Abstract:
A display card holder which securely holds and displays a directory card or the like for use in connection with shopping baskets. The holder has releasable outer frame member which clamps the card to a backing member. The backing member is coupled to the shopping basket by means of a fastening device. The fastening device has a portion which engages the card and in combination with the outer frame member further ensures the clamping of the card to the backing member.

Description:
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/555,303 filed on Nov. 8, 1995, now abandoned, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/156,758, filed Nov. 23, 1993, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a directory frame for use in combination with a shopping cart, and more particularly to a directory frame of a display card holder which receives a shopping directory card or advertisement placard and which may be removably attached to a shopping cart. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In general, large shopping centers and food markets typically have thousands of items of products stacked on shelves and arranged in aisles. These thousands of products are typically grouped together wherein they are essentially the same product but differ in brand or manufacturer. As is often the case, the department store or food store can assist the shopper by indicating in which aisles particular items my be found. For example, a shopping directory may be hung from a ceiling or placed in a stand at either end of an aisle. There are several problems associated with directories which must be hung from the ceiling over a particular area of the store or above a certain aisle. For example, in a very large store it is often difficult to see what is in a particular aisle or in a particular section of the store when one is located at the opposite end of the store. Also, because the printing on such directories must be large enough to be readable from a distance, fewer items can be listed on such a directory. Finally if the store relocates a certain product, the directory will have to be changed or replaced. 
     In an effort to solve such problems, the applicant&#39;s co-pending application No. 08/093,514, filed Jul. 19, 1993, describes a directory holder which may be mounted directly on a shopping cart. The directory holder of this reference allows directory and advertising placards or cards to be carried directly on the shopping cart for easy reference by a shopper. The directory holder may comprise a pair of backing members which are mounted back-to-back in the area of the basket of the shopping cart, with a vertical wire wall of the cart positioned between the pair of directory holders. In particular, the directory holder has a frame member which is removably attached to each of the backing member with the aid of a coupling device. Moreover, the directory holder is designed so that the frame member can withstand frequent collisions with other shopping carts and yet allow the placard retained between the backing member and the frame member to be easily changed to substitute a revised directory or a new advertisement. 
     However, for some applications, it may be desirable that the directory holder be much more compact and thinner without sacrificing the durability and the ability to easily change the placard. In addition, it may also be desirable to simplify the structure of a mechanism to clamp the placard between the backing member and the frame member without sacrificing the effectiveness in clamping the placard therebetween. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved directory holder for a shopping cart, obviating, for practical purpose, the above mentioned limitations, particularly in a manner requiring a relatively uncomplicated mechanical arrangement. 
     This and other objects and advantages are achieved in a directory holder which is compact and simple in structure and which securely holds a directory or advertising placard in place yet allows the placard to be readily released. This is achieved by, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a directory holder having a backing member and a separate outer frame member having an improved design for holding the placard therebetween. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the backing member has a plurality of protrusions and the outer frame member has a plurality of recesses to receive the protrusions. When the outer frame is securely attached to the backing member by a fastening device, the outer frame member clamps the periphery of the placard to the backing member. Moreover, the placard may also be clamped at its periphery between the protrusions in the backing member and the recesses in the outer frame member. 
     A second matching backing member, placard, and frame member assembly is mounted back-to-back with the first backing member, placard, and the frame member assembly to the shopping cart with a wall of the shopping cart therebetween. The first and second backing members are mounted to the shopping cart by a coupling device which is provided independent of the fastening device. In one aspect of the present invention, the coupling device includes screws having protruding heads which provide at least some of the aforementioned protrusions for securing the placard in place. In addition, the backing member is independent of the outer frame fastening device. As a result, the fastening device allows the outer frame member to be released from and reattached to the backing member independently of the coupling between the backing member and the basket. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a part of a typical shopping cart illustrating directory holders in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention together with directories as they would be mounted on the wire supports of the shopping cart; 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed exploded perspective view of the various components of one embodiment of the directory holder of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the directory holder of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1 shows a portion of a shopping cart 10 typically provided by department stores and supermarkets for the convenience of shoppers. The shopping cart 10 generally comprises a wire basket for holding items removed from the shelves in the supermarket. Most shopping carts have a child seat 12 which allows a child to sit in the cart 10. Supporting the seat is a wire wall section 17. In the illustrated embodiment, two directory holders 14 and 16 are mounted back-to-back to the wire wall section 17 of the child seat 12. The wire wall section 17 of the child seat is sandwiched between the two directory holders, one of which faces inward and the other of which faces outward of the child seat area. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the assembly of the directory holders 14 and 16 on the wire wall section 17 of the child seat is more clearly shown. Each directory holder is substantially made up of two sections: a backing member or plate (18, 20) which is substantially planar and generally rectangular and an outer bezel or frame (22, 24) defining a central display window (26, 28). The outer frame (22, 24) may preferably have a periphery of substantially the same size and shape of at least a portion of the periphery of the backing plate (18, 20). The two sections may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic. A directory or advertising placard (30, 32) is sandwiched between the backing plate (18, 20) and the outer frame member (22, 24) through which the directory information is displayed. 
     The backing plate 18 of one of the directory holders is placed against the inside of the wire wall section 17 of the child seat and the backing plate 20 of the other directory holder 16 is placed against the outside of the wire wall section 17 of the child seat such that the directory holders 14 and 16 sandwich the wire wall section 17. The directories 14 and 16 are secured together using a number of fasteners 36 around the perimeter of the backing plates 18 and 20 in an area adjacent the periphery thereof. Preferably, the fasteners 36 used in this embodiment are screws. Alternatively, rivets, barbed typed fasteners, or any other suitable fastener may be used to fasten the backing plates 18 and 20 together. The backing plates 18 and 20 are provided with a number of button-like protrusions 38 around their respective periphery. As will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the button-like protrusions 38 and the heads 37 of the screws 36, combined with the outer frame members 22 and 24, effect secure retaining of the directory cards 30 and 32. 
     The outer frame members 22 and 24 are secured respectively to the backing plates 18 and 20 using a number of fasteners 39. The outer frame members 22 and 24 have a plurality of recesses 42 in their respective inner surfaces. In one aspect of the present invention, when the directories 14 and 16 are fully assembled, the button-like protrusions 38 protruding on the surface of the backing plates 18 and 20 mate with the recesses 42 provided in the inner surface of the respective outer frame members 22 and 24. 
     FIG. 3 shows a front view of the fully assembled directory holders. The directory card 30 is a little larger than the display window 26 of the outer frame 22 so that the periphery of the card 30 is clamped between the backing plate 18 and the outer frame member 22. Preferably, the backing plate 18 may have on its front surface a raised rim portion 40 (FIG. 4) around the periphery. When the directory card 30 is clamped between the backing plate 18 and the outer frame member 22, the raised rim portion 40 clamps the directory card 30 to the outer frame member 22 to further ensure the secure retaining of the card 30. The rear surface of the respective backing plates 18 and 20 may be provided with longitudinal ribs 44 and horizontal ribs 46 to increase the stiffness and rigidity of the backing plate. In addition, the ribs 44 and 46 may be scalloped to facilitate gripping a wire between ribs of opposing backing plates. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, also provided on the rear surface of each of the backing plates 18 and 20 are studs 48 and recesses 50. As shown in FIG. 4, the studs 48 and recesses 50 of one of the backing plates are located to mate with the corresponding recesses 50 and studs 48, respectively, provided on the other backing plate. The mating of the studs 48 and recesses 50 will facilitate the alignment and therefore the assembly of the backing plates 18 and 20 one to the other. Each of the recesses 50 of the backing plates 18 and 20 defines a hole 52 to receive a fastener 36 which threads into a hole 53 of the corresponding stud 48 received by the recess 50. The fasteners 36 may be of any type which preferably has a relatively large head portion 37, such as rivets and screws. As best seen in FIG. 4, the screws 36 are screwed through the holes 52 of the recesses 50 and into the holes 53 of the studs 48 to connect the backing members 18 and 20 together. When the backing plates 18 and 20 are connected to each other using the screws 36, the screw head portions 37, like the protrusions 38, may protrude from the surface of the respective backing plates. In a preferred embodiment, the screw head portions 37 may engage a corresponding number of recesses 42 defined in the inner surface of the respective outer frame members 22 and 24. The studs 48 have a predetermined height to serve as spacers between the backing plates 18 and 20. The studs 48 are spaced across the rear surface adjacent the periphery of the respective backing plates 18 and 20 and may be dimensioned so that they will fit between adjacent wires 35 of the wire wall. 
     Each of the backing plates 18 and 20 is also provided with a number of pairs of closely spaced fingers 54 on the rear surface. As best seen in FIG. 5, the pairs of fingers 54 are arranged generally vertically on the rear surface of each of the backing plates 18 and 20. Each finger 54 may be spaced a distance from the other finger of the pair so that a horizontal bar 56 of the wire wall section 17 will closely fit between at least one pair of the fingers 54. As a result, the fingers 54 substantially prevent the assembled directory holders 14 and 16 from shifting up and down on the wire wall section 17 of the child seat of the shopping cart. 
     The height of the fingers 54 and the studs 48 are chosen such that the backing plates 18 and 20 are spaced on either side of the rows of wires and the backing plates. The height of the fingers 54 and the studs 48 may be chosen such that the wire wall section 34 of the child seat may be clamped between the backing plates 18 and 20 when the directory holders are assembled. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the outer frame member 22 has an outer rim 58 or lip that extends over the periphery of the backing plate 18. The directory card 30 is sandwiched between the raised rim portion 40 extending around the periphery of the backing plate 18 and an inner surface 60 of the outer frame member 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the directory card 30 may be dimensioned so that the card 30 is also sandwiched between the screw head portions 37 and the recesses 42 of the outer frame member inner surface 60 and also between the button-like protrusions 38 of the backing plate 18 and the recesses 42 to further ensure the secure clamping of the directory card 30. More particularly, it is noted that the screw head portions 37 and the button-like protrusions 38 bite into the directory card 30 to firmly clutch the peripheral portion of the directory card 30. The outer frame members 22 and 24 are secured to the respective backing plates 18 and 20 using screws 39 which are similar to the screws 36. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of support pads 62 are provided on the rear surface of the respective backing plates 18 and 20 to receive the screws 39 which pass through an aperture 64 (FIG. 2) in the outer frame members, through an aperture 66 of the backing plates and into the support pads 62. In this embodiment, the support pads 62 may have a height substantially shorter than that of the pads 54 and the studs 48. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the studs 48, the recesses 50, fingers 54 and the support pads 62 are so arranged on the rear surfaces of the respective backing plates 18 and 20 that the backing plates 18 and 20 are identically formed. On assembling the directory holders 14 and 16 together, one of the backing plates is reversed with respect to the other backing plate so that all the studs 48 and recesses 50 provided on one of the backing plates mate with the corresponding recesses 50 and studs 48 provided on the other backing plate. In like manner, the outer frame members 22 and 24 may be identically formed by arranging the location of the recesses 42 provided in the inner surface of the respective outer frame members 22 and 24 with respect to the location of the button-like protrusions 38 and the heads 37 of the fasteners 36. 
     To provide symmetry, the protrusions 38 on one backing plate are aligned with a protruding screw head 37 on the other backing plate, as shown in FIG. 4. While the invention has been described with respect to the preferred embodiments in accordance therewith, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, although the present invention is described with reference to a shopping cart, the present invention can be applied to shopping baskets or other types of containers for the same display purpose. The directory holder may be attached to any part of the wire basket of the shopping cart, e.g., to the wire basket of a shopping cart. The backing plate of the directory holder may be perforated to reduce material and weight. A transparent cover sheet may be placed between the directory card and the outer frame member to provide a protective cover for the directory card. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.