Attachment bracket for a rail

• US 6,409,132 B2
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Original Assignee: Display Edge Technology, Ltd.
• Inventors: Wildman, Andrew Eric, Noll, Douglas Joseph, Ferralli, Samuel Anthony, Heisler, Jon Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMIREZ, RAMON O
• Application Number:
  US09/302,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20010048057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 248/220.22, 248/223.41, 248/220.21, 248/243, 406/420.2, 403/297, 403/362
• US Class Current: 248/220.22
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like

Abstract

A bracket for coupling a rail having an upper slot and a lower slot to a shelf edge having an upper groove and a lower groove. The bracket comprises a central body portion, an upper flange extending generally upwardly from the body portion, a lower flange extending generally downwardly from the body portion, and a plate. The plate is received between the upper and the lower flanges such that as the plate is moved toward the body, the plate urges the upper flange and the lower flange into the upper and lower groove, respectively, to couple the bracket to the shelf edge. The bracket further comprises a first upper tang extending generally upwardly from the body portion and a first lower tang extending generally downwardly from the body portion, the upper tang and lower tang being shaped to be received in the upper and lower slot, respectively. At least one of the tangs has at least one tang groove therein to facilitate the attachment of the bracket to the rail.

Claims

1. A bracket for coupling a rail having an upper slot and a lower slot to a shelf edge having an upper groove and a lower groove, the bracket comprising:

a central body portion;

an upper flange coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said body portion;

a lower flange coupled to and extending generally downwardly from said body portion;

a plate received between said upper and said lower flanges such that as said plate is moved toward said body said plate urges said upper flange and said lower flange into said upper and lower groove, respectively, to couple said bracket to said shelf edge;

a first upper tang coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said body portion; and

a first lower tang coupled to and extending generally downwardly from said body portion, said upper tang and lower tang being shaped to be received in said upper and lower slot, respectively, at least one of said first tangs having at least one rail receiving portion located at a distal end thereof to facilitate the attachment of said bracket to said rail.

2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said rail receiving portion is a groove in said tang shaped to receive melted portions of said rail therein when said rail is attached to said bracket by heat staking.

3. The bracket of claim 2 wherein said tang groove is formed in an outer surface of said at least one first tang.

4. The bracket of claim 3 wherein said tang groove extends about 2 mm into said tang.

5. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the other of said first tangs includes at least one rail receiving portion therein to facilitate the attachment of said bracket to said rail.

6. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said rail receiving portion is a hole that is shaped to receive melted portions of said rail therein when said rail is attached to said bracket by heat staking.

7. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said at least one first tang includes a plurality of rail receiving portions therein to facilitate the attachment of said bracket to said rail.

8. The bracket of claim 1 and wherein said first upper tang and said first lower tang are joined by a first arm, and wherein said bracket further includes a second upper tang and a second lower tang extending from said body, said second upper tang and said second lower tang being joined by a second arm.

9. The bracket of claim 8 wherein said rail is shaped to receive an electronic tag having a coil, and wherein said first and second arms are located such that at least one of said arms is spaced from a coil of an electronic tag received in said rail to reduce detuning of said coil when said tag is located adjacent said bracket.

10. The bracket of claim 8 wherein said coil includes a pair of laterally spaced vertical portions, and wherein the distance between said first and second arms is less than the distance between said vertical portions when said tag is located adjacent said bracket.

11. The bracket of claim 8 wherein each of said arms includes a cut-out to reduce detuning said coil.

12. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said first tangs are made from a first piece of sheet-like material, and wherein said flanges are made from a second piece of sheet-like material.

13. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said plate urges said flanges outwardly relative said plate when said plate is moved toward said body.

14. The bracket of claim 13 wherein said plate includes a pair of outer surfaces that engage said flanges when said plate is moved toward said body.

15. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said first tangs each include an elbow portion to angle said rail relative said bracket when said rail is mounted on said bracket.

16. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said body has a hole and said plate has a hole, and wherein said bracket further includes a threaded fastener passed through said hole in said body and through said hole in said plate such that rotation of said fastener causes said plate to move relative said body.

17. The bracket of claim 16 wherein a head of said fastener is larger than said hole in said body.

18. The bracket of claim 1 in combination with said rail.

19. The bracket and rail of claim 18 wherein said bracket is coupled to said rail by heat staking, and wherein said rail receiving portion receives portions of said rail therein.

20. The bracket and rail of claim 18 wherein said rail includes a conductor therein to exchange information and power with an electronic tag having a coil when said tag is received in said rail.

21. The bracket and rail of claim 18 further comprising a threaded fastener passed through said body and said plate such that rotation of said fastener causes said plate to move relative said body, and wherein said rail includes a hole to provide access to said fastener.

22. The bracket and rail of claim 21 wherein said hole in said rail is larger than a head of said fastener.

23. The bracket and rail of claim 22 further comprising a piece of sheet-like material covering said hole.

24. The bracket and rail of claim 22 further comprising a plug received in said hole.

25. The bracket and rail of claim 18 wherein said rail includes a cover extending generally rearwardly from a top surface of said rail to block access to a rear surface of said rail.

26. The bracket and rail of claim 18 wherein said upper slot is defined by an upper lip and said lower slot is defined by a lower lip, and wherein said upper lip is shaped to maintain said upper tang in said upper slot and said lower lip is shaped to maintain said lower tang in said lower slot.

27. The bracket and rail of claim 26 wherein said upper lip and said lower lip extend about 0.100 to about 0.150 inches along a rear surface of said rail.

28. The bracket and rail of claim 18 wherein said rail further includes a pair of protrusions to limit said bracket from sliding within said rail.

29. The bracket and rail of claim 28 wherein said protrusions extend into at least one of said upper slot and said lower slot, and wherein said bracket is received between said protrusions.

30. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said bracket is made from spring steel.

31. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said upper flange includes a generally vertically extending slot to provide flexibility to said upper flange.

32. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the at least one rail-receiving portion is located at a free end tip of the associated one of said first tangs.

33. The bracket of claim 32 wherein each of said first upper tang and said first lower tang are relatively thin and plate-like, and wherein said at least one rail-receiving portion includes at least one cutout through the thickness of the associated one of said first tangs.

34. The bracket of claim 33 wherein at least one rail-receiving portion is generally semicircular in top view.

35. An assembly for connecting a plurality of electronic display tags to a shelf edge having an upper groove and a lower groove, the assembly comprising:

a rail having a front face including a channel for receiving electronic display tags therein, and a back side including an upper slot and a lower slot formed thereon; and

a plurality of brackets positioned along the back side of the rail, each bracket including;

(i) a body portion including a hole therethrough;

(ii) at least a first upper tang positioned in the upper slot of the rail and at least a first lower tang positioned in the lower slot of the rail, the tangs extending from the body portion and attaching the bracket to the rail;

(iii) at least one lower flange for positioning in a lower groove of a shelf edge and at least one upper flange for positioning in an upper groove of said shelf edge, the flanges extending from the body portion;

(iv) a plate positioned between the flanges and including a hole therethrough which aligns with the body portion hole;

(v) a fastener positioned through the aligned holes for holding the plate adjacent the flanges, the head of said fastener abutting against said body portion, the fastener being rotatable to pull the plate into engagement with at least one of the flanges;

wherein the rail includes a plurality of holes therethrough for providing access to a head of each bracket fastener to facilitate adjustment thereof.

36. The assembly of claim 35 wherein the rail is formed of plastic and each bracket is further secured thereto via melted portions of the rail.

37. The assembly of claim 35 wherein each bracket is further secured to the rail by an adhesive.

38. The assembly of claim 35 wherein the rail includes multiples pairs of protrusions in the upper slot or in the lower slot, each bracket positioned between a respective pair of protrusions for limiting lateral movement thereof.

39. The assembly of claim 35 wherein each hole in the rail includes a front surface portion extending thereabout, and wherein the head of each bracket fastener is positioned in a non-contacting arrangement relative to its respective, aligned rail front surface portion.

40. The assembly of claim 35 wherein said head of said fastener is located between said rail and said tang.

41. A bracket for coupling a rail having an upper slot and a lower slot to a shelf edge having an upper groove and a lower groove, the bracket comprising:

a central body portion;

an upper flange coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said body portion, said upper flange having a free tip end;

a lower flange coupled to and extending generally downwardly from said body portion, said lower flange having a free tip end, said upper and lower flanges each being relatively thin plate-like portions;

a plate received between said upper and said lower flanges such that as said plate is moved toward said body said plate urges said upper flange and said lower flange into said upper and lower groove, respectively, to couple said bracket to said shelf edge;

a first upper tang coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said body portion, said first upper tang including a free tip end; and

a first lower tang coupled to and extending generally downwardly from said body portion, said first lower tang including a free tip end generally parallel to said free tip ends of said upper flange, said lower flange and said first upper tang, said upper tang and lower tang being shaped to be received in said upper and lower slot, respectively, and wherein at least one of said first upper tang or said first lower tang has a cut-out portion located adjacent the associated free tip end.

42. A bracket for coupling a rail having an upper slot and a lower slot to a shelf edge having an upper groove and a lower groove, the bracket comprising:

a central body portion;

an upper flange coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said body portion;

a lower flange coupled to and extending generally downwardly from said body portion;

a plate received between said upper and said lower flanges such that as said plate is moved toward said body said plate urges said upper flange and said lower flange into said upper and lower groove, respectively, to couple said bracket to said shelf edge;

a first upper tang coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said body portion; and

a first lower tang coupled to and extending generally downwardly from said body portion, said upper tang and lower tang being shaped to be received in said upper and lower slot, respectively.

43. The bracket of claim 42 wherein said upper flange, said lower flange, said first upper tang, and said first lower tang each include a tip, and wherein each of said tips are generally parallel.

44. The bracket of claim 43 wherein each tip is a free, cantilevered end of the associated flange or tang.

45. The bracket of claim 44 wherein each tip is generally parallel to said body portion.

46. A rail for receiving an electronic display tag therein and for being coupled to a bracket, the rail comprising:

a central body having a front surface and a rear surface;

an upper finger extending from said front surface;

a lower finger extending from said front surface and spaced from said upper finger, said upper finger and said lower finger defining a channel to receive an electronic display tag therein; and

an upper lip extending from said rear surface and defining an upper slot for receiving an upper tang of a bracket therein, said upper lip being shaped to maintain said upper tang in said upper slot;

a lower lip extending from said rear surface and defining a lower slot for receiving a lower tang of said bracket therein, said lower lip being shaped to maintain said lower tang in said lower slot.

47. The rail of claim 46 wherein said upper lip and said lower lip extend about 0.100 to about 0.150 inches along said rear surface.

48. The rail of claim 46 further comprising a pair of spaced protrusions that extend into either said upper slot or said lower slot, said protrusions being located to receive said bracket therebetween to limit the lateral sliding of said bracket in said rail.

49. The rail of claim 48 wherein said protrusions extend from said upper lip or said lower lip.