Patent Publication Number: US-5423425-A

Title: Store shelf brochure holder and blank therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION &amp; DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     1. Background--Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to a holder for brochures, coupons, and literature, and the die cut blank therefor, which when assembled, displays these items referred to herein hereafter as literature, from a store shelf &#34;pricing channel&#34;, also referred to as a &#34;shelf strip&#34;, located on the outside edge of the store shelf facing the aisle, in a way that the literature holder&#39;s contents will most easily be seen by consumers approaching from either direction in store aisles. 
     2. Background--Description of Prior Art 
     Consumers frequently make buying decisions while walking aisles of retail stores. Calling an approaching consumer&#39;s attention to coupons and literature at the store shelf where a product is displayed among similar products, helps locate the product and differentiate it from products around it. 
     Literature holders currently available are generally made primarily to display from a flat surface, such as counter or table, and to display their contents in one direction, from the front of the holder. 
     Some literature holders can be used to display from the store&#39;s shelf edge pricing channel, by use of a separate fastener which attaches the back of the holder to the pricing channel, so the holder faces outward from the shelf. This positioning holds the contents so they are best seen from in front of the holder. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,731, to Albery (1986) is typical. Albery&#39;s holder and most other holders designed for display from the front of the holder, can be displayed from the shelf edge pricing channel, if a hole should be die cut in the back panel, through which a fastener may be passed, and which fastener itself attaches to the store shelf pricing channel or to another fastener which is attached to the pricing channel. 
     This is clearly illustrated by the Spider Clip, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,987 to Conway, (1981), a plastic device which attaches to the pricing channel, and has molded to it a couple dart clips, which may be broken away and passed through the back panel of a literature holder to fasten it to the Spider Clip which is attached to the shelf pricing channel. 
     Similarly, the Shelf Extender Clip, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,840 to Babberl, (1980), fastens to the shelf pricing channel and has on it an adhesive pad to which the back of a literature holder may be pressed for attachment to the shelf edge, presenting the literature holder in the same way the spider clip would hold it, facing outward. 
     Fasteners For Retail, Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio, is a leading distributor of literature holders and means of fastening them to store shelves. The Shelf Extender Clip, Spider Clip, and a number of typical literature holders, some with patents pending, are pictured with illustrations of how they typically attach literature holders to the store shelf pricing channel, on pages 41 and 36 of the &#34;Fasteners For Retail, Inc.&#34; 1993 Catalog. Current state of the art for literature holders die cut with provision for shelf attachment are also shown in Fasteners For Retail, Inc. Literature entitled, &#34;info-systems TM&#34;. These references are attached. 
     In many instances it is preferable to have a literature holder which displays its contents at a 90 degree angle to the shelf, so the contents may be arranged to face consumers advancing from either direction, rather than facing outward from the shelf. Displays which face outward from the shelf display the contents primarily to consumers positioned directly in front. 
     A literature holder would be more conveniently attached to the shelf pricing channel, if it could be attached without additional fasteners, adhesive pads or tools. 
     It would be more convenient and economical if it were not necessary to inventory or carry along additional items like fasteners, without which a literature holder cannot be attached to the store shelf pricing channel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this literature holder, to hold information, including brochures, coupons, literature, etc. relative to a product, so they face at approximately 90 degrees from the store shelf, and the contents may be arranged for optimum viewing by consumers approaching from either direction. 
     It is an object that the literature holder may be printed, providing signage calling attention to the holder&#39;s contents, and the related product on the shelf, or that it may be made of clear material, completely displaying properly arranged contents of brochures, coupons, literature, etc. to consumers approaching from either direction. 
     It is an object that this literature holder provide its own means of attachment to the store shelf pricing channel, eliminating the need of additional fasteners, adhesive devices, or tools and their expense. 
     It is an object to provide this literature holder at low cost and for it to be easily produced from Paper, Plastic or similar light weight materials which can be readily die cut, scored, and, optionally printed. 
     It is an object that it can be shipped flat, taking little space to store and carry, while at the same time, it can be assembled quickly and easily without use of special skills, tools, fasteners, or adhesive device. 
     Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and reference to drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the assembled literature holder attached to the store shelf pricing channel. 
     FIG. 2 shows the assembled literature holder displaying literature at approximately 90 degrees to the store shelf 
     FIG. 3 shows the exterior view of the literature holder in its flat blank form 
     FIG. 4 shows the interior view of the literature holder in its flat blank form as it is flexed for assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning to the figures of the drawing, there is seen in FIG. 1, an empty, assembled holder for literature, and in FIG. 2, an assembled holder with literature in it, both drawings showing the literature holder attached to the store shelf pricing channel, and are indicated generally by 10. 
     The literature holder in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, is assembled from a die cut and scored blank as illustrated in unassembled blank FIG. 3, exterior view, and FIG. 4, interior view. It is made from paper, plastic or any light weight material which may be die cut and scored and which material has the necessary rigidity to perform the function of &#34;holder&#34; when die cut and formed in the prescribed manner, for attachment to the store&#39;s shelf pricing channel. It may be constructed of clear material through which the holder&#39;s contents may be seen, or the material may be opaque or may be wholly or partially printed to proclaim the nature of the holder&#39;s contents. 
     A metal attachment to the edge of the store shelf, commonly referred to as a &#34;pricing channel, illustrated at 20 on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, is constructed with two metal chines, as illustrated at 20A and 20B on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one chine at the top and one chine at the bottom, uniform in spacing, so any strip of thin, flexible material having the required rigidity, measuring approx. 1 3/16&#34; in width commonly called a &#34;shelf strip&#34; may be pressed into it, and will lodge there, secured under the chines. 
     In keeping with one aspect of the literature holder, it incorporates two shelf strip panels, 12A and 12B, each attached to a side panel and each shelf strip panel die cut to secure the literature holder, without an additional fastening device, tools, or adhesive fastener, to the pricing channel and hold it there at an approximately level attitude, for display of contents at 90 degrees to the shelf, despite the fact the pricing channel presents itself to the holder at a backward tilt of approx. 25 degrees, which would otherwise cause the holder to tilt backwards, possibly dropping the contents out the back. The two angled die cuts at 12C and 12D, work in combination with the two cut outs shaped like the shelf channel chine, 12E and 12F, on panels 12A and 12B, to assume an optimum attitude when the holder is attached. 
     Additionally, it is seen that side panels 13A and 13B, which are attached to panels 12A and 12B, contain the holder&#39;s contents in an upright position, while the contents are securely supported from below by two overlapping panels, 15A and 15B, locked in place by tab lock 16. 
     Also note, panels 15A and 15B are die cut to terminate at a distance equal to approximately the width of the holder, from a projection downward from score 17, as shown at 21. This enables the holder to fold without binding or bunching at the end, while providing a secure bottom, and provides bracing necessary to position panels 13A and 13B, defining the width of the holder. 
     Referring to the interior view of the blank shown in FIG. 4, to assemble the die cut and scored blank into a brochure holder, initially panels 13A and 13B are folded inward toward each other on score 17, while folding panels 15A and 15B upward 90 degrees, on scores 22A and 22B, so panel 15A overlaps 15B and is secured by folding tab 16 on score 19, and inserting tab 16 into slit 14. When strip 12A is folded at 90 Degrees to side panel 13A, and strip 12B is folded at 90 degrees to side panel 13B, strips 12A and 12B may then be pressed into the store&#39;s pricing channel, where upon the edges of strips 12A and 12B snap under the chines of the pricing channel, and are locked there, without use of any additional fastener, tools, or adhesive device, holding the literature holder at approximately 90 degrees to the shelf, the best angle for viewing by approaching consumers. 
     Thus it can be seen that a holder for literature and coupons, and a blank for making such a holder, have been provided which fully meet the stated objectives. While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention to the same, but to include all equivalents and modifications within the scope of the claims to follow.