Attachment bracket for a shelf-edge display system

• US 6,622,410 B2
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Kruer, Thomas R., Wilkes, Derek Alan, McMahon, William H., Memke, David Kenneth, Heisler, Jon Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/253,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 401/240.5, 406/420.2, 406/49, 406/51, 406/53, 406/54, 406/610.3
• US Class Current: 40/654
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0068 Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/208 Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/61 Side slide: elongated co-linear members

Abstract

An adapter clip for receiving an auxiliary rail having an upper slot and a lower slot, the adapter clip being shaped to be received in a shelf edge having an upper and lower groove. The adapter clip includes an upper flange and a lower flange, the upper and lower flanges being shaped to be received in the upper and lower groove, respectively, to thereby couple the adapter clip to the shelf edge. The adapter clip further includes an upper tang and a lower tang, the upper and lower tangs being shaped to be received in the upper and lower slot, respectively, to thereby couple the adapter clip to the auxiliary rail.

Claims

1. An electronic display tag attachment system, comprising:

a rail for receiving an electronic display tag therein, the rail including;

a backing having a top edge and a bottom edge;

an upper flange extending from said top edge;

a lower flange extending from said bottom edge, said upper and lower flanges defining a channel therebetween for receiving a tag therein; and

a plurality of spaced protrusions extending into said channel to block significant lateral movement of a tag positioned in said channel along a length of said rail, each protrusion being spaced apart from any adjacent protrusions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each protrusion extends generally upwardly from said lower flange.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein each protrusion is unitary with said lower flange.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein each protrusion has a surface that extends generally away from one of said top or bottom flanges and generally perpendicular to any lateral movement of said tag to block significant lateral movement of said tag.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein each protrusion is generally rectangular in top and side view.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said flanges is generally flexible such that said at least one flange can be displaced so that said channel can receive a tag therein.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said upper flange includes a downwardly extending lip shaped to retain a tag in said rail, and wherein said lower flange includes an upwardly extending lip shaped to retain a tag in said rail.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said rail further includes a lower clip adjacent said lower edge, said lower clip being shaped to receive and retain sheet-like articles therein.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tag having a back side and a projection on its back side and a conductive coil therein, wherein said backing includes a conductive loop therealong, and wherein said rail is shaped to receive said tag and wherein said backing includes a recessed area shaped to cooperate with said tag projection to locate said conductive coil of said tag adjacent said conductive loop.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said conductive coil of said tag extends around a perimeter of said tag.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tag having a recess which receives at least one of said rail protrusions.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein each rail protrusion extends from said lower flange, and wherein said tag recess is located adjacent said lower flange.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said tag recess is located on a bottom surface of said tag.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said tag recess has a length greater than a length of at least one of said rail protrusions.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said tag recess is formed by a pair of opposed generally vertically extending walls, each wall having a surface that extends generally perpendicular to any lateral movement of said tag to block lateral movement of said tag along said rail a distance that is greater than a lateral width of said tag.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tag having a body with a front surface for displaying information, said body including a first boss for cooperating with one of said rail protrusions to thereby block significant lateral movement in a first direction of said tag within said channel.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said first boss extends generally outwardly from said body, and wherein said body further includes a second generally outwardly extending boss laterally spaced from said first boss in a direction along a length of said rail, wherein said second boss is located to allow at least one of said rail protrusions to be received between said first boss and said second boss.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of said rail protrusions cooperates with said second boss to block significant lateral movement of said tag in a second direction in said channel.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein each rail protrusion extends generally upwardly from said lower flange, and wherein said first boss extends generally downwardly from said tag body.

20. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tag comprising a body having an edge surface, a front surface for displaying information, and a tab extending from said edge surface, said tab being shaped to be received in said upper flange or said lower flange of said rail when said body is received in said channel to thereby retain said tag in said channel.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said flange receiving said tab includes an inwardly extending lip shaped to retain said tab therein when said tag is received in said channel.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said flange receiving said tab is flexible such that said flange is deflected when said tab is pushed past said flange receiving said tab.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein said tab is flexible such that said tab is deflected when said tab is pushed past said flange receiving said tab.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein said tab extends generally along the entire length of said tag.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein said edge surface is said upper surface of said tag, and wherein said tab extends generally forwardly and upwardly relative said upper surface, and wherein said receiving flange is said upper flange.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein said rail includes a back side and an upper and a lower slot on the back side of said rail, said upper and lower slots being shaped to receive an upper and lower tang of a coupling body therein, respectively.

27. The system of claim 11 wherein said tag has a top surface shaped to be located adjacent to said upper flange, a bottom surface shaped to be located adjacent to said lower flange, and a pair of generally vertically extending sides, each side extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, and wherein said recess is spaced away from both of said sides.

28. The system of claim 4 wherein each protrusion has an auxiliary surface that extends generally perpendicular to any lateral movement of said tag, wherein said auxiliary surface is laterally spaced apart from and generally parallel to said surface.

29. The system of claim 4 wherein each surface is oriented generally vertically.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein each protrusion is spaced apart by a distance of at least a width of said protrusions, said width being measured in said lateral direction.

31. An electronic display tag attachment system, comprising:

a rail for receiving an electronic display tag therein, the rail including;

a backing having a top edge and a bottom edge;

an upper flange extending from said top edge;

a lower flange extending from said bottom edge, said upper and lower flanges defining a channel therebetween for receiving a tag therein; and

a plurality of protrusions extending into said channel and along a length of said channel, at least one of said protrusions having an end surface spaced away from an end surface of said rail that extends generally perpendicular to any lateral movement of said tag to engage said tag and block significant lateral movement of said tag along a length of said rail, each protrusion being laterally spaced apart from any adjacent protrusions.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising a tag having a recess which receives at least one of said protrusions therein, wherein said tag has a top surface shaped to be located adjacent to said upper flange, a bottom surface shaped to be located adjacent to said lower flange, and a pair of generally vertically extending sides, each side extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, and wherein said recess is spaced away from both of said sides.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein said end surface of said at least one of said protrusions is oriented generally vertically.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein said end surface of said at least one of said protrusions extends generally away from one of said top or bottom edges and generally perpendicular to any lateral movement.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein said at least one protrusion has an auxiliary surface that extends generally perpendicular to any lateral movement of said tag, wherein said auxiliary surface is laterally spaced apart from and generally parallel to said end surface of said at least one protrusion.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein each protrusion is spaced apart by a distance of at least a width of said protrusions, said width being measured in said lateral direction.

37. An electronic display tag attachment system, comprising:

a rail for receiving an electronic display tag therein, the rail extending in a longitudinal direction and including;

a backing having a top edge and a bottom edge;

an upper flange extending from said top edge;

a lower flange extending from said bottom edge, said upper and lower flanges defining a channel therebetween for receiving a tag therein; and

a plurality of spaced protrusions extending into said channel to block significant lateral movement of a tag positioned in said channel along a length of said rail, each protrusion having an end surface which extends perpendicular to said longitudinal direction of said rail.

38. An electronic display tag attachment system, comprising:

a rail for receiving an electronic display tag therein, the rail extending in a longitudinal direction and including;

a backing having a top edge and a bottom edge;

an upper flange extending from said top edge;

a lower flange extending from said bottom edge, said upper and lower flanges defining a channel therebetween for receiving a tag therein; and

a protrusion extending into said channel and along a length of said channel, said protrusion having an end surface spaced away from an end surface of said rail that extends generally perpendicular to any lateral movement of said tag and to said longitudinal direction to engage said tag and block significant lateral movement of said tag along a length of said rail in said longitudinal direction.