Abstract:
The present invention relates to a label holder for use with T-shaped supports, which includes a substantially horizontal elongated cross-piece on a supporting arm and a label holder, wherein the label holder has a clamp for clamping onto the cross-piece and a brace for bracing against the supporting arm.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a display label attachment means of the type mentioned in the preamble of the independent claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     In many shops an article displaying bracket or holder unit known as a peghook display is provided for displaying unit packages. GB-A 2275807 shows a peghook display in which a backboard with a pattern of holes supports an array of projecting peghooks. Each of the peghooks projects substantially horizontally and has two vertically spaced arms. At the free end of the upper arm a label with an electronic display is provided while the lower arm acts as a goods bearing member on which the goods to be displayed may be hung. The label is hinged about a horizontal axis at the end of the upper arm and normally hangs downwards. It can however be pivoted about the horizontal axis and manually held out in a horizontal orientation to enable goods to be placed onto, and removed from, the lower arm. 
     A problem with such the label attaching means for peghook displays with pivotable labels is that as the label hangs vertically it may be difficult to read if it is too low or too high. This is particularly true if the label is a LCD electronic display which typically have only a narrow viewing angle i.e. it is only possible to read the display if the person looking at the display is looking nearly perpendicularly at the display. Another problem with such label attaching means can be that it requires the use of two hands to add goods to the goods bearing member—one hand to hold the label attaching means up out of the way of the goods bearing member and the other hand to feed goods onto the goods bearing member. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object with the present invention is to overcome the problems of prior art label attaching means. 
     According to the invention this is achieved by a label attachment means having al least one bracing means which co-operates with the label supporting means such as a peghook arm. The bracing means has at least one bracing surface which can be selectively, individually brought into contact with the label holder. Each bracing surface causes the label holder to take up a predetermined angle with respect to the label supporting means. The bracing arm or label holder is preferably provided with retaining means for retaining the bracing surface in the desired position. This allows the angle to the vertical of the label to be adjusted and maintained so that it is at an optimum angle for reading. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will now to illustrated by non-limiting examples of embodiments showing the appended drawings in which: 
     FIGS. 1 a ) and  1   b ) show perspective views of a first embodiment of an attachment means according to the present invention attached to a peghook arm; 
     FIGS. 2 a ),  2   b ),  2   c ) shows front, side and rear views of the first embodiment of the attachment means shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3 a ),  3   b ) shows stages in the assembly of a partly assembled first embodiment attachment means; 
     FIGS. 4 a ),  4   b ) shows stages of the mounting of the first embodiment of an attachment means on a peghook; 
     FIGS. 5 a ),  5   b ),  5   c ) shows the first embodiment of an attachment means in a plurality of different orientations; 
     FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a second embodiment of a label attachment means according to the invention, 
     FIGS. 7 a ),  7   b ),  7   c ) shows in a perspective view a third embodiment of an attachment means according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 a ) and  b ) show a peghook display  1  comprising an upper label supporting bar  3  and a lower goods supporting bar  5 . Upper bar  3  has a horizontal cross-piece  7  mounted symmetrically at its end  9  wherein the supporting bar  3  connects adjacent an intermediate portion of the cross-piece  7 . A label attachment means  11  is pivotably mounted on cross-piece  7 . Label attachment means  11  has a body  13  for receiving an electronic label  15 . Label attaching means  11  is mounted on cross-piece  7  by means of a right-hand clamp member  17  and a left-hand clamp member  19 . A bracing arm  21  mounted on the back of body  13  is in contact with upper bar  3 . In FIG. 1 a ) label  15  is shown being fitted into body  13 . Body  13  has a snap-in hook  23  which co-operates with a corresponding recess (not shown) on the underside of label  15  to retain label  15  in body  13 . In FIG. 1 b ) label  15  is shown in the fitted position. 
     FIG. 2 shows in more detail label attaching means  11 . FIG. 2 a ) shows a rear view of label attaching means  11  in which bracing arm  21  is shown rotatably mounted on a retaining pivot means  25  mounted on the rear of body  13 . Pivot means  25  comprises a substantially T-shaped projection with a cylindrical body  27  and a flat cross-piece  29 . Cross-piece  29  extends parallel to the rear surface  31  of body  13  and is at a distance equal or greater than the thickness of bracing arm  21  from the rear surface. Bracing arm  21  has a cutout  33  which has a shape which co-operates with the shape of crosspiece  29  so that in certain orientations bracing arm  21  can be threaded over cross-piece  29  and then rotated to other orientations in which it is not possible to remove it from pivot means  25 . Cutout  33  is positioned near to a lower end  35  of bracing arm  21 . Bracing arm  21  is substantially flat except for at a top end  37  which is bent out of the plane of the bracing arm to form a plurality of bracing surfaces  39 ′,  39 ″,  39 ′″. 
     First bracing surface  39 ′ is formed by a side edge of bracing arm  21  while second and third bracing surfaces  39 ″ and  39 ′″, respectively, are formed by the edge of top end  37 . Second bracing surface  39 ″ is a greater distance from the plane of bracing arm  21  than third bracing surface  39 ′″. Bracing surfaces  39 ′- 39 ′″ are intended to co-operate with upper bar  3  in a manner described in more detail below in order to hold body  13  at predetermined angles with respect to bar  3 . Bottom end  35  has a wedge-shaped projection  41  on the surface facing towards body rear surface  31  which has a plurality of spaced apart tapered projections  43 ′,  43 ″,  43 ′″ facing towards projection  41 . Projection  41  can fit into the spaces between adjacent projections  43 ′,  43 ″,  43 ″ and the heights of projections  41 ,  43 ′,  43 ″,  43 ′″ are such that bottom end  35  must be moved away from surface  31  in order to allow projection  41  to pass over any of the other projections  43 ′,  43 ″,  43 ′″. Bracing arm  21  is therefore made of a resilient flexible material which allows bottom end  35  to be bent away from surface  31  and to then spring back into position after being released. The permits bracing arm to be maneuvered to a desired position and retained there by projection  41  co-operating with one or more of projections  43 ′,  43 ″,  43 ′″. Clamping members  17 ,  19  are slidably mounted on rails  45  on the top edge  47  of body  13  and retained on rails  45  by means of mutually co-operating snap-in retaining means (not shown). These retaining means preferably prevent clamping members  17 ,  19  from being removed from body  13 . Clamping members  17 ,  19  are separated by a gap  49  which is equal or greater than the diameter of upper bar  3  to which the display  1  is to be attached. Each clamping member  17 ,  19  has a longitudinal hole  51  with a diameter greater or equal to the diameter of crosspiece  7  so that body  13  can pivot around cross-piece  7 . Each clamping member  17  and  19  has a resilient wing  53  and  55 , respectively, projecting away from body  13  at an angle α to the plane of body  13 . Angle α determines the angle to the vertical that the label attachment means  11  takes up when allowed to hang freely from cross-piece  7 . In this example of an embodiment angle α is about 20° and label attaching means  11  hangs freely at an angle of about −10° i.e. with the front face  61  of label attaching means  11  pointing downwards 10°. Each wing  53 ,  55  has a bracing surface  57 ′ and  57 ″, respectively, which project into gap  49 . Bracing surfaces  57 ′,  57 ″ are so positioned that they are in contact with a side portion of bar  3  when body  13  has been pivoted around cross-piece  7  to a loading position where body  13  is no longer in font of lower bar  5 . The resilient force provided by wings  53 ,  55  and acting between bracing surfaces  57 ′,  57 ″ and bar  3  is sufficient to retain body  13  in the loading position where goods can be loaded onto lower bar  5  without requiring the loader to hold body  13  in place. 
     FIGS. 3-5 show how a label attaching means  11  according to the invention is assembled, fitted onto a peghook upper bar  3  and set at a desired angle. FIG. 3 a ) shows a rear view of label attaching means  11  with cutout  33  of bracing arm  21  aligned with pivot means  25 , and left-hand clamping member  19  aligned with rail  45 . FIG. 3 b ) shows bracing arm  21  after being threaded on pivot means  25  and subsequently rotated in order to prevent it being removed. Clamping member  19  has been slid on rail  45  to its working position and is held in place by snap-in locking means (not shown). 
     FIG. 4 a ) shows a front view of label attaching means  11  with the longitudinal hole  51  of left-hand clamping member  19  aligned with cross-piece  7 . Right-hand clamping member  17  is also aligned for fitting onto with rail  45  and has its longitudinal hole  51  aligned with cross-piece  7 . 
     FIG. 4 b ) shows a front view of label attaching means  11  after the longitudinal hole  51  has been slid onto cross-piece  7  and right-hand clamping member  17  has been slid simultaneously along rail  45  and crosspiece  7  to its working position opposite left-hand clamping member  19 . The snap-in cooperation between clamping members  17 ,  19  and rail  45  prevent label attaching means  11  from being removed from cross-piece  7 . 
     FIG. 5 a ) shows a view from the rear of label attaching means  11  in which bracing arm  21  is positioned with first bracing surface  39 ′ in contact with the underside of upper bar  3 . This prevents label attaching means  11  from hanging freely and in this example the position of bracing surface  39 ′ on bracing arm  21  causes the front face  61  of label attaching means  11  to be orientated at an angle of −5°, i.e. it faces downwards at an angle of 5°. 
     FIG. 5 b ) shows a view from the rear of label attaching means  11  in which bracing arm  21  is positioned with second bracing surface  39 ″ in contact with the underside of upper bar  3 . In this example the position of bracing surface  39 ″ on bracing arm  21  causes the front face  61  of label attaching means  11  to be orientated at an angle of 20°, i.e. it faces upwards at an angle of 20°. 
     FIG. 5 c ) shows a view from the rear of label attaching means  11  in which bracing arm  21  is positioned with third bracing surface  39 ′″ in contact with the underside of upper bar  3 . In this example the position of bracing surface  39 ′″ on bracing arm  21  causes the front face  61  of label attaching means  11  to be orientated at an angle of 40°, i.e. it faces upwards at an angle of 40°. 
     In order to permit easy loading of goods onto lower bar  5  label attaching means  11  can be rotated around crosspiece  7  so that bracing surfaces  57 ′,  57 ″ are forced to resiliently pass from the upper side of upper bar  3  to the lower side. After passing the widest part of upper bar  3 , bracing surfaces  57 ′,  57 ″ spring back towards each other and rest on the lower surface of upper bar  3  thereby preventing label attaching means  11  from hanging freely in front of lower bar  5  and thereby permitting easy access to lower bar  5 . 
     The example of an embodiment described above can be modified by having more or less bracing surfaces. It is also possible to provide a label attaching means with a plurality of asymmetncally positioned bracing arms each able to individually co-operate with upper bar  3  to give an increased choice of viewing angles. Alternatively label attaching means could be provided with a plurality of pivot means to which a singe bracing arm could be selectively attached. 
     FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a second embodiment of a label attaching means  111  in which body  113  is formed with an integral bracing arm  121 . Bracing arm  121  is formed from a tongue of label attaching means material surrounded by an elongated U-shaped slot in the rear face  163  of label attaching means  11 . Bracing arm  121  extends downwards from a position near the top of rear face  163 . Bracing arm  121  has a plurality of laying-down P-shaped cutouts  165 ′,  165 ″,  165 ′″,  165 ″″ spaced along its longitudinal axis, the diameter of each cut-out being equal or greater than the diameter of an upper bar  3  and the inner surfaces of the cutouts forming bracing surfaces  139 ′,  139 ″,  139 ′″,  139 ″″. Bracing arm  121  is joined to the rear face  163  by a plurality of frangible links  167 ′,  167 ″,  167 ′″,  167 ″″ each near a respective P-shaped cutout  165 ′,  165 ″,  165 ′″,  165 ″″. The P-shaped cutouts  165 ′,  165 ″,  165 ′″,  165 ″″ are separated by horizontal scores or grooves  169 ′,  169 ″,  169 ′″. A further groove  169 ″″ is at the end of arm  121 . 
     These grooves  169 ′- 169 ″″ (represented by dashed lines) facilitate bending parts of bracing arm  121  out of the plane of the rear face  163 . The label attaching means  111  is attached to a cross-piece in a similar way to that described above in the first embodiment. If the user desires the label attaching means to hang at a fixed angle then the user breaks as necessary one or more of the frangible links  167 ′- 167 ′″, bends bracing arm  121  along a horizontal score  169 ′,  169 ″ or  169 ′″ out of the plane of the rear face  163  and hooks the first P-shaped cutout  165 ′ onto upper bar  3 . The first frangible link  167 ′ could, for example, correspond to an angle of 0°, the second to an angle of 20° and the third to an angle of 40°, the fourth to 60° when the first P-shaped cut-out  165 ′ is hooked onto upper bar  3 . Naturally other angles are also possible depending on the spacing of the frangible links  167 ′- 167 ′″. In addition if other angles are required then another P-shaped cut-out i.e.  165 ″ or  165 ′″ or  165 ″″ can be hooked onto upper bar  3  instead of first P-shaped cut-out  165 ′. 
     The above embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated for use with upper bars  3  having a cross-piece  7  mounted under the upper bar. The invention can be easily adapted for use with a bar having a cross-piece mounted above the bar or on the end of the bar by, for example, adapting the angle and/or dimensions of the wings on the clamping members or the height of the rails. 
     FIG. 7 a ) shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the invention intended for use with U-shaped uppers bars. Body  213  has T-shaped rails  245  each with a snap-lock wedge  271  which can co-operate with a correspondingly shaped snap-lock recess  272  inside the corresponding T-shaped groove  273  at the base of each of the clamping members  217 ,  219 . Clamping members  217 ,  219  have upper C-shaped or U-shaped grooves  275  for receiving an upper bar, the diameter of the grooves being the same or greater than the diameter of the largest upper bar intended to be received in the grooves  275 . Clamping members  217 ,  219  have longitudinal, lateral snap-lock recesses  277  formed on each side which can co-operate with a U-section clip-on locking piece  279  having corresponding wedge shaped snap-lock edges  281 . Locking piece  279  has a length less than or equal to the distance between the arms of the U-shaped upper bar  203 . The inside surface of the base  283  of locking piece  279  has a projection  285  which extends parallel to and in the same direction as the arms of the U-shaped locking piece. Projection  285  has a scored line of weakness  287  which makes it possible to easily snap-off the outer portion  289  of projection  285 . Body  213  has a pivot means  225  similar to that described above which co-operates with a bracing arm  221 . 
     FIG. 7 b ) shows label attaching means  211  with clamping members  217 ,  219  snapped onto rails  245  and aligned with cross-piece  207  of upper bar  203 . Locking piece  279  has had the outer portion  289  of projection  285  removed to accommodate the diameter of upper bar  203 . If the label attaching means  211  was to be used with a thinner upper bar then the projection outer portion  289  would be left attached to reduce play in the join between label attaching means  211  and upper bar  203 . 
     FIG. 7 c ) shows label attaching means  211  attached to upper bar  203  with locking piece  279  snap-fitted onto clamping members  217 ,  219  and a bracing surface  239 ″ of bracing arm  221  in contact with upper bar  203 . 
     This embodiment can naturally be modified in accordance with the principals mention with respect to the previous embodiments. Bracing arm  221  and pivot means  225  could furthermore be so-positioned that the bracing surfaces of bracing arm can co-operate with either of the arms  291 ′,  291 ″ of upper arm  203  in order to provide a wide range of adjustment angles. Locking piece  279  and/or clamping members  217 ,  219  can be provided with bracing means such as wings similar to those described earlier or, for example, cut-outs with resilient edges at the ends of locking piece  279  for elastically receiving arms  291 ′,  291 ″, to permit label attaching means  211  to be retain in a loading position. The bracing surfaces  239 ″ can be optionally provided with friction increasing means such in the form of high friction coatings such as, for example a rubber layer  293 , or by having roughened surfaces. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, not shown, the bracing arm can be provided with a plurality of cut-outs to permit it to be attached to the pivoting means in a number of ways in order to provide more possibilities for changing the braced angle of the label attachment means. 
     In a further embodiment the bracing arm has bracing surfaces provided at both ends of the bracing arm and centrally and/or asymmetrically placed cut-out(s). 
     The above described embodiments can be modified within the scope of the claims by providing a plurality of bracing arms as described herein. The above described embodiments have been set forth by way of example and are not intended to limit the claims appended hereto. Accordingly, the claims should be accorded modifications, deviations and improvements readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.