Abstract:
A tag holder assembly is provided for mounting on the edges of a display shelf for retail merchandise. When the assembly is pressed against the shelf, the assembly flexes to permit members of the assembly to rotate into a locked position. This flexion gives rise to forces which reliably secure the assembly to the shelf. In one embodiment, the assembly can be removed by rotating the members to an unlocked position. The assembly can be made as a unitary device including, for example, a living hinge. Alternatively, the assembly can made as two or more separate members. The assembly can also include a projecting member that extends higher than the front surface of the shelf to prevent objects on the shelf from falling off. Significantly, any forces which the objects transmit to the assembly through the projecting member tend to lock the assembly even more securely on the shelf.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to shelving moldings, and more particularly to tag holders and tag holder assemblies.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Retail products are often displayed for consumers on shelves with a price tag nearby. The price tag should be easy to see. If the consumer cannot immediately find and understand the price tag, he or she may decide against purchasing the product.  
           [0003]    In many popular types of retail shelving displays, one or more of the shelves includes a channel of standardized dimensions for holding tags that give prices for or otherwise describe the products displayed on the shelves. The tags can be simply glued to the front surface. However, the tags must eventually be changed and glued tags are difficult to remove.  
           [0004]    As an alternative to attaching tags directly to the display shelves, various types of tag holders are commercially available that can be permanently or releasably mounted on display shelves. Permanently mounted tag holders are usually secured with fasteners that require the shelves to be cut, drilled or otherwise disfigured. Previously known releasable tag holders do not disfigure the shelves but are typically dislodged from the shelves by routine impacts that are to be expected in the course of normal retail use.  
           [0005]    A need exists for a tag holder assembly that mounts releasably on retail displays without any need for cutting or drilling the shelves and is sufficiently robust to withstand the bumps and blows of retail usage.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The invention is a tag holder assembly for releasably mounting on a shelf having a front surface that defines a pair of generally parallel edges. When the assembly is placed on the front surface and pressed against the shelf, the assembly and the front surface flex as members of the assembly rotate into a locked position. This flexion gives rise to forces which reliably secure the assembly to the shelf. The assembly can be removed by rotating the members to an unlocked position. The assembly can be made in a unitary construction including, for example, a living hinge. Alternatively, the assembly can made as two or more separate members that pivotably engage with each other.  
           [0007]    In the unitary construction, the tag holder includes a top portion, a middle portion and a bottom portion. The top portion is sized and shaped to engage the upper edge of the shelf and the upper edge of a tag for describing, for example, merchandise displayed on the shelf. The bottom portion is adapted to engage the lower edge of the shelf and the lower edge of the tag. With the top and bottom portions engaging the upper and lower edges of the shelf, respectively, the middle portion is moved from an unlocked position to a locked position in which the tag holder is releasably mounted on the shelf. The middle portion may include a flexible material to facilitate its movement into the locking position.  
           [0008]    When the tag holder assembly is constructed in the form of separate members, the first member has an upper portion for engaging the upper edge of the shelf and the upper edge of a tag and, also, a lower portion. The second member of the assembly has an upper portion, and a lower portion for engaging the lower edge of the shelf and the lower edge of the tag. The first member lower portion and the second member upper portion cooperate to form a pivot region that permits them to pivot with respect to each other without slipping apart. The first and second members engage the shelf edges, respectively. With the members engaged at the pivot region and pivoting with respect to each other, rotation of the members about the upper and lower shelf edges locks the assembly on to the shelf.  
           [0009]    The tag molding of the present invention can add a color accent to the product display. The first member of the assembly can also include a projecting member that extends higher than the front surface of the shelf to prevent objects on the shelf from falling off and to serve as a stop for fronting the product on the shelf. Significantly, any forces which the objects may transmit to the assembly through the projecting member tend to lock the assembly even more securely.  
           [0010]    Further objects and advantages of the present invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings is illustrated by way of example only. The various elements and combinations of elements described below and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged and organized differently to result in embodiments which are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tag holder assembly of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a side view of the tag holder assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a side view of another tag holder assembly of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a side view of the tag holder assembly of FIG. 1, illustrating the beginning of an attachment sequence to a shelf;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a side view of the tag holder assembly of FIG. 1, further illustrating the attachment sequence to the shelf; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a side view of the tag holder assembly of FIG. 1, further illustrating the attachment sequence to the shelf. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a tag holder assembly, such as tag holder assembly  10  depicted in FIG. 1. The assembly  10  is shown connected to a shelf  14  of a shelving unit (not shown). The shelf  14  includes a flat upper surface  18  where products (not shown) are displayed, and a channel defining a front surface  22 . The front surface  22  includes an upper shoulder or flange  26  having an edge  27  and an undercut  28 , and a lower shoulder or flange  30  having an edge  31  and an undercut  32 . The front surface  22  serves as connecting structure for mounting the assembly  10 . The shelf  14  may be made either of a rigid material such as granite, or flexible material such as rubber, plastic or sheet metal.  
         [0019]    As shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 , the tag holder assembly  10  includes a first or upper strip member  34  and a second or lower strip member  38 . The first member  34  includes an upper portion  42  and a lower portion  46 . The upper portion  42  includes two vertically spaced fingers or inwardly extending portions  50 ,  54  extending from an inner face  58  of the upper portion  42 . Extending portion  54  acts as a stop for fronting products (not shown) on the shelf  14 . The upper portion  42  also includes a hook or outwardly extending portion  62  extending from an outer face  66  of the upper portion  42 , with the outwardly extending portion  62  curving downwardly, and having an arcuate cross-section. The lower portion  46  of the first member  34  is rounded. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “outside,” “top,” “bottom,” “under,” “over” and the like, as used herein and in the appended claims, are for purposes of describing the relationship of assembly  10  and its component parts to the shelf  14  and the tag  212 , and are not intended to imply any particular orientation to the ground or anything else.  
         [0020]    The second member  38  includes an upper portion  70 , a middle portion  74 , and a lower portion  78 . The lower portion  78  includes a finger or lower inwardly extending member  82  having an arcuate cross-section extending from an inner face  86  of the lower portion  78 . Also, the lower portion  78  includes a hook or outwardly extending portion  90  extending from an outer face  94  of the lower portion  78 , with the outwardly extending portion  90  curving upwardly and having an arcuate cross-section. The second member  38  also includes an upwardly facing, arcuate knuckle or upper inwardly extending member  98  at the middle portion  74 . The upper portion  70  of the second member  38  is rounded, similar to the lower portion  46  of the first member  34 .  
         [0021]    In another preferred embodiment, the invention is assembly  110  as depicted in FIG. 3. Like assembly  10 , the molding assembly  110  includes an upper strip member  134  and a lower strip member  138 . The upper member  134  includes an upper portion  142 , middle portion  144 , and a lower portion  146 . A substantially flat surface defining a projection or member  148  leads to the upper portion  142 . The member  148  extends beyond the flat upper surface  118  of the shelf  114  to help prevent products (not shown) placed upon the flat upper surface  118  from falling. The middle portion  144  includes an upwardly curving, arcuate finger or inwardly extending portion  150  extending from an inner face  158  of the middle portion  144 . The middle portion  144  also includes a downwardly curving, arcuate hook or outwardly extending portion  162  extending from an outer face  166  of the middle portion  144 . The lower portion  146  of the upper molding member  134  includes a knob-like cross-section.  
         [0022]    A second or lower strip member  138  includes an upper portion  170 , a middle portion  174 , and a lower portion  178 . The lower portion  178  includes a finger or lower inwardly extending member  182  having a downwardly curving, arcuate cross-section extending from an inner face  186  of the lower portion  178 . Also, the lower portion  178  includes an upwardly curving, arcuate hook or outwardly extending portion  190  extending from an outer face  194  of the lower portion  178 . The lower molding member  138  also includes an upwardly curving, arcuate knuckle or upper inwardly extending member  198  at the middle portion  174 . The upper portion  170  of the lower molding member  138  is rounded, similar to the upper portion  142  of the upper molding member  134 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 4 and 5 depict the assembly  10  in unlocked positions. During assembly to the shelf  14 , the first member  34  and second member  38  are positioned relative to the front surface  22  as shown in FIG. 4. Once the upper and lower members  34 ,  38  are positioned relative to the front surface  22 , the members  34 ,  38  are pivoted toward the front surface  22  such that fingers or inwardly extending portions  50 ,  54  loosely engage the upper flange  26  at the undercut  28 , the lower inwardly extending member  82  loosely engages the lower flange  30  at the undercut  32 , and the lower portion  46  of the first member  34  pivotably engages the upper inwardly extending member  98  as shown in FIG. 5. The region of pivotal engagement is referred to as a pivot region  99 . Additional force is required to rotate the members  34 ,  38  about flanges  26 ,  30 , respectively, so as to move the pivot region  99  of assembly  10  in the direction of the front surface  22 .  
         [0024]    As the members  34 ,  38  are further rotated to move the pivot region  99  toward the front surface  22 , the lower portion  46  more firmly engages the upper inwardly extending member  98  until the lower portion  46  is in a plane  204  passing through the extending portion  50  and the extending member  82  as shown in FIG. 6. In the centered position, extending portion  50 , lower portion  46  and extending member  82  align so as to present the longest possible distance between extending portion  50  and extending member  82  consistent with pivotable engagement of upper and lower members  34 ,  38 . In the centered position, these three elements are subject to maximum compression so that continued rotation “over center” causes the elements to snap toward front surface  22  and come to rest in a “locked position” as shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 . In the locked position, the fingers or inwardly extending portions  50 ,  54  firmly engage the upper flange  26  at the undercut  28 , the lower inwardly extending member  82  firmly engages the lower flange  30  at the undercut  32 , and the lower portion  46  of the first member  34  firmly engages the upper inwardly extending member  98  in the pivot region. The members  34 ,  38  or portions of the members  34 ,  38  may or may not be deflected as much compared to the members  34 ,  38  or portions of the members  34 ,  38 .  
         [0025]    Forming (e.g. extruding, molding, etc.) the members  34 ,  38  from a resilient plastic material such as polypropylene or polyethylene makes it easier to force the pivot region  99  and lower portion  46  past the plane  204 . Alternatively, the shelf  14  or the front surface  22  may be made of a resilient material, and therefore may deflect instead of the members  34 ,  38  during assembly of the members  34 ,  38 . Also, a combination of the molding members  34 ,  38  and the front surface  22  may deflect upon assembly of the members  34 ,  38  to the front surface  22 . Members  34 ,  38  may be composed of a brightly-colored material to add a color accent to the display.  
         [0026]    In the locked position, the outwardly extending portions  62 ,  90  define a tag channel  208  therein, such that a tag  212  having an upper edge  213  and a lower edge  214 , or multiple tags  212 , can be inserted into the tag channel  208 . The outwardly extending portions  62 ,  90  provide protection to the tags  212  so that their accidental or inadvertent removal is difficult. Also, the assembly  10  is securely attached to the front surface  22  so that it is relatively difficult to accidentally dislodge the assembly  10  from the shelf  14  while in the locked position. Extending portion  54  serves as a rail to keep products such as cans on the shelf  14  and as a guide for fronting the products. Any forces that the products may exert on portion  54  tend to reinforce the locking action by causing upper and lower members  34 ,  38  to rotate toward front surface  22 .  
         [0027]    To remove the assembly  10  from the front surface  22 , the members  34 ,  38  are forcibly pivoted from the locked position to move the pivot region away from the front face  22 . Preferably, extending portion  90  is forced downwardly so as to rotate the members  34 ,  38  away from the front face  22 . Once the lower portion  46  is in the plane  204 , additional force is applied to pivot the members  34 ,  38  to move the pivot region  99  past the plane  204 , and the natural deflection bias of the assembly  10  snaps the assembly  10  to the unlocked position. The members  34 ,  38  may then be easily relocated and re-assembled to a different shelf  14 .  
         [0028]    In yet another preferred embodiment (not shown), the molding assembly includes a single-piece molding, such that the fingers or inwardly extending portions engaging the upper and lower flanges and the hooks or outwardly extending portions are part of a unitary device that includes both of the members. A living hinge is positioned towards the middle of the unitary piece to provide the deflection bias of the single-piece molding as the molding traverses between the unlocked position, the relatively unstable orientation, and the locked position. For the present purposes, a “living hinge” is a hinge made of a unitary piece of resilient or elastic material. In still another preferred embodiment (not shown), the molding assembly may include structure to support a sign or other advertising medium larger than the typical price tag.