Supermarket price tag system

A price tag system comprising a shelf, a price tag supporting bracket mounted on the shelf and a price tag supported by the bracket. The price tag comprises a plurality of zones. One of the zones comprises an image of the article to which the price tag corresponds, and the other zone comprises a location in which a pricing label can be attached. Another aspect of the invention relates to a price tag system comprising a price tag comprising a plurality of zones where one of the zones comprises an image of an article to which the price tag corresponds, and the other zone comprises a location in which a pricing label can be mounted. A further aspect of the invention comprises a peelable label system for use as a price tag comprising a substrate with a plurality of labels which are peelably connected to t he substrate. Each label comprises two portions. The portions are of different size. They may be of different color. One portion is for receiving indicia relating to the price of the article. The other portion is for receiving unit pricing with respect to the article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a supermarket price tag system and more 
particularly to a system where an image of the article which is on the 
shelf appears on the price tag and wherein the price of the article can be 
changed without replacing the entire price tag. 
Many supermarkets have price tags on the shelves adjacent to the articles 
to which they correspond. Their purpose is to enable consumers to quickly 
and easily determine the total price of the article and its unit price, 
i.e., the cost per pound or per ounce. The unit price enables a consumer 
to compare the relative cost of similar items which are packaged in 
different quantities. 
However, these tags suffer from several deficiencies. Thus, it is often 
difficult to ascertain precisely which article the tag relates to. 
Further, if a person has poor eyesight, or is not familiar with the 
English language, then the price tag is of no value. 
Additionally, whenever the price of the article or its size changes, it is 
necessary for the tag to be removed and replaced by another tag showing 
the new article price and unit price. Still further, it is often difficult 
for the customer to determine which of the prices on the tag is the unit 
price, and which is the price of the article. This is because both prices 
appear in a uniform size. Thus, they cannot be distingushed unless are 
studied closely. 
It would be desirable to have a price tag system for a store shelf which is 
permanently mounted on the shelf and which has readily replaceable pricing 
information. Preferably, such a pricing system would comprise a tag made 
of a rigid thermoplastic mounted on a frame which was permanently 
connected to the shelf. 
The tag would have an image of the article to which it corresponded mounted 
directly on it with the pricing information placed on labels which were 
adhesively bonded to the tag. Thus, if the pricing of the article should 
change, the existing label could be peeled from the tag and a new label 
with the new pricing information installed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly, the invention relates to a price tag system adapted to be mounted 
on shelving comprising a shelf with a price tag supporting bracket 
connected to it. A price tag is supported by the bracket. It includes an 
image of the article to which the price tag corresponds and a peelable 
label on which the price of the article and the unit price of the article 
can be placed. 
A further aspect of the invention relates to a price tag system comprising 
a price tag and an image of the article to which the price tag 
corresponds, and the cost of the article and its unit price on separate 
portions of a peelable label. 
Still further, the invention relates to a peelable label system for use on 
a price tag which comprises a substrate on which are adhesively connected 
a plurality of labels where each of the labels comprises two zones of 
different sizes where one of the zones is adapted to receive the price of 
an article, and the other of said zones is adapted to receive the unit 
price of the article.

Referring to FIG. 1, a shelving system 10 on which the proposed price tag 
system is to be used is seen. The shelving system 10 comprises a plurality 
of horizontally extending shelves 12, 14 and 16. 
At spaced locations along the shelving, at places that correspond to the 
placement of articles on the shelves are mounted a plurality of brackets 
22. Each bracket comprises a member 24 by which it is connected to the 
shelf and a generally rectangular frame 26. 
A price tag 34 is supported in each rectangular frame 26. 
As seen in FIG. 2, each price tag 34 may be a generally rectangular member 
whose dimensions may be approximately 2 inches by 3 inches. The price tags 
34 may be made of a suitable plastic and may be permanently mounted in the 
frames 26. 
Each price tag comprises at least two zones, namely, an image zone 38 and a 
pricing zone 42. Preferably, zones 38 and 42 are displaced laterally from 
each other by a distance sufficiently large enough to permit inclusion of 
bar coding information and the like. 
As seen in FIG. 2, the image zone 38 contains an image of the article on 
the shelf to which it corresponds. Thus, the image of a container of a 
particular brand and size soup would be illustrated on the price tag 34 
adjacent to the shelf location for that brand and size soup. 
The pricing information would appear on a label 46 peelably mounted on the 
price tag in the pricing zone 42. 
The label 46 comprises two portions. The first portion 50 is an enlarged 
rectangular element with its principal dimension extending horizontally 
when supported by the price tag 38. Attached to it is a second portion 54. 
The second portion 54 may also be a rectangular element with its principal 
dimension extending horizontally. Preferably, the second portion 54 of the 
label 46 is an extension of the lower edge of the first portion 50 and is 
disposed to one side of the first portion 50 so that the label has a 
generally "L" shaped appearance. 
Preferably, the larger first portion 50 is for receiving indicia 
corresponding to the retail price of the article whose image appears in 
image zone 38 while the second portion 54 is for receiving indicia 
corresponding to the unit price if the article in cost per pound, per 
ounce or the like. 
Further, if desired the first portion 50 and the second portion 54 may be 
different colors to make their purposes more readily apparent to the 
consumer. Thus, the first portion 50 could be white while the second 
portion 54 could be red or orange. 
The indicia may preferably be black so that it will readily stand out in 
both portions 50 and 54. 
As seen in FIG. 3, each of the labels 46 has a layer of adhesive 58 
attached to its rear surface 60 so that it can be peelably connected to 
the price tag 34. 
Referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of peelable labels 46 are shown attached 
to a substrate comprising a rectangular sheet 64 having a surface which 
will easily permit the labels 46 to be peeled therefrom so that they can 
be adhesively and peelably attached to the price tag 34. 
In FIG. 5 the labels 46 are shown attached to a substrate comprising a 
strip of material similar to that illustrated in FIG. 4. However, in this 
instance it is coiled into a roll 68. 
The invention is used by merely mounting the brackets 22 on a shelf 
adjacent to the articles to which they are to correspond. The price tags 
may have the images of the articles permanently imprinted on them, or they 
may be attached by a suitable adhesive. The labels 46 are prepared by 
applying indicia that corresponds to the price of the article and the unit 
price to the respective portions 50 and 54. The labels are then peeled 
from the rectangular substrate (FIG. 4) or the strip (FIG. 5) and attached 
to the pricing zone 42 of the price tag 34. Because the two portions 50 
and 54 of the label are different sizes and different colors, consumers 
will be greatly assisted in determining which price is the unit price and 
which is the price of the article. 
When the price of the article changes, it will not be necessary to remove 
and dispose of the entire price tag. All that need be done is to peel the 
label 46 and to replace it with a new label 46 with the new pricing 
information. 
While the invention has been described with respect to a particular 
embodiment, it is apparent that other embodiments can be employed to 
achieve the intended results. Thus, the scope of the invention should not 
be limited by the foregoing description, but, rather only by the scope of 
the claims appended hereto.