Abstract:
A merchandise support hook mountable to perforated boards through a backing plate having four tabs or ears for supporting the plate on the perforated board. The backing plate upper tabs have a vertical component greater in length than the diameter of the apertures within the perforated board. The lower tabs have a vertical component shorter in length than the diameter of the aperture within the perforated board. This results in minimal tilting of the combined hook and backing plate when inserting or removing the assembly from the perforated board. The hook and backing plate could be a one-piece structure or a two-piece structure where the hook is removably affixed to the backing plate.

Description:
[0001]     This application is entitled to and hereby claims the priority of co-pending U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/526,076 filed Dec. 2, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to merchandising aids, and relates more particularly to a unique design of a backing plate for a merchandise support hook, particularly a scanner plate hook. The hook backing plate is especially adapted for attachment to a perforated board with the hook cantilevered at a right angle to the board. The scanner plate portion is designed to receive adhesive labels displaying consumer information such as descriptions and prices of products, as well as inventory control information, such as barcodes and the like. Alternatively, the scanner plate portion may carry a label holder for paper or plastic labels and may include a sign holder portion adapted to carry a “flag” or sign displaying special information to the consumer, such as identifying a “sale” item or the like.  
         [0004]     For simplicity, the term “label holder” is used herein to include label holders for adhesive or non-adhesive labels as well as label holders with or without one or more means to also carry a sign or flag.  
         [0005]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0006]     Scanner hook assemblies are commonly found in outlets such as supermarkets, pharmacies and the like, and are carried by a supporting surface, often an apertured board. Some scanner hook assemblies comprise a pair of interconnected, vertically spaced, horizontally extending, hooks or elements cantilevered forwardly from a proximal mounting portion. The upper hook is designed to overly and present in front of the merchandise, information regarding merchandise carried on the lower hook. With such designs, the distal end of the upper hook may have a T-shaped cross-bar, a right-angular or L-shaped extension, or a flat scanner plate adapted to carry a label or label holder. The lower hook may be a single, forwardly extending element, a laterally spaced pair of such elements, or a loop for slidable reception and removal of a plurality of products such as plastic encased products with an apertured or slotted cardboard backing commonly known as “blister packs”.  
         [0007]     Adhesive-backed labels can be secured directly to a flat scanner plate. Removing such adhesive-backed labels is time consuming and difficult, leaving an unsightly residue build-up which is resistant to cleaning. For that reason, non-adhesive paper or plastic labels are generally preferred since they can easily be replaced if they become damaged or the product information changes. Therefore, label holders have been provided which commonly have a back panel with a transparent cover member flexibly secured along one mating edge to the back panel to define a pocket between the front surface of the back panel and the rear surface of the cover member for removable reception of one or more information-containing paper or plastic labels.  
         [0008]     Oftentimes, in addition to the information provided by the product labels, it is desired to highlight certain information about a particular product or group of products by displaying an enlarged “flag” or sign. U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,112 (the &#39;112 patent), the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, provides a combination label/sign holder wherein the signs are carried by, and move with, the cover member of the label holder and do not interfere with selectively inserting and removing labels from the label holder pocket.  
         [0009]     Label holders for attachment to the T-shaped cross-bar, L-shaped right-angular extension or flat plate on the distal end of the upper element of a scanner hook assembly of the type described hereinabove are available. To avoid accidental disengagement of such label holders from the scanner hook assembly resulting from placing merchandise on, or removing merchandise from, the lower hook, label holders have been designed that can be rotated forwardly and upwardly away from the distal end of the merchandise-receiving hook to access the hook or products carried by the hook. Such designs are often relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture and difficult to use for both the merchandiser and the consumer.  
         [0010]     Another problem with attaching a label holder or the like to the distal end of a scanner hook is the increased possibility of injuring a passerby and/or damaging or disengaging a label holder carried thereby in the event of an accidental impact from a consumer or even a shopping cart or other piece of equipment.  
         [0011]     Thus, it will be recognized that numerous problems exist with scanner hook assemblies currently marketed. Attempts to combine a single merchandise-supporting hook with a scanner plate adapted to directly carry a label or a label holder without interfering with merchandise supported by the hook have not been successful to date.  
         [0012]     Movement of the scanner plate to the proximal end of the assembly to avoid some of the problems of the prior art scanner hook assemblies eliminates the need for a pair of vertically spaced hooks, but this must be accomplished without obscuring the pricing and inventory information on the labels by the merchandise carried by the hook. Moreover, difficulties with positioning the scanner plate at the proximal end of the hook are exacerbated by the need to securely attach the proximal end of the scanner hook assembly to a supporting surface, commonly a perforated board generally having uniformly spaced horizontally and vertically apertures.  
         [0013]     Thus, not only must a scanner plate at the proximal end of a scanner hook assembly be so positioned as to present necessary consumer and inventory information without regard to merchandise carried by the hook, it must also not interfere with the means for mounting the scanner hook assembly on the perforated board.  
         [0014]     In addition to the foregoing problems with commercially-available scanner hook assemblies, the way in which such products have been mounted on a perforated board heretofore leaves much to be desired. Commonly, a pair of rearwardly and upwardly extending “ears” or “horns” are provided on the proximal end of the hook. These elements are engaged in a selected pair of apertures in the perforated board by tilting the hook assembly and inserting the ears through the apertures and behind the board. The weight of the scanner hook assembly and/or merchandise carried thereby retains the scanner hook assembly in position. Yet, such a mounting mechanism is subject to disengagement should the scanner hook be accidentally tipped upwardly by a consumer or by store personnel accessing merchandise on the hook. Prior art means to, effectively, lock the scanner hook assembly into the apertures of perforated boards to avoid problems of this nature are relatively cumbersome and expensive to manufacture and use.  
         [0015]     Another problem with scanner plate hook assemblies or indeed any merchandise support hook attachable to perforated boards that include a back plate with a pair of rearwardly and upwardly extending “ears”, “horns”, or “tabs” is that the tabs must be relatively long and significantly longer than the diameter of the aperture into which the backing plate tabs are inserted. Because there are only two tabs on such backing plate extending typically from the top edge of the backing plate, and such tabs are designed to support the entire weight of the merchandise on the merchandise hook, the tabs must be relatively long to provide a substantial pressure support surface to bear against the rear of the perforated board. This results in an additional problem when removing or inserting the hook assembly into the perforated board. Because the upper tabs or prongs are relatively long, the hook assembly has to be angled or tilted upward, closer to the vertical position, when inserting or removing the hook assembly which interferes with merchandise on the hook mounted above.  
         [0016]     Solutions to the above problem have been limited to providing a two-piece mounting hook assembly where the backing section or plate is a separate unit, of metal or of plastic, and a separate hook section is removably attached to the backing section. Through this arrangement, the backing section or plate remains affixed to the perforated board, while the horizontally disposed elongated hook can be removed without substantial tilting or vertical movement and thus prevent interference with the merchandise support hook located immediately above. One such attachment mechanism is a twist lock arrangement where the merchandise hook has a downward vertical portion that is captured within a pair of L-shaped spring clips. However, when the hook is removed, there is a tendency of the backing plate to turn and/or the two-tab mounting portion of the backing plate to disengage or separate from the perforated board.  
         [0017]     Thus, a need has arisen for a hook arrangement with a merchandise support hook and back plate that can be easily installed in perforated boards without substantial vertical tilting of the hook arrangement when attaching or removing the arrangement from the perforated board.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     A primary object of this invention is to provide a back plate for a merchandise support hook, such as a scanner plate hook, primarily adapted for use with a standard perforated board which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and use.  
         [0019]     A further object of this invention is the provision of a scanner plate hook of the type described wherein the scanner plate is fixed above the proximal end of the hook so that merchandise suspended on the hook does not obscure the information presented by a label attached to the scanner plate or carried by a label holder affixed to the scanner plate.  
         [0020]     A still further object of this invention is the provision of a scanner plate hook of a unique construction wherein the wire hook element is welded or otherwise fixed between a scanner plate and a backing plate which carries a plurality of tabs for engagement in the apertures of a perforated board to fully integrate the scanner plate, the scanner hook and the mounting means in a unitary construction.  
         [0021]     Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a backing plate having four tabs or ears adapted to engage in four apertures in a perforated board to provide improved holding strength and stability and permit a more horizontally oriented insertion and removal from the perforated board.  
         [0022]     Another object of this invention is the provision of a back plate for a hook, such as a scanner plate hook, where the back plate includes a pair of longer upper, and a pair of shorter lower, tabs affording the mounting means with a “lost motion” design to facilitate installation or removal of the scanner hook assembly from its engagement with the perforated board, while minimizing accidental disengagement of the scanner hook assembly from the apertured board.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     These and other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be better understood by those with ordinary skill in the art in connection with the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a scanner plate hook according to a preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view thereof;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view thereof;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view thereof;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of a standard apertured board with a rear view of a scanner plate hook according to this invention readied for attachment thereto;  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  showing a front view of the scanner plate hook in an initial stage of attachment to the perforated board;  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a scanner plate hook according to this invention installed in the apertures of a perforated board, shown partially in cross-section.  
         [0031]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the novel four-tab backing plate with a standard scanner hook having a pair of vertically-spaced horizontal hooks detachably connected with the backing plate;  
         [0032]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the backing plate/scanner hook of  FIG. 8 ; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a four-tab backing plate and support hook. 
     
    
       [0034]     Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0035]     In describing a preferred embodiment 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.  
         [0036]     Referring now to the drawings, a scanner plate hook according to a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive concepts is designated generally by the reference numeral  10  and comprises basically a scanner plate portion  12 , a back or backing plate portion  14 , and a hook portion  16 . Preferably, the scanner plate portion and backing plate portion  12 ,  14 , are integrally formed from a single sheet of metal or other suitable material, with a pair of spaced connecting bights  18  defining between them an opening  20  through which an upwardly extending proximal end portion  22  of the hook  16  is passed. The scanner plate portion and backing plate portion  14  could also be formed of rigid plastic. The portion  22  of the hook  16  can be welded or otherwise fixed in position between the scanner plate portion  12  and the backing plate portion  14 .  
         [0037]     As shown, the backing plate  14  is a planar plate or surface. A pair of spaced upper tabs or ears  24  are integrally formed from the backing plate portion  14  as are a pair of spaced lower tabs or ears  26  for a purpose to be described below.  
         [0038]     The hook  16  includes a generally horizontally extending portion  28 , which can be of any length and may include an upwardly angled distal end  30  to minimize the likelihood that merchandise  32  carried by the hook  16  will inadvertently be disengaged therefrom.  
         [0039]     With reference particularly to  FIGS. 5-7 , attachment of the scanner plate hook  10  to a perforated board  34  is schematically illustrated. The standard perforated board  34  has a thickness  36  and a plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced apertures  38 , typically 0.25 inch diameter, generally on a rectangular pattern at one inch intervals.  
         [0040]     The longer tabs  24  on the backing portion  14  are first engaged in an upper pair of apertures  38   a  as shown particularly in  FIG. 6 , and then the shorter lower tabs  26  are engaged in a lower pair of apertures  38   b  and the scanner plate hook lowered by gravity so that the shoulder portions  26   a  of the lower tabs  26  rest on the cut-out portions of the apertured board  34  to lock the scanner plate hook in position. See the arrows in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and the assembled view in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0041]     Obviously, disengagement of the scanner plate hook from the apertured board  34  can be effected by reversing the foregoing procedure, that is, lifting the scanner plate hook  10  to free the lower tabs  26  from the apertures  38   b,  tilting the same as seen in  FIG. 6  and then withdrawing the upper tabs  24  from the upper apertures  38   a.  The differential in size between the apertures  38  and the wire forming the tabs  24 ,  26 , and the difference in length of the upper tabs  24  and the lower tabs  26  enable this “lost motion” connection which, effectively, locks the scanner plate hook  10  into the perforated board  34 .  
         [0042]     Because of the four-tab arrangement, sufficient locking and retention of the scanner plate in the perforated board does not require that the vertically-oriented upper tabs  24  be as long as those typically found in prior art two-prong arrangements. Rather, the upper tabs  24  are of a length greater than the diameter of the circular apertures, but not so long to require substantial upward tilting movement when the backing plate is inserted or removed from the perforated board. The lower tabs have a vertical length less than the diameter of the aperture to enable the vertical tabs to be freely inserted in the aperture without substantial tilting. Thus, the scanner plate hook can be inserted and removed from the perforated board in a generally horizontal orientation, i.e., in a direction substantial perpendicular to the plane of the perforated board, albeit there will be some slight tilting or deviation from horizontal.  
         [0043]     In the embodiments depicted in  FIGS. 1-7  of the drawings, the backing plate  14  is shown in combination with an integral scanner plate  12 . However, the backing plate  14  can be utilized with a merchandise support hook without any scanner plate whatsoever. Indeed, the four-prong arrangement can be used with well-known plastic backs, plate backs, or wire back hook arrangements, in addition to scanning hooks. Similarly, the hook  16  and back plate  14  can be two-piece arrangement, where the hook is removable from the backing plate, as shown in  FIGS. 8-10 .  
         [0044]     A two-piece scanner hook arrangement utilizing the novel backing plate of the present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 8-10 .  FIGS. 8 and 9  disclose a two-rod scanner plate hook  116  having a pair of parallel rods  117 ,  119  interconnected by a vertical rod section  122 . The rod section  122  is twist-mounted to a backing plate  114  and retained on the backing plate  114  by a pair of spring clips  151 ,  153 . Such mounting arrangement with two-prong or two-tab backing plates are known in the art. However, the scanning plate hook is shown with the novel backing plate  114  having four tabs, two upper tabs  124  and two lower tabs  126 . Each of the upper tabs  124  have a vertical extension or length just greater than the diameter of the hole in the perforated board. The lower tabs  126  have a vertical extension or length less than the diameter of the hole in the perforated board. Attachment of the backing plate to the perforated board is identical with that previously described with respect to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 .  
         [0045]     The embodiment of  FIG. 10  discloses the novel backing plate  114  utilized with a conventional merchandise hook  216  having a single horizontal rod  217  with a downward or vertical section  222  that is twist-mounted within the tabs  151 ,  153  in the same manner as described in the embodiments of  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  
         [0046]     An adhesive label shown in dotted lines at  40  in  FIG. 6  can be secured directly to the front face of the scanner plate portion  12 . Alternatively, a label holder, such as the clip-on scanner hook label holder seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,034 (“the &#39;034 patent”), the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, can be secured over the upper edge of the scanner plate portion  12  of the scanner plate hook  10  of the instant invention as shown in dotted lines at  42  in  FIG. 1 . Further, a combination label/sign holder of the type seen in the &#39;112 patent (not shown) can be provided with a clip or the like to secure the same over the scanner plate portion  12  of the scanner plate hook  10  of this invention.  
         [0047]     The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. As noted, the invention may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not limited by the dimensions of the preferred embodiment. Other similar modifications to the disclosed embodiments can also be made within scope of the instant inventive concepts. Thus, the foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention.  
         [0048]     Numerous applications of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, 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.