Sign holder

• US 20040255500A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Fast Mind LLC
• Original Assignee: The Fast Mind LLC
• Inventors: Fast, Jacob, Rojas, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 7,055,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/661.03
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like

Abstract

A sign holder assembly formed by a support member attachable to a supporting surface such as a merchandise-receiving shelf, and a sign carried by the support member. The support member includes a backing member and a hingedly secured, latchable, cover. A cruciform-shaped slit extends through the cover and the sign includes one or more bendable tabs inserted through the slits to be captured in a pocket formed when the cover is latched so as to support a flag generally perpendicularly to the supporting surface. The assembly may be secured to the shelf by “push pins” or the like and an attaching element may integrally incorporate the push pins, may include slots through which the push pins may be engaged in the shelf apertures, may be relatively thin so the push pins may pierce the same, or may include any combination of one or more such securing elements. The sign holder may also be formed with a rearwardly carried angular element adapted to be captured in the label-receiving pocket of a label holder and may be provided with an extension on the angular element enabling the sign holder assembly to be engaged in a C-channel.

Claims

24. In combination, a supporting surface and a sign holder assembly,

said sign holder assembly comprising a support member and a sign to be carried by said support member,

said support member comprising

a backing member and a cover each having a front face and a rear face,

a hinge pivotally interconnecting said backing member and said cover for movement of said cover relative to said backing member between an opened position and a closed position,

a latch resiliently securing said cover to said backing member in said closed position to define a sign holder-receiving pocket between said front face of said backing member and said rear face of said cover, an aperture defined through said cover communicating said front face of said cover with said sign holder-receiving pocket, and

securing means attaching said support member to a supporting surface,

said sign holder comprising

an element having opposed faces,

a tab along one edge of said element extendable at an angle to said faces,

said tab being inserted through said aperture in said cover of said support member to be captured in said sign holder-receiving pocket with said cover latched in said closed position to display said opposed faces of said sign holder at an angle to said supporting surface.

1. A sign holder assembly comprising a support member and a sign to be carried by said support member,

said support member comprising

a backing member and a cover each having a front face and a rear face,

a hinge pivotally interconnecting said backing member and said cover for movement of said cover relative to said backing member between an opened position and a closed position,

a latch resiliently securing said cover to said backing member in said closed position to define a sign holder-receiving pocket between said front face of said backing member and said rear face of said cover, an aperture defined through said cover communicating said front face of said cover with said sign holder-receiving pocket, and

securing means for attaching said support member to a supporting surface,

said sign comprising

an element having opposed faces,

a tab along one edge of said element extendable at an angle to said faces,

said tab being insertable through said aperture in said cover of said support member to be captured in said sign holder-receiving pocket when said cover is latched in said closed position to display said opposed faces of said sign holder at an angle to the supporting surface.

2. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 wherein said sign is a planar flag, said opposed faces being on opposite sides of said flag and being adapted to display information regarding merchandise carried by the supporting surface, said tab extending from one edge of said planar element, whereby said tab can be folded at a right angle to said planar element after inserting said tab through said aperture in said cover of said support member, and said cover can be latched to secure said sign to said support member.

3. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 wherein said sign comprises a pair of transparent elements connected to each other by a flexible hinge to enable said elements to be juxtaposed to define a flag-receiving pocket between their inner faces, each of said elements including a tab extending from juxtaposed edges spaced from said hinge, whereby a flag adapted to display information regarding merchandise carried by the supporting surface can be captured in said flag-receiving pocket, each of said tabs can be folded at oppositely directed right angles to its respective element after inserting said tabs through said aperture in said cover of said support member, and said cover can be latched to secure said sign to said support member.

4. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 in which said aperture in said cover comprises a slit which extends generally vertically in use so that said flag extends generally perpendicularly to the supporting surface.

5. A sign holder assembly according to claim 4 further including a generally horizontally extending slit crossing said vertically extending slit to facilitate inserting said tab through said cover into said flag-receiving pocket.

6. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 wherein said latch comprises a latch member resiliently secured at its proximal end to said front face of said backing member and extending perpendicularly therefrom, an upstanding shoulder on the distal end of said latch member to resiliently engage an edge of said cover spaced from said hinge in said closed position of said cover.

7. A sign holder assembly according to claim 6 wherein said latch comprises a pair of latch members resiliently secured to said backing member and defining a slot between them to accommodate edge portions of said sign in said closed position of said cover.

8. A sign holder assembly according to claim 6 further including an angular ramp along said distal edge of said latch member to facilitate engaging said edge of said cover behind said shoulder.

9. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 wherein the supporting surface includes a C-channel having an upper lip defining a downwardly opening upper pocket, and a lower lip defining an upwardly opening, lower pocket spaced from said upper pocket, said securing means comprising leg members extending from opposing edges of said backing member adapted to be resiliently engaged in the pockets defined by the upper and lower lips of the C-channel.

10. A sign holder assembly according to claim 9 wherein each leg member comprises a proximal portion extending angularly and rearwardly from an edge of said backing member and a distal portion extending generally parallel to said backing member, said distal portion including a terminal edge engageable in the pocket defined by a lip of the C-channel.

11. A sign holder assembly according to claim 10 wherein said angular portion of one of said leg members extends from said backing member beyond said hinge connecting said cover to said backing member and said angular portion of the other of said leg members extends from said backing member beyond said latch.

12. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 wherein said support member further includes a top member having a front edge and a rear edge, said front edge being secured to said rear face of said backing member and said top member extending generally perpendicularly with respect to said rear face, and an angular member having a top edge and a freely-extending bottom edge, said top edge of said angular member being secured to said rear edge of said top member and said angular member extending at an angle downwardly and toward said rear face of said backing member, whereby, if the supporting surface includes a label holder having a body panel hingedly connected to a cover member to define therebetween a label-receiving pocket, said angular member may be captured in the label-receiving pocket to attach said sign holder assembly to the supporting surface.

13. A sign holder assembly according to claim 12 wherein said support member further includes an extension element extending from said angular member beyond the point where said top edge of said angular member is secured to said rear edge of said top member, whereby, if the supporting surface includes a C-channel having an upper lip defining a downwardly opening upper pocket, and a lower lip defining an upwardly opening lower pocket spaced from said upper pocket, said extension element may be engaged in the upper pocket of the C-channel and said bottom edge of said angular member may be engaged in the lower pocket of the C-channel to attach said sign holder assembly to the supporting surface.

14. A sign holder assembly according to claim 1 wherein the supporting surface includes a shelf having a generally horizontally extending portion with an upper surface adapted to carry merchandise for display, the upper surface including a multiplicity of spaced through-apertures and a front edge, and a shelf lip extending downwardly from the front edge of the merchandise-supporting surface, said securing means comprising an attaching element carried by an upper edge of said backing panel at least along a portion of its length, and at least one flexible finger means engageable in at least one aperture in the merchandise-supporting surface of the shelf to secure said attaching element to the shelf.

15. A sign holder assembly according to claim 14 wherein one end of said attaching element is hingedly connected to said upper edge of said backing panel and said flexible finger means is carried by an undersurface of said attaching element.

16. A sign holder assembly according to claim 15 wherein said attaching element is a thin film and said flexible finger means is a push pin or the like adapted to pierce said film and engage in an aperture in the shelf.

17. A sign holder assembly according to claim 14 comprising flexible finger means engageable in a pair of spaced apertures in the merchandise-supporting surface of the shelf.

18. A sign holder assembly according to claim 15 wherein said flexible finger means is a push pin integrally formed in said undersurface of said attaching element.

19. A sign holder assembly according to claim 14 in which at least one flexible finger means comprises a discrete push pin and portions of said attaching member defines a slot through which said push pin can be engaged in a shelf aperture.

20. A sign holder assembly according to claim 19 wherein said slot is elongated to permit said push pin to be slid along its length to align with a shelf aperture.

21. A sign holder assembly according to claim 14 wherein the front surface of the shelf lip is generally planar and said rear surface of said backing member is adapted to rest against the front surface of the shelf lip in use.

22. A sign holder assembly according to claim 21 wherein the front surface of the shelf lip extends at an angle forwardly and downwardly between the front edge of the merchandise-supporting surface and a lower edge of the shelf lip.

23. A sign holder assembly according to claim 14 wherein the shelf lip defines a C-channel and a lower edge of said backing member is engageable in a lower lip of the C-channel.

25. The combination of claim 24 wherein said sign is a planar flag, said opposed faces being on opposite sides of said flag and displaying information regarding merchandise carried by said supporting surface, said tab extending from one edge of said planar element and inserted through said aperture in said cover of said support member and folded at a right angle to said planar element, and said cover being latched to secure said sign to said support member.

26. The combination of claim 24 wherein said sign comprises a pair of transparent elements connected to each other by a flexible hinge to enable said elements to be juxtaposed to define a flag-receiving pocket between their inner faces, each of said elements including a tab extending from juxtaposed edges spaced from said hinge, a flag displaying information regarding merchandise carried by said supporting surface being captured in said flag-receiving pocket, each of said tabs being inserted through said aperture in said cover of said sign holder and folded at oppositely directed right angles to its respective element, and said cover being latched to secure said sign holder to said base member.

27. The combination of claim 24 wherein said aperture in said cover comprises a slit which extends generally vertically whereby said flag extends generally perpendicularly to said supporting surface.

28. The combination of claim 27 further including a generally horizontally extending slit crossing said vertically extending slit to facilitate inserting said tab through said cover into said flag-receiving pocket.

29. The combination of claim 24 wherein said latch comprises a latch member resiliently secured at its proximal end to said front face of said backing member and extending perpendicularly therefrom, an upstanding shoulder on the distal end of said latch member resiliently engaging an edge of said cover spaced from said hinge in said closed position of said cover.

30. The combination of claim 29 wherein said latch comprises a pair of latch members resiliently secured to said backing member and defining a slot between them to accommodate edge portions of said sign in said closed position of said cover.

31. The combination of claim 29 further including an angular ramp along said distal edge of said latch member to facilitate engaging said edge of said cover behind said shoulder.

32. The combination of claim 24 wherein said supporting surface includes a C-channel having an upper lip defining a downwardly opening pocket and a lower lip defining an upwardly opening pocket, said securing means comprising a leg member extending from opposing edges of said backing member resiliently engaged in said pockets behind said upper and lower lips of said C-channel.

33. The combination of claim 32 wherein each leg member comprises a proximal portion extending angularly and rearwardly from an edge of said backing member and a distal portion extending generally parallel to said backing member, said distal portion including a terminal edge engaged in a pocket defined by one of said lips of said C-channel.

34. The combination of claim 33 wherein said angular portion of one of said leg members extends from said backing member beyond said hinge connecting said cover to said backing member, and said angular portion of the other of said leg members extends from said backing member beyond said latch.

35. The combination of claim 24 wherein said support member further includes a top member having a front edge and a rear edge, said front edge being secured to said rear face of said backing member and said top member extending generally perpendicularly with respect to said rear face, and an angular member having a top edge and a freely-extending bottom edge, said top edge of said angular member being secured to said rear edge of said top member and said angular member extending at an angle downwardly and toward said rear face of said backing member, said supporting surface including a label holder having a body panel hingedly connected to a cover member to define therebetween a label-receiving pocket, said angular member being captured in said label-receiving pocket to attach said sign holder assembly to said supporting surface.

36. The combination of claim 24 wherein said support member further includes a top member having a front edge and a rear edge, said front edge being secured to said rear face of said backing member and said top member extending generally perpendicularly with respect to said rear face, and an angular member having a top edge and a freely-extending bottom edge, said top edge of said angular member being secured to said rear edge of said top member and said angular member extending at an angle downwardly and toward said rear face of said backing member, an extension element extending from said angular member beyond the lower pocket of said C-channel to attach said sign holder assembly to said supporting surface.

37. The combination of claim 24 wherein said supporting surface includes a shelf having a generally horizontally extending portion with an upper surface adapted to carry merchandise for display, said upper surface including a multiplicity of spaced through-apertures and a front edge, and a shelf lip extending downwardly from said front edge of said merchandise-supporting surface, said securing means comprising an attaching element carried by an upper edge of said backing panel at least along a portion of its length, and at least one flexible finger means securing said attaching element in at least one aperture in said merchandise-supporting surface of the shelf.

38. The combination of claim 37 wherein one end of said attaching element is hingedly connected to said upper edge of said backing member and said flexible finger means is carried by an undersurface of said attaching element.

39. The combination of claim 37 wherein said attaching element is a thin film and said flexible finger means is a push pin or the like piercing said film and engaged in said aperture.

40. The combination of claim 37 comprising flexible finger means engaged in a pair of spaced apertures in the merchandise-supporting surface of the shelf.

41. The combination of claim 38 wherein said flexible finger means is a push pin integrally formed in said undersurface of said attaching element.

42. The combination of claim 37 in which at least one flexible finger means comprises a discrete push pin and portions of said attaching member define a slot, said push pin being engaged through said slot into said shelf aperture.

43. The combination of claim 42 wherein said slot is elongated to permit said push pin to be slid along its length to align with a shelf aperture.

44. The combination of claim 37 wherein said front surface of said shelf lip is generally planar and said rear surface of said backing member rests against said front surface of said shelf lip.

45. The combination of claim 44 wherein said front surface of said shelf lip extends at an angle forwardly and downwardly between said front edge of said merchandise-supporting surface and a lower edge of said shelf lip.

46. The combination of claim 37 wherein said shelf lip defines a C-channel and a lower edge of said backing member is engaged in a lower lip of said C-channel.

39-1. The combination of claim 37 wherein said attaching element is a thin film and said flexible finger means is a push pin or the like piercing said film and engaged in said aperture.