Abstract:
A merchandising display card and method of production of the same is disclosed. The display card is adapted to be hung from store displays or shelves in such a manner that product is displayed for the consumer without taking up valuable shelf space. The card includes a means for releasably securing products to it. The means is preferably an adhesive applied to the sheet either at discrete points or over the entire surface. Products may be applied directly to the sheet, may be removed therefrom for inspection by the consumer and if no purchase is made, the product may be reattached to the sheet with relative ease.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   This invention generally relates to a display card for merchandise and to a method for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a display card for merchandise that includes a means for releasably securing merchandise to it, so that the card may be shipped and displayed without the merchandise becoming accidentally dislodged from it. Specifically, the invention relates to a display card that includes a plurality of adhesive strips for releasably securing the merchandise to the card. 
   2. Background Information 
   Retailers frequently use clip strips or clip sheets for displaying products that are too small to place on shelves or products that are seasonal in nature. These clip strips or sheets are positioned in strategic locations around the store to entice consumers to buy the merchandise displayed on the strips. The strips or sheets are hung on other product displays or on shelf supports so that they do not take up valuable shelf space. 
   The clip strips and sheets used in the prior art are typically manufactured from a lightweight plastic that has been die-cut to produce a plurality of upwardly extending pegs that are each flanked by two downwardly extending legs. The products for display need to be mounted onto a cardboard backing sheet that includes an hole toward its upper end. The peg of the clip strip is inserted through the hole and the legs engage over a portion of the uppermost end of the cardboard backing sheet. In this manner the product is attached to the clip strip or sheet. The attachment of the products onto the clip strip or sheet is a labor intensive operation inasmuch as every single product has to manually be mounted onto a peg on a clip strip. Once the products are mounted onto the clip strips or sheets, they are packaged and sent to the retailer. During transit, the products tend to become disengaged from the pegs. It is common for retailers to find that around 50% of the products have become detached from the clip sheets or strips during transit. It is then up to the retailer to utilize their employees to reinstall the products onto the strips. The clip strips or sheets are then hung onto the displays or shelf supports so that consumers can see them. 
   Apart from the disengagement of the products from previously known clip sheets and strips, these merchandising products have also had other disadvantages for the retailer. The first of these is that a fairly limited number of products may be displayed on any one clip strip or sheet. Secondly, when consumers remove the products from the clip strips, they may accidentally disengage other products from the strip. Thirdly, once a peg has been used, it tends to become slightly deformed and consequently if a consumer attempts to reattach products onto the clip strip, they tend to fall off again. After a few attempts the consumer is likely to give up and place the product on another shelf. This leaves the retailer with the problems of not having products adequately on display in the store and secondly of having to repeatedly reattach products onto the strips or sheets. Even if the products remain on the sheets the displays tend to be messy in appearance. This does not enhance the aesthetic appeal of the clip strip display and does not aid in selling the product. 
   The device of the present invention addresses some of the problems of the prior art. 
   The device of the present invention is a display card that includes a means for releasably securing a product to it. The means is preferably an adhesive applied to the sheet that allows products to be directly applied to the sheet, to be removed therefrom for inspection by the consumer and repositioned on the sheet with ease. The display card includes an adhesive applied to at least a portion of the surface area of the card. The adhesive is of such a type that it allows for repeated application and removal of the product from the card. Furthermore, the adhesive preferably has a pull strength in the range of 6 oz./sq. in. to 64 oz./sq. in. 
   A method of manufacturing the display card of the present invention is also provided. The method of manufacturing includes applying adhesive to at least a portion of the surface area of a sheet of suitable material, positioning the product to be displayed onto the card so that the product adheres to the adhesive and then boxing product-laden display cards for shipping to the retailer. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a first embodiment of a display card in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the display card of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of a display card of the present invention showing a number of products mounted thereon; 
       FIG. 3   a  is a side view of a production line for manufacturing the first embodiment of the display card of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the display card shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a display card of  FIG. 3  showing the display card as it would be hung in a retail store for display to consumers; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the display card of  FIG. 5 , showing a product being removed therefrom; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective front view of a second embodiment of a display card in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective front view of the display card of  FIG. 7  showing products mounted thereon; 
       FIG. 9  is perspective rear view of the display card of  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective front view of the display card of  FIG. 7 , showing a product being removed therefrom; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective rear view of the display card of  FIG. 7 , showing a product being removed therefrom; 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of a production line for manufacturing the second embodiment of the display card of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A first embodiment of the merchandising strip display card, generally represented by the number  10 , is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . 
   Display card  10  comprises a sheet  12  with a plurality of rows of adhesive strips  14  mounted thereon. Products  20  are detachably mounted onto strips  14 . Card  10  defines a plurality of holes  16  by which it may be hung from hooks  18  on a display (not shown) in a retail store. 
   Sheet  12  may be manufactured from any suitable material such as plastic, paperboard or any other material of sufficient strength to hang on a display and support the weight of the products  20  to be carried thereon. For the purposes of illustration, the products  20  shown carried on display card  10  are packages of adhesive tape. 
   Adhesive strips  14  may be lengths of double-sided adhesive tape that are applied to card  10  during production. Alternatively, strips  14  may be glue that is extruded onto card  10  during production. The adhesive used is of a type that is suitable for repeatedly applying and removing products therefrom. A suitable type of adhesive would be acrylic or rubber based. While strips  14  are shown as extending from one edge  22   a  of card  10  to the opposite edge  22   b , they may instead be applied at predetermined intervals across the width of card  10 . Alternatively, the adhesive may be applied across the entire surface of sheet  12 . Adhesive strips  14  may be manufactured from an adhesive tape or glue that preferably has a pull strength of between 6 oz./sq. in. and 64 oz./sq. in. The pull strength is sufficient to hold product  20  on sheet  12  when display card  10  is suspended from hooks  18  and is sufficient to prevent accidental removal of product  20  from sheet  12 . The pull strength of the adhesive is not so strong that a consumer needs to apply an extraordinary force to intentionally remove product  20  from card  10 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3   a , there is shown a production line for producing display card  10 . In this production line there are basically four stations. In the first station, sheet  12  is dropped from a chute onto the first end  70   a  of a conveyor belt  70 . Conveyor belt  70  moves sheet  12  in the direction indicated by arrow A into the second station where adhesive strips  14  from a roll  72  of adhesive tape are applied to at least a portion of the surface  12   a  of sheet  12 . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, if a type of adhesive other than adhesive strips or tape is to be applied to sheet  12 , then the appropriate delivery mechanism will be placed in the second station. Conveyor belt  70  moves sheet  12  into the third station where products  20  are placed onto sheet  12  in such a manner that they become adhered to the adhesive strips  14 . Conveyor  70  moves sheet  12  to the second end  70   b  into the fourth station where the completed display card  10  with product  20  attached is removed from conveyor  70  and is dropped into a box  74 . The process is repeated until the box  74  is full and ready to be shipped. The conveyor belt  70  moves sheet  12  in the direction indicated by arrow A into the second station where adhesive strips  14  from a roll  72  of adhesive tape are applied to at least a portion of the surface  12   a  of sheet  12 . Conveyor belt  70  moves sheet  12  into the third station where products  20  are placed onto sheet  12  in such a manner that they become adhered to the adhesive strips  14 . Conveyor  70  moves sheet  12  to the second end  70   b  into the fourth station where the completed display card  10  with product  20  attached is removed from conveyor  70  and is dropped into a box  74 . The process is repeated until the box  74  is full and ready to be shipped. 
   When a consumer wants to look at or purchase a product  20   a  attached to display card  10 , they can pull on product  20   a  in the direction of arrow B ( FIG. 6 ) and product  20   a  will detach from adhesive strip  14 . If the consumer decides they do not wish to purchase product  20   a , they can simply push product  20   a  back into contact with strip  14  and product  20   a  will become reattached to sheet  12 . 
   A second embodiment of the display card of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 7 through 12 . In this embodiment, a display card, generally indicated by the number  110 , comprises a first sheet  128  and a second sheet  112  that are placed in abutting contact with each other and are bonded together by a suitable means such as adhesive, staples, rivets etc. 
   Second sheet  112  may be made from any suitable material such as plastic, corrugated plastic (Coreplast) or corrugated cardboard. Second sheet  112  is sufficiently thick and strong to hold products  120  therein. Second sheet  112  defines an hole  116  through which a hook (not shown) may be received for hanging card  110  for display in a retail store. Second sheet  112  further defines at least one aperture  130  that is configured to the shape of a product  120  that may be attached to display card  110  during manufacture. Aperture  130  may be cut into second sheet  112 , may be stamped or molded into second sheet  112 , or may be formed in any other suitable manner. 
   First sheet  128  may be made of any suitable material such as paper or cardboard. First sheet  128  defines a hole  126  therein that aligns with hole  116  when second sheet  112  is connected to first sheet  128 . First sheet  128  forms at least one product-shaped region or backing area  132  to aperture  130  when second sheet  112  and first sheet  128  are joined together. The adhesive used to join second sheet  112  to first sheet  128  preferably covers the entire front surface of first sheet  128 . The adhesive would therefore cover the entire front surface  132   a  of backing area  132  (FIG.  10 ). Alternatively, adhesive strips (not shown) or drops of glue (not shown) may be applied to only a portion of front surface  132   a  to attach a product  120  to display card  110 . When a product  120  is inserted into aperture  130 , it will be secured to front surface  132   a  by the adhesive. The adhesive will preferably have a pull strength of between 6 oz./sq. in. and 64 oz./sq. in. Products  120  may be inserted into apertures  130  during production and will be held in place by the adhesive on the front surfaces  132   a  of backing areas  132 . When a consumer desires to purchase product  120 , they simply pull on product  120  and it will releasably disengage from the adhesive. The adhesive may be of a type that allows for repeated removal and replacement of the product  120 . If a consumer wishes to replace product  120 , they simply reinsert it into aperture  130 . 
   Alternatively, the adhesive may have a pull strength of between 6 oz./sq. in. and 64 oz./sq. in. This pull strength is sufficient to keep product  120  bonded to front surface  132   a . The rear side  128   a  of first sheet  128  may include product information  134  printed within the perimeter  132   b  of backing area  132 . Furthermore, backing area  132  may include perforations  136 . When product  120  engages the adhesive, front surface  132   a  will be firmly bonded to product  120 . When the consumer desires to examine or purchase a product  120   a , they pull on product  120   a  in the direction of arrow C (FIG.  10 ). The strength of the adhesive bonding product  120   a  to front surface  132   a  of first sheet  128  is sufficient to prevent product  120   a  from being withdrawn from aperture  130   a  without causing perforations  136  to tear away from first sheet  128 . Product  120   a  may then be withdrawn from aperture  130  and backing area  132  remains bonded to product  120   a . Should the consumer decide not to purchase product  120   a , they may reinsert product  120   a  into aperture  130   a.    
   Referring to  FIG. 12 , there is shown an example of a possible production line for producing the second embodiment of display card  110 . In this production line there are basically five stations. In the first station, first sheet  128  is placed onto the first end  170   a  of a conveyor belt  170 . Conveyor belt  170  moves first sheet  128  in the direction indicated by arrow D into the second station where adhesive strips  114  or an adhesive sheet from a roll  172  of adhesive tape are applied to at least a portion of the surface  128   b  ( FIG. 10 ) of sheet  128 . Conveyor belt  170  then moves first sheet  128  into the third station where sheet  112  is brought into contact with adhesive strips  114  thereby bonding sheet  112  to first sheet  128 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that if a type of adhesive other than adhesive strips or tape is to be applied to first sheet  128 , then the appropriate delivery mechanism would be placed in the second station. Alternatively, if the adhesive strips  114  are not used to bond first sheet  128  and second sheet  112  together, a separate adhesive dispensing mechanism would be provided in the production line. Furthermore, if the first sheet  128  and second sheet  112  are secured to each other in some other way, that mechanism would have to be included in the production line. 
   Conveyor belt  170  moves display card  110  into the fourth station where products  120  are placed into product-shaped apertures  130  ( FIG. 10 ) in sheet  112  so that they adhere to adhesive strips  114 . Conveyor  170  moves display card  110  to the second end  170   b  of the conveyor and into the fifth station where the completed display card  110  with product  120  attached is removed from conveyor  170  and is dropped into a box  174 . The process is repeated until the box  174  is full and ready to be shipped. 
   In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
   Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.