Advertising display mounting device

• US 5,289,652 A
• Filed: 05/20/1991
• Issued: 03/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: News America Marketing Properties LLC (News Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ActMedia, Inc.
• Inventors: Frichette, Robert S., Richardson, James E., Kringel, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREEN, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/704,835
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 40/606, 40/611, 40/608, 40/642, 40/651, 40/659, 248/228, 248/549, 248/229, 248/900, 248/231.2, 81/128, 81/142, 269/122, 269/210, 269/233, 269/266, 269/275, 269/285, 403/374, 403/373, 403/368, 403/367, 403/334, 403/409.1
• US Class Current: 40/651
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/201 Enclosures enveloping completely the labels G09F3/203 - G09F3/207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/18 Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/45 Flexibly connected rigid members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/453 Flexible sleeve-type coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/458 Composite bushing with elastomeric component

Abstract

An advertising display mounting device is provided for attaching promotional displays, dispensers, or other objects to a price channel mounted on the edge of a grocery or other retail store shelf. The advertising display mounting device has first and second clips adapted to mate with the price channel of a grocery or other retail store shelf. The clips are forced into mated relation with the price channel by a locking slide. First clip is provided having a plurality of teeth. Second clip has a slot formed therein for accepting first clip so that first and second clips are oriented parallel to each other and to the price channel. A channel formed in second clip accepts a locking slide, also having one or more teeth for cooperating with the corresponding teeth on first clip. As locking slide is forced into the channel, first and second teeth mesh and move the first clip relative to the second clip to lock the mounting device in the price channel. Attachment is also provided by a spring nested inside a sleeve to limit the degree of extension of the spring and sleeve assembly and to secure the shelftalker or other mounted object to second clip.

Claims

1. A mounting device for removable attaching an object to a structure, comprising,

first means adapted to engage the structure, said first means having first and second surfaces, said first means further comprising:

a slide having an axial direction, said slide comprising first teeth disposed on said first surface of said slide and

a first clip disposed on said second surface of said slide in substantially non-parallel relation to said axial direction of said slide;

second means adapted to engage the structure comprising;

a body having a slot formed therein oriented in substantially non-parallel relation to said first clip,

said body further having a channel formed therein oriented in substantially non-parallel relation to said slot, said channel communicating with said slot, and

a second clip disposed in relation to said first clip for cooperating with said first means to engage the structure;

slide means for cooperating with said channel, said slide means comprising second teeth; and

resilient attachment means for connecting the object to said second means;

wherein said second teeth are disposed adjacent said first teeth through said communication between said slot and said channel, said second teeth cooperating with said first teeth to force said first and second means into and out of engagement with the structure;

wherein said first and second means are engaged with the surface by moving said slide means in one direction along said channel and said first and second means are disengaged from the surface by reversing the direction of movement of said slide along said channel.

2. An advertising display mounting device for attaching a shelftalker to a price channel comprising:

a first clip means having,

a slide having a plurality of first teeth disposed in a first surface of said slide facing away from the price channel, and

a first clip mounted to a second surface of said slide facing towards the price channel;

a second clip means having,

a back plate,

a second clip mounted to said back plate and facing the price channel,

said back plate having a slot formed therein for slidably receiving said first clip means, said first clip means mounted for displacement relative to said second clip means,

a cam mounted on said back plate to form a channel between said cam and said back plate, said channel oriented in substantially perpendicular relation to said slot in said back plate, and

a threaded aperture formed in said cam;

a locking slide formed for cooperation with said channel to allow said locking slide to mate with said first and second clip means, said locking slide having second teeth for cooperating with said first teeth to force said first and second clips in mounted relation with the price channel;

a resilient connector means having,

a spring, and

a spring sheath encasing said spring for preventing extension of said spring beyond the limits of elastic deformation of said spring, said spring sheath having proximal and distal ends;

a lock plate connected to said proximal end of said spring sheath to secure said resilient connector means to said lock plate, said lock plate having a first fastener aperture;

a concave shroud having,

a concave surface abutting said lock plate,

a resilient connector slot for permitting passage of said resilient connector means through said shroud, and

a second fastener aperture formed therethrough; and

fastener means for insertion through said threaded aperture of said cam and said first and second fastener apertures of said lock plate and said shroud, respectively, to connect said shroud to said lock plate and said second clip means;

the shelftalker being adapted to grip said distal end of said spring sheath to connect the shelftalker to said shroud.

3. A mounting device for removably attaching an object to a structure comprising:

first means having,

a slide having first teeth disposed on one surface of said slide, and

a first clip mounted to said slide;

second means having,

a body having a slot formed therein, said slot formed to slidably receive said first clip for slidable movement with respect to said body, said body further having a channel formed therein oriented in substantially non-parallel relation to said slot, and

a second clip mounted to said body for cooperating with said first means to engage the structure;

slide means for insertion into said channel, said slide means having second teeth for cooperating with said first teeth of said first clip to force said first means and said second means into and out of engagement with the structure as said slide means is moved in said channel; and

attachment means for connecting the object to said second means, wherein said attachment means includes,

a spring for resiliently mounting the object with respect to said second means,

a spring sheath engaging said spring for preventing extension of said spring beyond its limits of elastic deformation,

a plate for connecting the object to said body of said second means, said plate being connected to said spring sheath,

a shroud abutting said plate, and

fastener means for connecting said shroud and said plate to said second means to connect the object to said second means.

4. The mounting device of claim 3, wherein the object is a shelftalker.

5. A mounting device for removably attaching an object to a price channel structure comprising:

first means including first teeth and a first clip;

second means including a second clip for cooperating with said first clip to engage the price channel structure and a body having,

a slot formed therein to receive said first means, and

a channel formed therein and oriented in non-parallel relation to said slot; and

slide means formed for sliding cooperation with said channel of said second means, said slide means including second teeth; and

attachment means for connecting the object to said second means and including a resilient connector means;

wherein said second teeth cooperate with said first teeth to force said first means and said second means into and out of engagement with the price channel structure, said first and second means being engaged with the price channel structure by moving said slide means in one direction along said channel and said first and second means being disengaged from the price channel structure by reversing the direction of movement of said slide means along said channel.

6. The mounting device of claim 5, wherein said resilient connector means comprises a spring and an extension limiter to prevent extension of said spring past its limit of elastic deformation.

7. A mounting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said resilient connector means allows radial movement of said attachment means to another position relative to said second means.

8. A mounting device for removably attaching an object to a structure comprising:

first means adapted to engage the structure, said first means including,

a slide having a first surface, a second surface, and first teeth disposed on said first surface of said slide, and

a first clip mounted to said second surface of said slide and oriented in a substantially perpendicular direction in relation to an imaginary longitudinal axis along said slide;

second means adapted to engage the structure including,

a body having a slot formed therein for slidably receiving said first clip, said body further having a channel formed therein and oriented in substantially non-parallel relation to said slot, and

a second clip mounted to said body for cooperating with said first means to engage the structure;

locking slide means for positioning in said channel of said body, said locking slide means including second teeth; and

resilient attachment means for connecting the object to said second means;

wherein said second teeth communicate with said first teeth to force said first and second means into and out of engagement with the structure, said first and second means being engaged with the structure by moving said locking slide means in one direction along said channel, and said first and second means being disengaged from the structure by reversing the direction of movement of said slide along said channel.

9. The mounting device of claim 8, wherein said object comprises a shelftalker.

10. The mounting device of claim 8, wherein said resilient attachment means includes resilient connector means.

11. The mounting device of claim 10, wherein said resilient connector means comprises a spring and an extension limiter to prevent extension of said spring past its limit of elastic deformation.

12. The mounting device of claim 8, wherein said attachment means comprises means for allowing the object to be rotated through a variety of positions relative to the axis of the structure.

13. A resiliently-mounted display for detachably mounting a display object to a structure comprising:

a mounting device portion including,

first means adapted to engage the structure and including first teeth,

second means adapted to engage the structure and including a body having a slot formed therein to receive said first means and a channel formed therein and oriented in substantially non-parallel relation to said slot,

slide means for sliding receipt by said channel, said slide means including second teeth wherein,

said second teeth cooperate with said first teeth to force said first means and said second means into and out of engagement with the structure, said first and second means being engaged with the structure by moving said slide means in one direction along said channel and said first and second means being disengaged from the structure by reversing the direction of movement of said slide means along said channel;

a display portion; and

attachment means for attaching said display portion to said mounting device including,

a resilient, bendable, substantially non-compressible element,

an elastically deformable sheath snugly enclosing said resilient, bendable, substantially non-compressible element, and

means for anchoring said display portion to said second means of said mounting device;

wherein said sheath has a higher rate of cross-sectional area reduction than said resilient, bendable, substantially non-compressible element in response to an axial elongating stress applied between the ends of said sheath so as to maintain the display portion in axial relationship with respect to the structure while enabling the display portion to be flexed with respect to the structure.

14. The resiliently-mounted display as claimed in claim 13, wherein, said sheath and said resilient, bendable, substantially non-compressible element are formed of flexible and elongatable material, and which, when snugly interfitted to one another, are substantially unextendable while retaining bendability.

15. The resiliently-mounted display as claimed in claim 13, wherein, said sheath comprises a normally retracted, flexible, elongatable, coiled spring, which, when elongated, undergoes a cross-sectional area reduction.

16. The resiliently-mounted display as claimed in claim 13, wherein, said sheath is formed from elongatable and deformable plastic material.

17. The resiliently-mounted display as claimed in claim 13, wherein, said sheath is formed from polyurethane plastic material.

18. The resiliently-mounted display as claimed in claim 13, wherein, said sheath comprises end located flanges which are respectively anchored to said display portion and a portion of said attachment means.