Price indicator mounting unit

A price indicator mounting unit which can install a price indicator at any place of a showcase (set of display shelves) and at any kind of display board (display shelf) easily but can not be removed easily by customers. Also, the price indicator mounting unit is inexpensive and capable of getting optional setting angle freely. The price indicator mounting unit comprises one or a plurality of display board mounting members and indicator mounting members, wherein the display board mounting member constituted of a bracket, a stopper plate and a screw, and as the screw is tightened, the both ends of the bracket are opened outward by the stopper plate put between the both ends to engage with a display board. In addition, by replacing the display board mounting member with another one, the connection with a flat rail becomes possible. Further, for the convenience of fitting of the price indicator mounting member and the price indicator, either of them is provided with a flexible protrusion and the other one provided with a convex receptor to receive the protrusion at its end face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a price indicator mounting unit to install 
price indicators for showcases (display shelves) in a price display system 
being used in stores such as super markets. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A price display system is the system in which the price indicators are 
arranged on each showcase by the number of kinds of commodities and made 
to indicate the price of every individual commodity in each price 
indicator. The contents of indication (price, etc.) are controlled by a 
central computer and they can be changed promptly at need. 
In such a price display system, since liquid crystal displays are used 
generally, it is necessary to install the price indicator with an angle 
that customers can see it easily. A prior art system is constituted so 
that installing the price indicator including the upper and lower setting 
legs having different lengths on a showcase by having it turn over at 
need, and made it able to select two different fitting angles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
However, among price display systems, there exists a system which performs 
operations of price indicator and data communications by radio control. In 
such a radio communication system, there are two requirements that the 
price indicator has to install at a certain angle to a data 
transmitter-receiver and the price is indicated so that customer can see 
it easily. Though the above-stated prior art is capable to select two 
different angles, in the case of radio communication system, it is 
required that more fitting angles can be realized easily due to the 
reasons described above. 
Further, since the price indicators are the ones showing the prices of 
commodities to customers, the price indicated with the price indicator and 
the position of the commodity must be corresponding with each other. In 
addition, the number of handling commodities is many in large store, and 
several ten thousands of price indicators sometimes are installed. 
Therefore, the installation of the price indicators must be easy. While at 
the same time, the price indicator has to be made so that it can not be 
removed easily in order to make it unable to be removed and the position 
changed by customers freely. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a price indicator 
mounting unit of which installation is easy in any place of show case, but 
made it unable to remove by customers. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a price indicator 
mounting unit which is inexpensive and able to exchange freely in order to 
get required fitting angles. 
The present invention is a price indicator mounting unit for installing 
price indicators on the display board (display shelf) of a showcase, and 
it comprises one or more of display board mounting members and indicator 
mounting members. 
The display board mounting member is constituted of a bracket, a stopper 
plate and a screw, and it is characterized in that as the screw is 
tightened, both ends of the bracket open outward by the stopper plate put 
between (or interposed between) both ends of the bracket. Further, in 
order to make it able to connect the board mounting member with a flat 
rail, it comprises a bracket for flat rail, a bracket clamp for flat rail 
and a screw, instead of the above described constitution, and it is 
characterized in that, as the screw is tightened, the tip of the bracket 
clamp turns by making the tangent line at which the bracket and the 
bracket clamp contact with each other as an axis. 
The price indicator mounting members are provided with one or more opening 
portions through which the axis of the screw passes. The object of the 
present invention has been achieved by constituting it so that at the same 
time of engaging the display board mounting member and the indicator 
mounting member, the display board mounting member and the display board 
of the showcase are engaged. 
The object of the present invention which enables setting the price 
indicator easily but makes it unable to be removed easily has been 
achieved by providing the price indicator mounting unit characterized in 
that, for the convenience of fitting together the indicator mounting 
member and the price indicator, either of them has a flexible protrusion, 
and the other is provided with a convex receptor for receiving the 
protrusion at its end face. 
The present invention has provided a price indicator mounting unit in which 
the price indicator is not removable unless a special releasing jig is 
used by making it characterize the fact that there is a plurality of the 
flexible protrusions and a protrusion is formed to the price indicator or 
the indicator mounting member at the position corresponding to each space 
between the protrusions. 
Price indicators generally provide much information, so a slit to hold an 
advertising paper has provided at the edge part of the indicator mounting 
member in order to make it able to indicate more detailed information. 
Further, the present invention has also provided a price indicator 
mounting unit capable of installing a transparent plate to the entirety or 
a part of the rear side of the indicator mounting member. 
As the screw of the display board mounting member is tightened, the bracket 
ends holding the stopper plate therebetween are pushed away outward by the 
stopper plate. The portions which are the front end of a display board and 
put the end portion of the bracket between them vertically, receive the 
end portion of the bracket pushed away outward from the both side thereof. 
By tightening the screw more strong and by the inserted portion of the 
display board, the bracket edge comes to have a tension strongly, which is 
then firmly secured to the display board. 
In addition, as the screw is tightened for securing it to the flat rail, 
the tip of bracket clamp for the flat rail turns by making the tangent 
line at which the bracket for flat rail and the bracket clamp for flat 
rail contact as an axis. Thereby the end portion of bracket and the end 
portion of bracket clamp come to hold the flat rail vertically, and the 
display board mounting member is connected to the flat rail. By bending 
the tip of the bracket clamp and engaging it with the end of the flat 
rail, the display board mounting member becomes incapable of being removed 
easily from the flat rail. 
Since the indicator mounting member is provided with an opening through 
which the screw passes, by tightening the screw, the indicator mounting 
member and the bracket are clamped by the screw head and the stopper plate 
and further the end of the bracket is pressed outward, thus it makes also 
capable the connection with the display board at the same time. Further, 
if the opening is formed in a state of continuously connecting an opening 
with a diameter larger than the screw head and an opening having a 
diameter larger than the screw diameter but smaller than the screw head, 
by sliding and tightening the screw head at the position of the small 
opening after passing the screw head of the display board mounting member 
connected loosely with the display board through the large opening, the 
connection described above becomes possible. 
The flexible protrusion is pressed and bent when the price indicator is 
fitted in the indicator mounting member, while the flexible protrusion 
returns to its normal position when the price indicator and the indicator 
mounting member have been fit. And the end face of the receptor for the 
convex portion catches the protrusion, thereby the structure easy in 
installing and difficult in removing can be realized. 
By using an indicator mounting member capable installing a plurality of 
price indicators, the installation of price indicator becomes easier. In 
addition, by using the indicator mounting member, the front end of display 
board becomes flat. Thereby the display of commodity and the taking out of 
commodity become easy. 
According to the present invention, the tightening of only one screw 
enables securing of a price indicator mounting member, a display board 
mounting member, and a showcase, and price indicator can be installed 
easily. Therefore, working load can be reduced and the time required for 
setting price indicator can be remarkably shortened. Further, the 
tightening by screw becomes capable to carried out the work from in front 
of a display board, hence the labor of price indicator fitting can be 
reduced. The present invention brings more effect in case where the price 
indicator is fitted to a showcase close to the floor. 
Further, according to the present invention, by only performing screw 
adjustment, it becomes capable to correspond to display boards of showcase 
having various widths different according to each maker, and it becomes 
unnecessary to prepare price indicators corresponding to the kind of 
showcase. Further, by only changing a bracket, various fitting angles can 
be selected, thereby a price indicator mounting unit inexpensive and 
having adaptability be realized. 
The price indicator of the present invention which has been once installed 
can not be removed easily unless a special releasing jig is used, thus it 
can protect the theft of price indicator, the exchange and the like. 
By providing a price indicator mounting rail as one kind of indicator 
mounting member in the present invention, a plurality of price indicators 
are arranged so that they can be kept in the rail, so that there is no 
chance of indicators coming off or being broken due to an external shock. 
Further, the indicator mounting member provided by the present invention is 
capable of installing an advertising paper and therefore it can offer much 
more information about commodities for customers. 
The present invention provides a price indicator mounting unit which can 
provide a transparent plate such as plastic cover to the indicator 
mounting member's surface, thereby the price indicator is protected from 
dusts, stain at the time of cleaning of floor and the like and it becomes 
capable to clean the surface easily. Particularly, it is effective to 
protect the lowermost display board from stained water flying about at the 
time of floor cleaning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the present invention is 
described hereinafter. 
An embodiment of the present invention in shown in FIG. 1. 
In FIG. 1, 21 represents a display board mounting member, 22 an indicator 
mounting member, and 23 a price indicator. A front end 24 of a display 
board is shown enlarged. First, the display board mounting member 21 is 
connected to the indicator mounting member 22. Then, the display board 
mounting member 21 and indicator mounting member 22 which have been 
coupled together, are connected to the front end 24 of the display board. 
Thereafter, the price indicator 23 is fitted to the indicator mounting 
member 22, and the price indicator 23 is secured to a showcase. 
The state in which the price indicator 23 has been fitted to the showcase 
60 using the price indicator mounting unit of the present invention is 
shown in FIG. 2. In this figure, the state in which the price indicators 
has installed using the mounting unit of the first embodiment according to 
the present invention to the display board 62 of the showcase 60 is shown, 
while the state of fitting using the second preferred embodiment which 
will be described later to the display board 64 of the showcase 60. 
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display board mounting member 21. The 
display board mounting member 21 comprises a bracket 31, a stopper plate 
32 and a screw 33. Bracket ends 26a and 26b of the display board mounting 
member 21 open outward as if they put the stopper plate 32 therebetween 
from the both sides in the midway thereof. Particularly, the tips 25a and 
25b of the bracket ends 26a and 26b are being in the shape extended 
further outside than the bracket ends 26a and 26b, in order to make the 
engagement with the front end 24 of the display board easily. The screw 33 
passes through the opening provided at the central part of the bracket 31, 
and it is made connectable by means of a screw hole provided in stopper 
plate 32. 
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the indicator mounting member 22. The 
central part of the indicator mounting member 22 is provided with the 
opening 50 comprising an opening larger than the head diameter of the 
screw 33 and an opening which adjoining the opening continuously and is 
smaller than the head diameter of the screw 33 but larger than the screw 
(shaft) diameter. 
FIG. 5 is a sectional drawing viewed from the side and showing the state in 
which the display board mounting member 21 and indicator mounting member 
22 are connected together and the state in which the display board 
mounting member 21 and the front end 24 of display board are coupled 
together. 
FIG. 6 shows the case where another bracket 71 is mounted in place. As is 
clear from this, by exchanging the bracket to another one having a 
different shape, optional fitting angles can be obtained. Incidentally, 
the sectional part is shown basically by oblique line, but since some 
portion of the drawings become obscured due to showing by oblique line 
oblique line omitted in some part. 
The front end 24 of display board generally has a concave face so that a 
commodity label can be set at the front end and has a structure so that it 
holds the commodity label vertically. However, the vertical length of the 
concave face is different depending on each maker. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, the structure in which the display board 
mounting member 21, the indicator mounting member 22 and the front end 24 
of the display board are connected together is described hereinafter. 
First, in order to connect the display board mounting member 21 with the 
indicator mounting member 22, the head of the screw 33 is passed through 
the larger opening between the opening 50 as keeping the state in which 
though the screw is set in the display board mounting member 21 but it is 
not fastened, and the display board mounting member 21 and indicator 
mounting member 22 are brought into contact with each other. Then, after 
shifting the indicator mounting member to the direction of arrow D so that 
the screw positions at the position of smaller opening between the 
openings 23 of the indicator mounting member 22, the screw is fastened (or 
tightened). 
Subsequently, the display board mounting member 21 and indicator mounting 
member 22 which have been coupled together are connected to the front end 
24 of display board according to the following procedures. Namely, bracket 
tips 25a and 25b of the display board mounting member 21 are engaged at 
the portion where the front end 24 of display board is between them 
vertically. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the screw 33 is fastened (or 
tightened). Depending on this fastening (or tightening), the stopper plate 
32 shifts to the right side as shown by the arrow C, it performs the work 
of pressing away the bracket ends 26a and 26b outward. Thereby, the 
bracket tips 25a and 25b are opened outward (in the directions of arrows A 
and B shown in FIG. 5), but they are firmly caught by the front end 24 of 
the display board, the tension of the bracket ends 26a and 26b increases 
and the price indicator is secured to the display board. 
From the foregoing, it will be understood that the screw 33 makes both the 
connection between the display board mounting member 21 and indicator 
mounting member 22 and the connection between the display board mounting 
member 21 and front end 24 of the display board capable by performing the 
fastening (or tightening) only once (or in one step). Incidentally, if the 
bracket tips have a shape able to engage them with the front end 24 of 
display board, it is unnecessary to make it to the state shown above 
embodiment in which the tips further open outward. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 are a sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, 
showing the state in which the price indicator 23 and indicator mounting 
member 22 engage with each other and the releasing plate 43 for releasing 
their engagement. Indicator mounting member 22 is provided with a convex 
portion 38 and concave portion 39, respectively, at the upper and lower 
ends thereof. While, a flexible protrusion 40 made so that it engages with 
the end face of the convex portion (illustrated as a key-shaped stopper) 
is formed at the upper end of the price indicator 23. On the other hand, 
the convex portion 41 capable of engaging with concave portion 39 is 
formed at the lower end of the price indicator 23. 
The procedure of fitting the indicator mounting member 22 and price 
indicator 23 is such that, first engaging convex portion 41 and concave 
portion 39, turning the price indicator 23 around the engaged point to fit 
it within the indicator mounting member. At this time, the flexible 
protrusion (key-shaped stopper) 40 is pressed and bent downward by the 
head part of convex portion 38 of the indicator mounting member, but when 
they are fitted completely, the flexible protrusion 40 returns to the 
normal position due to elastic recovery force, since the connection is 
fixed owing to receive the protrusion (key-shaped stopper) 40 by the end 
face of the convex portion 38, the price indicator can not remove from the 
indicator mounting member 22 easily. 
The engage portions described above may be provided not only one to top and 
bottom but plural. By doing so, the reliability of engagement would be 
improved. In addition, in FIG. 7, the protrusion (key-shaped stopper) is 
provided on the price indicator 23 while the convex portion 38 engaging 
with the protrusion (key-shaped stopper) 40 is provided on the indicator 
mounting member 22. But it is clear that the fitting is feasible, even 
though the protrusion (key-shaped stopper) 40 is formed on the indicator 
mounting member 22 and the convex portion 38 is formed on the price 
indicator, if the relation of engagement illustrated in the procedure of 
fitting is maintained. Further, though the protrusion 40 has a key shape 
in this case, any shape will do if the relation of engagement described 
above is maintained. 
In order to release the connection between the indicator mounting member 22 
and the price indicator 23, it is realized by inserting the releasing 
plate 43 from a gap of the upper engagement portion, pressing down the 
flexible protrusion (key-shaped stopper) 40 and releasing the protrusion 
from the engagement with the end face of the convex portion 38. 
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the price indicator 23 having two 
pairs of protrusion (key-shaped stopper) in the right and left, the 
indicator mounting member 22 and the releasing plate 43. Since insertion 
preventive convex portions 42 are provided between the protrusions 
(key-shaped stopper) 40 of price indicator 23, unless the releasing plate 
43 having notches corresponding to the portions, any plate can not insert 
into the engagement portion so that the connection between the indicator 
mounting member 22 and price indicator 23 can not release. Further, even 
if inserting a plate into only one side of pairs of protrusion and 
releasing one engagement portion, another engagement portion remains as it 
is, thereby the price indicator 23 cannot be released from the indicator 
mounting member 22. In addition, since the screw 33 which connects the 
display board mounting member 21 and the front end 24 of the display board 
as well as connects the display board mounting member 21 and the indicator 
mounting member 22 is concealed behind the price indicator 23, it is 
impossible to release the connection easily. 
Incidentally, it can be conjectured that the above-mentioned effect would 
be maintained even though the insertion preventive convex portions 42 are 
formed on the indicator mounting member 22, if it is positioned between 
the protrusions (key-shaped stoppers) 40. 
Thus, the present invention can provide a price indicator mounting unit 
which can correspond to showcases having various types and a price 
indicator can connect with a showcase easily, no matter where the showcase 
is located, but which is unable to be removed easily by shopping 
customers. 
Incidentally, a plural number of the protrusion (key-shaped stopper) 40 and 
insertion preventive convex portion 42 may be provided. If it is done, the 
reliability of connection could be improved. 
Next, with reference to FIG. 9, the second embodiment of the present 
invention is described hereinafter. 
As is understood from a comparison between FIGS. 1 and 9, the second 
embodiment is approximately similar to the first embodiment with respect 
to the constitution. The point differ from the first embodiment, is that 
an indicator mounting rail 29 is provided instead the indicator mounting 
member 22. 
The external appearance of the display board used for the mounting unit of 
the second embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 (on display shelf 64). As is 
clear from this figure, the indicator mounting member 22 is an attachment 
for installation (hereinafter called the indicator mounting member 22 as 
the indicator mounting rail 29 in order to make clear the distinction 
between the first embodiment and the second embodiment; however, they are 
different in appellation only and the indicator mounting rail is included 
in the indicator mounting member 22) which can install a plurality of 
price indicators. 
Referring to FIG. 9, the indicator mounting rail 29 has a structure 
approximately same as the indicator mounting member 22. The different 
points between them are that the indicator mounting rail 29 is laterally 
longer than the indicator mounting member 22 thereby a plurality of price 
indicators can be set to one indicator mounting rail 29, and that, in 
order to firmly secure an indicator mounting rail 29 to a display board, 
the indicator mounting rail 29 is provided with a plurality of opening 
portions 51 for screw comprising an opening larger than the head diameter 
of the screw 33 and an opening adjoining above one and smaller than the 
head diameter of the screw 33 but larger than the screw diameter. 
FIG. 10 shows an embodiment concerning the setting of the price indicator 
23 in the case where the end face of showcase is flat (hereinafter 
referred to as flat rail 67). The different portion from FIG. 9 is only 
the constitution of display board mounting member. The display board 
mounting member 30 for the flat rail comprises a bracket for flat rail 35, 
a bracket clamp for flat rail 36 and a screw 57. The constitution of the 
display board mounting member for flat rail 30 which engages with the flat 
rail is described hereinbelow. Since the fitting of the indicator mounting 
rail is similar to that of the indicator mounting member of the first 
embodiment 1, it is omitted here. Passing the screw 57 through the opening 
provided on the bracket for flat rail 35, and it is fastened into a screw 
hole of the bracket clamp for flat rail 36. As the screw 57 is fastened 
(or tightened), the tip of the bracket clamp for flat rail 36 turns in the 
direction of arrow E by making the tangent line 37 at which the bracket 
for flat rail 35 and the bracket clamp for flat rail 36 contact as an 
axis, thereby the flat rail is put between the bracket for flat rail 35 
and the bracket clamp for flat rail 36 and secured. Further, taking into 
account the fact that the bracket clamp 36 turns and is pulled toward the 
screw head at the same time when the screw 57 is fastened (or tightened), 
and by providing a protrusion able to engage with the end 68 of flat rail 
67 to the bracket clamp for flat rail 36 or making the tip there of into 
check mark shape for example, the protrusion or the tip of check mark 
shape engages with the end portion 68 of the flat rail 67, and the display 
board mounting member 30 is secured to the flat rail 67, thereby it can be 
made into the state unable to remove the price indicator easily. 
Some flat rail 67 has a plurality of holes in an upper plate on which 
commodities are arranged. Therefore, by providing protrusions being 
engaged with the holes to the bracket for flat rail 35 or bending the tip 
portions thereof into check mark shape, the holes and the protrusions or 
the tip portions of check mark shape engage with each other, thereby the 
display board mounting member 30 secured to the flat rail 67. 
It would be clear that the connection of the display board mounting member 
for flat rail 30 with the indicator mounting member 22 is also possible. 
A notch-like slit 44 is provided at the lower edge of the indicator 
mounting member 22 or indicator mounting rail 29 as shown in FIG. 11, and 
the slit is made so that an advertising paper (hereinafter referred to as 
POP paper 66) for advertisement or for representing information concerning 
commodities is inserted. The POP paper is secured in the state where it is 
put between edges of the slit 44. Thereby detailed information about the 
commodity shown by the price indicator 23 can be presented. 
In FIG. 12, the one provided with a transparent plate 45 made of 
transparent plastic and the like to the whole surface or a part of the 
indicator mounting member 22 or indicator mounting rail 29 set a price 
indicator therein is shown by making a indicator mounting rail as an 
example. In the case where there is not frequent price change, instead of 
installing the price indicator 23, a commodity label 69 (FIG. 12) 
representing price, information and the like may be provided on the 
indicator mounting member 22 or the indicator mounting rail 29.