Abstract:
The invention relates to a display device, particularly of use for holding electronic displays, or also for the arrangement of simple labels. Said device is of application in shops, stores or other places, for the presentation of information to customers, and, in particular, the price of articles. The display device may be directed upwards or downwards, according to a suitable viewing angle and may, furthermore, be of modular construction, according to the type of fixing clamp ( 11 ) for the shelving and the element for display.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not applicable.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates to a display device, used in particular for holding electronic display units or still for placing simple tags.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Display devices and systems are used mainly in shops, department stores or others, in order to exhibit tags containing information, in particular the price of the items offered to customers.  
         [0006]     Generally, the items are stored on two types of tiers in selling areas. They may simply be laid on a tier shelf or still be hanging from hooks in the form of a supporting bar, mounted cantilever to a wall and exhibiting at the end thereof a perpendicular stop bar.  
         [0007]     Display devices are generally interconnected on two types of matching interconnection studs. They are either fixed in a rail, also called a shelf stud, in the case of a simple shelf, or they are fixed to said perpendicular bar of said hooks, still called hooked studs.  
         [0008]     According to the height of the bracket of the items, for ergonomic and visibility purposes, said display devices should ideally be seen by the consumers according to an average position which ought to remain the same for all the items. The consumer should be able to access the information without having to squat to read the tag and in particular the price of the items displayed on a lower bracket, not to come closer to the lowest bracket.  
         [0009]     It is therefore advantageous that the prices should therefore be displayed and oriented downwards in the case of the upper shelves and oriented upwards in the case of the lower shelves in order to be seen in an average position.  
         [0010]     A display device is known, capable of being fixed to a rail or a stud, and has exhibiting means for being tilted according to an intermediate position oriented upwards. Nevertheless, in the case of shelves fitted with several levels, as can be found in department stores, such a device has limited variability in orientation.  
         [0011]     Moreover, if it is suited for orienting the price tag according to an appropriate vision angle for certain lower shelves, it does not enable directing, in particular downwards, the price tag for the upper shelves.  
         [0012]     Besides, such display devices are compatible only with a stud for interconnection with a rail and cannot be adapted to other existing fastening brackets, such as hanging hooks.  
         [0013]     Moreover, the price and other pieces of information may be shown as of now by electronic display units, which may have different dimensions according to the device at hand. Such electronic display devices do not have means to suit the different configurations of display units.  
         [0014]     Thus, the head of a department who has several elements of different structures to be displayed on different types of a fastening stud, according to the available devices of the state of the art, should be able to choose different display devices for each combination, each element to be displayed by stud.  
         [0015]     The present invention then intends to remedy the above shortcomings. In particular, an object of the invention is to provide a display device, capable of being oriented upwards or downwards according to an appropriate vision angle and which can be modulated, moreover, according to the type of fastening stud and of element to be displayed.  
         [0016]     Another object of the invention is to provide a display device which may be assembled easily and rapidly.  
         [0017]     Another object of the invention is to provide a display device exhibiting antitheft fastening means.  
         [0018]     Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, only given by way of example, and without limitation thereto.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     According to the invention, the display device, in particular for electronic display of the prices, capable of directing an element to be displayed according to a requested vision angle, includes: 
        first fastening means to a stud for interconnection with the tier,     second fastening means,     an intermediate part capable of co-operating with said second fastening means, said part exhibiting means for holding said element to be displayed, and     rotation means and indexing means interfacing between said first fastening means to the interconnection stud and said second fastening means.       
 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]     The invention will be understood better when reading the following description accompanied by the appended drawings, which are integral parts thereof.  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a display device according to the invention mounted on a rail according to a first embodiment.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a device according to the invention mounted on a hooked stud according to a second embodiment.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a perspective top view of a device complying with the invention according to a third embodiment.  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective bottom view of the device according to the invention illustrated on  FIG. 3 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the device according to the invention illustrated on  FIG. 3 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view along the line VI-VI according to the invention illustrated on  FIG. 5 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a device mounted on a hooked stud complying with the invention according to a fourth embodiment.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the device according to the invention illustrated on  FIG. 7 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of the device according to the invention illustrated on  FIG. 7 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of fastening means to a rail by a swivel cam.  
         [0035]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a jumper illustrated on  FIG. 10 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a swivel cam illustrated on  FIG. 10 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]     The invention relates to a display device, in particular for electronic display of prices, capable of orienting an element to be displayed according to a vision angle.  
         [0038]     The device comprises, first of all, on the one hand first fastening means  1 ,  3 ,  30  to an interconnection stud  11 ,  23 ,  24  to the tier, and on the other hand, second fastening means  18 , in particular to the displayed element.  
         [0039]     Moreover, according to the invention, the device includes rotation means  4 ,  5  and/or indexing means  17 ,  22  acting as an interface between said first fastening means to the interconnection stud and said second fastening of the element to be displayed.  
         [0040]     According to a first embodiment of the device complying with the invention, in particular illustrated on  FIG. 1 , said first fastening means comprise a jumper  1  exhibiting a C-shaped structure  2 ,  17 , held and capable of sliding with an Q-shaped structure of a rail  11  fixed to the tier.  
         [0041]     The C-shaped structure may notably be in the form of two legs  2  going away from the back of a jumper  1 , the ends of the legs  2  being held with the Q-shaped structure of a rail  11  by profiles  12 .  
         [0042]     This fastening system to a shelf stud may advantageously when implementing the information to be displayed, notably price tags, be displaced and slide over the rail, whereas the display device is located in front of the row of items affected.  
         [0043]     According to an embodiment illustrated on FIGS.  3  to  6 , in particular, when the device is located correctly on the shelf stud, the first fastening means  1  may be interconnected so as to prevent any displacement of the said jumper  1  along said rail  11  with braking means  13 . These braking means  13  constitute besides an antitheft means.  
         [0044]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the braking means are in the form of a rotary lock  13  preventing any displacement of said jumper  1  along the rail  11 . Said rotary lock  13  is formed by a cylindrical body  15  exhibiting at the lower end thereof a base  14  of greater dimension. Said base  14  is generally rectangular in shape with two greater sides of length slightly greater than the distance between the legs  2  of the jumper  1 . Both smaller sides are shorter than the distance separating the edges of the profiles  12  of the rail  11 . This rotary lock  13  is situated in the recess created between the legs  2  of the jumper  1 , the back of the jumper  17  and the rail  11 .  
         [0045]     Said cylindrical body  15  of the rotary lock  13  goes through and protrudes from the back of the jumper  17  through the upper end of the cylindrical body  16 . The rotary lock  13  exhibits at that end a head capable of accommodating an actuation key. Said head may in particular exhibit a print  16 , in particular hexagonal in shape, capable of co-operating with an Allen key.  
         [0046]     Said lock  13 , when turned, compresses the lower end of said legs  2  against the profiles  12  of said rail  11 , by means of a chamfer at the base  14 . The action exerted by the legs  2  on said profiles  12  generates, thanks to a friction phenomenon, transversal loads to the line of action, which oppose any displacement of the jumper  1  along said rail  11 .  
         [0047]     According to another embodiment of a fastening to a rail, illustrated on FIGS.  10  to  12 , the jumper  1 ′ is not held directly by the profiles  12  of the rail  11 . The fastening means of the jumper  1 ′ to the rail  11  are then formed, in a known fashion, by a swivel cam  80  exhibiting a base  82  generally rectangular in shape, and capable of being blocked in the rail  11 . Said base  82  exhibits two smaller sides of length smaller than the distance between the edges of the profiles  12  of the rail  11 , so as to be inserted longitudinally in the rail.  
         [0048]     Said base  82  exhibits two larger sides of length grater than the distance between the edges of the profiles  12  of the rail  11  and smaller than the maximum width in the rail.  
         [0049]     According to an embodiment, said base  82  exhibits, in particular the ends thereof, elevating means  83  formed by chamfered sections and capable of cooperating, when the cam  80  is rotated by 90°, by friction with the lower wings of the profiles  12  of the rail  11 .  
         [0050]     A cylindrical body in two sections  84 ,  86  rises from said base  82  and constitutes at a narrowed section  85  a bearing surface for the jumper  1 ′.  
         [0051]     The upper section  86  of the cylindrical body exhibits radially two ears diametrically opposed, which may run through a corresponding aperture  40  in the back of the jumper  1 ′. When the cam  80  is rotated, said ears  81  protrude with the back of the jumper  1 ′ for retaining said jumper. The end of the upper section  86  of the cylindrical body, may advantageously exhibit a print  16 , in particular capable of accommodating an Allan key.  
         [0052]     Advantageously, the jumper  1 ′ may show two longitudinal edges  2 ′ capable of co-operating with the edges of the profiles  12  of the rail  11 , so as to centre said jumper  1 ′ to the rail  11 .  
         [0053]     According to another embodiment of the device complying with the invention, in particular illustrated on  FIG. 2 , said first fastening means may be fixed to a hooked stud. They are then in the form of a resilient jaw  3  inside which the stop bar  23  perpendicular to the supporting bar  24  of a hooked stud, is inserted by elastic deformation.  
         [0054]     This elastic jaw  3  is generally cylindrical in shape and exhibits an aperture in the longitudinal direction of smaller dimension than the inner diameter of the cylindrical jaw  3 . The inner diameter of said jaw  3  may advantageously be slightly smaller than the diameter of the stop bar  23 , so as to maintain a pressure against said bar.  
         [0055]     Moreover, according to an embodiment, in order to prevent any rotation of the first fastening means  3  around said stop bar  23 , the jaw  3  exhibits a surface  20  whereupon the end of the supporting bar  24  and a stop  19  abut to prevent any rotation in the other direction, which also contacts said supporting bar  24 . The device complying with the invention exhibits rotation means interfacing between the first fastening means and the second fastening means.  
         [0056]     According to an embodiment of the device according to the invention, the rotation means are formed by an articulation axis  5  interconnected with the first fastening means  1 ,  3  and an articulation piece  4 , rotating freely around said articulation axis  5 . According to this embodiment, the element to be displayed may be oriented continuously relative to said first fastening means.  
         [0057]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the articulation axis is in the form of a transversal bar  5  fitted with two flanks  6  going away from said first fastening means.  
         [0058]     The device according to the invention may exhibit indexing means  7 ,  22  interfacing between the first fastening means and the second fastening means.  
         [0059]     According to an embodiment, the indexing means are situated on the articulation piece  4 , which is in the form of a toothed pinion  7 , mounted to rotate freely around an articulation axis, in particular the bar  5  interconnected with the first fastening means, the teeth of said pinion  7  co-operating with a ratchet  22  slaved to the first fastening means. Thus, the number of teeth defines the number of angular indexing positions of the element to be displayed.  
         [0060]     According to another embodiment, in order to be assembled by elastic deformation, also called a clip system, the toothed pinion exhibits a straight aperture  8  along the rotation axis of dimension  9 , smaller than the inner diameter  11  of said toothed pinion  7 , so that said transversal bar  5  may be inserted by elastic deformation inside said pinion  7 .  
         [0061]     According to an embodiment as illustrated on  FIG. 3  or  7 , said second fastening means  18  are interconnected with at least one protrusion  25  going away from said articulation piece. In case when the articulation piece is in the form of a toothed pinion  7  with an aperture  8 , there, at least one protrusion is situated advantageously close to the edge of the aperture  8  in order to keep maximum angular clearance.  
         [0062]     In spite of the presence of this aperture  8 , said toothed pinion  7  may exhibit advantageously sufficient radial denture at least over an arc of circle greater than half the circumference of said pinion  7  for indexing an angular position allowing for a clearance greater than 1800. This feature enables significant variability of the element to be displayed and in particular downwards and upwards orientations with reference to a horizontal plane. Thus, the element to be displayed may be oriented downwards for high shelves and upwards for low shelves.  
         [0063]     The device according to the invention exhibits second fastening means  18 .  
         [0064]     According to an embodiment as illustrated on  FIG. 7 , said second fastening means  18  are in the form of a clip system. This clip system may be advantageously irreversible so as to be burglar-proof.  
         [0065]     According to this embodiment, the clip system, for each protrusion  25 , takes on the form of two opposite teeth  29  protruding forwards and on both sides of said projection  25 , generally triangular and rectangular in shape. The piece co-operating with this clip system exhibits two female sockets co-operating with the teeth  29  and two flanks  28 , said flanks exhibiting a rim  32  co-operating with the teeth  29 . This clip system is then inserted by deformation of both flanks  28 , said rim  32  letting through and contacting the hypotenuse of the teeth  29 , and abutting at the end of the stroke against the ridge perpendicular to the protrusion  25  of the teeth  29  in order to prohibit any recall.  
         [0066]     According to another embodiment as illustrated on  FIG. 3 , the second fastening means  18  are in the form of a rectangular piece  27  perpendicular to a protrusion  25 . The element to be fastened then exhibits two profiles  21 , the rectangular piece being inserted between these profiles  21  and the back of the element to be displayed and is capable of sliding up to a suitable position.  
         [0067]     The second fastening means  18  may then be in several forms and may cooperate with an element to be displayed. This involves that said elements to be displayed exhibit fastening means which are compatible with said second fastening means  18 . To remedy this problem, according to another embodiment of the device complying with the invention, an intermediate piece  16  interfacing between the articulation piece and the element to be displayed co-operates with the second fastening means  8  and has means for holding an element to be displayed. This intermediate piece  26  is adaptable according to the element to be displayed.  
         [0068]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the intermediate piece exhibits a bottom  30  and two flanks  31 , the element to be displayed being encased by deformation of the flanks  31  against said bottom  30 .  
         [0069]     Thus, the device according to the invention enables directing an element to be displayed along a suitable vision angle, upwards or downwards, and may be advantageously modular, which may be altered indefinitely according to the interconnection stud and the element to be displayed.  
         [0070]     The head of a department may in particular choose among several parts exhibiting the first fastening means according to the interconnection stud, among several intermediate pieces  6  according to the element to be displayed and a stock of standard articulation pieces  4 . The user may then assemble a display device relative to the interconnection stud and the element to be displayed.  
         [0071]     A plastic matter may be used for the manufacture of the pieces of this device, the plastic matter having elastic features adapted to the clip system. These pieces may then be produced in large quantities and at low cost by common manufacturing and processing cycles of the plastic matter; such as injection-moulding, in particular for thermoplastics.  
         [0072]     Obviously, other embodiments, understandable to the man of the art, could have been contemplated without departing from the framework of the present application as defined in the claims below.