Abstract:
A merchandising tag holder for displaying information, suitable for mounting onto a wire display rack, having an elongated tab and a transition block having plural attachment positions for attachment of an attachment member, the attachment member being shaped to fit in one or another of the attachment positions in the transition block to make the mounting adjustable. The elongated tab is preferably of a flexible plastic material such as polyurethane, polyethylene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and the transition block includes two grooves for receiving the attachment member, enabling the elongated tab to extend to and be mounted around different diameter wire or metal rods on a wire display rack.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to holders. More specifically, the present invention relates to a holder for planar or sheet material wherein the holder has a planar holder of the planar material and an adjustable attachment of the planar holder to a wire or rod, which may have a variable dimension. 
   2. Background Art 
   The inventive holder is particularly applicable to sign holders or display devices useful in retail environments in which price sheets and the like are to be displayed to prospective purchasers. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention has broader applications, and may be utilizable in other applications in which it is convenient to hang items from a variable dimensioned mounting using a cinch or contoured tab. 
   Conventional practice for retail establishments is to indicate the price of merchandise held on shelves with price tags attached to the shelf by some sort of clip or rigid holder. In some instances, the rigid holder is in the form of a planar member that has cantilevered top and bottom edges forming grooves into which price tags, for example, small rectangular sheets of paper or cardboard are inserted. The price tags are usually positioned in a plane parallel to the shelf front edge or in a plane perpendicular to the front edge to call the prospective purchaser&#39;s attention to the price of the merchandise goods that are usually disposed directly behind the price tag holder. Price tags need to be mounted securely to prevent accidental dislodgment by passersby or as a result of deliberate tampering by persons bent on mischief. Known price tag holders utilize mechanical locking means, for example, a pin and slot arrangement, to prevent the removal of the price tag except by manually disengaging the locking means. Some such clips are made from several parts to facilitate the removal of sheets. However, multiple part arrangements of this type add to the costs, as they require assembly and other steps to produce than does a one piece device. 
   Conventional one piece price tag holders, for example, tags that are attachable to themselves around a wire mesh front wire in a wire mesh shelf have a specified diameter wire or metal rod to which they are attachable. If the diameter of the rods making up the wire mesh shelves is of a larger size, then a different size of attachment tab is necessary. Thus, to change over to a different shelving system requires obtaining a complete new set of price tag holders. Moreover, if two or several different types of shelving are utilized in a specified retail establishment, then as many types of price tag holders are necessary to use on the different wire mesh holders, thereby needlessly complicating the inventory of the retail establishment, adding to the carrying costs and taking up space that would otherwise be used for storage of retail merchandise. 
   None of the prior art methods known heretofore teach an adjustable tab for a price tag holder that can be utilized for more than one size of wire mesh by adjusting the attachment of the price tag holder. Additionally, no known price tag holders provide such an arrangement in which the tabs of the holders are utilizable for different size wires in a unitary, compact arrangement that is easy to use by personnel of the retail establishment and hard to tamper with by others. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, there is provided an adjustable holder for light objects, such as merchandise display tags, suitable for mounting onto a wire display rack, the display tag holder comprising a display portion and a connecting portion connected to the display portion and having an elongated tag, the tab including a proximal end closest to the display portion and a distal end defining a longitudinal direction, the connecting portion further including a transition block having plural attachment positions for attachment of an attachment member, the transition block being connected to at the display portion and to the proximal end of the elongated tab, the distal end of the elongated tab including an attachment member adjacent thereto, the attachment member being shaped and dimensioned to be attached to at least one of said plural attachment positions. 
   In another aspect of the invention, the attachment portion further including two separate staggered attachment positions that comprise grooves for receiving a semi-cylindrical pin that is contiguous with a terminal handle at the distal end of the elongated tab. In a preferable configuration, the inventive merchandise display tag holder is one integral part and comprises an injection molded plastic, such as polyurethane, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of a price tag holder according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is perspective view of a price tag holder according to the present invention shown as used in a retail environment. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the price holder according to the present invention, taken approximately along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the price holder according to the present invention attached to a wire of one diameter at a first attachment position. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of the price holder according to the present invention attached to a wire of a second diameter at a second attachment position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of the present invention price tag holder  10  is shown. A price tag portion  11 , comprising a front surface  12  for displaying price information, and an opposed back surface  14  of the price tag portion  11 , is shown in  FIG. 1 . The price tag portion  11  may take any shape, but is preferably in the shape of a rectangle, as shown. The extending sides of the price tag portion  11  have cantilevered, or turned over edges, namely a top edge  16 , and a bottom edge  18 , each defining opposed grooves  17 ,  19  respectively. The opposed grooves  16 ,  17  provide a slot for inserting price tag information, in the form of a paper or cardboard tag. The price tag portion  11 , in and of itself, including the surfaces  12 ,  14 , is conventional. 
   The top edge  16 , at a central location along the transverse extent of the edge  16 , includes an integral mounting attachment portion generally shown at  20 , which attaches the tag display surface  14  to a wire mesh  80  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 ) of a merchandising display. The wire mesh  80  is under normal circumstances the first wire of an arrangement of wires that are usually weldable to each other in a configuration forming wire shelves on which retail merchandise is displayed. The price tag display portion  11  thus normally will hang form the first wire  80 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , in front of and above the merchandise on the shelf immediately below the wire  80 . The configuration of the inventive price tag holder  10  provides tight interference fit around the wire  80  to retain the holder  10  in position so it does not swing about the wire nor moves laterally along the wire  80 , as will be described below in more detail. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the inventive display tag holder is described in detail, including the configuration and operation of the mounting attachment portion  20 . The mounting attachment portion  20  is firmly attached to the price tag portion  11  through an integral tab connection  22 . The tab connection is attached centrally to the top edge  16  of the price tag portion  11 , as shown, in a preferably integral connection, although the connection may be through any other appropriate means. Optionally, and preferably, two supports  24  one on either side of tab  22  are attached directly to the top of the edge  16  and to the longitudinally extending sides of the tab connection portion  22  to provide added support to the connection. 
   The mounting attachment portion  20  comprises a unitary elongated tab  30  that is extending longitudinally away from the connection to the top edge  16  at the tab connection  22 . The mounting attachment portion  20  preferably is integral with the tag holder portion  11  at one end by way of a unitary or integral block  70 . The mounting attachment portion  20  is thus more solidly attached to the tag display holder  11  so that any forces tending to detach the tab portion  30  from the display tag portion  11  are dissipated in the construction of the apparatus. The other end of the tab  30  is a tab end  32  that is capable of being folded over itself to attach to the appropriate locations on the mounting attachment portion  20 , as will be described below. 
   The integral tab connection  22  is preferably attached to the end of the block  70  that is closet to the mounting attachment portion  20 . The tab handle  32  is shown as being in the shape of a semicircle, which is a preferable, but any other appropriate shape, for example, a rectangle, truncated pyramid or triangle may also be utilized. The tab  30  includes a number of features that enable the longitudinally extending tab  30  to lock onto itself in a semi-permanent attachment around an attachment point, for example, a metal rod or wire that comprises shelving in a merchandising retail establishment. 
   A tab  30  is shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 2 , after having been connected to the mounting attachment portion  20 , and is shown in greater detail in the cross-sectional views of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The elements of tab  30 , as are the remainder of the preferably integral price tag holder  10 , are preferably made form an extruded hard plastic, for example, polyurethane, and the ability to fold over itself is enhanced by the dimensions of the tab  30 , being thin relative to the block  70 , as seen in profile (FIGS.  1  and  3 - 5 ). Additionally a scored double fold section  34 , best seen in  FIG. 3 , provides a score line for the tab handle end  32  to be folded over in the direction of the arrow and to attach itself to the attachment portion  36 , which is disposed proximately to the tag display portion  11  by the tab connection  22 . 
   Adjacent the tab handle end  32  is an upstanding post or tongue  38  that ends in an elongated, essentially cylindrical pin  40 , which extends transversely to the longitudinal extension of the tab  30 . In the profile view shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the tongue  38  is shown as a post that ends in a ball that represents the pin  40  disposed on the upper end of the tongue  38 . 
   The scored double fold section  34  preferably comprises two separate scored lines  42 ,  44  that define a central bridge section  48  between them, and also define the separation of each of the adjacent tab sections  46  and  50 . The score fold lines  42 ,  44  provide a place for the flexing of the tab  32  so that the sections  46 ,  48  and  48 ,  50  can be bent consistently and easily relative to each other, so as to permit the folding over of the tab  32 . They relative bending of the sections is best seen in the profile cross-sectional view of  FIG. 5  in which the attachment section  20  is shown attached to a large diameter rod  90 . The easy bending of the semi circular tab sections are also assisted because of the relative thinness of the sections  46 ,  50  and bending is also facilitated by grooves or score lines  52  that extend across the width of the sections, as shown. 
   The attachment portion  36  comprises a block  70  to which the semicircular section  50  is attached by means of the tongue  38  and  49  arrangement. The block  70  includes two grooves  72 ,  74  that extend transverse to the longitudinal length of the tab  30  and an end wall  78  that is directly connected to the semicircular section  50 . Block  70  remains rigid relative to the display portion surfaces  12 ,  14 , and the grooves  72 ,  74  provide attachment points for receiving the transversely extending pin  40 . The two transversely extending grooves  72 ,  74  correspond in shape and size to the pin  40 . As shown, the grooves  72 ,  74  are in a staggered relationship in the shape of slots that are similar to a stairstep. When viewed in profile as in the cross-sectional views of  FIGS. 3-5 , the second groove  74  is positioned lower and to the left of the first groove  72 . 
   Grooves  72 ,  74  are defined by semicircular slots that are in profile in the shape of a cove that has a circular arc that extends about 75% of the complete circle, where the two rounded corners  76  of each groove  72 ,  74  define the opening for receiving the tongue  38  and pin  40  combination. As best seen in the cross-sectional views, the two corners  76  form an inlet opening that is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical pin  40  and may be similar in the separation distance to the width of the tongue  38 . Thus, when the pin is depressed into the slot of the groove  72  or  74 , the pin is securely attached in the slot and the corners each provide an interference fit to the sides of the tongue  38 . Once the pin  40  is inserted into the slot formed by the grooves  72  or  74 , it is contained in place therein until sufficient manual force is exerted on the tab handle  32  to withdraw the pin by overcoming the resistance to deformation of the corners  76 . Thus, once attached in the groove around a rod  80  or  90 , the elongated tab  30  provides a tight interference fit to retain the tab in place, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , respectively. 
   While a single position display tag holder is known in the art, it is a significant feature and a distinct advantage to have a unitary display tag holder, such as holder  10 , that can be used with a great variety of rods or wires without significantly sacrificing any of the features that make a conventional, unitary, single size and position display tag holder (not shown) desirable. Specifically, the display tag holder  10  according to the present invention continues to provide a tight interference fit against he rod or wire  80 ,  90  irrespective of the size or rod diameter, while simultaneously retaining the connection of the tongue  38 , pin  40  combination within one or another of the grooves  72  or  74 . The attachment must be durable enough so as to prevent the accidental or even mischievously deliberate removal of the display tag holder  10  from a wire  80 ,  90 , whether by inadvertent contact or by a person bent on mischief, who can attempt to pull on the display tag holder from its connection. Ideally the attachment will be capable of being detached only by a user who first withdraws the cylindrical pin  40  from the groove, either  72  or  74 . This will only be don by pulling on the handle end  32 , and then by rotating the connecting tab  30  to unwind it from the rod or wire  80  or  90 . 
   The unique configuration of the inventive tag holder as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  provide for the two different attachment positions of the pin so as to provide the adjustability of the attachment of display tag holder  10  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first type of wire or rod  80 , as shown in cross-section, which may be the foremost wire of a standard mesh wire merchandising shelf, provides an attachment base to which the display tag holder is attached. If a typical type of wire having a specified diameter were used, then the first attachment position using groove  74  would be the one into which the pin  40  would be inserted. The insertion of the cylindrical pin  40  into groove  74 , furthest form the block end wall  78 , and would require that the handle end  32  be pulled over the second attachment position in groove  72 . In this attached position, the tongue  38  will extend directly through the gap defined by rounded corners  76 , and the semicircular tab section  50  will require extension and bending of the score lines  42 ,  44  to enable the tab  30  to reach over the full extent of the block  70 . The other semi-circular section  52  is bent inwardly to engage the wire  80  as much as possible around its surface. While the central bridge section  34  of tab  30  is shown in contact with the end wall  78  of the block  70 , such contact is dependent on a wire having a particular diameter, e.g. ¼ inch, as can be understood by those having skill in the art, a slightly larger diameter is also capable of accommodation, by achieving a tight interference fit. This is enabled by the shape of tab  30  and the close fit contact of the metal wire or rod with the central bridge section  34 . The tension provided by the flexibility and resilient force of the bent sections  46 ,  50 , as a result of the engagement of the pin  40  into the appropriate groove  72 ,  74 . A smaller rod would allow the tab  30  to curve inwardly and so by the tension on the curved semicircular sections  46 ,  50 , would cause pressure to be exerted on the rod, whether  80  or  90 . 
   When as larger diameter rod, for example, rod  90 , is the attachment point, of course, the upper or second attachment groove  72  will be the point at which receive the pin  40 . Because of the orientation and disposition of this attachment, more of the longitudinal extending tab  30  will be required to encircle the larger diameter rod  90 , and this also provides for the position of an inner wall  48  of the central bridge portion  34  to contact the rod squarely at its outer diameter. The tension of the two curved semicircular sections  46 ,  50  as concentrated in the contact point of wall  48  produces a pressure on the rod in a generally inwardly radial direction, and thus tending to bias the rod  90  against he end wall  78  of the block  70 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , if the rod  90  is of even larger diameter, the elongated tab  30  can accommodate it by a greater bending of the score lines  42 , which would create a larger sized semicircular section enclosure of the rod  90 . 
   Conversely, when the wire or rod has a smaller diameter, for example, as does rod  80  shown in  FIG. 4 , the curved semicircular section  50  closest to the end wall  78  by itself essentially encircles the rod  80  and the inner wall  48  of the central bridge portion  34  may come into contact with the end wall  78 . Should a rod  80  have a slightly larger diameter, the configuration of the elongated tab  30  can accommodate the different diameter by a slightly more angular bending of the score lines  42 ,  44 , and also of the curved semicircular sections  46 ,  50  at the score lines  52 , if necessary. Of course, if the diameter is greater than the partial circumference of the inner wall of the curved semicircular section  50 , then the wall  48  will not come into contact with the end wall  78 . 
   The invention herein has been described and illustrated with reference to the preferred embodiments of  FIGS. 1-5 , but it should be understood that the use of the invention is susceptible to modification, alteration or substitution of the attachment configuration without departing significantly from the spirit of the invention. For example, the dimensions, size and shape of the various elements may be altered to fit specific applications. The shape of the rod to which the present invention may take a different shape, for example, an oval or octagonal or even square cross-section, and the inventive attachment section can accommodate it by the contact made by the central bridge section  34  against a surface of the unsymmetrically shaped rod. 
   The shape of the pin  40  may also be changed to achieve other necessary goals. For example, to further inhibit mischief or removal of the display tag form a store shelf. For example, rather than using the semicircular pin  40  shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , a triangular pin (not shown) may be used. That is, a pin, which is triangular in profile, may have a corresponding shape that is shaped and dimensioned in the grooves, with the apex of the triangle being inserted into a triangular groove in the block  70 . The other two corners of the triangle can engage two overhanging lips (not shown) so that the triangular shaped pin would be trapped in the groove and an attempt to remove pin form the groove would cause damage to the attachment such that it could not be reused. Other modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill, and accordingly, the specific embodiments illustrated and described herein are for illustrative purposes only and the invention is not limited except by the following claims and equivalents thereof.