METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRICE MARKING

Abstract: A method and means for price marking, wherein the actual prices at the price marking occasion are set in a memory unit (22) and the kind of ware is determined for one single sample of the ware which is about to be price marked, e.g. by reading of an EAN code, and wherein, while utilizing signals from the memory unit (22) the printer of a printing unit (12) is set for printing of the actual price on self adhering tags that are applied to the ware.

Description: In cases where the businessmen - in spite of the ratio¬ nalizing possibility the above described systems would permit per se - are still prepared to meet the consumer demand to have the wares price marked, the price marking by means of manual price markers is carried out essentially as follows: The price is looked up in a price list, and the number mechanism of the price marker is adjusted to that price, whereupon a gummed price tag is advanced and affixed to the ware by pressing the whole price marker against the ware. This method is costly and sometimes uncertain, and furthermore monotonous. The present invention has for its object to provide a price marking method and an equipment for the said purpose to meet the justified demands of the consumers for price marking, without the just mentioned problems and drawbacks. To the just mentioned end it is proposed that the price marking should be carried out so as is defined in principle in the characterizing clause of claim 1. In accordance with the just mentioned is is proposed, according to the present invention, that an equipment for price marking of wares in the just mentioned way should be designed in manner as defined in principle in the character¬ izing clause of claim 4. The invention will be disclosed in more details below with reference had to the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 illustrates schematically one embodiment of a price marker according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram of a price marking equipment accord¬ ing to the invention. The price marker 10 comprises a control unit 11 which may be integrally combined with a printing unit 12 or may be connected thereto by means of a cable or which may even constitute an entirely separate unit. In the example shown the control unit 11 has a keyboard, generally denoted 13, a display.14 and control keys 15. Further, the control unit 11 has an optical reader or a so called scanner, in this case in the shape of a reading pen 16. In the example the printing unit 12 has control keys 17. In the example the price marker, comprising the units Method and means for price marking The present invention relates to a method and means for price marking. The invention starts from the technique used within the daily commodity trade where computerized cash functions have been adopted. This means, in the instant case, that the cash registers are programmed with price information, and a plurality of cash registers may be either coupled together with one of them operating as a main cash register, master cash register, wherein price changes, new article numbers etc. are introduced, or coupled to a master terminal, wherein changes etc. are introduced in order to then be transferred to the cash registers. The just mentioned technique is based on the requisite that the wares are provided with a code marking, viz. normally a bar code, e.g. the so called EAN code (European Article Numbering) or the UPC code (Universal Product Code) . Such a code may be read by means of an optical reader, a so called scanner, either within the cash register desk or in the shape of a so called reading pen. For wares that lack a bar code and have a high frequency in the shop, such as various vegetables and the like, it is possible to use P U (Price Look-Up) for each ware, a normal¬ ly three digital number code that the cashier introduces into the register by means of a keyboard. The cashier learns the numbers of the most frequent wares by heart, or will she use an auxiliary book at the register. Prices corresponding to each price code are introduced into the cash register. From the cashier's point of view the need for a price tag for wares that are provided with a bar code or PLU has diminished. The consumers, on the contrary, are strongly opposing the removal of the price tags, and put forth the following arguments, amongst others: Price comparison between different wares has been made more complicated, difficulty to remember and to check if the price paid at the cash register corresponds to the price on the shelf edge tag, and difficulty to make a broad evaluation of the total price of the purchases. 11 and 12, is provided with a carrying strap 20. The price marker 10, which preferably has a very low weight, is easily movable as a unit, preferably adapted to be carried by means of the carrying strap 20. The price marker unit in fig. 2 comprises a central unit or master unit 18, and, connected thereto, a plurality of cash registers 19, and a transmitter 18A. The transmitter 18A is adapted to transmit signals from the master unit 18 to the price markers 10 and vice versa, when necessary, preferably in a wireless way, as is indicated by means of the dotted lines 18C. The price marker 10 according to the invention may be placed and used wherever so desired, e.g. in a space close to the sales room, or in connection to a store to permit price marking prior to the wares are brought into the sales rooms of the shop, or may they be brought along into the sales rooms for price marking or price remarking of wares. The price markers 10 are adapted to be used in the following manner: A price memory 22 within the unit 11 is charged with price details from the master unit 18 whereafter the price marking may start up. The price memory 22 may be charged by being brought in contact with the master unit 18, into which the actual price is programmed, or may the price memory 22 be continuously or periodically charged from the master unit 18 over a wireless connection 18C, e.g. a modulated carrier wave, a laser connection or the like. As soon as the price memory 10 has been charged, the price marking may be started, in which case the code is first read on one single sample of the goods/goods package. • On doing so the price memory 22 takes up the actual price and adjusts the printer of the printing unit 12 to that figure, at the same time as the price may be displayed on the display 14. Then, the actual price is printed on the tags to a number dependent of the setting by means of one or more of the keys 13, 15 or 17. Depending on the particular design it is possible to obtain a strip with a plurality of tags, or may the unit 12 be lifted off to apply tags to the wares each time one of the keys 17 is actuated. The unit 12 may be electrically driven from a battery within the unit 11 to which it is connected through a cable or may the unit be provided with an electric battery (or an accumulator) of its own. The price tags may be provided with double prices, such as the individual price and a price per unit, or an ordinary price and a special price. For wares that are not provided with a bar code, but for which there exists a PLU-code, the keyboard 13 is used, and this keyboard is also used for wares that have no code whatsoever. In a simpler embodiment the printer of the printing unit 12 may be manually controlled. In such a case the code on one single sample of the ware is read by means of the reading pen 16 or is a code introduced by means of the keys 13, whereupon the price memory 22 takes the actual price which is displayed on the display 15. That price, together with possible other particulars, is then manually set on the printer of the printing- unit 12 so that price tags for price marking or price remarking are obtained in the above de¬ scribed manner. The disposition and function of the various control means 13, 15 and 17 are adapted to the requirements in each particular case. Such dispositions and adaptations per se may be carried into effect by those skilled in the art, without detailed instructions, and therefore it should not be necessary to disclose them here. It should be noted that it has been conceived, in one embodiment, to couple a reading pen or a corresponding control means and an easily movable printing unit to a permanently installed equipment with a central unit or a master unit and a plurality of permanently installed con¬ tacts. In such a case the connection of the different portions of the price marking device to the permanently installed equipment takes places through easily flexible cables, similar to the normally used spiralized telephone and microphone cables.

Claims: Claims 1. A method of price marking, characterized in that the actual prices at the price marking occasion are programmed into the control unit (11) of a memory unit (22) of a price marker (10) , that the kind of ware, or package therefore, is determ¬ ined for one single sample of the ware, which is about to be price marked, preferably by reading a code on the ware or the package therefore, such as e.g. an EAN-code, and that, while utilizing signals from the memory unit (22) , the printer of a printing unit (12) of the price marker is set for printing of the actual price, either on the ware directly or on the package thereof or preferably on self adhering price tags which are fed out and applied to the ware or the package thereof. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the signal from the memory unit (22) is used for an automatic setting of the printer of the printing unit (12) . 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that actual prices are set in the memory unit from a central or master unit (18) by putting the control unit (11) in connection with the central or master unit (18) either for each price marking occasion or continuously through a wireless transmitter (18A) . 4. A price marking equipment for price marking by the method as claimed in any of claims 1-3, characerized in that the equipment comprises at least one printing unit (12) , the printer of which is adapted to be set in dependence of the output signal from a control unit (11) which, in turn, is adapted to be actuated on one hand by signals denoting the kind of ware in each particular case, and, on the other hand, by signals from a central or master- unit (18) denoting the price of the ware at the price marking occasion in question. 5. An equipment as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that at least the printing unit (12) is easily movable, preferably easy to carry and use while using one hand only, and wherein preferably also the control unit (11) is easily movable, e.g. adapted to be carried, and wherein the means to determine the kind of goods for each price marking occasion preferably comprises a reading pen or the like for reading of a code, such as a bar code.

Inventors: SILLEN HILLEVI, SILLEN, HILLEVI
Applicants: SILLEN HILLEVI, SILLEN, HILLEVI
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G06K17
IPC codes: G06K17, G07G1