Label holders for display shelves

Abstract: Label holder for display shelves with a longitudinal grooved front, comprising a grooved bar (3) which aids in mounting to the front edge of the display shelf (1), and a transparent plate (10) which is mounted on the external surface of the grooved bar, said plate provided with a wall which is inserted into the front edge of the display shelf, with the external wall ending in its open bottom end in a longitudinal recess (9) which is open on the top, with the length of the transparent plate approximately equal to that of the bar and ending on its bottom in a longitudinal ribbing (11) approximately equal in cross section to that of the recess (9) which ends the external wall of the grooved bar.

Description: The present invention relates to a label holder for display shelves, designed to be installed in display shelves of shops and warehouses in order to provide customers with information regarding prices, reference numbers, weight or other characteristics of the displayed products, as known from the document WO 98/ 32115. Labels which provide the information indicated must be easily accessible in their holders, as they generally need to be changed frequently when the product, price, etc. changes. Label holders are known with the above object, comprising a support of a short length compared to that of the display normally attached to the central part of the shelves and with means for receiving the label on its front. The label holder may accidentally move along the front of the shelf, ending up placed in front of a different product and thus offering incorrect information. In addition, it is typical for the label to be unprotected so that it may wear prematurely. The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems by means of a label holder constructed so that the label positioning is ensured and also providing protection for these against dirt and wear. The label holder of the invention is designed for display shelves ending in a longitudinal frontal groove and comprises a grooved bar mounted inverted and straddling the outer wall of the front groove of the display shelf. The label holder further incorporates an elongated transparent plate mounted on the outer surface of the external wall of the grooved bar. The bar which comprises the label bearer is provided on the face which is inserted in the front groove of the shelf with a shape which ensure its secure attachment to said groove, while the outer wall of the bar ends at its lower free end in a longitudinal recess open on the top. The transparent plate is equal in length to the bar and its lower edge ends in a longitudinal ribbing which has an approximately equal cross section to the recess which ends the external wall of the grooved bar. The aforementioned recess and ribbing can have a dovetail section. The outer wall of the grooved profile and the transparent plate show a slight transverse shape which ensures that the transparent plate is elastically pushed by its upper part towards the outer part of the bar. At its longitudinal upper edge the transparent plate ends in a longitudinal tab inclined forwards, which simplifies its separation from the external wall of the grooved bar in order to insert or remove labels. These and further characteristics of the invention will become apparent in view of the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example is shown of a non limiting embodiment. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a perspective exploded view of the label holder constructed according to the invention to be installed on a display shelf. Figure 2 is a perspective partial view of the shelf of figure 1 with the label holder installed. Figure 3 is a cross section of the label holder of the invention mounted on the front groove of a display shelf. Figure 1 shows a display shelf (1) ending on the front in a longitudinal groove (2). The label holder of the invention comprises a grooved bar (3) equal in length to shelf (1). Said bar (3) is mounted inverted and straddling the external wall (4) of longitudinal groove (2) of shelf (1), as can be better appreciated in figure (1). Grooved bar (3) is provided in its internal wall (5) with a longitudinal formation (6) slightly deeper than the width of front groove (2) of shelf (1). On its part, Wall (4) of the longitudinal groove (2) is provided with an internal longitudinal groove (7) smaller in section than formation (6). With this construction, wall (5) is inserted in groove (2) of shelf (1) under pressure, elastically deforming wall (4) of the groove, until formation (6) is coupled to longitudinal groove (7), thus providing a secure means of attachment for bar (3) on groove (2). As may be seen in figure 3, in its free end external wall (8) of grooved bar (3) ends in a longitudinal recess open on the top which may adopt a dove tail section shape. The label holder of the invention is completed by a transparent plate (10) which is equal in length to grooved bar (3) and which is shaped so that it may couple to the external surface of outer wall (8) of said bar, as may be seen in figure 3. For this reason plate (10), made of a transparent material, ends at its lower edge in a longitudinal ribbing (11) of cross section approximately equal to that of recess (9), so that it may be inserted in the same by sliding longitudinally, so that plate (10) moves along the wall (8) of grooved bar (3), against which it is pushed from the top, because of the transverse bend of wall (8). In its top edge plate (10) ends in a longitudinal tab (12) which, as is seen in the inset of figure 3, is provided with rear striations (13) which can be pushed in the direction of arrow A in order to separate plate (10) up to the position shown by the dotted line and labelled (10a) in order to insert and remove a label. Grooved bar (3) may be made from shaped cold rolled steel. Plate (10) shall be flexible to allow its separation in the manner shown in figure 3 in order to insert and remove labels. As grooved bar (3) and transparent plate (10) can be approximately equal in length to shelf (1), the problem of an accidental sliding of the label holder is solved. Furthermore, as the label is protected by plate (10) it is protected from dirt and wear. Grooved bar (3) may be treated with a traditional coating of epoxy, electrostatic paint, chrome plating, etc. all abrasion and rust resistant, as well as providing a decorative finish in combination with display shelves (1) present in the shop. Grooved bar (3) and plate (10) may be transversally limited by brackets (14), figures 1 and 2 of the display shelf, thus securing its position.

Claims: Label holder for display shelves, particularly for shelves ending in a longitudinal grooved front, the label holder comprises a grooved bar, mounted inverted and straddling the external wall of the frontal groove of the display shelf, and a transparent plate which is mounted on the external surface of the grooved bar; characterised in that the grooved bar is provided, in the wall which is inserted into the frontal groove of the display shelf, of a transverse shaping which secures its attachment in said groove, while the free bottom end of its outer wall ends in a longitudinal recess open on the top; and whose transparent plate is approximately equal in length to the bar and ends in a longitudinal ribbing of cross section approximately equal to that of the recess which ends the external wall of the grooved bar. Label holder as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the longitudinal shaping of the inner wall of the grooved bar is slightly deeper than the width of the front groove of the display shelf, and under pressure partially penetrates an opposing groove of the external wall of the aforementioned groove. Label holder as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the external wall of the grooved bar has a slight transverse bend, with the concave face on the outside, with the top edge of the transparent plate applying a slight pressure on the upper segment of said wall. Label holder as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the recess and ribbing which end the bottom of the external wall of the grooved bar and the lower edge of the transparent plate have a dovetail shaped cross-section. Label holder as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the transparent plate ends on its top in a longitudinal tab inclined forwards.

Inventors: ORTIZ ALONSO JOSE ANTONIO, ORTIZ ALONSO, JOSE ANTONIO, Ortiz Alonso, José Antonio
Applicants: KIDER S A, KIDER, S.A.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A47F5
IPC codes: G09F3, A47F5