Abstract:
An electronic shelf label (“ESL”) holder attachable to a merchandise display. The ESL holder includes an attachment portion and an integrally-formed display portion. The holder is formed of plastic sheeting. The display portion is an opening extending through the plastic sheeting that defines gripping elements to receive and support the ESL. The plastic sheeting is of substantially rigid PVC and the opening is a die-cut opening. Various gripping element embodiments are provided, including a linear edge, tabs, and flexible flaps. The attachment portion can include a sled for interengagement between product cases, loops, and rings.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of, and priority from, provisional application Ser. No. 60/618,132 filed Oct. 14, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to electronic shelf label (“ESL”) holders for a variety of merchandise support structures and arrangements, such as stacked cartons, elongated strip merchandisers, wire shelves and baskets, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a variety of ESL holders that are cut from a plastic sheet.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Label holders for merchandise displays are well known in the art and take a variety of configurations. For example, flexible strip merchandisers or hang strips are well known in the art. See, U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,627, and the strip merchandiser with label as shown in Fast Industries Catalog 2000, pages 56-58, wherein die cut plastic sheets are formed into elongated strips with “V” or “W”-shaped slits to hold product, and wherein the upper portion of the strip, typically mounted on hooks or clips, includes a display area for a paper label with adhesive backing to provide purchasers with the unit price, promotional information, bar codes and other inventory control information. These plastic sheet strip merchandisers are relatively lightweight and formed from clear PVC, polypropylene, or polyethylene.  
         [0006]     Another known label holder is the wire fixture label holder as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,007 and also shown in Fast Industries Catalog 2000, pages 24-25, which includes a rectangular-shaped planar face with tags that wrap around a wire rod forming from the merchandise shelf or basket. The face of the rectangular holder can include adhesive labels with bar codes or may even include a plastic overlay into which a paper product information label is inserted. Such information tags are relatively lightweight, formed from relatively thin plastic sheeting.  
         [0007]     Another merchandising display system that is commonly used by retailers is to stack cartons of merchandise on the floor to form a display. Product within the cartons is sold out of the individual boxes. When the box is emptied after the products are sold out, the box is removed and the next lower box is opened for access by the purchasers. Typically, the retailer will cut out a portion of the top or front edge of the box to provide ready access to the merchandise. Recently, the boxes include tear perforations to enable a retailer to use the box as a display container. These are commonly known as cut case displays. Pricing and signage for the cut case displays are typically provided by use of a paper label attached to the box by a pressure-sensitive tape or glue.  
         [0008]     Recently, electronic information carriers have been employed to provide product information. Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are generally integrated with the in-store processor (ISP) or a free-standing controller that communicates with file information supporting the store&#39;s point-of-sale program. The ESL system may include low-voltage communication electronics or communication base stations (CBS) located in store ceilings away from the store operations. The ESLs are positioned throughout the store to identify an item&#39;s retail price and other information of interest to the consumer or for use by the store&#39;s inventory system.  
         [0009]     Price changes may be initiated through the store&#39;s controller which updates item price files. This information, which has an association to a particular product identified by item number or UPC code, is communicated to the CBS in the ceiling and transmitted via a high frequency radio signal to the corresponding ESL. The ESLs are programmed with differing addresses that are also associated with the item number or UPC code of the product they represent. Once the addressed device is found, the label display changes and reflects an acknowledgment back to the CBS to confirm that the transmission was received and enacted. This acknowledgment is then communicated back to the ISP to complete the transaction. These systems, such as produced by NCR under its DecisioNet™ trademark, allow the ESLs to be independent of wires and cables below the ceiling, which reduces installation time and cost. Since there are no wires or cables required from the ceiling down, the label is free to be positioned anywhere. When store shelf resets occur, ESLs move easily with the shelves.  
         [0010]     These ESL units, however, much like paper labels, require a carrier device to facilitate supporting them at selected locations, usually on the front of a store merchandise shelf. Several carriers for electronic shelf labels have been developed, including the device seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,990, (the &#39;990 patent). The &#39;990 patent recognizes some of the problems associated with ESLs, with particular reference to adjusting the orientation of the carrier, and thus, the ESL, when it is secured directly to, for example, a C-channel at the front edge of a merchandise shelf or the like, to permit the viewer to more readily see the information, particularly if the electronic label is attached to a relatively low, or relatively high, shelf.  
         [0011]     In commonly-assigned co-pending application Ser. No. 10/448,049 filed May 30, 2003, Publication No. 2004/0262470 published Dec. 30, 2004 (the &#39;049 application), highly versatile carriers for ESLs are provided to enable one or more of such ESL devices to be positioned and repositioned in a simple and inexpensive manner. Such ESL carriers overcome many problems associated with the complexity and expense of the carrier of the &#39;990 patent.  
         [0012]     The ESL carriers of the &#39;990 patent and the &#39;049 application are not well adapted for supporting an ESL on die-cut plastic sheet label/merchandise holders. One effective ESL label holder associated with die-cut plastic sheet label holders is shown in co-pending commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 10/922,164 entitled “Forwardly Extending Product Information Tags for Electronic Shelf Labels”, filed on Aug. 20, 2004, Publication No. 2005/0102874 published May 19, 2005, incorporated herein by reference. In the &#39;164 application, a forwardly extending product identification and information tag for a merchandise support hook is shown wherein the distal end of the tag incorporates a means to simply and inexpensively receive and carry an ESL. The ESL is carried by a die-cut rectangular portion of different embodiments to support the ESL. Such embodiments include a flexible flap formed from the top edge of the rectangular cut-out to be inserted under a slotted area at the top of the back of a standard ESL. Such flap can be utilized with a pair of flexible tabs formed from the bottom rectangular portion, which tabs are to be inserted under the spring clips on the bottom of the back of a standard ESL. Further, the ESL could be retained by simply a rectangular cut-out without either the upper flexible flap or bottom flexible tabs, which rectangular cut-out is sized to receive the spring clips and slots of the standard ESL. As will be described, such arrangements can be utilized with the several embodiments of the present invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide ESL holders for a variety of merchandising arrangements wherein the ESL holders are formed from plastic sheeting of various configurations. In particular, it is an object of one embodiment of the present invention to provide an ESL holder for stacks of boxed merchandise or cut case displays wherein the holder is a relatively thick plastic sheet having a wedge-shaped forward nose for insertion between adjacent stacked product cases and which is rugged enough to support large size ESLs.  
         [0014]     A further object of this invention is to provide an ESL holder for strip merchandisers that hang from product hooks.  
         [0015]     Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide ESL label holders for merchandise information tags that are connected to wire racks or baskets. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     These and other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be better understood upon a reading of the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a label holder in the form of a sled for retaining a large size ESL between stacked cartons of merchandise;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a large size ESL to be utilized with the label holder of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the back of a large size ESL being attached to the ESL holder of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a back or rear perspective view of the large size ESL holder attached to the sled of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a close up view showing the upper flexible lip of the front face cut-out portion of the ESL holder interengaged with the upper slot on the battery pack of the ESL holder;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective front view of the ESL label holder sled of  FIG. 1  with the ESL attached thereto inserted into the stacks of boxed merchandise as used in a retail environment;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is another embodiment of a die-cut ESL label holder for a strip merchandiser;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a close up perspective view of the strip merchandise holder of the present invention with the ESL about to be attached thereto;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of a strip merchandiser ESL holder with the ESL secured therewithin;  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a merchandise information tag for an ESL used for wire racks, shelves, or baskets;  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the merchandise information tag of  FIG. 10  attached to a wire shelf with a small or standard size ESL secured thereto;  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a merchandise information tag for wire racks using rings for attachment to the rack;  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of the merchandise information label holder or tag of  FIG. 12  with the ESL secured thereto;  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a representative die-cut rectangular opening without flap or tabs in a display area for incorporation with an ESL holder; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a representative die-cut rectangular opening with bottom tabs but without a flexible flap in a display area for incorporation with an ESL holder. 
     
    
       [0032]     Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]     In describing preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.  
         [0034]     Before proceeding with a description of each of the several embodiments, the display area of the various label holders have several features in common that will be first discussed. As with the label holder described in the incorporated &#39;164 application, the present invention relates to the die-cut opening in the display area of the label holder, which opening is adapted to support an ESL. In each of the embodiments, the display area of the label holder is die-cut to define an opening, or openings in the case of the  FIG. 1  embodiment, for removably receiving an ESL as shown illustratively at  100  in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-6  and  200  in the embodiments of  FIGS. 7-13 .  
         [0035]     With respect to the ESL for the plastic sled embodiment, a large size ESL  100  is shown having a pair of side-by-side positioned generally rectangular bosses  102  on the rear of the ESL  100 , each of which define an elongated slotted area  104  along its top edge, and includes a pair of spring clips  106 ,  108  defining grooves  110  thereunder. The bosses  102  include battery pack openings  112  for receiving batteries and/or other electronic components. In the standard size ESL  200  of the type shown in the  FIGS. 7-13  embodiments, only a single boss  202  is included (see  FIGS. 8 and 12 ). The single boss  202  includes an elongated slot  204  at the top edge and spring clips  208  (only one depicted) defining grooves  210 . As can be seen, the large size ESL has the two bosses  102  which are substantially identical to the single boss  202  of the standard size ESL  200 . Although the ESL itself forms no part of the present invention, and ESLs can vary in terms of their overall physical structure, ESLs will typically include an elongated slot at the upper region and a slot or groove at the lower region, in this case, the lower region slot or groove is defined by the spring clips.  
         [0036]     A common feature of each of the embodiments is the die-cut generally rectangular opening or openings  2  within a relatively thin plastic sheet display area  4 ,  40  to receive and support the ESL. Several embodiments of the rectangular cut out portion  2  are possible. For example, with reference to the cut out areas  2  in  FIG. 1 , the display area  4  includes a generally rectangular cut out  2  with an elongated flexible flap  6  defined by the top edge  8  of the cut out. In the die cut opening  2  of  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the display area  40  includes a rectangular opening with an elongated flexible flap  6  formed from the top edge  8  and a pair of spaced, resilient tabs  12  at each of the lower corners from the bottom rectangular edge  14 . In use, the tabs  12  are inserted into the grooves  210  under the spring clips  208  on the rear surface of the ESL  200  and the elongated flap  6  is engaged over the back of the ESL into the slotted area  204 , thereby securing the ESL to the display portion  40  of the label holder. The relatively thin, resilient nature of the plastic sheet material from which the label holders  1 ,  3 ,  5 ,  7  are formed, facilitates resiliently engaging the tabs  12  and the flap  6  in the respective portions of the ESL. If desired, however, fold lines or the like (not shown) may be impressed into the display area of the label holder at the same time the opening  2  is die-cut therefrom to weaken those areas and facilitate engaging the tabs and flap with the ESL. Such fold lines could be used with the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 12 , wherein only the elongated upper flap  6  is shown without the use of the lower tabs  12 .  
         [0037]     The die-cut opening  2  can be a simple rectangular opening  30  free of any tabs or flaps. See,  FIG. 14  showing a display area  40 . This is also described in the co-pending &#39;164 application with reference to the  FIG. 6  embodiment, incorporated by reference herein. The rectangular cut-out  30  is sized to receive the rectangular boss at the rear of the ESL, and the top edge  8  of the rectangle may fit within the slotted area of the ESL, wherein the bottom edge  14  of the rectangle is inserted into the grooves of the ESL. The distance between the top edge and bottom edge of the rectangle corresponds to the distance between the top of the tabs  12  to the free edge of the flap  6  in the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 . It should also be noted that the use of a rectangular opening or cut-out  30  may be sufficient to support the ESL by just supporting the boss portion without regard to the spring clips and grooves or the slotted area. That is, for ESLs that may have no grooves, either at the top or the bottom, but just a rectangular boss for receiving the battery, a rectangular die-cut portion can be sized to fit tightly over the boss to support the ESL.  
         [0038]     Another embodiment of a die-cut generally rectangular opening is shown in  FIG. 15  which includes the use of the lower tabs  12  without the upper edge flap. That is, the upper edge  8  is straight without a flap with the two tabs  12  extending from the adjacent corners of the bottom edge  14 .  
         [0039]     Thus, there are basically four different embodiments for the die-cut opening. The first is a plain, rectangular cut-out. See  FIG. 14 . This is the easiest to insert the ESL and, also, the easiest to remove the ESL. Next, in order of ease of insertion and removal, is a plain rectangle with a flap on the top edge. See  FIGS. 1 and 12 . Next, in order of ease of insertion and removal is a plain rectangle with just the tabs on the bottom. See  FIG. 15 . Finally, the most secure arrangement is the rectangle with the flexible flap on the top and the two tabs on the bottom edge. See  FIGS. 8 and 10 . Each of these die-cut openings can be used with any of the embodiments that will now be described.  
         [0040]     Turning first to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , the label holder is a plastic product sled  1  that is die-cut from a piece  60  of plastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or PVC. In this embodiment, a large size ESL  100  is required to be supported and the ESL  100  is relatively heavy, requiring a relatively sturdy plastic sheeting  60 . Preferably, the plastic sheeting  60  is a minimum of 0.030 inches. The product sled  1  includes a generally horizontal support sled  62  having a wedge-shaped free end  64  designed to assist in insertion of the label holder sled  1  between stacked cartons  66 , as best shown in  FIG. 6 . Disposed within the support sled  62  are a plurality of matrix creases  68  lying along the length of the sled portion  62  that extends from the display area  4 . These matrix creases  68  make the wedge shape sled  62  stronger and resistant to bending when the sled is inserted between the layers of cases. As is shown, at least six parallel creases  68  are provided for the requisite strength that is needed to support a large ESL. In addition, a matrix crease  69  is provided between the sled section  62  and the display portion  4  so as to assist in holding the two sections at right angles to each other. This folding may be done either with or without the application of heat.  
         [0041]     In use, the ESL  100  is mounted into the openings after the sled  1  takes its right angled configuration by first inserting the top edge flap  6  into the elongated slotted area  104  of the ESL bosses  100 , and then moving the sled  1  and ESL  100  relative to each other to lock in the bottom edge  14  of the opening  2  to the lower slotted areas  110  of the ESL.  FIG. 3  shows the insertion of the large ESL into the sled and  FIG. 4  shows the completed assembly.  FIG. 5  is a close up view of the edge that shows the flexible upper flap or lip  6  engaged to the upper elongated slotted area  104 . Once the ESL  100  is attached, then the wedge-shaped end portion  64  is inserted between the layer of cases as far as it will go so that the ESL is on the outside of the display. See  FIG. 6 . As the products within the product case are sold, the sled is removed and reinserted between cases at a lower height.  
         [0042]     Turning next to the embodiment of  FIGS. 7-9 , an elongated strip merchandiser  3  is depicted with a die-cut, generally rectangular, opening  2  in the label display area  40  of the merchandiser. Merchandisers with paper labels are well known in the art as previously discussed. This merchandising system is popular because multiple pieces of product can be displayed by hanging from a hook or spring clip whereby the displayed products take up no shelf space. The flexible strips  3  can be hung from the front or sides of shelves, wire displays, walls, or any open areas in the store giving added selling space where there was none before.  
         [0043]     The label portion or display area  40  of the strip merchandiser includes a rectangular die-cut opening  2  for supporting the ESL  200 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the die-cut opening  2  is one with a flexible lip or flap  6  on the top edge of the rectangle with a pair of tabs  12  on each corner of the bottom edge of the rectangle. See  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The ESL, in this case a standard ESL  200 , is secured to the rectangular opening in a manner as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  
         [0044]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show ESL label holders  5  for wire shelves or baskets. In the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , a plastic wire fixture label holder  5  is shown with the general configuration as is known in the prior art, but now including the generally rectangular die-cut opening  2  to support the ESL. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the rectangular opening  2  has the flexible top lip or flap edge  6  with the pair of tabs  12  extending from the bottom edge  14  of the rectangular opening. After the ESL  200  is mounted as shown in  FIG. 11 , the plastic “arrows”  82  are looped around the wire and inserted through the slits  84  in the display portion to secure the label holder to the wire rod. Again, the opening  2  could be any of the four shapes as previously described but, preferably, the opening includes the flap on top and tabs at the bottom because this type of holder is more subject to abuse in use and will grip or hold the ESL tighter than the other embodiments.  
         [0045]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 12 and 13 , another type of ESL holder  7  is shown for wire baskets and displays, but uses molded plastic rings  92  or similar rings, such as metal as is commonly used for key chains, which are inserted into holes at the top of the ESL holder. Each of the four die-cut opening embodiments can be utilized.  
         [0046]     The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous applications of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, as noted above, it is not desired to limit the invention to the preferred embodiments or the exact construction and operation shown and described. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.