm designed specifically therefor, whereby stores, shops and the like are forced to replace their old display arms with the new system which is not always acceptable.
• According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member, the label holder comprising an arm provided with mounting means at one end and label-receiving means at the other end, the mounting means comprising a plurality of means for receiving, respectively, different types of display member.
• According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member, the label holder comprising an arm provided with mounting means at one end and label-receiving means at the other end, the mounting means having means for receiving the separate display member, the label holder further comprising stock limiter means selectively positionable on the arm and co-operable with the separate display member to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable thereon.
• As in the first aspect of the present invention, the mounting means of the second aspect may be provided with a plurality of means for receiving, respectively, different types of separate display member. The mounting means may comprise, for example, first receiving means in the form of a pair of apertures dimensioned to receive the respective mounting ends of a display member in the form of a pair of arms. Second receiving means may be in the form of a pair of tapered slots formed from one edge of the mounting means and adapted to receive the arms of a display member of differing cross-sectional area. The mounting means may also be provided with further receiving means additional to one or other of the aperture and tapered slot receiving means, the further receiving means being in the form of a single slot capable of receiving a display member in the form of a single arm or in the form of an aperture, with or without an accompanying tapered slot, as above. The single slot may be tapered so as to accommodate display arms of varying cross-sectional areas or maybe parallel sided and dimensioned so as to accommodate a range of sizes of such display members.
• A label holder in accordance with the first aspect of the invention may, like the second aspect, be provided with stock limiter means selectively positionable on the arm and co-operable with the separate display member to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable thereon. Preferably, the stock limiter of both aspects of the invention is provided with means for engaging the display member so as to offer a support therefor at a point thereon spaced from the mounting means, whereby the display member is better stabilised. The stock limiter may be provided with a central slot to receive a single display member, the slot being tapered or parallel sided as discussed in relation to the single slot of the mounting means, when provided. In addition, or alternatively, the stock limiter may be provided with a pair of indentations adapted to receive respective arms of a double-armed display member.
• The stock limiter is preferably selectively positionable along the arm by being provided with neck and head portions co-operable with a slot provided in the arm, one dimension of the neck and head portions being less than the width of the slot, whereby the stock limiter is engagable therein, and another dimension of the neck portion only being substantially equal to the width of the slot so that when the stock limiter is turned to engage that dimensioned portion of the neck with the slot, the stock limiter is retained in position on the arm. Alternatively, or in addition, the depth of the neck portion of the stock limiter can be such that the arm is gripped between the head and shoulder portions of the stock limiter, again to retain the stock limiter in a selected position on the arm. In either of these two arrangements, the stock limiter may be slidable relative to the slot in order to alter the position of the stock limiter without first having to turn it, move the stock limiter to the selected new position and then turn it again back to its operative position. However, in order to prevent inadvertent movement of the stock limiter relative to the arm, it is preferable to provide opposed pairs of recesses at intervals along the slot in the arm, the width (one dimension) of the neck portion of the stock limiter being generally equal to the maximum distance between a pair of opposed recesses, whereby when the stock limiter is turned to engage the neck portion within a pair of recesses, the stock limiter is prevented from sliding movement along the slot.
• The opposed pairs of recesses may be numbered for the convenience of a stock controller in ordering replacement display stock.
• The label-receiving means provided on the end of the arm opposite to the mounting means may be of conventional form and is preferably releasably attachable to the arm so that different shapes and/or sizes or label-receiving means may be employed without having to change the arm. Means may also be provided for mounting an auxiliary label-receiving means on the arm which can be arranged to overlay or be positioned adjacent the main label-receiving means, to flag a special offer, for example, in relation to the goods displayed on the display member associated with that arm.
• Label holders constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
• Figure 1 is a perspective and exploded view of the label holder, a mounting bracket therefor, and an associated display member;
• Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 1;
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sections on the lines A-A, B-B and C-C of the label holder, respectively, of Figure 3;
• Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of an alternative label holder fitted, respectively, on different types of display arms;
• Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view from the left-hand side of Figure 8;
• Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a further alternative label holder;
• Figure 11 is a partially cross-sectional view of the label holder of Figure 10 fitted to a support; and
• Figures 12 to 14 are respective fragmentary perspective views from one end of still further label holders.
• Referring to the drawings, the label holder constructed in accordance with the present invention is manufactured from synthetic plastics material but may be composed of other materials. The label holder comprises an arm 1 in the form of a flat strip and provided with anelongated slot 2 along its longitudinal axis, the slot terminating short of each end of the arm.Circular apertures 3 are provided at the two opposed ends of theslot 2 and at spaced intervals therealong, the intermediate apertures appearing, in effect, as opposed pairs of recesses 3' in view of the intervention of theslot 2.
• The arm 1 is provided at its rear end with mounting means in the form of an L-shaped bracket 4 having arecess 5 within which the end of the arm 1 is located and secured, for example by bonding. Thebracket 4 is provided with a central, parallel-sided slot 6 from the edge opposite that to which the arm 1 is attached, together with a pair of recess means indicated generally at 7 and each comprising second receiving means in the form of a taperedfirst portion 8 which tapers towards first receiving means in the form of anaperture 9 which is separated by aslot 11 from afurther aperture 12. Thus, each recess means 7 defines, in effect, a pair oflegs 13,14 leading to theaperture 9, theslots 11 andapertures 12 serving merely to allow thelegs 13,14 to be splayed apart, without splitting thebracket 4, when the latter is forced over a pair ofarms 15 of a Euro-hook 16, the arms thus being a snap fit into therespective apertures 9. If the diameter of thearms 15 at the position where thebracket 4 is to be mounted on the Euro-hook 16 is greater than that of theapertures 9, then the arms are received in the tapered recess orslot 8. The mounting end of the Euro-hook 16 maybe engaged with a pegboard or other wall member from which the hook extends to receive goods to be displayed thereon in a conventional manner. If the mounting wall member is a slatted wall, then a mounting bracket indicated at 17 may be employed. Thebracket 17 has a crankedupper portion 18 which is enagagable with a selected slot in the slatted wall panel (not shown) and itslower portion 19 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart studs the stems of which are dimensioned so as to be a snap fit in theapertures 11, whereby the arm can be securely mounted on thebracket 17. When using thebracket 17, a Euro-hook such as that indicated at 16, may still be employed and thearms 15 thereof will engage therespective recesses 8. Alternatively, a single-armed Euro-hook or other display member may be employed, this single arm passing through thecentral slot 6 in the arm mounting means 4, as well as a similarcentral slot 22 in thelower portion 19 of thebracket 17.
• The label holder is provided at the end remote from the mounting means 4 with label-receiving means 21 which may be of generally conventional construction and having arear panel 24, which may be opaque, and atransparent front panel 25 spaced therefrom, the twopanels 24,25 accommodating an EPOS or other label therebetween, which label may not only carry a bar code but other information for the direct benefit of a customer, such as price and a definition of the goods being displayed. The label-receiving means 23 is preferably releasably mounted on the arm 1 such as by a stud and aperture connecting means (not shown), the studs being provided on the arm and the apertures in arear flange 26 of the label-receiving means, or vice-versa, or at least one stud and one aperture on the arm and a corresponding aperture and stud on theflange 26. Aslot 27 may be provided in the arm 1 towards the end of which the label-receiving means is mounted, this slot receiving an auxiliary label-receivingmember 28 which may carry, for example, a special promotional offer and which may be arranged to overlay part of the main label-receiving means 23 or be arranged so as to be adjacent thereto.
• The label holder also comprises astock limiter 31 which comprises a pair oflegs 32, a pair of opposed recesses orindentations 33 providing, in effect, a waist portion for the stock limiter, abody portion 34, twoshoulder portions 35, a neck portion 36 and ahead 37. Thestock limiter 31 is selectively positionable along the arm 1 within theslot 2 therein and is releasably attached thereto. As seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the depth or front-to-rear dimension of the stock limiter is less than the width of theslot 2 but the width of the neck portion 36 is greater than the width of theslot 2 and generally equal to the diameter of theapertures 3 formed along theslot 2. Thus, to position thestock limiter 31 within theslot 2, it is first turned so that it is at right angles to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, whereby the stock limiter can be inserted through theslot 2, it then being moved to the desiredaperture 3 in which it is to be located, these apertures being numbered 1 to 8 in the illustrated embodiment. Whenstock limiter 31 has been positioned at theselected aperture 3, it is then turned back through 90 degrees so that the neck portion 36 is rotated within theselected aperture 3 and the head portion overlies the upper surface of the arm 1 and theshoulders 35 overlie the under surface of the arm 1. The height of the neck portion 36 is preferably arranged so that the head andshoulders 37 and 35 frictionally engage the respective surfaces of the arm 1 in order to help retain the stock limiter in position although it will be appreciated that once anaperture 3 has been engaged by the neck portion 36, thestock limiter 31 cannot be slid along theslot 2 without first turning it through 90 degrees.
• When a double-armed Euro-hook 16 or a single-armed Euro-hook, for example, is employed as the display member with which the arm 1 is to be used, the twoarms 15 of a double-armed Euro-hook 16 will engage theindentations 33 and thus be retained and supported thereby, making the Euro-hook more stable, especially if thebracket 17 is employed. If a single-armed Euro-hook is employed, then this will pass through thecentral slot 38 provided between thelegs 32 of thestock limiter 31, again to lend support to the Euro-hook and make the latter more stable.
• Referring now to Figure 7, this illustrates a slightly modified label holder compared to that shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Like parts have been allocated the same reference numerals and it will be seen that the main differences between the embodiment of Figure 7 and that of Figure 1 is in respect of each end of the label holder. Looking first at the rear or mounting end, thebracket 41 is moulded integrally with the arm 1 and is of a slightly different form to thebracket 4 of Figure 1. The difference is that the central, parallel-sided slot 6 is replaced by first and second receiving means 9 and 8 similar to that provided on each side thereof. In addition, two spacedholes 42 are provided above the receiving means for a purpose to be described.
• Looking now at the front, label-holding end of the arm 1, there is integrally moulded with the arm aninclined panel 43 which extends mainly below the arm 1 but also slightly above. The upper rear edge of thepanel 43 is provided with twopips 44 for a purpose to be described. It will be seen that the label holder of Figure 7 is shown mounted on a single Euro-arm 45 which is dimensioned so as to be received in theaperture 9 of the central receiving means of thebracket 41, as well as being received at the upper end of theslot 38 in thestock limiter 31. The actual label holder is indicated at 46 and is shown exploded with respect to thepanel 43. The label holder 46 is conveniently extruded in a continuous strip and cut to the required size. The label holder comprises abody portion 47 from which extend rearwardly to L-shapedmembers 48 which, together with the body portion, form two channel members which are arranged facing each other. The channel members are dimensioned so as to be a sliding fit over the upper and lower edges of thepanel 43 and thepips 44 ensure a friction fit between theupper channel 48 and the upper edge of thepanel 43 so as to retain the label holder 46 in position. Thebody portion 47 has an upwardly extendingflap 49 of a transparent material, behind which a label can be placed so it can lie between that portion and the main body portion. It will be appreciated that it is a simple matter to remove a given label holder 46 and to replace it by a differently sized label holder if required and/or to replace a label if it is not convenient to do this with a label holder in situ on the arm 1.
• Another difference between the embodiments of Figures 1 and 7 is that the head andshoulders 37 and 35 of thestock limiter 31 are generally oval as seen in plan view, whereby there is an oval annular space between the two which means thestock limiter 31 is always retained on the arm 1 even when being slid along theslot 2 which is not the case in the embodiment of Figure 1.
• A still further difference is that thetapered slots 8 has an arcuate cut-out 50 which can accommodate a component as will be described hereinafter.
• With this modifiedstock limiter 31, the assembly thereof on the arm 1 is slightly different, whereby to position thestock limiter 31 within theslot 2, it is first turned so that it is at right angles to the position shown in Figure 7 of the drawings, the side edges of the arm 1 adjacent theslot 2 are then displaced oppositely out of the plane of the arm so as to allow the insertion of the enlargedoval head 37 into the slot, and the stock limiter is then moved to the desiredaperture 3 in which it is to be located, these apertures being numbered 1 to 8 in the illustrated embodiment. When thestock limiter 31 has been positioned at the selectedaperture 3, it is then turned back through 90 degrees so that the neck portion 36 is rotated within the selectedaperture 3 and the head portion overlies the upper surface of the arm 1 and theshoulders 35 overlie the under surface of the arm 1 as before.
• Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7 in that it has the same modifications to the rear and front ends of the arm 1 and to thestock limiter 31 but is shown fitted to a double Euro-arm 16, similar to that depicted in Figure 1. Theapertures 42 provided in thebracket 41 of the label holders of both Figure 7 and 8 are to receive studs provided on a mounting accessory which will be discussed later in respect of other embodiments.
• Turning now to Figure 9, this illustrates a label holder similar to that of Figure 7 or 8 but showing its use with a double-armed Euro-bar 16, the rear ends of which are inwardly and then downwardly turned as indicated at 51 and 52, respectively. The label holder is adapted for mounting on a peg board as a support member, the peg board not being shown but being of conventional form, i.e. a panel provided with a series of regularly spaced holes. In the arrangement of Figure 9, a mountingclip 53 is provided which us U-shaped with the outer ends of thelimbs 54 being upwardly turned at 55. Thelimbs 54 of theclip 53 are received in theapertures 50 associated with thetapered slots 8 of the first and second receiving means. The label holder is mounted on a peg board by first inclining the holder upwardly, engaging the upturned ends 55 of theclip 53 in respective holes in the peg board, and then lowering the label holder to a generally horizontal position.
• Turning now to Figures 10 and 11, this shows a further embodiment of the invention which is similar to that of Figure 7 but provided with an auxiliary mounting member oraccessory 56 in order to permit mounting of the label holder in a so-calledslatwall mounting panel 57 which is shown in cross-section in Figure 11. Thepanel 57 has a number of vertically spaced T-shaped slots, thecross piece 58 of which is disposed generally centrally of the panel and extends generally parallel to the faces thereof. Theaccessory 56 is in the form of a plate having twoangled limbs 60' and 60", thelimb 60" being provided with two spaced studs which fit into theapertures 42 in thebracket 41 of the label holder. The studs may be a push fit into theholes 42 and/or may be secured therein by adhesive. The single Euro-arm 46 is attached to a mountingplate 59 having a channel-sectionupper edge 61. The free limb of thechannel 61 is passed through thestem 62 of the T-shaped slot in theslatwall panel 57 and hooks over the edge thereof as illustrated in Figure 11. The label holder 1 is mounted by inclining it upwardly, inserting the angled limb 60' through thestem 62 of the T-shaped slot and then moving the label holder to the generally horizontal position, at the same time engaging the Euro-arm 46 in theaperture 9 of the central receiving means.
• Turning now to Figure 12, a still further embodiment of label holder is illustrated and this also takes the general form of the embodiment of Figure 7 but is shown fitted with a different mounting accessory to that of the embodiment of Figure 10. The accessory 56 in this instance is in the form of an L-shaped member, the generally horizontal (as seen in Figure 12)limb 70 of which has a pair of studs on its edge which are received in theapertures 42 in thebracket 41 in a manner similar to theaccessory 56 of the embodiment of Figure 10. The inner surface of thelimb 70 is provide with two spacedextensions 63 to provide abutments. The L-shapedaccessory 56 forms a channel with the body of thebracket 41 and this channel receives the upper edge of a U-shaped mountingmember 64 which engages theabutments 63 and which itself receives a so-called pin bar which may be attached to a peg board or other support means (not shown).
• The embodiment of Figure 13 is similar to that of Figure 8 in that the label holder is mounted on a double-armed Euro-hook 16, the rear ends of which are turned downwardly through 90° and are received inrespective sockets 65 provided in a mountingplate 66 which is otherwise generally similar to the mounting plate of Figure 10. Thesockets 65 are formed by displacing portions of the body of the plate at 66 and there are three pairs of such sockets formed so as to provide three different mounting positions for the Euro-hook and hence the label holder 1.
• The embodiment of Figure 14 is slightly different from that described in relation to Figure 7 to 13 inasmuch as the mountingbracket 41 does not have first and second receiving means but does have receiving mens in the form of a central parallel-sided slot 6 as in the embodiment of Figure 1. The rear face of thebracket 41 is provided withintegral abutment studs 67 for engagement with a mountingplate 68 which has a turnedupper edge 69 for engagement with a so-called bar hook and a lowerrearwardly extending flange 71 which acts as a bearing support against the panel or other support on which the bar hook is provided, neither the bar hook nor the support panel being shown. The embodiment of Figure 14 is for use with a single arm Euro-hook 16, the rear, down-turned end of which is secured to the mountingplate 68.
• The arm 1 is conveniently made in two sizes to accommodate differing thicknesses of Euro-hooks or other display means and it will be seen from the embodiments of Figures 7 to 13 that any size of arm can be adapted to different mounting means either by way of the plurality of receiving means provided on the mountingbracket 41, and/or by way of the mountingaccessories 56 which may be attached using, for example, the stud andaperture 42 arrangement described above. Thus, there is provided a virtually universal arm which is readily adapted to different types of mounting means and display members, whereby it is not necessary for users to purchase a complete system just because the label holder is required for use with a different type of display member and/or mounting means.
• It will also be seen that a label holder in accordance with the present invention not only provides a facility for accommodating a label of any required size since the arm is separate from the display member on which the actual goods for sale are mounted, but may also provide a stock limiting facility which in turn can be used to locate and support the Euro-hook, or other display member which is employed.

Claims (15)

1. A label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member (16;45), characterised in that the label holder comprising an arm (1) provided with mounting means (4;41) at one end and label-receiving means (23;46) at the other end, the mounting means comprising a plurality of means (6,8,9) for receiving, respectively, different types of display member.
2. A label holder for goods displayed on a separate display member (16;45), characterised in that the label holder comprising an arm (1) provided with mounting means (4;41) at one end and label-receiving means (23;46) at the other end, the mounting means having means (6,8,9) for receiving the separate display member, the label holder further comprising stock limiter means (31) selectively positionable on the arm and co-operable with the separate display member to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable.
3. A label holder according to claim 2, wherein the mounting means (4;41) is provided with a plurality of means (6,8,9) for receiving, respectively, different types of separate display member.
4. A label holder according to any of the preceding claims wherein the receiving means of the mounting means comprise a pair of apertures (9) dimensioned to receive the respective mounting ends of a display member (16) in the form of a pair of arms (15).
5. A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving means comprise, or further comprise, a pair of tapered slots (8) formed from one edge of the mounting means (4;41) and adapted to receive the arms (15) of display members (16) of differing cross-sectional area.
6. A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving means comprise a single slot (6) capable of receiving a display member in the form of a single arm, the slot being parallel-sided or tapered so as to accommodate display arms of varying cross-sectional areas.
7. A label holder according to claim 1 and further comprising stock limiter means (31) selectively positionable on the arm (1) and co-operable with the separate display member (16;45) to vary the effective length of the display member and hence limit the stock of goods displayable thereon.
8. A label holder according to claim 2, or any of claims 3 to 6 when appended thereto, or claim 7, wherein the stock limiter (31) is provided with means (33;38) for engaging the display member (16;45) so as to offer a support therefor at a point thereon spaced from the mounting means (4;41), whereby the display member is better stabilised.
9. A label holder according to claim 8, wherein said means for engaging the display member comprise a central slot (38) to receive a single display member (45), the slot being tapered or parallel sided, and/or a pair of indentations (33) adapted to receive respective arms (16) of a double-armed display member (15).
10. A label holder according to claim 2, or any of claims 3 to 7 when appended thereto, or to claim 8 or 9, wherein the stock limiter (31) is selectively positionable along the arm (1) by being provided with neck and head portions (36;37) co-operable with a slot (2) provided in the arm, one dimension of the neck and head portions being less than the width of the slot, whereby the stock limiter is engagable therein, and another dimension of the neck portion being substantially equal to the width of the slot so that when the stock limiter is turned to engage that dimensioned portion of the neck with the slot, the stock limiter is retained in position on the arm.
11. A label holder according to claim 10, wherein the depth of the neck portion (36) of the stock limiter (31) is such that the arm is gripped between the head (37) and shoulder portions (35) of the stock limiter.
12. A label holder according to claim 10 or 11, wherein opposed pairs of recesses (3') are provided at intervals along the slot in the arm, the width of the neck portion of the stock limiter being generally equal to the maximum distance between a pair of opposed recesses, whereby when the stock limiter is turned to engage the neck portion within a pair of recesses, the stock limiter is prevented from sliding movement along the slot.
13. A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the label-receiving means (23;46) provided on the end of the arm (1) opposite to the mounting means (4:41) is releasably attachable to the arm so that different shapes and/or sizes or label-receiving means may be employed without having to change the arm.
14. A label holder according to any of the preceding claims and further comprising auxiliary label-receiving means (28) mounted on the arm (1) which may be releasably and/or slidably mounted on the arm (1).
15. A label holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means is adapted to receive auxiliary mounting means (56).

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