Patent Publication Number: US-7216445-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for displaying a sign

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to displays, and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a method and apparatus for mounting a sign adjacent to a generally flat surface, such as a store shelf or the like. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Displays and signs have become popular in all manner of retail trades. For example, displays may be utilized on store shelving, such as grocery store shelves and the like. Such signs can be particularly effective marketing tools when properly designed and utilized. A large number of displays are currently available on the market. These displays vary from the active-type, such as rotating signs for eyeglasses and the like, to common passive types of signs, such as overhead displays. In a well-recognized arrangement, the signs are positioned on store shelves upon which the goods are stocked, or on the vertical standards that support the shelves. In this manner, the signs are used to direct a consumer&#39;s attention to the particular goods or items placed on the shelves. 
   One effective way to direct a consumer&#39;s attention to particular goods or items within a store is to place the signs at the front of the shelves or on top of the product or its box. One known type of sign that is positioned near the goods to be displayed is permanently affixed to the store shelf front. While such a sign is effective at directing a customer&#39;s attention to particular items or products that are located on or below the store shelf, such signs are generally affixed to the store shelf creating difficulty in removing products and restocking the store shelf. Additionally, permanently affixed signs can be easily damaged if due care is not exercised when removing products or restocking the shelves. Another known type of sign system includes a mounting portion that is permanently affixed to, for example, a vertical shelf standard, and includes an arm that extends from the mounting bracket and has a pivoting head at the end of the arm. The sign is mounted to the pivoting head to permit the sign to be moved out of the way during product removal and shelf restocking. A disadvantage to this particular display arrangement is that there are many small hardware items that are necessary for assembling the sign, and many of the hardware items must be removed in order to pivot the sign out of the way from its normal display position to the access position for accessing the store shelf. 
   In many known shelving arrangements, the shelves extend from vertical support posts having partition walls extending between and connecting the posts. The shelves rest on brackets or supports that extend from both sides of the face of the partition wall behind the shelves. Another type of display extends upwardly from the top of the partition walls at a height above the floor that provides increased visibility over greater distances. 
   While known sign systems often can be effective in directing a consumer&#39;s attention to a particular product or store shelf location, such systems have deficiencies. First, as with the store shelf mounted displays discussed above, these display systems may be relatively inflexible in that they cannot be installed in more than one manner on a particular shelving system. Second, because differences between such display systems, the installation hardware typically varies from one system to another. Interchangeability is therefore limited. This deficiency may result in increased costs for maintaining a large quantity of different display types along with the respective mounting hardware. This may result in having an insufficient stock of the proper display to, for example, advertise a sale or special item. Accordingly, there is a need for a flexible sign mounting system that permits a display to be mounted to commonly used shelving systems in a variety of configurations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Embodiments of the present invention permit a sign to be mounted to the front surface of a store shelf (or other generally horizontal surface) as well as standing on the product or its box. Emodiments of the present invention comprise a single component that can be adjusted to fit various types of installation arrangements and permits the sign to be installed with minimal hardware and tools. 
   The present invention relates to displays, and, more particularly, one aspect of the invention relates to a multi-positionable display apparatus with a mounting plate, a flexible hinge extending at least partially along a width of the mounting plate, and a sign holder coupled to the mounting plate by the flexible hinge. A latching mechanism is provided which extends partially along adjacent borders of the sign holder and the mounting plate. The latching mechanism is adapted for positioning the sign holder in one of at least two positions relative to the mounting plate. 
   In yet another aspect, the latching mechanism positions the sign holder at an angle of about 115 degrees relative to the mounting plate when the latching mechanism is engaged and the apparatus is displayed on a generally flat surface. In another aspect, The latching mechanism positions the sign holder at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to the mounting plate when the latching mechanism is disengaged and the sign holder is freely hanging from the mounting plate. 
   In another aspect, the multi-positionable display is extruded as a single apparatus during the manufacture of the apparatus, and is formed of an extruded plastic compound. In yet another aspect, the mounting plate includes a plurality of holes for affixing the mounting plate to a surface upon which the sign is to be displayed. In another aspect, the display includes a generally u-shaped channel extending at least partially along a length of the sign holder and adapted for receiving a sign. 
   In still another aspect, the latching mechanism further includes a pair of complimentary positioning anchors, with each of the pair of complimentary positioning anchors coupled along the adjacent borders of the sign holder and the mounting plate. At least one of the complementary positioning anchors aligns the sign such that the sign is generally parallel to an edge of the surface upon which the mounting plate rests when the sign holder is freely hanging from the mounting plate. 
   The multi-positionable display according to principles of the present invention may have many advantages over the known prior art. First, the multi-positionable display requires generally fewer parts than the displays known in the art. Second, when mounted on a shelving system, the multi-positionable display allows easier access to items on a lower store shelf than the displays in the known prior art. Third, the multi-positionable display may be displayed in one of two positions, allowing a retailer to minimize the variety of displays the retailer must keep on hand. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Principles of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, given by way of examples, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multi-positionable display laying on a generally flat surface; 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate various uses of the multi-positionable display according to principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is perspective of the multi-positionable sign holder of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the device in use hanging a sign from a store shelf; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the multi-positionable display, illustrating the device holding a sign in a fixed position on a generally flat surface; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the latching mechanism according to principles of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a diagramatic illustration of an exemplary method of using the multi-positionable display according to principles of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
   Principles of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1–6 , the present invention relates to a multi-positionable display, which is capable of displaying a sign in at least two positions: Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a perspective view of a multi-positionable display  10  according to principles of the present invention. The display  10  comprises a mounting plate  14 , a flexible hinge  18 , and a sign holder  20 . The mounting plate  14  comprises a plurality of mounting holes  16  for securing the display  10  to a shelf, a wall, or some other surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the sign holder  20  may include a generally u-shaped channel structure  31 , with the sign placed within the u-shaped channel  31   a  defined between a surface  30  and a surface  32 . Securement holes  28 , which extend throughout the thickness of surfaces  32  and  30  of sign holder  20 , secure the sign in a fixed position. Further, a latching mechanism  22 , which comprises a pair of complimentary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b , is provided for positioning the sign relative to a surface. As will be described in relation to  FIGS. 2A-6 , the positioning anchors  24   a  and  14   b  are utilized to position the sign holder  20  in at least two positions relative to the mounting plate  14 . 
   In  FIG. 1 , the display  10  is shown lying open on a surface  12 . However, as will be discussed later, the display  10  may be placed in several exemplary display positions. One exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 4  displays a sign at an angle of about 115 degrees from the surface upon which the display  10  is placed. Another exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2B and 3  displays the sign in a hanging position at an angle of about 90 degrees from the mounting plate  14 . However, depending on the design of the positioning anchors, the sign may be displayed in any of a number of positions so as to maximize visibility of the sign to a consumer. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B  in combination, there are illustrated various embodiments of the multi-positionable display  10  according to principles of the present invention. The embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  are discussed in more detail in relation to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
   Referring specifically now to  FIG. 2A , there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of the multi-positionable display  10  displaying a sign  13  on a flat surface  15 . The sign holder  20  may be locked into position via the latching mechanism  22 . As mentioned above, when the latching mechanism  22  is engaged, the sign  13  may be displayed at an angle of about 115 degrees relative to the surface  15 . The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2A  may be desirable in advertising a variety of types of furniture or other goods which are not readily displayed on store shelving. 
   With reference now to  FIG. 2B , there is illustrated another exemplary embodiment of the multi-positionable display  10  according to principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, the display  10  displays the sign  13  freely hanging from a shelving system  17 . The shelving system  17  may be of the type commonly found in grocery stores and department stores. The disengaged latching mechanism  22 , which comprises the pair of complimentary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b , ensures that the sign holder  20  is displayed at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to the mounting plate  14 . As will be discussed later in relation to  FIG. 5 , the pair of complimentary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b  are designed such that when positioning anchor  24   a  rests upon positioning anchor  24   b , the angle between the sign holder  20  and mounting plate  14  is about 90 degrees. If the sign is planer with the u-shaped channel  31   a  of  FIG. 1 , the sign  13  will also be displayed at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to the mounting plate  14 . Further, the hinge  18  allows the sign holder  20  to swing freely from an angle of about 90 degrees to the mounting plate to a position which is generally parallel to the mounting plate. This allows a customer to remove a package  23  from the lower shelving  21  without removing the display  10  from the shelving system  17 . 
   Referring now to the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the multi-positionable display  10  may be placed such that the sign holder  20  displays a sign  9  hanging from a store shelf  11  (also illustrated in  FIG. 2B ). In this embodiment, the sign  9  hangs at an angle of about 90 degrees from the mounting plate  14 . A surface  26  of positioning anchor  24   b  coupled to the mounting plate  14  may be operable to align the sign holder  20  to the store shelf  11 . The sign holder  20  is held by gravity in a plane that is parallel to the plane of the front face of the store shelf  11 . 
   Another exemplary embodiment of the multi-positionable display  10  of  FIG. 1  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In this particular embodiment, the display  10  is placed on a flat surface  8  and displays a sign  7  in a fixed position relative to the mounting plate (also illustrated in  FIG. 2A ). The latching mechanism  22  comprises the pair of complimentary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b  engaged one to the other. This design of the pair of complementary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b  allows the sign to be displayed at an angle of about 115 degree relative to a flat surface  8 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   With reference now to  FIG. 5 , and, in particular, to latching mechanism  22  of  FIGS. 1–4 , there is shown the pair of complementary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b . In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , with the multi-positionable display  10  displaying a sign hanging from a store shelf, a surface  48  of complementary positioning anchor  24   a  and a surface  50  of complementary positioning anchor  24   b  are engaged one to the other with surface  48  resting upon surface  50 . Disengagement of surface  48  with surface  50  positions the sign holder  20  at a position of about 90 degrees from the mounting plate  14 . When, however, a sign is displayed with mounting plate  14  on a generally flat surface, a surface  44  of positioning anchor  24   a  and a surface  46  of the complementary positioning anchor  24   b  are engaged one to the other. A generally flat surface  40  of positioning anchor  24   a  rests upon a surface  42  of mounting plate  14 . The engagement of the pair of complementary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b  secure the display  10  in a position such that the sign is displayed at an angle of about 115 degrees relative to the generally flat surface upon which mounting plate  14  is resting. 
   The multi-positionable display  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–5  may be manufactured as an extruded plastic material, with the hinge  18 , sign holder  20 , and mounting plate  14  manufactured in one process. The hinge  18  may be manufactured of a material with a sufficient thickness and density so as to allow the sign holder  20  to pivot freely in relation to the mounting plate  14 . The sign holder  20  may be manufactured such that the surfaces  30  and  32 , which define u-shaped channel  31   a,  are of a sufficient rigidity and thickness so as to allow a sign inserted into channel  31   a  to remain upright. Likewise, mounting plate  14  must also have a sufficient rigidity and thickness to securely couple display  10  to a surface. 
   In operation, with reference to  FIGS. 1–6 , the multi-positionable display  10  according principles of the present invention allows a retailer to minimize the types of signs used to advertise goods. With reference to  FIG. 6 , the user first selects which position the display  10  may be displayed (step  1 ). One exemplary position allows the retailer to hang the sign from store shelving, thus maximizing space while still allowing goods to be removed from the shelving below due to the flexible nature of the display  10  (Steps  2 – 5 ). First, the latching mechanism  22  is disengaged, allowing the sign holder  20  to swing back and forth relative to the mounting plate  14  (Step  2 ). Second, the surface  26  of complementary positioning anchor  24   b  is aligned relative to the front face of the shelving (Step  3 ). Third, the mounting plate is coupled to the shelving (Step  4 ). In a hanging position, the flexible hinge  18  allows the sign holder  20  to be pivoted from the about 90 degree angle relative to the mounting plate  14  which is coupled to a shelving apparatus, to a position that is parallel to the mounting plate  14  for the removal of goods stored below the sign (Step  5 ). 
   Still referring to  FIG. 6 , the multi-positionable display  10  may also display a sign on a generally flat surface (Steps  6 – 7 ). First, the mounting plate is attached to a generally flat surface (Step  6 ). Second, complimentary positioning anchor  24   b  is engaged with complimentary positioning anchor  24   a  of the latching mechanism  22  (Step  7 ). According to principles of the present invention, this engagement of the complementary positioning anchors  24   a  and  24   b , allows the sign to be displayed at an angle of about 115 degrees relative to the generally flat surface. 
   The flexibility of positioning the multi-positionable display  10  is advantageous in a retail setting because it allows a retailer to use one display system for a variety of display arrangements. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2B and 3 , the flexible hinge  18  allows a retailer to restock shelves or remove goods from a store shelf without removing the display  10  from the shelving system. Further, the display  10  allows a retailer to standardize their displays so as to minimize the costs of maintaining a variety of display systems. 
   Principles of the invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be applied in many ways. Such applications of principles of the invention are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is intended to be defined by the following claims.