WO2004079698A1 - Holder for an electronic shelf label - Google Patents

Holder for an electronic shelf label Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2004079698A1
WO2004079698A1 PCT/SE2004/000325 SE2004000325W WO2004079698A1 WO 2004079698 A1 WO2004079698 A1 WO 2004079698A1 SE 2004000325 W SE2004000325 W SE 2004000325W WO 2004079698 A1 WO2004079698 A1 WO 2004079698A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
esl
holder
shelf
rail profile
talker
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2004/000325
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Björn Nilsson
Original Assignee
Pricer Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pricer Ab filed Critical Pricer Ab
Priority to EP04718469A priority Critical patent/EP1602097B1/en
Priority to AT04718469T priority patent/ATE448536T1/en
Priority to DE602004024039T priority patent/DE602004024039D1/en
Publication of WO2004079698A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004079698A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
    • G09F3/08—Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself
    • G09F3/18—Casings, frames or enclosures for labels
    • G09F3/20—Casings, frames or enclosures for labels for adjustable, removable, or interchangeable labels
    • G09F3/204—Casings, frames or enclosures for labels for adjustable, removable, or interchangeable labels specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
    • G09F3/08—Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself
    • G09F3/18—Casings, frames or enclosures for labels
    • G09F3/20—Casings, frames or enclosures for labels for adjustable, removable, or interchangeable labels
    • G09F3/208—Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a holder for attaching an Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) to shelves having non flat shelf rails or shelf rails that do not fit the ESL as is.
  • ESL Electronic Shelf Label
  • shelf talkers are frequently used in such retail environments, whereby the shelf talkers comprise parts that is transparent and parts containing messages, like commercial message "SALE” or advertising for products. These devices are supplementary to prize labels.
  • the shelf rail profile in current and new designs of shelves for retail environments is often non flat, i.e. exhibits a curved surface (convex).
  • An ESL of today is preferably made in a non flexible material.
  • the flat non flexible ESL does not fit into or onto the curved shelf rail profile.
  • the shelf rail profile indeed is flat, but the ESL does not fit into the shelf anyway because the ESL is not designed and adapted to fit that profile in the first place.
  • the present invention solves the above outlined problem of attaching an ESL to a curved shelf rail, by the device as defined in claim 1, namely a device for attaching an ESL to a shelf rail profile, comprising a holder member for carrying an ESL; a securing member, attached to or integrated with said holder member, and adapted to cooperate with said shelf rail profile in an interlocking engagement, to maintain said holder member in a desired position on said shelf rail.
  • the ESL is detachable from the holder or the ESL is integrated with the holder.
  • the holder is preferably essentially flat and flexible.
  • the rail profile may be provided with a recess, whereby the securing member is a rim fitting in said recess of said rail profile.
  • the holder is a shelf talker.
  • the holder can be provided with locking hooks for securing the ESL in place on the backside of the holder.
  • the holder preferably comprises a transparent portion provided to expose the ESL through the holder.
  • There can be provided an opening in the holder adapted to keep an ESL in place by close fit.
  • the ESL can be attached to the holder by glue or tape.
  • a hole is made in the shelf talker that is arranged so that the ESL can be fitted within the hole.
  • Plastic melt together using ultrasound or other glue method
  • Hooks and springs can be of plastic or metallic material.
  • the ESL holder can be either non-removable or removable.
  • ESL holder If the ESL holder is removable then a special tool might be needed in order to remove the ESL, in order to prevent unauthorized tampering.
  • ESL rail profile and ESL talker are preferably removable and also here a special tool might be needed in order to release the talker from the shelf rail profile.
  • shelf talker and the ESL are built as one complete unit, i.e. the adaption of ESL and shelf talker is done already in the production of the product.
  • Fig. la shows a shelf rail talker adapted with fittings for ESL.
  • Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of the shelf rail talker used for a flat shelf rail profile.
  • Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the shelf rail talker used for a flat shelf rail profile.
  • Fig. 4 shows a shelf rail with one example of ESL holder using plastic hooks on the shelf talker.
  • Fig. 5 shows a shelf talker firom frontside.
  • Fig. 6 shows a shelf rail talker adapted with fittings for ESL.
  • the fitting in this case is a hole in the shelf talker into which the ESL fits.
  • Fig. 7 shows an ESL with flexible ESL part where at least the display part can be mounted on the rounded shelf rail profile.
  • the shelf rail talker and the ESL is manufactured as one unit.
  • Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shelf with a convex shelf rail and a shelf talker embodying a holder means according to the invention.
  • Fig. 9 is an embodiment wherein the ESL is integrated with an attachment means such that no separate shelf talker is needed.
  • the invention is applicable to a shelf talker product such that it can be made with or provided with an ESL holder adapter, where ESL can be a wireless ESL.
  • the holder adapter can be provided such that the ESL is non removable from the shelf talker when it is fitted to the shelf talker.
  • it can also be designed to allow the ESL to be removable from the shelf talker when it is fitted to the shelf talker.
  • the adapter can be designed such that a special tool is needed for removing the ESL from the shelf talker. Attachment of the ESL can be made by using hooks or springs, or by using glue or tape, as well as by magnetic fittings.
  • the ESL fitted to the shelf talker in a hole in the shelf talker.
  • An ESL can be made in flexible material that contains the necessary parts for fitting ESL directly to a non-flat shelf rail profile.
  • Fig. 1 shows a convex shelf rail profile and a shelf rail talker fitting to said profile.
  • an ESL is attached on the back side of the talker.
  • a window provided in the talker (see Fig. 8).
  • Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate flat rail profiles having an ESL attached in a similar manner as in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 4 there is shown one embodiment of the attachment means for the ESL, namely a hook member that locks the ESL in position from two sides (upper edge and lower edge, respectively; of course the hooks could equally well be provided on the vertical edges).
  • Fig. 5 illustrates schematically the shelf talker seen from the customer side, i.e. the front side.
  • the message part can be used for messages.
  • the message is printed directly on the shelf talker (commercial message and/or company logotype for example).
  • the message is printed on paper label that is mounted between the message part and the shelf rail profile, this requires the message part to be transparent.
  • the message is printed directly on the shelf rail profile. The paper label is not needed then. This also requires the message part of the shelf talker to be transparent.
  • the ESL holder part must also be transparent at least above the ESL display surface, to make the ESL display visible to the customer.
  • the ESL holder part of the shelf talker is a hole, and the ESL is mounted within the hole, as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the ESL is manufactured in such a way that at least part of the ESL is flexible, as shown in Fig. 7, namely the actual active display part (shown in dotted line in Fig. 7). In this way the active display itself can accommodate to the curved surface of a shelf rail profile.
  • the active display in accordance with any of a number of different currently available technologies, such as LCD's, OLED's (Organic Light Emitting Diode), EPD's (ElectroPhoretic Display), electrochromic displays, cholosteric displays, just to mention a few.
  • the ESL can be used in most profiles without any shelf talker adaptor, as shown in Fig. 9.
  • the ESL could also in this case be equipped with fittings that enables the ESL to be mounted in or on the rounded shelf rail profile. Preferebaly the ESL and the holder member are integrated in a unitary strcuture.

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for attaching an ESL to a shelf rail profile, comprising a holder member for carrying an ESL. There is also a securing member, attached to or integrated with said holder member, and adapted to cooperate with said shelf rail profile in an interlocking engagement, to maintain said holder member in a desired position on said shelf rail.

Description

HOLDER FOR AN ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL
The present invention relates to a holder for attaching an Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) to shelves having non flat shelf rails or shelf rails that do not fit the ESL as is.
Background of the invention
In today's retail environment it has become frequent to use ESL's, Electronic Shelf Labels, or electronic price labels preferably. Also so called "shelf talkers" are frequently used in such retail environments, whereby the shelf talkers comprise parts that is transparent and parts containing messages, like commercial message "SALE" or advertising for products. These devices are supplementary to prize labels.
The shelf rail profile in current and new designs of shelves for retail environments is often non flat, i.e. exhibits a curved surface (convex). An ESL of today is preferably made in a non flexible material. The flat non flexible ESL does not fit into or onto the curved shelf rail profile. In other designs the shelf rail profile indeed is flat, but the ESL does not fit into the shelf anyway because the ESL is not designed and adapted to fit that profile in the first place. Thus, at least for the cases described above there is a need for means and methods of fitting an ESL to a shelf.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention solves the above outlined problem of attaching an ESL to a curved shelf rail, by the device as defined in claim 1, namely a device for attaching an ESL to a shelf rail profile, comprising a holder member for carrying an ESL; a securing member, attached to or integrated with said holder member, and adapted to cooperate with said shelf rail profile in an interlocking engagement, to maintain said holder member in a desired position on said shelf rail. In an embodiment the ESL is detachable from the holder or the ESL is integrated with the holder. The holder is preferably essentially flat and flexible. The rail profile may be provided with a recess, whereby the securing member is a rim fitting in said recess of said rail profile. Suitably the holder is a shelf talker. The holder can be provided with locking hooks for securing the ESL in place on the backside of the holder. The holder preferably comprises a transparent portion provided to expose the ESL through the holder. There can be provided an opening in the holder adapted to keep an ESL in place by close fit. The ESL can be attached to the holder by glue or tape.
Thus, use can be made of a shelf rail talker that is adapted or designed with an ESL holder. Several embodiments are possible, including:
- hooks in one part and corresponding holes in the other part. - Separate part (spring) that keeps the both parts together.
- Glue or tape.
- Magnetic fittings
- A hole is made in the shelf talker that is arranged so that the ESL can be fitted within the hole. - Plastic melt together (using ultrasound or other glue method)
Hooks and springs can be of plastic or metallic material. The ESL holder can be either non-removable or removable.
If the ESL holder is removable then a special tool might be needed in order to remove the ESL, in order to prevent unauthorized tampering.
The fittings between ESL rail profile and ESL talker is preferably removable and also here a special tool might be needed in order to release the talker from the shelf rail profile.
In one embodiment the shelf talker and the ESL are built as one complete unit, i.e. the adaption of ESL and shelf talker is done already in the production of the product.
Brief Description of the drawings
Fig. la shows a shelf rail talker adapted with fittings for ESL. Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of the shelf rail talker used for a flat shelf rail profile.
Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the shelf rail talker used for a flat shelf rail profile.
Fig. 4 shows a shelf rail with one example of ESL holder using plastic hooks on the shelf talker.
Fig. 5 shows a shelf talker firom frontside.
Fig. 6 shows a shelf rail talker adapted with fittings for ESL. The fitting in this case is a hole in the shelf talker into which the ESL fits.
Fig. 7 shows an ESL with flexible ESL part where at least the display part can be mounted on the rounded shelf rail profile. In one embodiment the shelf rail talker and the ESL is manufactured as one unit.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shelf with a convex shelf rail and a shelf talker embodying a holder means according to the invention.
Fig. 9 is an embodiment wherein the ESL is integrated with an attachment means such that no separate shelf talker is needed.
Detailed Description of the invention
The invention is applicable to a shelf talker product such that it can be made with or provided with an ESL holder adapter, where ESL can be a wireless ESL. The holder adapter can be provided such that the ESL is non removable from the shelf talker when it is fitted to the shelf talker. On the other hand, it can also be designed to allow the ESL to be removable from the shelf talker when it is fitted to the shelf talker. The adapter can be designed such that a special tool is needed for removing the ESL from the shelf talker. Attachment of the ESL can be made by using hooks or springs, or by using glue or tape, as well as by magnetic fittings. In one embodiment, the ESL fitted to the shelf talker in a hole in the shelf talker.
An ESL can be made in flexible material that contains the necessary parts for fitting ESL directly to a non-flat shelf rail profile.
Fig. 1 shows a convex shelf rail profile and a shelf rail talker fitting to said profile. On the back side of the talker, an ESL is attached. In order that the message of the ESL display be visible, there is a window provided in the talker (see Fig. 8).
Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate flat rail profiles having an ESL attached in a similar manner as in Fig. 1.
In Fig. 4 there is shown one embodiment of the attachment means for the ESL, namely a hook member that locks the ESL in position from two sides (upper edge and lower edge, respectively; of course the hooks could equally well be provided on the vertical edges).
Fig. 5 illustrates schematically the shelf talker seen from the customer side, i.e. the front side.
The message part can be used for messages. In one embodiment the message is printed directly on the shelf talker (commercial message and/or company logotype for example).
In another example the message is printed on paper label that is mounted between the message part and the shelf rail profile, this requires the message part to be transparent. In a third embodiment the message is printed directly on the shelf rail profile. The paper label is not needed then. This also requires the message part of the shelf talker to be transparent.
The ESL holder part must also be transparent at least above the ESL display surface, to make the ESL display visible to the customer. In another embodiment the ESL holder part of the shelf talker is a hole, and the ESL is mounted within the hole, as shown in Fig. 6. In another embodiment the ESL is manufactured in such a way that at least part of the ESL is flexible, as shown in Fig. 7, namely the actual active display part (shown in dotted line in Fig. 7). In this way the active display itself can accommodate to the curved surface of a shelf rail profile. Such flexibility is achievable by manufacturing the active display in accordance with any of a number of different currently available technologies, such as LCD's, OLED's (Organic Light Emitting Diode), EPD's (ElectroPhoretic Display), electrochromic displays, cholosteric displays, just to mention a few. In this case the ESL can be used in most profiles without any shelf talker adaptor, as shown in Fig. 9. The ESL could also in this case be equipped with fittings that enables the ESL to be mounted in or on the rounded shelf rail profile. Preferebaly the ESL and the holder member are integrated in a unitary strcuture.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A device for attaching an ESL to a shelf rail profile, comprising a holder member for carrying an ESL; a securing member, attached to or integrated with said holder member, and adapted to cooperate with said shelf rail profile in an interlocking engagement, to maintain said holder member in a desired position on said shelf rail.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ESL is detachable from the holder.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ESL is integrated with the holder.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder is essentially flat and flexible.
5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rail profile is provided with a recess.
6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the securing member is a rim fitting in said recess of said rail profile.
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder is a shelf talker.
8. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the holder is provided with locking hooks for securing the ESL in place on the backside of the holder.
9. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a transparent portion provided to expose the ESL through the holder.
10. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is provided an opening in the holder adapted to keep an ESL in place by close fit.
11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ESL is attached to the holder by glue or tape.
12. The device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ESL comprises a flexible active display, which can accommodate to a curved surface of a shelf rail profile.
13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said flexible active display is provided with attachment means for direct attachment to a shelf rail profile.
14. The device as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein said flexible active display is selected from the group consisting of an LCD, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), an EPD (ElectroPhoretic Display), an electrochromic display, and a cholosteric display.
15. The device as claimed in any of claims 12-14, wherein the ESL and the holder member are integrated in a unitary structure.
PCT/SE2004/000325 2003-03-07 2004-03-08 Holder for an electronic shelf label WO2004079698A1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04718469A EP1602097B1 (en) 2003-03-07 2004-03-08 Holder for an electronic shelf label
AT04718469T ATE448536T1 (en) 2003-03-07 2004-03-08 HOLDER FOR AN ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL
DE602004024039T DE602004024039D1 (en) 2003-03-07 2004-03-08 HOLDER FOR AN ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE0300656A SE0300656D0 (en) 2003-03-07 2003-03-07 Holder
SE0300656-6 2003-03-07

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004079698A1 true WO2004079698A1 (en) 2004-09-16

Family

ID=20290635

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/SE2004/000325 WO2004079698A1 (en) 2003-03-07 2004-03-08 Holder for an electronic shelf label

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1602097B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE448536T1 (en)
DE (1) DE602004024039D1 (en)
SE (1) SE0300656D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2004079698A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITVR20080107A1 (en) * 2008-09-23 2010-03-24 Stefano Nicolis SUPPORT DEVICE FOR ELECTRONIC LABELS
WO2011010003A1 (en) * 2009-07-21 2011-01-27 Shop Novation Device for universally attaching an electronic tag
GB2480462A (en) * 2010-05-19 2011-11-23 Store Display Developments Ltd Electronic display module, in particular, electronic shelf label
WO2019125266A1 (en) * 2017-12-18 2019-06-27 Pricer Ab Rail for supporting an electronic shelf label or sign
US11717948B2 (en) 2020-02-28 2023-08-08 Walmart Apollo, Llc Electronic shelf label removal tool

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2249854A (en) * 1990-10-17 1992-05-20 Sainsbury J Plc Electronic labels
US20020167500A1 (en) * 1998-09-11 2002-11-14 Visible Techknowledgy, Llc Smart electronic label employing electronic ink

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2249854A (en) * 1990-10-17 1992-05-20 Sainsbury J Plc Electronic labels
US20020167500A1 (en) * 1998-09-11 2002-11-14 Visible Techknowledgy, Llc Smart electronic label employing electronic ink

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITVR20080107A1 (en) * 2008-09-23 2010-03-24 Stefano Nicolis SUPPORT DEVICE FOR ELECTRONIC LABELS
EP2166529A1 (en) * 2008-09-23 2010-03-24 Stefano Nicolis Support for electronic tags
WO2011010003A1 (en) * 2009-07-21 2011-01-27 Shop Novation Device for universally attaching an electronic tag
GB2480462A (en) * 2010-05-19 2011-11-23 Store Display Developments Ltd Electronic display module, in particular, electronic shelf label
WO2019125266A1 (en) * 2017-12-18 2019-06-27 Pricer Ab Rail for supporting an electronic shelf label or sign
US11717948B2 (en) 2020-02-28 2023-08-08 Walmart Apollo, Llc Electronic shelf label removal tool

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE0300656D0 (en) 2003-03-07
EP1602097A1 (en) 2005-12-07
DE602004024039D1 (en) 2009-12-24
EP1602097B1 (en) 2009-11-11
ATE448536T1 (en) 2009-11-15

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