Patent Abstract:
In combination with a ladder that comprises a pair of stiles connected by a plurality of spaced steps or rungs, a point of sale display placard is secured on the one of the steps or rungs. The placard includes a panel having first and second ends. A plurality of segments are formed at the first end, connected by folds to form an enclosure surrounding the rung. The portion of the placard adjacent the second end engages a portion of the ladder so that the panel remains generally parallel to the plane of the ladder.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a display placard, and in particular to a point-of-purchase display placard for ladders. 
     It is particularly difficult to put informational or advertising displays on ladders, because a ladder&#39;s open configuration makes it difficult to attach signage, and a ladder&#39;s size usually makes it impractical to put the ladder in a container or box. Thus, information and advertising displays for ladders are generally secured to the styles, or some other part of the ladder. Such displays can be cumbersome and time consuming to apply. Such displays are generally small, and are often not clearly visible when the ladder is on display. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a point-of-sale display placard that is of simple and inexpensive construction, and which can be quickly and easily secured to a ladder. The placard provides a large, visible display surface, that is both securely attached to the ladder, and held in position so that it remains visible during the transportation, storage, display, and sale of the ladder. The display placard can be formed from a blank having a portion that be manually folded around a portion of the ladder and secured, without the need for special tools or separate fasteners. 
     Generally, the display placard of the present invention is formed from a blank having first and second ends. At least two segments are formed in the blank at the first end by at least two fold lines to permit the segments to be folded around the rung of a ladder and secured to the placard to encircle the rung of the ladder, thereby securing the placard to the ladder. There is preferably a tab on the first end of the blank, and a slot in the blank adapted to receive and engage the tab on the first end, to secure the placard around the rung. In the preferred embodiment there are three segments at the first end of the blank, which when folded around the rung of ladder form an enclosure of rectangular cross section around the rung of the ladder. 
     The display placard is secured to a rung or step of the ladder with the enclosure formed by the segments surrounding the rung or step. The second end of the blank engages some other portion of the ladder, such as an adjacent rung or step, the stiles of the ladder, or perhaps gussets, to hold the panel portion generally in the plane of the ladder, so that it remains visible to someone looking at the front of the ladder. 
     Thus the display placard of the present invention provides a simple and inexpensive point-of-purchase display that can be quickly installed on the ladder, which remains securely on the ladder while the ladder, is transported, stored, displayed, and sold, but which can be easily removed by the consumer after purchase. The display placard is configured to remain prominently in view in the front elevation of the ladder, so that the information on the placard is and remains readily visible. The placard can be provided in the form of an inexpensive blank that is easy to fabricate, and compact for storage. These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a first embodiment of a blank for a point-of-sale display placard constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the placard shown as it would be secured on the rung or step of a conventional ladder; 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the placard, taken along the plane of line  3 — 3  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the placard shown as it would be secured on the rung or step of a stepladder; 
     FIG. 4 a  is a front elevation view of the placard on a stepladder, showing an alternate method of the securing placard; 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the placard shown as it would be secured on an extension ladder; 
     FIG. 5 a  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the placard on an extension ladder, showing an alternate method of securing the placard; and 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of a second embodiment of a blank for a point-of-sale placard constructed according to the principles of this invention. 
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A blank for a point-of-sale display placard constructed according to the principles of the present invention is indicated generally as  20  in FIG.  1 . The blank has a front face  22 , and a back face, a first end  24  and a second end  26 , and left and right side edges  28  and  30 . The blank includes a panel portion  32  onto which information and illustrations can be printed or affixed. The blank  20  is preferably made from a flat, relatively rigid material such as a corrugated cardboard. There are at least two segments  34  formed at the first end  24  of the blank  20  by at least two fold lines  36 . In the preferred embodiment shown and described herein, there are three segments  34   a ,  34   b , and  34   c , formed by fold lines  36   a ,  36   b , and  36   c . The fold lines  36  can be, for example, creases pre-formed in the material of the blank so that the blank is pre-disposed to fold in a straight line along the crease. Thus the segments can be wrapped around the rung or step of a ladder, and once secured to the placard, encircle the rung or step, securing the placard to the ladder. 
     In the preferred embodiment there is a tab  38  on the first end  24  of the blank  20 , that is adapted to fit in a slot  40  in the panel portion  32  of the blank so that the segments  34  and a portion of the panel  32  form an enclosure around the rung or step of the ladder. As shown in FIG. 1, the tab  38  has barbs  42  on each side to help retain the tab in the slot  40 . The tab  38  further has an opening  44 , which is adapted to be engaged by a tooth  46  in the slot  40 , to further secure the tab in the slot. Thus the blank  20  can be formed into a placard that remains secured on the rung or step of a ladder without the need for tools or separate fasteners. The tab  38  and slot  40  help retain the placard on the ladder during shipment, storage, and sale, yet the placard can be easily removed by the ultimate consumer. 
     The completed placard made from the blank  20  is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as it would be secured on a conventional ladder  44  having stiles  46  and  48 , and rungs or steps  50  extending therebetween. As shown in FIG. 3, the segments  34   a ,  34   b , and  34   c and the portion of the panel  32  between the slot  40  and the fold line  36   c , form an enclosure having a generally rectangular cross-section around a rung or step  50 . The first end of the blank is secured to the panel portion of the placard by the tab  38  that extends through the slot  40 . 
     The placard, and in particular the panel portion  32  of the placard is preferably sized and shaped for the particular ladder  44 , so that the second end (i.e. the end opposite from the end secured to a rung or step of the ladder, engages and is supported by the ladder, holding the placard in position generally in the plane of the ladder, so that the placard stays visible from the front of the ladder. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the case of ladder  44 , the second end of the panel is supported by an adjacent rung  50 . 
     The placard of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 4 a  as it would be secured on a stepladder  52 . The stepladder  52  has converging stiles  54  and  56 , and a plurality of rungs or steps  58 , supported by gussets  60 . As shown in FIG. 4 the placard is secured on a rung with the panel  32  depending downwardly and supported by an adjacent rung and gussets. As shown in FIG. 4 a  the placard is secured on a rung with the panel  32  extending upwardly and supported by an adjacent rung and gussets. 
     The placard of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5 as it would be secured on an extension ladder  62 . The extension ladder  62  comprises first and second ladder sections  64  and  66 . Each ladder section comprises stiles  68  and  70 , with rungs or steps  72  extending therebetween. The enclosure formed by the segments on the first end of the placard surrounds a rung or step  72  on the first ladder section  64 , and the second end of the placard is sized and configured so that it extends between, and is thereby supported by adjacent rungs  72  on the first and second ladder sections  64  and  66 . Thus the placard is supported generally in the plane of the ladder  62 , so that its panel portion  20  remains visible at substantially all times from the front of the ladder. As shown in FIG. 5 the placard is secured on a rung with the panel  32  depending downwardly. As shown in FIG. 5 a the placard is secured on a rung with the panel  32  extending upwardly. 
     A second embodiment of a blank constructed according to the principles of this invention is indicated generally as  20 ′ in FIG.  6 . The blank  20 ′ is similar to blank  20 , and corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts. However, unlike blank  20 , in blank  20 ′ the segments  34   a ′,  34   b ′, and  34   c ′ are not of equal size. Thus, when the segments are founded around the rung or step of a ladder, they form a more rectangular and less square enclosure around the rung. This is particularly desirable for stepladders, which typically have flat steps with more elongate cross sections, as compared to a round or nearly round rungs found on conventional ladders. 
     While both the blanks  20  and  20 ′ of the first and second embodiments are shown with three segments, which together with a portion of the panel form a four sided enclosure, the blanks could have been provided with as few as two segments, which would form an enclosure with a triangular cross section, or more than three segments, which would form an enclosure with a polygonal cross-section such as a pentagon, hexagon, etc.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6