Abstract:
An electronic price label (EPLs) and assembly method which allow multiple such EPLs to be produced together. The EPL includes a container, electronic circuitry, including a display, in the container, and a transparent lid over the container to expose the display. The assembly method involves aligning a plurality of containers, inserting electronic circuitry, including a display, in each container, and applying a lid having a transparent area for exposing the display to the containers. Following assembly, the EPLs are separated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to an electronic price label and assembly method. 
     EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the prices of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record. 
     EPLs must be low in price. Previous EPL designs include plastic housings which are assembled after internal electronic components have been added. Such designs require that each EPL be assembled individually. Following assembly, printed overlays must also be applied an individual basis. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a new EPL design which allows a plurality of EPLs to be assembled simultaneously. It would also be desirable to provide such a design to facilitate simultaneous application of printed overlays as part of the assembly process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an electronic price label (EPL) and assembly method are provided. 
     The EPL includes a container, electronic circuitry, including a display, in the container, and a transparent lid over the container to expose the display. 
     The assembly method involves aligning a plurality of containers, inserting electronic circuitry, including a display, in each container, and applying a lid having a transparent area for exposing the display to the containers. Following assembly, the EPLs are separated. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an EPL and EPL assembly method. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an EPL and EPL assembly method which facilitate simultaneous assembly of a plurality of EPLs. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an EPL and EPL assembly method which facilitate simultaneous assembly of a plurality of EPLs followed by simultaneous application of printed overlays. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an EPL and EPL assembly method which reduce cost of manufacture of EPLs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of electronic price labels (EPLs) arranged in a first EPL sheet; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of overlays arranged in an overlay sheet to be applied to the EPL sheet; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the EPL from FIG. 1 conventionally mounted in a shelf channel using hardware; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of electronic price labels (EPLs) arranged in a second EPL sheet; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the EPL from FIG. 4 mounted on a rod; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plurality of electronic price labels (EPLs) arranged in a third EPL sheet; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the EPL from FIG. 6 mounted in a shelf channel using no additional mounting apparatus; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a plurality of electronic price labels (EPLs) arranged in a fourth EPL sheet; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the EPL from FIG. 8 mounted directly to a shelf surface using an adhesive; 
     FIG. 10 shows an assembly tray. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an EPL sheet  10  of electronic price labels (EPLs)  12  is illustrated. EPL sheet  10  includes rows and columns of connected EPLs  12 . The rows are separated by distance W1 and the columns are separated by distance W2. Distance W1 may vary with the type of EPL  12  being produced. 
     EPLs  12  include housing  14  and internal components  16 . 
     Housing  14  includes tub portion  18  and a lid portion  20 . 
     Tub portion  18  is generally box-shaped, including four sides and a bottom, but other shapes are also envisioned. Tub portion  18  contains internal components  16 . Tub portion  18  may be made of plastic, polystyrene film or equivalent. A film thickness of about 0.025″ is suitable. 
     Tub portion  18  includes lip  22  to which lid portion  20  attaches. Lip  22  includes joining strip  24  which joins one tub portion  18  to another tub portion  18  to form a fan-fold or tub sheet  28  of tub portions  18 . Joining strips  24  include score lines  26  which are added during manufacture to make tub portions  18  more easily separable for installation in a store. Horizontal and vertical score lines  26  are shown. Tub portions  18  are separated from each either by distances W1 and W2, which are substantially equal. 
     Information about individual EPLs  12 , such as serial numbers and manufacture dates, may be printed or applied as labels on tub sheet  28 , preferably on a bottom outside surface  19  of tub portions  18 . 
     Lid portion  20  covers tub portion  18 . Lid portion  20  may be made of transparent plastic, polycarbonate or polyester film or equivalent. A film thickness of about 0.020″ is suitable. 
     Lid portion  20  is preferably applied as part of a lid sheet or laminate  30  of lid portions  20 . Lid portion  20  may be heat-sealed, ultrasonic welded, or attached through some other mass production method to tub  18  along the lip at the top surface. Individual lid portions  20  may be separated by horizontal and score lines  32 , which coincide with score lines  26 . Horizontal and vertical score lines  32  are shown. 
     Store information and information about individual products associated with EPLs  12  that rarely changes may be printed on lid sheet  30  before application to tub sheet  28 . Such printing may be in lieu of separate printing and application of overlay sheet  40  (FIG. 2) onto lid sheet  30 . The printing method for lid sheet  30  would be accomplished through silk-screen, ink-jet, or other such mass production method similar to imprinting on plastic packages in that industry. 
     Internal components  16  are responsible for the display functionality of EPLs  10 . Internal components  16  primarily include antenna  34 , printed circuit board  36 , and display  38 . Display  38  is preferably located high enough in tub portion  18  so that the face of display  38  contacts lid portion  20 . 
     EPLs  12  are assembled together. First, information about individual EPLs  12 , such as serial numbers and manufacture dates, is printed or applied as labels on bottom outside surface  19  of tub portions  18 . Next, internal components  16  are inserted into tub portions  18  of tub sheet  28 , either individually or together. Lid sheet  30  is applied over tub sheet  28  to form EPL sheet  10 . Before application to tub sheet  28 , lid sheet  30  may be pre-printed with product and store information that rarely changes. Alternatively, overlay sheet  40  (FIG. 2) may be printed and applied over lid sheet  30 . Individual EPLs  12  may be easily separated from EPL sheet  10  during installation in a store. 
     With reference to FIG. 2, an overlay sheet  40  suitable for application to EPL sheet  10  is shown. Overlay sheet  40  includes a plurality of overlays  42 . Overlays  42  are printed with product and store information that rarely change. Overlays  42  contain cutout areas  46  which substantially coincide with the frontal areas of displays  38 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, an assembled and separated EPL  12  from EPL sheet  10  is shown. Since EPL  12  has a conventional box-like shape, it can be easily mounted to shelf channel  50  in a conventional manner using a mounting bracket  52 . Shelf channel  50  may be integrally formed within a shelf or separately located within a rail attached to a shelf. 
     Turning now to FIG. 4, an alternative EPL sheet  10  is shown. EPL sheet  10  is manufactured in a similar fashion as the EPL sheet of FIG. 1, except that distance W1 is wider. The wider distance W1 provides a top overlay portion  48  which is used to hang EPLs  12  from a hook or rod  58  through aperture (FIG.  5 ). 
     Tub sheet  28  includes longer joining strips  24 , which have two horizontal score lines  26 A and  26 B. Score lines  26 A and  26 B allow excess material  25  in joining strips  24  to be removed. In particular, score line  26 B allows excess material  25  to be removed from adjacent aperture  54  in top overlay portion  48 . Vertical score lines  26  along the sides of EPLs  12  are similar to those in FIG.  1 . 
     Lid sheet  30  includes score lines  32 A and  32 B. 
     Score line  32 A forms a dividing line between EPLs  12  as in FIG.  1 . Score line  32 B allows material  56  to be removed from aperture  54 . Vertical score lines  32  along the sides of EPLs  12  are similar to those in FIG. 1 
     Overlay sheet  40  includes score lines  44 A and  44 B which allow excess overlay material  45  to be removed during installation. Vertical score lines  44  along the sides of EPLs  12  are similar to those in FIG.  1 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 5, an assembled and separated EPL  12  from EPL sheet  10  of FIG. 4 is shown. Since EPL  12  has been manufactured to include top overlay portion  48 , no additional mounting elements are necessary to mount EPL  12  on rod  58 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, another alternative EPL sheet  10  is shown. EPL sheet  10  is manufactured in a similar fashion as the EPL sheet of FIG. 4, except that distance W1 is wider yet. The wider distance W1 provides extra material for mounting EPL  12  within shelf channel  50  (FIG.  7 ). 
     Tub sheet  28  includes longer joining strips  24 , which have two score lines  26 A and  26 B. Score lines  26 A and  26 B allow excess material  25  in joining strips  24  to be removed. 
     Lid sheet  30  includes score lines  32 A and  32 B. Score line  32 A forms a dividing line between EPLs  12  as in FIGS. 1 and 4. Score line  32 B delineates top mounting portion  60  for engaging an upper surface within the shelf channel of shelf channel  50 . Lid sheet  30  includes enough area to provide a bottom mounting portion  62  for engaging a lower surface within the shelf channel of shelf channel  50 . 
     Overlay sheet  40  includes score lines  44 A and  44 B which allow excess overlay material  45  to be removed during installation. Vertical score lines  44  along the sides of EPLs  12  are similar to those in FIG.  1 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 8, yet another alternative EPL sheet  10  is shown. EPL sheet  10  is manufactured in a similar fashion as the EPL sheet of FIG. 6, except that the wider distance W1 provides extra material for mounting EPL  12  directly to a shelf surface  64  (FIG. 9) using an adhesive  66 . Thus, EPL  12  is suitable for mounting to shelves without channels  50 , which may be found in warehouses. 
     Tub sheet  28  includes joining strips  24 , which have two score lines  26 A and  26 B. Score lines  26 A and  26 B allow excess material  25  in joining strips  24  to be removed. 
     Lid sheet  30  includes score line  32 . Score line  32  forms a dividing line between EPLs  12  as in FIGS. 1 and 4. Lid sheet  30  includes enough area to provide a top mounting portion  68 . 
     The underside of portion  70  of top mounting portion  68  is preferably coated with adhesive  66 . Alternatively, adhesive  66  may be applied manually during installation. 
     Overlay sheet  40  includes score lines  44 A and  44 B which allow excess overlay material  45  to be removed during installation. Vertical score lines  44  along the sides of EPLs  12  are similar to those in FIG.  1 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 10, an assembly tray  80  may optionally be employed to stabilize EPLs  12  during assembly. Use of tray  80  provides an alternative to joining strips  24 . Tray  80  includes tracks or channel members  72  whose separation distance W3 may be adjusted to provide separation distance W1 in order to assemble any of the types of EPLs  12  illustrated in FIGS. 1,  4 ,  6 , and  8 . 
     Use of assembly tray  80  also allows separated EPLs  12  or rows EPLs  12  to be assembled. Wider channel members  72  can accommodate columns of EPLs  12 . FIG. 10 illustrates tracks  72  which accommodate separate EPLs  12  or rows  74  of EPLs  12 , and corresponding rows of lid and overlay sheets  76  and  78 . 
     Since a plurality of EPLs  12  may be manufactured at the same time, the present invention reduces assembly time and cost. 
     Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications of the present invention can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.